Improve sales confidence with these 5 simple tips

What is sales confidence?

Sales confidence is the ability to act with integrity, whilst convincing the client that your solution is the answer to their problem. It’s about speaking assertively and enthusiastically that turns prospects into clients.

Here are some tips that will help you to sell with confidence:

1. Prepare! Prepare! Prepare!
   Whether you are selling over the phone, video conferencing, or face to face make sure you prepare. I’m not saying you need a script and have to memorise it verbatim, but make a note of your main selling points, any potential objections, and how you will respond to them, and finally prepare your mindset by listening to a motivational podcast or song.

2. Practice and get feedback
   There is an old saying “practice makes perfect”. Well, my swimming coach constantly reminds me that it needs to be the right practice otherwise you are just going to get really good and something bad. If you want to get more confident at selling then you need to practice but make sure you get feedback from a colleague or your manager. You want to practice and focus on the most important parts of your pitch and to improve you need to get feedback.
3. Improve your communication skills
   Two of the most important skills when it comes to selling with confidence and questioning and listening. If you get these two right not only will your confidence increase, your sales conversions will too. To improve in this area write down some of the questions you plan to ask during the sales discussion. Make sure your questions are framed in such a way that it encourages an open conversation rather than an interrogation. Once you ask your well-framed questions you need to listen to the answers. By the way, I mean ‘listen to understand’ not just ‘listen to reply’. Practice asking questions and listening when you’re talking to friends and family as this will sharpen your skill when it comes to selling.

4. Move your body
   It has often been said that “a healthy body leads to a healthy mind” and research also seems to back this up. We know that maintaining a level of physical fitness and a balanced diet will prove beneficial to our physical and mental health. It can also make a huge difference to your sales performance as you will more likely have more energy which is much needed in sales, plus you need a healthy mind because working in sales can be very stressful. Just to be clear when I say exercise, I don’t mean you have to join a gym or start running. Sure, you might choose to do either of those but going for a walk has many benefits. I have many clients that take time out of their day to go for a walk to help keep their sales skills sharp. Please don’t get too hung up on how fast you walk or how far you walk. The key is consistency!

5. Keep an achievement tracker
   Have you ever got to the end of the day, week or month and thought “I haven’t achieved any of the things I had hoped to achieve?” If this is you then start keeping an achievement tracker. Here’s how it works:

• • Either set up a folder on your computer or use a notepad.
  • At the end of each day record all of the things that you achieved. If you have received positive emails from managers, colleagues or clients keep these on record. Remember, this is about building your confidence so include personal achievements too like going for a walk.
  • At the end of each week choose your 3 biggest achievements and record these on a separate page or document.
  • At the end of every month look at your 12 biggest achievements and take time to celebrate and reflect on how well you have done.

Find out about my sales training here

P.S. Did you know that I have a podcast? Subscribe and listen to Your Path to Purpose here.