On a scale of 1-10, how important is it to be confident when we’re selling?
If you scored anything less than 7 (but you should have given it 10), get out of sales / sales management and go and work in accounts where they don’t let you talk to people because until you understand why confidence is important, we’ve go to keep you away from prospects and clients. 🙂
Let me give you a clue as to why confidence is so important; 2 sales people call on you selling pretty much the same product at the same price. One is confident (not arrogant) in themselves, their product and their company. The other is less so. Which one are you more likely to buy from?
OK, so if you are running a sales team, it’s part of your responsibility to help keep confidence high among your people. What can you DO?
Hello?
Think!
Nothing coming? Come on, get creative – we’re in sales!
Here’s something you can DO. Get on the phone – now. Not tomorrow, not when you’ve finished looking for your pen – get on the phone now and ring some of your company’s best clients. Have an informal “….courtesy call, just to see how our service and Jane (your sales person) is helping you / your business..” Don’t forget, these are your A and A+ clients so the feedback should be good. If it’s not, call me, you need my help   🙂 🙂
When you have their feedback, thank them and then ask a question on the lines of “Could I ask you for your help? Could you write a testimonial and share your opinion as to the service Jane has provided / is providing and the difference it has made to your business?” Then you give that testimonial to Jane. She’ll be thrilled that after 3 years of working for you you’ve finally given her some help instead of shouting “Make more calls!”
And tell Jane to keep the testimonial with her and to read it next time she’s feeling low or has had a meeting with a rude, prospect. Reading positive stuff (especially from a client) about the great job we’re doing has a confidence boosting effect on us. Why would it not? And the more the merrier. If over time, Jane has 5, 6, 7 of these testimonials in her car / folder / pinned up by her telephone, (anywhere so they are within easy reach), she’ll be able to mange those dips in confidence far better and be more resilient when those tough times come around next time.
Selling is a skill