One of the reasons entrepreneurs and founders find sales scary is because they view sales as bad. Nothing could be further from the truth. The best sales people solve problems. The key is you need to change your perspective and you might need to change your attitude. Say it with me, “Sales are not bad. Sales are good.” And the truth is if you are an entrepreneur, you are in sales, so get used to it – you must learn to close a deal.
When you are making a sale or pitching an investor, you’re putting yourself out there. It can be daunting. It’s like being naked in a room full of suits. You must know your story and you must be authentic. The key, again, is to think about sales as problem solving. So, ask yourself, “What problem am I solving?” Make sure your audience knows this. Lead with it. And if someone says “no,” remember it’s not about you. People say no. Dust it off and move on to the next opportunity. Easy to say, harder to do, right?
To overcome the fear of asking for someone’s business (or money) is twofold: Start by viewing sales as good. (After all, it’s part of the business cycle). And remember, rejection is not personal and it, too, is part of the process.
Here are 5 simple steps to follow for a success sales pitch:
- Know your story. Know your value. Know what problem you are solving. Build trust.
- Listen. I know this sounds easy, but it’s not. Your job as chief problem solver is listening. Know what you know, but ask when you don’t and when you do, ask smart questions. Let the listening do the work for you.
- Remind yourself why you’re doing this: Success. Revenue. Launching a business. Raising capital. Whatever it is, remind yourself. This will ground you.
- Fear is not welcome here. Stare it in the face. You got this.
- Just start. The hardest step is that first one. Pick up the phone. Hit send. Whatever your first step is, take it.
The most important things to remember are pretty simple: Be genuine. Be authentic. Know the problem you are solving, and build trust.
See? Sales are not that scary at all.
