Your feelings about sales can likely be traced to a contrast with your core values. When sales is depicted as pressuring, pushing, or manipulating people, you immediately recognize that’s not who you are. The technical term for this is called cognitive dissonance. That is, you are not comfortable doing things that are at odds with who you are. It’s no wonder selling may not feel great.
You would never want those stereotypical things to be associated with you and who you are as a human being. So it makes a lot of sense that you’d be reluctant to engage in anything like that.
I don’t blame you.
Here are seven reasons that get in the way of sales feeling good. This is not an exhaustive list, so please add some in the comments.
ONE: Inauthentic – There’s a stereotype that salespeople are supposed to be super social, talkative, and friendly. While these can be positive attributes, they can also be off-putting. Think about it. Don’t you hate it when a salesperson won’t shut up? They just keep talking as if the more they talk to you the more you’ll be willing to buy. Or, they have no personal boundaries, and they act like you’re their new best friend. It comes off as inauthentic and annoying. These characteristics and actions likely go against what you deem to be acceptable behavior for you, so it makes sense that sales may be somewhat off putting.
TWO: Sales Skills – Another reason you may feel reluctant to sell is that you do not have the sales skills. You could never “pitch” someone. Perhaps you stumble over your words or don’t know what to say and when. Maybe your mouth dries up or your heart pounds right out of your chest. Maybe it’s all of the above! You see others who seem to sell so naturally and think, “I could never do that.” If this is you, you’re a lot closer to being able to sell really well than you may think.
THREE: Introverts – Being an introvert is another reason sales may not be your cup of tea. Perhaps you’re not comfortable with presentations or being the center of attention. You don’t like putting yourself out there. To you, it would seem like showing off, or being too pushy or assertive. It’s just too much. This isn’t you. You may indeed be an introvert, or shy, or uncomfortable, and it may be overwhelming. Much of this comes from the misconceptions around sales.
FOUR: Pressure – Perhaps you are someone who just doesn’t like the pressure of sales. The idea of no paycheck, or a lower paycheck, based on your results can be uncomfortable. In sales you are literally measured by your performance. It can make you feel quite vulnerable. This, combined with quotas, long hours, and the stress, is enough to turn you away. It’s just too risky.
FIVE:Tainted By Association – Some people I talk with about sales don’t want to be tainted by association. A glance at some popular (even best-selling) sales books is enough to put you over the edge. There’s quite a bit of aggression, perhaps even toxic masculinity in the titles that you’d rather not be associated with. I get it. It’s hard to think about living like that.
SIX: Bad Experiences – Another reason sales may be distasteful to you is that you’ve had some bad experiences with salespeople. You’ve felt the pressure. You’ve felt like you were being cornered. It made you uneasy. You may have politely (or abruptly) stopped the conversation and walked away. I’ve had (and still have) sales people call me repeatedly. First they call my cell, then my business line. They flood my email and ping me on LinkedIn, talking about how great they are and asking for 15 minutes of my time. They want to send me a gift or buy me a coffee just to get on my calendar. The annoyance and even emotional scars of these experiences have a long shelf life. You would never want to treat people this way, and you wouldn’t want people to feel the way you felt.
SEVEN: Rejection – Finally, there’s the classic fear of rejection. No one likes this. It’s uncomfortable. It makes you feel vulnerable, exposed, and unworthy. To put yourself in the position of receiving a no – especially when it’s something you are passionate about – is a jab at the very core of your being. Like George McFly in Back to the Future, you think, “I just don’t think I can take that kind of rejection.” Not being super-excited about sales in this light is normal. It’s simple self-preservation. It’s totally understandable. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way – be sure to get the book, Feel Good About Selling
Again, this is not an exhaustive list of all the reasons why sales might not feel great. Perhaps some have resonated more than others.
Any others come to mind or you? Add a comment below…