Confidence & Attitude

from SalesDog.com

Creating Confidence

by Sam Manfer

Visualize a positive outcome. Many salespeople are intimidated and feel uncomfortable visiting important buyers. Fear is just the visualization or projection of a negative outcome. Why do you lock your doors? You worry someone will steal your belongings or hurt you. Why do you slow down when you see a police car? You fear getting a ticket. You're visualizing the worst.

The same is true when thinking about officers of a company involved in decision making for your sale. It's important not to create negative projections, such as they really don't want to meet with you, the meeting will go badly and you'll lose the deal. Figuratively speaking, this is not the time to lock your doors or slow down.

You don't know how it will go. You don't know that you'll get robbed if you leave your car unlocked. You don't know if your meeting will go well or badly. However, when you think negatively, you lose your confidence and come across as weak and ineffective. Your negative projections are picked up on by the buyers.

Confident people feel comfortable asking pointed, penetrating questions. They learn the buyer's real issues, threats and opportunities. They get the information without interrogating. They feel comfortable following up with more questions to clear up ambiguities and to understand the deeper meaning of words and phrases—often buried issues. Most importantly, they posture themselves to listen intently. These actions make buyers feel confident. Confidence breeds confidence and they begin to project positively about the upcoming deal.

Sam Manfer has coached thousands of salespeople. www.SamManfer.com

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