Do You Find Selling Icky?
October 1st, 2014 by Morna
In conversations with several of my clients recently, the topic of sales came up. Really it was the topic of not feeling comfortable selling. So I ask you, does selling feel icky to you?
No one likes to be sold to, and we all have opinions about people who sell. Do you know that Gallup® does an annual survey on honesty and ethical standards of people in a variety of fields? Car salespeople come in close to the bottom of the list, and have consistently been near or at the bottom of the list for years. (Being from the DC area, I found it interesting that members of Congress and lobbyists were even lower.)
If you go to that same list, what professions do you think occupy the top positions? In 2013, it was nurses. Why do you think that is? I think it comes down to the fact that nurses are compassionate, caring people and that comes through to their patients.
What would happen if you took this same compassion and care in “selling” to your clients? It’s not hard. It just requires a mindset shift. To me it is about providing a service to your clients or customers. You are not selling; you are providing a service; you are solving their problems.
How do you do this? First, you listen to your customers. Learn what their problems are. Then you are able to help them with what you have to offer. It is about being authentic and operating in integrity. If you believe in your product or service, and in yourself, it is not hard to “sell” what you have.
Start with a mindset shift from “selling” to “serving.”
I would love to hear your comments on this below or go to our Facebook page.
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Morna McEver Golletz is the founder and CEO of the International Association of Creative Arts Professionals where creative arts entrepreneurs craft business success. Her weekly e-zine offers tips, techniques and inspiration to help you craft business success from your creative arts passion. You can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://www.creativeartsprofessional.com.
Tags: Selling
Shelly Stokes said:
Great thought today, Morna. I also found it helpful to shift from selling products to selling “what to do or how to use the product.” When I offered an online class based on one of my books, my readers jumped at the chance to sign up. Many of our customers already have at least some of our products, but they are happy to purchase an experience related to them.
Laura Estes said:
You are right about believing in your product, and the benefit it will have for your customer. Listening helps know how the shop operates, how they sell to their customers and what their selling dilemmas are. I like what I have designed and I am sure you will too. That is why I have found my “Build Your Own Trunk Show” program has worked so well. It is a way for a shop owner to introduce something new and see how their customers like the style and skill set. I can tailor a trunk show to fit space, theme, event and time frame. A trunk show in a shop usually develops a long term repeat customer. Anything I can do to make the shop owner happy about having my samples in their shop, makes them happy to be selling my products.
Lori Antonetti said:
I am realizing that I don’t have to change as much as I thought I did, just keep approaching my new service with the same compassion as I have had all these years and be myself. Thank you Morna for pointing this out.
Morna said:
Lori, I was thinking about your nursing background when I wrote this. You have less of a shift to make than others because you already have those traits.