How To Master Sales (So You Can Do What You Love)
I see a lot of people going into business doing what they love. And I applaud them.
It’s not always easy to get away from the whole “get a degree, get a job in a cubicle” culture that some of us grew up with.
Love teaching Yoga? Be a Yoga teacher! Love acting? Be an actor!
But there’s a catch.
If you’re flipping burgers or pushing papers… you never have to worry about where the next customer, client, or job comes from. That’s not your job.
But as soon as you’re out on your own freelancing or starting a business… it IS your job.
That’s the part most freelancers + entrepreneurs don’t learn. In a conversation about business, I might hear a personal trainer say something like…
“I know how to get someone in the best shape of their life… I have no idea how to get clients.”
There’s a process of getting someone to invest in what you offer.
It’s called SALES.
*Ahhhhhhh! Scary word!!!!!*
Do sales scare you too? I know lots of people who are turned off by the idea. I used to be one of them. Sales gets a bad rap… mostly from people who HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO SELL. (I’m looking at you, local discount car dealerships)
But what is a sale? It’s a transaction. An exchange. A purchase.
How does it happen?
A sale occurs when a prospect believes they will be a better version of themselves after they purchase.
Read that again. I’ll wait.
…
Think about it…
Let’s say you’re a Yoga teacher, and you notice I’m stressed. You tell me about how Yoga relieves stress, and cite several studies. You ask me to imagine myself with less stress, what my life would be like…
Now I start to believe that I will be free, and happy and unstressed after doing Yoga.
That version of me is much better than where I am now. I’ve come to believe that I will be a better version of myself after going to Yoga class… SOLD!
Now think of a commercial for Disneyland. They’re not telling me about how many turns Space Mountain has, or how fast a ride goes. I see pictures of happy families! If I have a family and am looking for a getaway idea, I see that people who go to Disneyland are happy.
If I take my family there, they will be happy. That version of my family is better than where we are now… SOLD!
There’s a second part to making the sale:
A prospect must believe that the outcome is more valuable than the cost.
If happiness isn’t worth a the few hundred dollars for Disneyland tickets to me, I won’t buy. But a water park might do the trick. SOLD!
Now think about your work.
Are you talking about what it is that you do? Try something else instead…
Start showing people how they become a better version of themselves after purchasing your products or services.
Even if you’ve got nothing to sell right now, you being a happy and kind person communicates that you are pleasant to work with… which will bring more opportunities for you down the line.
Got a question about how to implement this in your business? Leave a comment below.