the media it is about less than scrupulous tactics from sales people, conning or fleecing their vulnerable customers. This is totally unfair. If this was the way the majority of organisations worked none would make any sales – and where would we be? The stereotype does not cover the many sellers who help people identify specific issues and show them a solution to tHow do you feel about selling? Ouch!! Do you want to stop reading now?

Many of you reading this will probably admit (if only to yourself) that you do not enjoy it. You probably wonder why you have to do it – it’s not what you trained for or why you started out on your career. This article may not achieve a 180° shift in your thinking and a radical change in your behaviour; it will show you how a few simple shifts in your own mindset can empower you to be more successful in generating business. As you become more successful, you will be more confident and find yourself doing even more.

Why is it so many people in many countries have a problem with the whole idea of “selling” or being thought of as a salesperson? After all, without revenue coming through your business, how will you survive? How do you generate that revenue – and grow it? Just sitting back and hoping to do it from a historical customer base, word of mouth or a few adverts is not exactly putting you in control!!

Professional services have to face up to this challenge if they are to continue to survive, let alone grow. As the successful ones (in financial and growth terms at least) continue to attract new clients and grow, those who are just operating passively or reactively are at risk.

Let us start by considering why you feel less than enthusiastic about selling. In my country, the UK, our media certainly do not help. It seems that whenever we see anything in the media it is about less than scrupulous tactics from sales people, conning or fleecing their vulnerable customers. This is totally unfair. If this was the way the majority of organisations worked none would make any sales – and where would we be? The stereotype does not cover the many sellers who help people identify specific issues and show them a solution to th

your behaviour; it will show you how a few simple shifts in your own mindset can empower you to be more successful in generating business. As you become more successful, you will be more confident and find yourself doing even more.

Why is it so many people in many countries have a problem with the whole idea of “selling” or being thought of as a salesperson? After all, without revenue coming through your business, how will you survive? How do you generate that revenue – and grow it? Just sitting back and hoping to do it from a historical customer base, word of mouth or a few adverts is not exactly putting you in control!!

Professional services have to face up to this challenge if they are to continue to survive, let alone grow. As the successful ones (in financial and growth terms at least) continue to attract new clients and grow, those who are just operating passively or reactively are at risk.

Let us start by considering why you feel less than enthusiastic about selling. In my country, the UK, our media certainly do not help. It seems that whenever we see anything in the media it is about less than scrupulous tactics from sales people, conning or fleecing their vulnerable customers. This is totally unfair. If this was the way the majority of organisations worked none would make any sales – and where would we be? The stereotype does not cover the many sellers who help people identify specific issues and show them a solution to t

ter all, without revenue coming through your business, how will you survive? How do you generate that revenue – and grow it? Just sitting back and hoping to do it from a historical customer base, word of mouth or a few adverts is not exactly putting you in control!!

Professional services have to face up to this challenge if they are to continue to survive, let alone grow. As the successful ones (in financial and growth terms at least) continue to attract new clients and grow, those who are just operating passively or reactively are at risk.

Let us start by considering why you feel less than enthusiastic about selling. In my country, the UK, our media certainly do not help. It seems that whenever we see anything in the media it is about less than scrupulous tactics from sales people, conning or fleecing their vulnerable customers. This is totally unfair. If this was the way the majority of organisations worked none would make any sales – and where would we be? The stereotype does not cover the many sellers who help people identify specific issues and show them a solution to t

alone grow. As the successful ones (in financial and growth terms at least) continue to attract new clients and grow, those who are just operating passively or reactively are at risk.

Let us start by considering why you feel less than enthusiastic about selling. In my country, the UK, our media certainly do not help. It seems that whenever we see anything in the media it is about less than scrupulous tactics from sales people, conning or fleecing their vulnerable customers. This is totally unfair. If this was the way the majority of organisations worked none would make any sales – and where would we be? The stereotype does not cover the many sellers who help people identify specific issues and show them a solution to t

the media it is about less than scrupulous tactics from sales people, conning or fleecing their vulnerable customers. This is totally unfair. If this was the way the majority of organisations worked none would make any sales – and where would we be? The stereotype does not cover the many sellers who help people identify specific issues and show them a solution to these which will enhance their businesses or their lives.

How many of you feel that selling is about pushing someone to do something they do not want to? Hardly surprising you do not want to be seen as doing this! If you imagine a diagram of a series of concentric circles, it can help you to understand what is happening now – and what you can do to shift your mindset. From the inside, imagine the circles being labelled as:

• Identity
• Beliefs and Values
• Capabilities
• Behaviours
• Environment

If you had some sales training and acquired new skills (capabilities), you could apply these with different behaviours. However, if you still have a “non-sales” attitude and do not see your role as being involved with selling (identity) you will struggle to apply them. Taking a few minutes to reflect on what your “inner voice” says to you about selling. How many messages are limiting or negative? “I can’t……”, “People will think….”? Also, what are your personal values? What are the things which are important to you? Is there anything to do with selling which conflicts with these?

If you want to become more positive, and effective, about selling you will have more success if you make changes nearer to the core. They will ripple out and affect the outer circles much more easily than starting the change on the outer levels. To do this, involves shifting