Time to Get Some Sales Swagger

It’s hard to be successful in sales if you’re not confident.  That means being confident in the value of your offer and confident in yourself.

A jittery salesperson couldn’t sell a spare tire to someone with a flat.  A confident salesperson overcomes doubts and gets people to buy things they may not really even need.

In a sales situation, confidence builds trust and makes you likable.  It’s an attitude you must cultivate and maintain through every call.

Here are 7 tips for sales confidence that will give you just the right amount of swagger to communicate to leads that you truly believe in what you’re doing.

 

#1.  Positive Self-Image

If you don’t believe in yourself you’ll struggle as a salesperson.  Maintain a positive mindset with a positive inner-narrative.  Selling can be daunting.  If you get on a slow run you may find yourself casting doubt on your efforts.

Start your day by telling yourself that you kick-butt.  Remember that you’re a professional resource and that it’s never a waste of time for someone to talk with you.

Even the best of us occasionally need these daily affirmations.  The best salespeople walk into the office every day with a bit of swagger in their step.  That comes from their own positive self-image.

 

#2.  Visualize Success

Visualization is a powerful technique to use in many endeavors, and that includes sales.  Before your call, create an image in your mind of you winning the deal.  Make a mental image of the steps you need to take to get there, and even note things you want to be sure to do during the call.  Picture yourself overcoming objections, swaying opinions, and getting to the moment where the lead realizes your solution is just what they need.

Plan to win.  Picture it in your mind.  If you do, it’s more likely to happen.

 

#3.  Use the Prospect’s Name

We’ve all had conversations with people where we couldn’t remember their name.  It’s hard to have a confident tone when you’re acting like a person is a long-lost friend but in the back of your mind, you’re trying to remember who they are.

When you’re dealing with a prospect, make sure to get their name and use it in the conversation.  If you’re on the phone, write it down as soon as you hear it.

Be natural about this – it is possible to overdo addressing people by name on a sales call.  You don’t want your friendliness to sound contrived.  At the same time, make sure you’re not awkwardly dragging out expressions as you try to remember who this person is.

 

#4.  Realize You Can Help

This is probably the most important tip here.  Be confident in your solution and believe fully that what you’re doing is helping the lead solve an active problem.

You’re not selling them.  You’re providing a service they’ll appreciate.  You’re making their life better.  You’re not making a pitch, but providing valuable advice.

If you control the conversation, you won’t have to sell the prospect.  They’ll convince themselves that this is the right move.

If you believe in your offer, you’ll be a far more confident salesperson.  If you don’t – and you can’t cultivate this feeling – you may need to look for a different sales job.

 

#5.  Sell Benefits

The best way to lose the confidence of the lead (as well as your own) is to drone on about the features of your product.  It’s well known that detailing features is a poor sales tactic because you can’t hold people’s attention as you list everything your solution does.

Instead, focus on their pain-point and center the discussion on the benefits your solution offers.  When your audience is engaged and interested, it will increase your confidence.  If you can tell they’re bored, you’ll start to flounder and sound desperate.

 

#6.  Get Excited

If you’re not excited about what you’re selling, you can hardly expect the prospect to get excited about buying it.  Enthusiasm is contagious, and if you really believe in what you’re doing you can transmit that feeling to the prospect.

Some days you won’t feel as excited as others, so on those days go back to point two.  Visualize yourself being energized on the call then make it happen, even if you have to manufacture that feeling to a degree.  Better to come across as slightly inauthentic than bland.  If the prospect senses you’re bored you can forget about closing the deal.

 

#7.  Stay Positive

Sales isn’t easy.  Many people who try this profession struggle.

Often that happens because they suffer a few setbacks then get into a negative rut.  Everything becomes a struggle, and instead of visualizing success they start believing they’re cursed or unlucky.  They actually visualize failing.

This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that ends careers.

Don’t let that happen to you.  Remember that each new lead presents a fresh opportunity – that’s a great thing about working in sales.  Just when you think the struggle isn’t worth it, you close a huge deal that totally turns things around.

Instead of making excuses for why things aren’t going well, look yourself in the eye and tell yourself the next deal is yours.  Assure yourself that you’re helping your clients.  When you believe in the value you deliver, there is no reason not to be optimistic.

When you’re confident and positive, good things happen, and that makes sales not only rewarding but fun.