Selling the best thing you have to offer…yourself

All small businesses need sales. The challenge is that many entrepreneurs are technicians or experts first and salespeople a very distant second.

This becomes a growth block for many businesses. A core concept of selling is that people buy products or services from YOU (rather than from another salesperson or business). They buy because they’re attracted to something unique in you—your message, your presentation, your personality.

Customers buy from salespeople they feel a connection with. So, how do you become a salesperson who is capable of making great connections?

When we are able to really free ourselves from the person we think we should be and focus on who we are—what we’re truly excited and passionate about—all sorts of amazing things happen.

Your most important sales tool: Yourself

Selling is all about compelling communications. If you look at the best communicators in the world you’ll see a common thread. Oprah, JFK, Martin Luther King. The people that inspire others and create change don’t fake it. They are authentic and true to themselves and their vision.

We can all tell when someone is “phoning it in.” On the other hand, there’s something amazing about someone who is being themselves. I know it can be daunting to be excited and passionate about life, especially if it (or your business) isn’t going your way and you’re feeling less than confident. We’ve all battled with this at different times in our lives.

The great news is that there are plenty of easy and practical ways to change how you feel about yourself. What I’m talking about is digging deep down to find the best version of yourself. This self-awareness will help define how you approach sales. Do this and it will naturally translate into a new way of looking at selling your products or services.

Now...

Stop for a moment and think about this. What are the favourite parts of you? If you were to ask two or three of the most important people in your life right now: “What are my best qualities?” What would they say about you?

For me, I think my peeps would say that I’m always trying and always willing to take risks. Also, if something really big is going down, I’m the person they turn to. Why? Because I’ve had a lot of huge things happen to me and here I am, still standing.

Try turning the responses into your own personal mission statement.

How does it feel? Is it true? Somewhat true? Not at all true?

Keep going until you come up with a clear personal mission statement that truly resonates and fits.

Now, think about ways to bring these qualities out while you communicate with your sales prospects. For example, here’s one of the things I say to my clients: “Something you should know about me is that I’m capable. When the chips are down, I can sort things out and come up with a plan of attack. I make things happen.”

Because this is true to who I am, it resonates. People can feel this and they can trust me.

Who is the best you?

Think about this seriously. Ask yourself, when am I at my best? What am I doing? Where am I? Ask others to help you. Write your mission statement down and start telling others about it.

Running a business is hard, you know it and I know it. If you’re not happy about who you are, or what you are doing here on this earth, change it. Businesses change and morph all the time and you can too.

There is a great book called The 28 Laws of Attraction by Thomas J. Leonard. It sounds kind of fluffy, but it’s by far the best coaching material I’ve ever read. In this book, you will find 28 principles to radically change your direction and how you feel about yourself and your life. Or, you can hire a coach or a consultant. With the right help, it can totally be worth the investment.

Let it shine

Remember, selling is about creating excitement, solving problems and providing value to your customers. You cannot trick anyone into buying something. You can show them you believe in yourself, your products and methods, and that you genuinely want to be of service to them. You do it by being the best version of you there is.

How easy is that? “This is me…This is what I believe in, or know to be true... and this is how I can help you.”

It’s that simple. Get to your most authentic self and let it shine.

Do you struggle as a salesperson to find your best self and message? We would love to hear your story of overcoming the challenges and mastering sales as part of your growth journey. Please share!