People Pleasing & Fear of Sales in Your Business
Your people-pleasing could be keeping your business stuck in 2nd gear. I know, I know! It’s really hard to hear/read. But let’s get into it.
We have to sell our offerings and it feels icky. As heart-centered business owners, it feels inauthentic and pushy to sell to others. You also don’t want to be annoying or bother people. Knowing how some of the MLM girlies have tainted the online business sales process swinging into your DMs after years of zero content and trying to get you to become part of their downline, it can feel overwhelming to try and sell your offerings.
Here’s the truth, though: You are called to do this work. And people are looking for you. If they don't know what you do or how you can help them, they'll go elsewhere.
Think about it. If you were to sell more of your services, you'd be able to serve more people. You can also support yourself and your important people. It's a win-win!
No Selling Means No Sales
My business background is really solidly in marketing. Before I got into it, though, I was a meditation teacher. I was a fellow and trained other meditation facilitators at the institute I worked at. Well, I was set up for all the energetics and spiritual parts of the work, but I didn't know how to get the word out about my work. The problem, of course, was that a part of me felt like I shouldn't be charging for the work I did. I was concerned about coming off as pushy, so I just didn't say anything. Within a couple of years, I had to stop what I was doing because I didn't know how or want to promote my work.
No one is going to promote your work for you. And your business will fail if you don't make sales. Well, that or, as I've heard before, you've got an expensive hobby, not a business. There are ways to get around these blocks, though!
Ask for Testimonials
There's more than one way to get the job done, my friend. One of the best ways to sell your products or services is to include client testimonials in your marketing plan. When a client of mine sat down to email her clients about the work they'd done together, two things happened. First, she had client stories and testimonials to share so that her clients were promoting her - rather than her having to come up with the words herself. Second, she suddenly had a wealth of language that her ideal clients use to describe the transformation of working with her. Sales copy is better, the conversations she has with prospective clients are better, and when she gets invited to guest speak on podcasts or at an event, she knows what to say - because it's what her clients say about her.
You can avoid feeling awkward about your sales by asking your clients for feedback. Do this in short interviews via Zoom or via feedback forms after a session or workshop. Gathering this data will help boost your confidence when it comes to selling.
People are Looking for What You’re Selling!
Finally, it's important to remember that people really are looking for what you're offering. You solve an important problem and you're called to do this work. What happens if you shift your thinking away from sales being a burden or being an annoyance to it being a service? I'll tell you what happens - you help more people and you support yourself even better.
When I was working on my MBA, I had to take a couple of marketing classes and I learned some really interesting things about marketing and sales. Starbucks is a great example, because there's a Starbucks on just about every corner. I literally have 5 stores within 5 miles of my house. And you'd think that means that their sales would go down, right? WRONG! When companies place their stores or restaurants close together, ALL of the locations in that radius do better financially. The more you talk about your work and the more you sell it - even when it feels like you've done it "too much" - the more you'll grow your business. And the more you'll help others solve their problems.
Remember, without sales, your business is an expensive hobby. You can always look to your clients for ideas and inspiration on what to say about your work, and you've got to spend time adjusting your perception of sales. It's not annoying, it's a service.
Let me say that again: Selling is a service. You've got this!
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