Did you know you can also watch this episode on YouTube?

If the thought of pitching your services, getting on a sales call, or making direct offers to potential clients makes you break out in a cold sweat—or if it just feels overwhelmingly uncomfortable to market your business—then this episode is for you. Today, we’re diving into the world of selling: why it feels so hard, and what you need to know to transform selling into something you actually enjoy. 

If you asked a room full of business owners if they love selling more or at least as much as they love doing what they do the majority will say no. Very few people enjoy the process of selling. Marketing their services and products. 

I believe it has a lot to do with what we think about sales people.

According to research done by Hubspot, only 3% of people consider salespeople to be trustworthy.

We don’t trust sales people. And so we don’t want to be associated or viewed as someone that cannot be trusted, that pushes for a sale.

We start a business because we’re good at a specific skillset. Usually it’s doing the thing. Making the product. We think because the product or service is good…people will flock to us. We quickly realise that it doesn’t work like that. We logically understand that we need to market and sell. But there is an incongruence because of what we think about selling. We think selling is taking something from someone when in fact, that’s not what selling is at all.

Unless you are that sleazy salesman that’s running after a target and really doesn’t care about the person at the other end of the sale.

Selling is one of the most critical components of business. If you don’t sell, you won’t bring in revenue. You have to learn to sell what you do better than you do what you do.

Doesn’t mean you should provide mediocre service or inferior products but it highlights the importance of selling. I you cannot sell well…no one will experience your amazing products and services.

THE FEAR OF REJECTION

Apart from the fact that we have many negative connotations to selling and sales people, another reason why we don’t particularly like to market or sell is because we don’t like being rejected.  Statistics reveal that 80% of sales require at least 5 follow up calls. 48% of salespeople give up after just one follow-up attempt, and 44% never follow up at all. The psychological impact of rejection runs deep. Our brains are wired for acceptance and validation and every no we get feels like a personal blow.

We think the no is rejection. That the person on the other side is saying no to us. Our capabilities. And we make it mean something about our worthyness. About how good we are. 

The reality is, not everyone will say yes. And it’s not because you suck at sales (although in the beginning you really do) but because not everyone is going to need or want what you have. And they aren’t saying NO because they are rejecting YOU. There are actually a few factors that all need to line up for someone to be a yes. And the number of people that will say yes comes down to some very basic maths.

Did you know that Apple has a 28% market share in mobile devices, meaning 72% of consumers choose something else. Do you think that Apple sits in a corner and feels bad because 72% of the world doesn't want what they have to offer? Do you think they doubt themselves or that their products aren't good enough? They don’t. They focus on their best clients. They focus on the people who do want what they have.

IT’S A NUMBERS GAME

The reality is…out of everyone that is able to buy from you. The majority won’t. Many selling experts say that 90% of people don’t want to and will never buy from you. 10% will. It might not be an exact mathematical formula but the point is…the majority won’t buy what you have no matter how good it is.

And once we know this…it takes a bit of the pressure off. It makes it less about us and even the person saying no. 

CLARITY, CERTAINTY, AND TRUST

Why people buy has mostly nothing to do with you….unless you’re being weird or trying to push people into doing something they don’t want to do.

Assuming they are in the 10% who actually do want what you have, they buy when they have clarity, certainty, and trust.

Clarity is when they understand clearly what it is and how it will benefit them.

Certainty is when they are certain that it will work for their specific situation or problem. 

Trust happens when they believe that it will do what you say it’s going to do.

So instead of telling yourself that you aren’t good at sales, the next time someone isn’t a yes, ask yourself:

What haven’t I said yet? How do I need to explain it so that they get the clarity, the certainty, and the trust.

MASTERING THE ART OF SELLING

Getting better at selling will only happen when you sell more and focus on getting better every time. In order to get better you need to be willing to evaluate. To not make the no about you but to investigate where there was a lack of clarity, certainty, trust.

For example, if an email you sent had a low open rate, test different subject lines or follow up with a revised message. Data-driven tweaks can significantly improve outcomes over time.

GET OBSESSED WITH YOUR BEST CLIENTS

Notice how often you’re focused on the 90% that don’t want what you have vs the 10% that do. Do not spend time thinking about the people who don’t want what you have and never will. Spend all your time and attention on the 10% that do. Zero in on understanding your ideal clients deeply—their problems, dreams, and their fears. Spend time cultivating and building belief in what you sell and why it makes a difference, why it matters. You cannot ask others to believe in your products and services if you don’t. If you love your clients, love what you offer them and your business truly exists in service of those ideal clients…selling really is serving. It’s an invitation. Selling is being a leader and influencing others thoughts and feelings in service of them. To help them. So enrich their lives and invite them to take the first step towards the result or the outcome your business promises them.

Ready to design a business that doesn’t stop working when you do?

Book a Consultation Call and let’s discuss how I can help you design a business that works FOR YOU.

Do you have a question on designing a business that can run smoothly with or without you?

Send me an email at ilonka@ilonkaras.com and I will answer it in the next episode.

If you found this helpful. Share it with a friend in business and let’s help each other grow.

Did you miss last week's episode? - Catch up HERE

If you found value from the podcast, subscribe so you never miss out on a new episode!

Leave us a positive review here and help us reach and help more business owners.