Getting Past the Sales Terror Barrier

Fast forward twenty years later to today and I can tell you with certainty I don’t fear receiving phone calls or stumble through answering questions or guessing at my hourly rate. Sometimes though, I must admit when I’m asked to quote a very large event, I can still have a small “terror barrier” that makes me question my final projected fee.

Only after years of great sales training through educational program and personal one-on-one coaching have I worked through the fear of sales to a place where I love it. I know I’m not unique in acknowledging sales can cause a terror barrier to success as a woman entrepreneur. The only way I’ve learned to push through anything terrifying is to do what terrifies me most until it’s not scary anymore.

Today’s post has some quick tips to overcoming some common fears in sales. I hope when you are done reading them, you pick up the phone and confidently call some top sales prospects.

* Understand the “benefits” your company brings to your clients. When you realize what you sell helps people, you will be more confident in selling what you have to offer. Understand you are aiding customers in a service or product that makes their lives easier.

* Start scripting your sales calls and practice them before you pick up the phone. Practice makes perfect and deflates the fear factor. Pretend you are already speaking to someone and work through your answers before you actually pick up the phone and place calls.

* Block three hours off at a certain time and day every single week to make sales calls. Make it a routine part of your work week, not an exception. Once it becomes second nature, it will be less intimidating.

* If you are truly paralyzed making sales calls, do yourself and your business a favor and hire a sales coach or consultant. Work with them to overcome the terror barriers you have about making sales.

Finally, If you live around Central New York and are free on Tuesday, December 9th, join me for a special Women TIES program in Utica geared at helping your prospects say “yes” more often thus eliminating your sales terror barrier immediately.