How do you feel about selling?

It's tempting to think of selling as something separate from the rest of your business. To put it off and tell yourself, it’s just an awkward conversation you’ll have later on in your sales process.

But the truth is, selling starts from the moment you first meet someone. Whether that is in a networking event, online forum, or private gathering.

When you meet new people, on a subliminal level we are always asking: "Do I like this person? Would I work with them? Would I refer them to someone I know? Could they become a valuable part of my network?" So we have to make sure that our introduction gives them the information they need to say "Yes!" to all of these questions.

However, often in networking events I get introductions like  “Oh, I’m just a copywriter”,  “I’m just an English teacher” or “I’m just a coach”.

They seem clearly uncomfortable presenting themselves and their business. At the end, all the hard work they put into networking doesn’t help them grow their business.

Selling starts with owning your value

I can personally relate to this. I struggled with networking for a long time. I believed in my business, but I didn't know how to talk about it without people feeling I was selling to them, so I wouldn't.

But of course I had this all backwards. Because, if you don't tell people about the solutions you offer, they can't benefit from them. Once I found ways to share my value proposition authentically, then things became much easier. I made wonderful connections and my business and confidence blossomed.

For some, confidence in selling their value comes more naturally, while the rest of us need to work on building it a little bit more.

Before launching my own business I worked as a business coach under the umbrella of a large international wellness brand. This experience showed me how much confidence matters when it comes to selling.

Over two years I helped more than 100 women start a home business. All the women had the same marketing materials, products, resources and education. However, the ones that succeeded, were those who believed in themselves. Not in a big-headed kind of way, but they trusted that they could figure things out along the way. And as they did, this fuelled further confidence and personal growth.

They weren’t necessarily naturally confident. And rarely did they have any pre-existing business knowledge or experience on which to place this confidence. But they were willing to do the work, learn the skills and gain the confidence required to get the sales flowing in.

This is something else I had backwards in the early days. I thought confidence was something you had that enabled you to do brave and exciting things. What I learned, however, was that confidence is what you get after having done something brave. 

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Sales confidence is built on clarity

The good news is, anyone can work on their confidence. And as a result, become better at marketing and selling their value and thier offers. It requires two things.

First, you need to get clear about your own business foundations. This means understanding your own values, strengths and passions. From there you can build your offers, processes and messages in full alignment with them. This ensures that everything you do, say and sell stems from what you truly believe in. This makes it easier to talking about them with genuine enthusiasm and confidence.

You also need clarity about the journey and experience you create for your clients. When you know exactly how you are going to transport them from where they are today, to their better future, it's much easier for you to share this with integrity and passion.

When you have clarity around these elements, your message gets clearer and more powerful as well. This makes the selling feel more authentic and natural, too.

What does selling mean for a small business?

One factor behind the lack of confidence is a common misconception about sales. It's perhaps the one activity that is defined by those who do it worst! Resulting in many people thinking of sales as being pushy, or even manipulative.

When I ask people in my coaching program what comes to their minds when I say the words "selling", “sales" or “saleswoman”, most answers are negative: 'dishonest', 'hack', 'liar', 'sleazy'... No one likes the idea of being sold to and it makes them think about being pushed into making a decision that doesn’t feel right.

At the same time, we all are looking for solutions that make our lives easier. Right now someone out there is searching for the solution that your business can provide!

From this perspective, the sales process is about finding out as much information about your potential clients’ problems as possible. Then offering them solutions that help them move forward more quickly. It's about serving and helping, more than pushing people into a decision they are not ready to make (if that's even possible). Which may also be part of why people equate 'selling' with negative emotions; because when selling is done the right way, it doesn't feel like sales. It feels like service, caring, interest, helping, or coaching.

Once you understand the value of your offer to others, and get the skills you need to help people determine it's the right solution for them, selling becomes a seamless process. It’s not a separate part that you add on the top of your business - it’s there from the beginning, integrated in everything that you do. It comes from the heart and a genuine desire to serve.

Selling can be fun! (I promise!)

