Pushing Past the Fear to Ask for the Sale

Pushing Past the Fear to Ask for the Sale

Wouldn’t it be great if you never had to ask for the sale? Your clients and prospects just automatically said, “Sure, I want to buy your product or service right now. What do I need to do?”

While this may occasionally happen with some clients or prospects, for the most part, you’re going to have to ask for the business every time you approach someone to sell your products and services. It’s just part of the process. But for many salespeople (small business owners and entrepreneurs are salespeople, too), closing is the hardest part of the sale.

Knock down fear and watch sales explode!

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Why do salespeople have trouble asking for the sale? Fear is the No. 1 reason!

  • They’re afraid they’re going to be perceived as pushy. Many salespeople don’t like being in a situation where someone is closing the sale on them. So they think their prospects probably feel the same way toward them. Yes, there are some people who don’t like to be sold to. But for the most part, people understand that’s part of the sales process. You don’t have to be pushy or aggressive in order to close the sale. If you’ve done a good job of identifying the prospect’s problems, presenting solutions that your products or services can provide, and addressing potential concerns the prospect may have, then the close is the next logical step to take in the process.
  • They fear rejection. Many salespeople don’t like to ask for the sale, because they’re afraid the prospect will say “NO.” Getting turned down is an inevitable part of the sales process. But you shouldn’t take it personally. Look at “NO” has an opportunity to perfect your sales skills. The more “NO’s” you get and successfully turn into “YESes,” the better salesperson you’ll become.
  • They fear they’ll make a mistake. Closing the sale can feel awkward at first, especially if you’re a new salesperson. So instead, they may hesitate, waiting until it’s too late – the meeting is over or they’ve hung up the phone. The problem is, they still don’t know if the prospect is going to buy or not. When you’re having sales conversations on the phone, try posting a sign with your favorite closing question near the phone. It’ll remind you to ask the question. For in-person sales meetings, stick a reminder note on your note pad, laptop or tablet.

However, the best way to overcome fear and become more comfortable with asking for the sale is to practice. Get together with a friend and practice asking closing questions. Or, better yet, give me a call. I can help you perfect your technique.

I don’t know who said this quote, but it really is true when comes to sales: “To become really good at anything, you have to practice and repeat, practice and repeat, until the technique becomes intuitive.” Trust me, the more you practice, the more confident you’ll become and the better you’ll get – which, ultimately means, the more sales you’ll close.

To your success!

Jack Signature

   B3 – Be Bold, Brilliant and Boundless!

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Posted in Growth Strategy, Sales

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