BY Jessica Helinski
There are quite a few common fears in sales. These fears can hinder a seller’s success, no matter how long they’ve been in the industry. Thankfully, most of these fears can be conquered by changing your mindset and approach.
Rather than letting these fears hurt sales, make an effort to manage them, Shagun Sharma writes.
“Here's the secret sauce for success in sales: Understanding and overcoming these fears,” she explains.
Three Common Fears in Sales
One of the biggest fears among sellers is the fear of rejection. Unfortunately, rejection is pretty common. Invesp reports that 60% of customers reject offers four times before finally making a purchasing decision.
But, sellers can dramatically cut their chances of rejection by strengthening specific areas of their strategy. According to Ideal Directories, these are common root causes of rejection:
- Lack of adequate research
- Not enough in-depth knowledgeable about their product
- Pushy or aggressive behavior
- Poor listening
- Not tailoring the pitch to a prospect’s unique needs
Boost your confidence by avoiding these common mistakes. Concentrate on honing those skills, which will improve your chances of winning over a prospect. You’ll cut your chances of rejection by ensuring you’ve mastered the skills that prospects appreciate.
You also must work on your own mindset. Reframing rejection and how you view it can help soothe your worries. By thinking of it as a learning opportunity, you take away some of its negativity.
As Ideal Directories points out, “rejection is not always a bad thing…it can help you learn and improve…”
Pitching
Another one of the most common fears in sales is making a pitch. And for many, the fear of speaking in front of others is a major cause. SalesFuel reports that public speaking anxiety affects approximately 30% of Americans.
While the general population rarely has to face that fear, sellers do. Pitching is vital to sales success. If anxiety of public speaking is fueling anxiety over pitching, you can take action. Consider these pro tips to improve your mindset and your strategy. You’ll find adjusting your entire approach can make it easier to stand up and pitch to a room.
Another cause of pitching fear is insecurity about the subject matter. You can’t convince others to trust in your product if you don’t have the confidence to sell it. This is a basic fix: Immerse yourself in learning.
First, boost your confidence by revisiting your solution and learning it from every angle. Then, learn everything about a prospect’s business. And then, learn how your solution can impact their business.
This requires investment in research but efforts will pay off. Embrace these research best practices to ensure you’re doing quality research.
And as Ideal Directories point out, keep in mind that prospects generally are receptive to, and welcome, pitches.
“They're not there to judge or critique but to see if your offering is a good fit for them.”
Meeting targets
Missing quota is another one of the most common fears in sales. Even sellers with a winning track record can panic over hitting targets.
Once again, one of the best ways to overcome this fear is managing your mindset. You must engage in positive self-talk.
“The voices in your head are definitely doing their best to keep you distracted and full of self-doubt,” Meg Prater writes for HubSpot.
For tips on reframing your mental approach, check out this article.
Also, consider these tips from Sharma:
Have open discussions with your manager regarding your targets. Express any concerns, or confusion that you may have.
- Before deadlines, evaluate your work and prioritize deals that have higher chances of closing or are bigger.
- Keep updated on industry trends to ensure your skills evolve with buyer needs and preferences.
- Regularly evaluate your sales strategies and adjust to improve results as needed.
There’s no shame in identifying with these common fears in sales. Use this awareness to make improvements to overcome them and take your success to new levels.
Photo by Bethany Legg on Unsplash