Not Good at Sales? 3 Steps to Build Confidence in Sales

Sales is hard. It’s not for the weak-hearted, and it requires the right selling approach to really be successful.

One vastly overlooked key to becoming great at selling is to build your confidence in sales.

In fact, if you don’t build sales confidence, you’ll always struggle to sell effectively.

By “confidence,” I don’t mean some cocky fake charisma. I mean deep confidence in your selling ability and your success.

This isn’t always easy to come by, but when developed properly, it can make all the difference in your sales results.

In this video and article, I’m going to show you three steps to build your confidence in sales.

Why Confidence in Sales Snowballs Your Success

Confidence in Sales- why confidence in sales snowballs your success

Confident salespeople are viewed as trusted advisors by high-level prospects.

Confidence in sales is absolutely critical to your success.

Salespeople who lack confidence will always struggle to close sales, build rapport with prospects, and demonstrate the value of their offering.

On the other hand, when you have real confidence in sales, prospects will begin to think, “They don’t need me, but I definitely need them.”

Did you know that only 31% of salespeople converse effectively with senior executives?

This is because most salespeople lack the confidence to sell at a higher level.

When you build confidence in sales, you’ll be seen as a trusted advisor who offers real value to prospects.

Then, even C-suite executives will want to take your calls, meet with you, and buy your product or service.

If you don’t yet have confidence in sales, it’s time to start building some.

Fortunately, as your confidence begins to grow, you’ll start to sell more.

As you close more deals, your confidence will continue to grow—think of it as a success snowball.

I’ve worked with thousands of salespeople and found that even beginner salespeople can succeed in sales by building true confidence in three simple steps.

Read on to learn more.

#1: Know your “why” in sales.

Confidence in Sales- know your why in sales

A clear “why” will help you overcome rejection and succeed in sales.

At the end of the day, selling is a contact sport. It can be tough and painful, and that’s why most people don’t go into sales.

Rejection is simply part of the game, and it takes confidence in sales to not take that rejection personally.

While sales can be challenging, it can also be one of the most lucrative aspects of business.

In fact, successful salespeople can make 5 to 10 times what other business functions in the same company make.

But to get to that level, you first need to get clear on why you sell.

You need to know with crystal clarity why you’re willing to do what it takes to be successful. This is the foundation you need to truly build confidence in sales.

Why are you going to pick up that phone every time? Why are you going to get on a plane to meet prospects? And why are you going to take that rejection time after time?

What is your why?

Be sure that it’s compelling enough to pull you through those tough times so that you can remind yourself of your why when you’re tempted to quit.

By simply defining and stating your why, you’ll begin to build confidence in sales with the best of them.

#2: Stop waiting for the perfect moment to make your move.

Confidence in Sales- Stop waiting for the perfect moment to make your move.

Seize any and every moment to sell, because the perfect moment will never come.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: There is no perfect moment in sales, ever.

Literally never.

Selling is like flying a plane on a windy day—but in sales, every day is windy. You just have to take off.

Is it going to be perfect? Probably not, but just getting out there is what’s going to lead to your success.

People who wait for the perfect moment in sales will never make it, because that perfect moment simply won’t come.

It’s time to stop over-analyzing, stop over-researching, and stop overthinking.

Just get out there and seize every moment to sell. Once you start doing that, you’ll naturally build confidence in sales.

If you make a bunch of mistakes along the way, so what? You’ll learn from your mistakes and you’ll be better off next time.

So what are you waiting for? Make that call right now. Create that moment.

#3: Remember that sales is a game.

Confidence in Sales- Remember that sales is a game

Keep a full pipeline and lost sales won’t matter nearly as much.

Selling is not real life.

In real life, if your spouse gets mad at you for something that you said, there are real-life consequences to that.

In real life, if your kid is traumatized by something mean that you said, there are real-life consequences to that.

But in sales, it’s not real life. It’s a game. It’s a sport. If you screw up a sale, yes, the opportunity may be gone, but nothing else happens.

If you get back to it and continue to fill your pipeline, that lost sale simply doesn’t matter.

You’re not going to get locked up. You’re not going to get kicked out of your house. Even if you say something on a prospecting call that actually makes the prospect furious, so what?

Realizing that sales is just a game is crucial if you want to build sales confidence.

The more you look at sales like it’s a game, the more you’ll be willing to take risks to ultimately build your sales confidence and improve your selling results.

Conclusion: Build Confidence in Sales in 3 Easy Steps

Confidence in Sales-Conclusion: Build Confidence in Sales in 3 Easy Steps

Even beginner salespeople can build confidence in sales.

In the world of sales, confident people really are more successful.

When you build your confidence in sales, you’ll set more meetings, have stronger sales presentations, and close more deals.

If you don’t already have confidence in sales, you can begin to build some by following 3 easy steps.

First, define your sales “why.” Find your personal motivation to succeed.

Knowing your why will provide you with more confidence in sales, even on the days when you don’t want to pick up the phone, set another sales meeting, or ask for another introduction.

Once you have your why, get to work! The perfect moment will never come in sales, so you have to take a deep breath and dive in.

Instead of procrastinating and overthinking your every move, seize any moment to sell. As you begin to close deals, more confidence in sales will come naturally.

Finally, remember that selling is a game. Unlike in real life, there are no terrible consequences for mistakes in sales.

Even if a prospect gets angry at you or you miss out on a big sale, there’s nothing to stop you from moving on to the next prospect and trying again.

confidence in sales- not good at sales? 3 steps to build confidence in sales

When you realize that the worst thing that can happen really isn’t that bad after all, you’ll find the confidence in sales you need to keep going until you succeed.

So, there you have it. Those are the three steps to help you build confidence in sales. I want to hear from you. Which of these ideas did you find most useful? Be sure to share below in the comment section to get involved in the conversation.

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About the Author Marc Wayshak

Marc is is the best-selling author of three books on sales and leadership, including the highly acclaimed titles Game Plan Selling, The High-Velocity Sales Organization and his forthcoming book, Sales Conversations, Mastered.

Marc is a contributor to Inc, HubSpot, Fast Company, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Huffington Post Business. He also hosts a popular YouTube channel on sales strategy with over 103,000 subscribers.

Marc helps thousands of people his data-driven, science-based approach to selling that utilizes all the best tools available to sales organizations today.

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