Ahh. Selling. Sometimes, this is a word that is dreaded and feared by all but most intrepid business owners. It seems that, even though we all know we need to "sell" our products and services, many of us feel fearful or anxious about actually doing so.

These 10 tips are designed to help you shift out of your fear, and into excitement, about sharing your product or service.

1)Know source of your fear. This tip reminds us that it is necessary, first, to know what we're afraid of. Most often, fears of selling come in several forms. Either we worry about not being liked, or being perceived as pushy, we (secretly) worry that our product or service might not perform as we say, or we struggle with idea of rejection. Knowing source of your fear (sometimes it can be a combination) is an important part of overcoming your fear of selling.

2)Take action to address source. In this way, you are taking action to overcome your fear. In some cases, this might mean that you improve your product or service (you can use customer feedback for this), or you can find ways to share your product/service in a way that feels more authentic and natural to you. You can also find ways to "bounce back" after rejection which is easier to do, by way, if you don't take "no" personally.

3)Find enthusiasm for what you offer. One of best techniques I've ever used to overcome my fear of selling has been to tap into my passion and enthusiasm for what I'm offering. I make a list of all really wonderful benefits and successful outcomes of past customers. I hang this list nearby where I can see it everyday. Try this for yourself - your confidence will skyrocket.

Salespeople are both a blessing and a bane to every industry. You can't live with them, and you can't live without them.

“How are you tonight, Mr. Smith?”

“Fine.”

“Glad to hear it! Mr. Smith, my name is Phil, and I'm calling…” Click.

Salespeople are always people people. People have to love people to do sales because life of a sales person is filled with people. Most sales people are natural people people before they enter sales market. That’s why they go into sales!

Then comes sales training, and natural people person gets canned. No, she don't lose her job. Rather, he is forced to learn and use a canned sales spiel and proven sales techniques. Much has been written about sales. And a lot of it is great, but a different lot of it isn't.

Sales Training Contradiction The other night I stumbled across a blaring contradiction in literature that puts sales people in an impossible bind. Every sales person is taught two fundamental sales techniques that are in stark opposition to each other, and few people seem to be aware of it— not even sales people who use them. Perhaps this contradiction contributes to fact that sales people generally have a poor reputation. This contradiction may help explain why identifying one’s self as a sales person so often engenders a smirk.

The Art of Listening The first of these contradictory techniques involves art of listening. Sales people must listen to customers in order to understand their needs, so that they can shape their sales approach to fit needs of customer. The sale must be tailored to needs of customer.

The customer is supposed to be king. Customer service is all rage. The customer is boss. Thus, listening to customers is good. Everyone could benefit from listening more— and from listening better. People often talk past one another, each person fully committed to sound of his or her own voice. Things gets said, but not much is heard.