How To NOT Feel Pushy When Selling

One of the biggest fears my clients have when it comes to sales, is how to not feel pushy when selling.

 

In a recent poll in my group, The Business Women’s Circle, a staggering 71% of respondents revealed that they avoid sales because of the fear of coming across as being pushy. That’s why, in this blog, I will share two of my top tips to help you not feel pushy when selling yourself, your services or your product.

 

I remember a while back,  I was in the market for a new (used) car and I’d spotted one that was exactly what I was looking for… it had low mileage, it was the size I wanted and it was a reliable brand. I had my financing sorted and I took a friend with me for support but the salesperson was SO RUDE and so off-putting that despite how much I wanted the car, I decided to turn my back and walk out on the sale.

 

If you’ve ever felt awkward during a sales encounter or had to negotiate with someone who wasn’t ready to budge on their price, or if you’ve been interrupted during dinner by a random sales call, this can impact how you feel about sales and selling.

 

That’s because your body remembers these uncomfortable experiences and how they made you feel.

 

If this is you, read on… because I have a couple of tips to help you shift your perspective on how not to  feel pushy when selling and how you can neutralise that feeling.

 

What does selling mean to you?

If you’re running your own business and find yourself resistant to sales, it might be good to explore what sales means to you.

 

One way to do that is to answer the following –

1. Sales is….
2. Sales is not….

 

Because when you know what it is and what it isn’t, it gives you a better idea of how you’re framing it in your mind.

 

Another way that can help you to change what sales mean (after all, most of us LOVE a SALE, right?), is to reframe it into something else.

 

For example, if you’re a coach or a healer, you might have heard the saying that “selling is healing“.

 

But for me, this still carries a bit of an “ick” factor because it feels like you’re trying to convince yourself that selling is something it’s not.

 

What is selling?

Interestingly, according to the Oxford dictionary, selling means “to give or hand over (something) in exchange for money” or to “persuade someone of the merits of” something.

 

For me, this brings up two things immediately….

1. Money – everyone that I’ve ever met has some unhelpful perceptions about money, so this is something that I will explore in more detail in a later post… but for now, I would recommend that you start to explore what money is and is not to you
2. The word “persuade” – implies that you need to “induce (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument” (Oxford Dictionary).

 

The thing is, what I’ve realised is that selling isn’t about persuading someone; it’s about determining if there’s a fit.

 

Take for example, if you needed to pound a nail into a wall, chances are, you’re going to be looking for a hammer (or maybe an electric drill!), right?

 

So.. it’s not like I HAVE TO CONVINCE YOU to buy a drill… you already know you need one.

 

And my job is, to see if my hammer is right for you, or if you would prefer an electric drill.

 

And if all I offer are hammers, then we’re NOT a fit.

 

Let me know if this makes sense. 🙂

 

Because at the end of the day, if you want to make selling easier, my suggestion is to focus on being clear about who you are, what you offer, and who you help.

 

By doing this, you can remove that “ick” factor and not feel pushy when selling because you’re pre-qualifying your customers even before they speak to you.

 

How to take the “ick” out of selling…

So if you’re looking to pre-qualify your prospects or customers so that they are ready to buy when they approach you (like going to Bunnings and knowing what you need for your home reno), the easiest way to do this is via your CONTENT and what you share with your audience.

 

What this means, is that when they reach out to you or inquire about your services or products, they feel like they already know you and want to engage with you.

 

In other words, they’re ALREADY SOLD.

 

How much easier, fun and more enjoyable does that sound than trying to convince someone they need to work with you?

 

If you want your sales calls or conversations with prospects to be effortless, I highly recommend taking a closer look at your messaging and how you communicate with your audience, even before they contact you.

 

Remember, selling isn’t about convincing people they need you; it’s about bridging the gap between their problems and the solutions you provide.

 

If you want to learn more about selling without feeling “icky” or pushy, I’d love to chat and explore how I can help you grow your business and achieve those $5-10K months and beyond consistently.

 

To find out more, click this link and let’s jump on a call and chat.