In my business coaching program, the Dream Clients Blueprint I talk a lot about how to intentionally design and deliver your sales process, and have authentic conversations that help the client understand their real needs. Once it becomes an integrated part of your overall client-serving system, it feels natural for you and your prospect.

That is where the group got its name. My goal is to help you create a steady stream of dream clients and build a profitable business with intention and integrity, while creating your ideal lifestyle.

I love working with my 'blueprinters' on creating their authentic marketing plans and sales processes. As they align the different elements of their business, their marketing and promotion has a natural flow, and become how they run their business. It’s so rewarding for me to see a woman who used to be nervous about marketing and hated selling, start enjoying the process.

When I get messages like these, it lights me up:

“I just had the most amazing sales call! Through the call, I felt confident, and I already have the follow-up scheduled in my calendar, too. I used to be so afraid of sales calls but this one felt authentic, natural - and fun!” Pauliina

“I signed up four new clients this week. It didn't feel like selling at all, just a wonderful conversation. They were all so keen to work with me, none of them even asked the price!” Kate

"I have to tell you my big win this week. I studied all your sales materials, videos, sales mindset session and expert interviews and it's been amazing. I really felt something shift and I've really enjoyed my sales calls this week. Thank you so much!" Anna

"My sales call was great! My client was so happy and so was I. Now I feel I want to go back and have this kind of call with all my previous clients, so I can understand how to serve them better!" Sarah

"Omg I did it! I just had the first sales call using my new script. I felt weird but good. And it worked. She’s now interested in the full program. Our second call is already booked too. I’m so excited!" Fanny

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"I just followed the Sales Mastery module of the Dream Clients Blueprint. It's amazing!!! I not only felt so much more confident going into my sales conversation this week, my prospect instantly bought into my membership. She's a great fit and I can't wait to support her." Sandra

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By aligning all the different elements of your business, marketing and sales become a natural part of how you run your business. So you can enjoying selling with integrity - and success.

How you can learn to sell with confidence

But be warned, results like these don’t come without putting in the work - but in Dream Clients Blueprint I’m there in person to support you every step of the way. It was important for me to create a small-group experience that would enable me to give every woman in the program my personal time and attention.

I didn’t want to create a program that is only a bunch of videos and workbooks sitting on a website. I knew that women flourish through communities and regular personalised feedback and guidance, and I wanted to tap into that.

That is why Dream Clients Blueprint also has weekly business coaching sessions where you celebrate your wins and get my help to troubleshoot your problems. You get all your questions answered. But it’s not only about me giving you advice: it’s about all of us cheering each other on, giving each other ideas and feedback, and giving everyone the space to grow their dream business faster.

What’s more, you get my support beyond the duration of the 12-week program, too. You’re not left alone as you implement your new strategies. Over six-months myself and your fellow Blueprinters are there by your side as you put your knowledge into action and grow. It's experience like no other.

And to be extra sure you have what it takes to get out there and sell with confidence, Dream Clients Blueprint also includes monthly Mindset Mastery calls with an experienced behavioural psychologist and features regular guest experts too. By the end of the program, you have the tools you need to succeed - and the self-belief to make it happen, your way.

You can get there, too!

At this point, many women say to themselves: “This sounds so good, but it doesn’t apply to me." "I couldn’t get those results." "I can’t afford a program like this.”

But that’s the beauty of enjoying business coaching in a small hand-selected group! It makes the price tag significantly less than the $5,000-$15,000 norm for six-months of personalised support.

And if you’re wondering if you’re at the right business stage or if the program is a good fit for you right now, I can help you figure that out. Schedule a complimentary business strategy call with me and we can talk about the steps that you can take to create the business of your dreams.

You May Also Enjoy...

The Real Reason your Business isn’t Growing

How to Fall in Love with Sales

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Why Smart Women get Stuck in Business

The One Thing all the Best Salespeople Say that You Don’t

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For more on Sales, listen to these
episodes of the Driven Female Entrepreneur Podcast >

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