5 Things to Do (or Not to Do) When You Love Your Business But Hate To Sell

If you hate selling (and a lot of people do), it’s likely because you think of “sales” as a manipulative, high-pressure process. There’s no question that it can be—but it doesn’t have to be. Use these 5 tips to reframe your mind on selling. 

When we think of sales, our minds often conjures the classic scene in the Glengarry Glen Ross movie where Alec Baldwin’s character, Blake, a real estate salesmen, gives his famous speech on the traditional ABCs (Always Be Closing) of sales and where the well-known phrase “coffee’s for closers” was born. (At least it’s a well-known phrase jokingly said when someone runs in our morning sales meeting late, sipping a hot cup of joe. But seriously, if you haven’t seen the movie, watch it; it’s an oldie but a goodie).

Truth is, if you want to be a successful business owner, you must learn to sell and do it well, so you must overcome your hatred. But how do you reframe selling in your mind? First, get the brazen, manipulative, devious Blake (Baldwin) character image out of your mind; and second, make it so when you’re selling, it doesn’t really feel like selling. 

Let’s look at an example: there was a chiropractor who loved her job but hated “selling” herself. But what she was failing to see was that there are people who genuinely want and need help with their physical problems. She had a solution for these people and in turn, they would pay for it. Rather than seeing herself as a salesperson, she began to see herself as helping people in need. By reframing her thought process around sales, she began to love selling her services to people who needed a solution to their problem. 

Here are 5 other ways to reframe your thought process: 

• Don’t mistake your lack of smooth-talking and powerful seller skills for a weak salesperson. Dominating people and the conversation is a big turn-off for many prospects. Instead, be quiet and listen to understand their perspective. Understanding the prospect’s need and having confidence in your skills and ability to find the solution is how you’ll gain trust and ultimately close the deal.  
• Don’t fear rejection. It’s not a setback or a failure to be rejected by a prospect. It’s an opportunity to learn from it. Even Steve Jobs was rejected from his own company, and he never, ever once gave up on his vision or product. Maybe it was the wrong timing; maybe we didn’t qualify our lead correctly. Maybe we didn’t have enough information to qualify the lead. Maybe, maybe, maybe… Point is, it’s only short-term and you need to remain positive while learning from each rejection. 
• Don’t forget to prepare. Know your market, competition, and your product/service inside and out. Lack of knowledge or preparation will show and give prospects little confidence that you know what you’re talking about. Your sales pitch will appear unbelievable, unreliable, and “salesy”.  
• Don’t rush building a relationship. It takes time to build a solid relationship and, in most industries, longer than salespeople like to recognize. Often the pressure to perform or earn a commission propels salespeople to rush the process, making them seem aggressive. However, giving yourself more time to invest in building relationships will provide you with long-lasting repeated business over time.  
• Don’t pitch, help. Commit yourself to helping your prospect find a solution to their problem. Present yourself as team member or an extension of their staff with resources and knowledge the team can use. Share the goal with your prospect by being on their side. 

Selling is a necessary part of being a successful business owner. But let’s face it, salespeople are sometimes annoying – so don’t be one. Think of yourself as someone who can help your prospect solve a problem and reframe your mindset. 

Similarly, Verity Commercial’s real estate advisors see themselves as trusted advisors who can provide a valuable resource to their clients. If you’d like advice or guidance on your commercial real estate needs, contact us today.