On the face of it, the answer to this question is obvious for any small business owner: yes, of course I do. Now, I don't think I'm any different from anyone else in this regard - I am fully aware that my ability as a sales person is directly proportional to my income, and is probably the single most important skill for me to have. I get that, I really do. The thing is, it just feels wrong. Maybe it's British repression, maybe I'm just not very good at it or maybe I've been subjected to too many hard sell doorsteppers over the years but I can't help feeling that trying to sell something to someone else ( even my own work, which I believe in completely ) is a bit pushy. A bit blowing one's own trumpet so to speak. Just not cricket.
So now I am trapped between my logical brain, which tells me that helping someone see the advantages of my services or pictures is a perfectly acceptable thing to do; and my gut instinct, which tells me to be quiet and leave people alone.
Am I mad? Am I just a poor salesperson?am I the only one who has this problem? Any solutions out there?
Discuss.... :)
Great post! I too, like you, am self employed and rely entirely upon the ability to sell my wares. This scares me.
ReplyDeleteThe choices are either to speak up about what I do in a confident manner or resort to living off baked beans for the rest of my life. Oh God.
Not liking my choices, I did a little digging. Google came to rescue me once more, and, as I came to the conclusion that selling is less about selling about more about listening, I breathed the long awaited sigh of relief.
Listening? I can do that [sometimes]! I've even been practising. I kid you not. But that's another story for another day.
So yes, they* recommend listening, to find out what problems the person you're speaking to has that you can solve. Ta da! How cool is that?!
Anyone for cricket?
* a bit vague, I do realise, but I have no idea where I read that - more of 'in general', if you like