Can an Online Marketer Hate Selling?

Incredible as it may sound to some, there are many would-be online business owners that profess a great dislike for selling.

“But I’m not a salesman!”

I’m going to let you in on one of my closely guarded personal secrets.

In fact, if this ugly secret finds its way into the media, I could become the laughing stock of the Internet small business world!

So please, please, please . . . don’t tell anyone. Promise?

Okay, here it is (in a whisper): I hate selling.

The mere thought of approaching a real person, any person, and asking for money turns my stomach.

I don’t care that the prospect doesn’t know me from Adam . . . or that I’ll probably never talk to him again in my lifetime.

It doesn’t even matter that my potential customer may actually need or want what I’m selling.

I hate it, I loathe the thought, I just can’t do it.

I don’t want to be a salesman . . . I couldn’t sell a glass of ice water to a millionaire dying of thirst in the desert.

You know what? There are millions and millions of sensible, rational people out there that share this same human fear – at least to some degree.

And, as you can imagine, that presents a huge problem for anyone that wants to earn money in a solo business.

Truth be told . . . the fear of selling (by itself) is the only obstacle that stands between many of us wannabe entrepreneurs and our goal of owning a successful small business, the new American dream.

I’d like to share with you how I personally confronted and overcame this fear; and at the same time, became a dedicated addict and champion of online small business.

It wasn’t until I began to look at “selling” in a totally different way, that I was finally able to overcome my mostly unfounded fear of asking people for money.

It’s almost like playing a game with yourself – like “tricking” yourself into believing that what you are actually doing is not selling at all – but rather you are telling a close friend that you understand his problem because you have experienced the exact same thing and you just want to share with him how you solved your problem.

When you view selling as simply making a personal recommendation to a close friend because you’ve been in his shoes and you’ve felt his pain, you will be well on your way to overcoming your personal sales fear.

Your mind will begin thinking in terms of how you are helping your customers find solutions to a problem as opposed to your previous thoughts of I don’t want to alienate my customer by asking for her money.

Here are some more suggestions that have helped me to realize that selling phobias can be conquered with a change in mindset.

For some, selling represents a great “leap of faith.” They doubt their own ability to actually convince a prospect to reach for his credit card.

In such cases, it may be helpful to consider this:  You are the expert.  You are in the driver’s seat.  Prospects are coming to you for information and guidance.  You should feel confident, if you’ve been honest in your sales pitch, that you can deliver exactly what the customer is coming to you to receive.

What about those that have a mortal fear of sales rejection?

Most of the great salesmen that I’ve encountered seem to have a mindset that doesn’t allow them to look at a sales rejection as anything like a personal rejection.

They understand that not everyone will be ready to buy at that particular instant.  So, instead of getting down on themselves, they work to leave the door open with the prospect so that future contact can be made when the purchase decision moment arrives.

Some downplay the human aspect of selling particular individuals by framing their sales mindset in terms of the numbers game – you contact so many prospects, you qualify them by their interest, and at the end of the sales “funnel,” a certain number will be ready to buy.

De-humanizing the process helps some to control their fear of being told “no” by another human being.

Here’s another common cause of selling phobia:  some folks set unrealistic selling goals or expectations and then fear that they won’t be able to measure up to their own standards.  If you lack the motivation to push yourself to high levels of productivity in your selling, you need to temper your goals and be more realistic in your expectations.

Some business owners put undue pressure on themselves by viewing selling as a “do or die” activity.  When you have to sell or else, the thought of not selling can become a powerful and very real obstacle to success.

One answer to this problem is to allow yourself to have some fun with your selling.  Don’t put yourself in the position that you absolutely must sell so many units, or a predetermined dollar amount, in order to be successful.  When you enjoy what your are doing, your customers will sense your confidence and enthusiasm for the product.

Here’s a final tip:  know your product inside and out.  Make a comprehensive list of both the features and benefits. Anticipate what your customers’ questions or concerns about your product might be.  Focus on the benefits to the customer rather than the features … but have the features on hand in case they are important to the prospect.

As you “prep” yourself on every aspect of what your product is about, how it works, and what problems it will solve for the buyer, you will have increased courage and greater confidence to be able to address any questions from a position of practical knowledge and ability to meet any objections.

Can an online marketer hate selling?

Yes, many people have a real fear of selling; but you can overcome such feelings by understanding where your fears come from, and looking at selling in an altogether different light.

To your online business success,

Steve Browne

www.SteveBrowneDirect.com