5)Start small. Very often, people tend to tackle projects much larger than they can comfortably handle. When you want to overcome your fear of selling, start small. Maybe you will share your new business with a few trusted friends first and then gradually find ways to expand your sharing to include a larger circle. The most successful business people are those who interact with others in an authentic, passionate way so find a way that feels comfortable with you and stay with it.

6)Keep track of your successes. Keep a "wins" or success journal nearby and record your achievements in it each day. This will help you stay aware of just how much you do right. We sometimes forget this.

7)Have fun with it. Rather than approaching this from a heavy "have to", "doesn't feel good" perspective find a fun, interesting way to share your knowledge or passion. Some of my clients have thrown parties, offered free giveaways, donated products/services to charities - all of these were easy, fun, and income generating. What would be fun for you?

8)Stay focused on your desired outcome. Most people take actions and reach their goals because they stay focused on benefits of doing so. Sometimes, reminding yourself what you want, why you're doing this can help you take next action and next.

9)Detach from how outcome shows up. Very often, we get really attached to "making sale" or having a situation turn out a certain way. Instead, why not focus on efforts "I will give a great, enthusiastic, and passionate presentation" rather than outcome: "They will buy X number of this." Very often, if you stay focused on effort - doing a great job- outcome turns out better than you ever imagined.

10)Keep practicing. Like any other business skill, "selling" gets easier more you do it. So get out there, start small, and keep practicing.

© 2003. Dr. Rachna D. Jain. All Rights in All Media Reserved

“Billy, please clean your room! Are you listening to me, Billy?”

“Yes, mom I'm listening.”

But next morning reveals that Billy did not clean his room. He was listening, but he didn't hear message. It didn't register in a significant enough way for him to remember it, and take action upon it. Mom expressed herself and Billy listened, but he didn't hear her.

Overcoming Objections Sales training literature often speaks of overcoming objections. Sales people are taught various techniques for overcoming customer’s resistance to buying product or service now. And herein lies rub. The sales person is taught to listen to customer, except when he says that he doesn't want to buy product or service now.

Too often, sales people take a short-sighted view of sales process and press to overcome customer’s objections by pestering customer to change his mind. He wants sale today. But pressing to overcome objections requires abandonment of listening process at point that listening is most critical.

While it is true that overcoming objections requires careful listening, it is also true that such effort to overcome objections refuses to hear essential fact that customer doesn't want to buy now. To press to overcome objections requires not listening, but manipulation—and people don't like to be manipulated.

Back off, Dude! So, what is sales person to do when confronted with objections? He should back off sale and work to develop a genuine personal relationship or friendship with customer. And short of that, he should find someone who doesn't object to buying his product or service, and not waste any more of his time—or theirs!

There will be another day. If there isn't, he has not only lost sale, he has lost customer.

©2003 Phillip A. Ross