You are
productWe're all in selling business whether we like it or not. It doesn't matter whether you're a lawyer or an accountant, a manager or a politician, an engineer or a doctor. We all spend a great deal of our time trying to persuade people to buy our product or service, accept our proposals or merely accept what we say.
Most of time we'll meet with resistance - "you're too expensive" or "we deal with someone else" or "I don't agree with you" or "your proposal isn't good enough."
There are many things that people will say when they resist what you utter; however how many of these statements are true? Salespeople hear - "you're too expensive" and they reduce price. Managers hear "I'm not doing that" and they resort to threats. Politicians hear "I don't agree with your policy" and they try to rationalize. It may just be that people you're trying to persuade just don't like - you.
Okay, so they don't necessarily dislike you, it's just that they haven't "bought" you. Before anyone will accept what you say they've got to like you, believe you and trust you. If you think about it, you are far more likely to believe someone close to you than a person you've only known for five minutes.
Just think for a moment about some of people who come into your life. They could be people you work with, people on television, politicians or religious leaders. How much of what they say is influenced by how you feel about them?
Before you can get better at persuading or influencing other people - you need to get better at selling yourself. There are so many occasions in day-to-day life that makes this so important. You might be trying to buy something at a better price. Perhaps you're returning a product and know you'll face some resistance. Maybe you're just trying to get a member of your family to do something they're not so keen to do. The task gets harder if you haven't sold yourself.
Every day of our lives we are selling ourselves, nothing will happen until we are successful at doing that.
When we meet someone for first time, be it a potential customer, client or new colleague, they'll make a quick decision about us. I read some research by psychologists who established that we make around eleven decisions about other people within first two minutes of meeting them. We tend to stick with these decisions until proved otherwise. It's therefore vitally important for us as business people to get other person to 'buy' us as quickly as possible. Here are 10 steps to selling yourself:
# 1 - You must believe in product Selling yourself is pretty much like selling anything. Firstly, you need to believe in what you're selling. That means believing in 'you.' It's about lots of positive self- talk and right attitude. I read somewhere that first thing people notice about you is your attitude. If you're like most people then you'll suffer from lack of confidence from time to time. It really all comes down to how you talk to yourself. The majority of people are more likely to talk to themselves negatively than positively. And this is what holds them back in life. There are books you can buy and courses you can go on and I suggest you do. It isn't just about a positive attitude; it's about right attitude - quality of your thinking. Successful business people have a constructive and optimistic way of looking at themselves and their work. They have an attitude of calm, confident, positive self- expectation. They feel good about themselves and believe that everything they do will lead to their inevitable success.
Successful business people also have an attitude of caring. As well as caring for their own success they care about other people. They care about their products and their service and they really care about helping their customers make beneficial buying decisions. One of first things that people notice about you is your attitude and successful salespeople exude friendliness, modesty and an air of self-confidence. They draw people towards them.
If you are in a sales job or a business owner or a manager then you need to continually work on your attitude. You need to listen to that little voice inside your head. Is it saying you're on top, going for it and confident, or is it holding you back. If you're hearing - "I can't do this or that" or "They won't want to buy at moment" or "We're too expensive" then you'd better change your self-talk or change your job.
Start to believe in yourself and don't let things that are out with your control effect your attitude. Avoid criticising, condemning and complaining and start spreading a little happiness. Remember saying of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company - "If you believe you can do a thing, or if you believe you can't, in either case you're probably right".
# 2 - The packaging must grab attention Like any other product we buy, way product is packaged and presented will influence customer's decision to buy. Everything about you needs to look good and you must dress appropriately for occasion. And don't think that just because your customer dresses casually, that they expect you to dress same way. The style and colour of clothes you wear, your spectacles, shoes, briefcase, watch, pen you use, all make a statement about you. Another little tip -- when person in reception at your customer's office says "have a seat" -- DON'T! You don't want to be crumpled heap in corner reading newspaper when your potential customer comes to greet you. You'll be one standing in reception looking smart, sharp, poised, confident and ready to conduct business.
