Let’s face it – we are often scared to death to walk into a business! How do you overcome that fear? I plan to share with you my very unique and even surprising approach to overcoming the fear. I truly believe the reason that many sales people are nervous to walk into or call a business is because of their own view of themselves and their occupation.
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Here is an illustration to help you understand this point better. Imagine you own a non-profit, and all you do every day is to give $10,000 grants to small business owners. Let’s also imagine that everybody in your community recognizes you as an expert in business. With that $10,000 grant comes three consulting sessions you provide. You’ve really got to use your imagination. Many of you haven’t used your imagination since you were seven years old! Really imagine this; now go into the field and give away these grants. Here’s the new question: how nervous are you now to walk into a business and let them know they’ve been selected to receive a $10,000 grant, as well as your expertise for three consulting sessions?
So hopefully with this imagination, you’ve been able to eliminate your nervousness. But there’s still one more very important item about which we have to talk. You’re probably thinking, “But, James, I’m not giving out $10,000 grants!” But are you providing value? For me to sell a merchant and save him $7,000 to $10,000 over the course of three years is very common.
Now that you’ve established the fact you truly are providing value to business owners and have really just selected them to receive this value, we can move on to how you see sales people. Sales people are business owners. If you’re a 1099 sales person, you’re a business owner. There’s no reason for you to feel you’re the lowly sales person who doesn’t deserve to interrupt the business owners’ day. No! You’re a business owner just like they are.
How do I project that kind of confidence? I use reverse psychology which is very powerful. I’m excited to give you this line today. When I walk into a business location for the first time, I present myself as trying to decide if the business is a good fit for my program. I say things like, “I have a very specific program I know would save you money. But I need to ask a couple of questions to determine if your business would be a good fit for it.” Going back to our earlier example, imagine a business needs to pass a certain survey or meet certain requirements before you can give the $10,000 grant.
Let’s summarize: You are providing value, so you don’t need to be nervous about it. Use reverse psychology; it works better.
If you’re out selling in the field and have a question for me or need advice about overcoming an issue or doing a rebuttal, go to SnapChat and look for ccsalespro.
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