Why Are We So Afraid Of Selling?
Selling Professional Services is tough.
Most professionals intensely dislike selling. In fact, I’d go as far to say that a fantastic many dread it.
The thought of having to sell ourselves brings butterflies to our stomachs, makes our palms sweat, and triggers all sorts of negative thoughts:
“I didn’t do years of training to have to go out and sell”.
“I’m the expert here, people should be coming to me, I shouldn’t have to beg for work”.
“Selling is beneath me”.
In fact, some professionals can’t even bring themselves to call selling by it’s proper name. They call it business development or even marketing. When really they mean selling: engaging with potential clients and persuading them to hire you.
Why do we get such intense emotions when it comes to selling?
The most common response is that it’s “dread of rejection”.
But that’s far too simplistic a view. What on earth is “dread of rejection” really? We get rejected all the time. What are we really worried of?
In my experience, there are multiple factors.
Sometimes we’re worried that we might hurt client relationships by being “too pushy” and asking for sales.
Sometimes it’s because we have a very negative stereotypical image of salespeople. The sales people we’ve come across are the Ricky Roma, Willy Loman “used car salesman” types and we don’t want to be like them. (Apologies to all the professional used car salespeople out there who of course aren’t at all like the sterotype).
But the issue I see more often than not is that we’re worried what others might reckon of us. We’re worried that by “selling” we might come across as desperate. We have a self image of a highly successful professional we want all to buy in to.
Of course, we make all sorts of excuses and rationalisations. The time isn’t right to call. A direct mail sales letter is “unethical”. Clients’ don’t respond well to being questioned for referrals.
We’re none of us immune to this. I did – and to some extent still do – this all the time. I have to catch myself when I start talking to myself like this and shake myself up.
Next time you find yourself thinking like this, take a step back and consider whether this is the reality – or whether the real issue is that you’re worried what the client or prospect might reckon of you.
And then reckon about how much preserving that image is value to you. Is it value limiting your career for? Is it value risking the livelihood of your business – and your family for?
Sometimes we just have to get over ourselves and get on and do what’s needed.
Similar Posts:
- Helping Professionals Sell By Empathy Styles
- Rejection – sometimes it really is personal
- Thinking vs Doing : Thoughts on Uncommon Personality Types
- What Makes a Excellent Salesperson? Answering the Impossible Question
- Know Your Client’s Beliefs to Learn How to Sell More
Why Are We So Worried Of Selling? is a post from: Get More Clients in Less Time: Practical Strategies, Proven Results