The Dirtiest 4-Letter Word in Some Business Coaches' Mouths
Posted by Eric Dombach on Mon, Aug 15, 2011 @ 01:24 PM
What's the dirtiest 4-letter word in some business coaches' mouths?
Nah, I'm not talking about real cussing. I'm talking about a word that some business coaches treat almost like it's profanity -- to their own detriment, and the detriment of their clients' businesses.
Ready for it?
Sell.
They have a real aversion to selling.
More than anything, they wish they didn't have to sell their business coaching services at all, or continue to sell their clients on working with them once the ink on the contract has dried. They are reluctant to spend time on the phone with business coaching prospects or at networking events. They long for business to just flow to them, naturally, without the hard work and effort sales required.
But here's the thing:
In business, nothing good happens until something gets sold. And if you find you've got this kind of aversion to sales, not only will your practice struggle, but your clients' businesses will struggle, too!
After all, every business you ever work with needs to improve their sales. It's just a fundamental part of growing an enterprise. And if you're not a sales master yourself, how can you ever expect to help your clients implement effective sales systems that will take them to the next level?
So if you find yourself reacting to the world "sell" like you would locker-room language, it's time to make some adjustments to the way you think of sales. Here are the three biggest...
1. Sales Is about Service, NOT Manipulation. Perhaps the #1 complaint I hear from business coaches struggling with sales is that they don't want to be manipulative or pushy. But this is only a problem if you're not confident in your ability as a business coach. If the coaching you provide really does help people grow their businesses, then you are doing them a massive favor by offering them your business coaching services, one that will have a lasting impact on their business and quality of life! Remember: sales is NOT about getting people to do things that are bad for them against their will; sales is about motivating and encouraging people make positive improvements in their lives.
2. Rejection Doesn't Have to Hurt. Nobody likes it when a prospect says "no," but if you're a service professional like a business coach, it can feel especially personal. Here's the mental shift that will help you overcome this barrier: remember, sales is a numbers game. It's NOT personal. It's about math. Regardless of whether you sell 1 in every 5 or 1 in every 50 prospects, every "no" you hear is a step toward the next "yes." Internalize this perspective, and you will reduce the sting you feel when you lose a sale, and replace it with something positive and motivating.
3. Sales Is a Skill, NOT a Natural-Born Ability. Lots of business coaches I work with are convinced that the reason they're not selling more is because they're not naturally "good" at sales -- and that there's nothing they can do about it. But here's a secret: no one is naturally good at sales! Sure, some have inherent personality traits that make them more comfortable, faster, in sales situations...but sales is a skill that virtually anyone can learn with the right blend of motivation and practice. Stop telling yourself you're "bad" at sales and replace it with a positive reminder that you can master it, just like you would any other form of professional expertise or skill! It will change your outlook.
Of course, if you want to get really good at sales, you need effective sales training. In the next few weeks, I'll be releasing my complete sales system for business coaches -- the exact same system I use to close 80%+ of all my face-to-face sales meetings. We're still finalizing some of the details, but check the blog regularly for updates.
In the meantime, sound off in the comments below and tell me: what mental shifts have YOU made to be a sales rock star?