So Afraid of the No, You Don’t Ever Ask
Asking for the sale can be a really scary thing.
Trust me, I know firsthand.
I am not a natural-born salesperson; I am a designer, an artist, and a coach. With that being said I have come to learn through the years that there is always a sales aspect in just about any career you pick. But how do we surpass the feeling of complete and utter dread when it comes to hearing the word “no”? So many of us actually walk away without asking because we are so afraid of a two-letter word.
Here’s my five pieces of wisdom when it comes to preparing yourself for the sales portion of your conversation.
So much of this comes down to practice. Work with a mentor or coach to get your verbiage down, the tone you want to take, and get your mouth moving in the same direction of your brain until that conversation becomes second nature.
Sometimes asking to connect or to follow up with more information versus asking for the sale is more appropriate. I encourage you to trust your gut; if someone seems stand-offish but you know you would be a great fit for them, ask them if you can set up a time to chat over the phone or even put together a proposal for them.
Stay True to Your Word:
Now that you have them committed to some kind of follow-up interaction, make sure you DO it! Make the call; send the proposal by the date you told them you would. If you don’t you may miss the opportunity and reduce your own credibility.
Understanding that sometimes we over or underestimate the scope of a project or amount of time a project is going to take happens. We’re human. 99.9% of the time we feel some anxiety around correcting our proposal or bid and this comes from the fear of hearing “no”. But all in all, it comes down to confidence in knowing you are the right fit. If they do say no, it’s ok. It just wasn’t meant for you.
Learn More About Yourself:
It’s ok, actually to be expected, that you will not know everything there is to know about your field or about your client. This is only unacceptable if you are unwilling to try. Research. Learn. And possibly most important, ask the question.
Instead of bracing for rejection embrace whatever response you get from the universe. Because it will teach you something new about yourself and your business. Grow to become the leader in your business you know you have in you and ASK!
If you are still looking for that perfect coach or mentor, reach out. I would be happy to help you reach the success you were made to have!
