To Sell is... Human?

When I say sales, you say…. ?

For many, the word sales conjures images of those pushy “I’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty” cold callers. This negative association can lead to deep-seated resistance and limiting beliefs around the concept of selling, significantly impacting your ability to drive revenue in your own business.

But what if you could shift that perception? What more could you accomplish if you believed that to sell is, actually, human?

Historically, the concept of selling has often been associated with manipulation by corrupt corporations, an image perpetuated by media portrayals (who doesn’t love a good “I can’t believe that really happened!” episode of Dirty Money?).

However, the stereotypical snake oil salesman view of sales is outdated and ignores the fundamental purpose of sales a tool for solving problems and meeting client needs.

In bestselling author Dan Pink's book To Sell is Human, Pink argues that everyone works in sales –whether you're selling a product, an idea, or yourself

When you adopt the mentality that sales doesn’t have to be directly related to the “ching” of another Stripe notification, that it really is more about how you solve others’ problems, you become unstoppable.

Before we dive into how to become unstoppable, let’s chat about the two most common resistances to sales.

The Fear of Rejection -

One of the most significant psychological hurdles in sales is the fear of rejection.

This fear can stem from deep rooted subconscious mechanisms designed to keep your nervous system feeling safe For online business owners, every sales pitch can feel like a personal risk, with the possibility of hearing “no” feeling like a threat to your identity and self-worth.

Having a fear of rejection may discourage you from actively marketing and selling your offerings.

A Mismatched Mindset -

Does this sound familiar?

“I absolutely LOVE creating products/services that [solve a specific problem for a specific client]!” or “People keep asking me for advice on [specific problem] and I love being able to help!”

Most entrepreneurs start their business based on a strong passion for solving problems and helping others, not necessarily focused on the bottom line of selling products and services. This mismatch between your self-perception as a problem solver compared to seeing yourself as a salesperson creates a cognitive dissonance – leading to a feeling that your work should speak for itself, resulting in avoidance of implementing any sort of direct sales tactics.

So how can you start to shift your perception of sales to a healthier outlook that helps fuel your business?

Let’s start by reframing the concept of sales. Instead of viewing sales as needing to convince or manipulate prospective clients into buying something they don't want or need, look at sales from the lens of providing a solution to a problem.

This ties directly back to the entrepreneurial motivation to help others, alleviating much of the psychological discomfort associated with selling. This shift in perspective turns sales into an act of empathy and understanding, aligning the solutions that you have to the problems that prospective clients express a need to solve.

This leads to the next perspective shift; consultative selling (We share more on this in another article)

Instead of traditional, stereotypical sales tactics, online business owners should focus on building authentic relationships with prospective clients. Invite clients to engage in genuine conversations about their desires – and not just the desires they express on the surface, but the intrinsic needs underlying those desires Understanding the root cause of your prospective clients’ desires helps you determine whether your products and services can meet their needs.

Approaching the sales conversation as a consultation helps build connection and foster trust, rather than leave you feeling like you’re forcing a transaction.

Understanding your specific limiting beliefs around sales can help you create your own reframes!

By redefining sales in a more positive light, you’ll be able to integrate authenticity into your sales tactics and show up more confidently turning sales into a powerful tool for growth and connection.