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A Selling Attitude

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Confidence | Pride | Care | See also

Good selling requires that you understand the product well and work to appreciate the customer's requirement. But before and beyond all that, the secret of a good salesperson is about what goes on inside their head.

Above all, selling is an attitude. It's how you think and feel. It's about your whole approach to yourself, your company, your products and, of course, your customers. All of this can be condensed to three words: Confidence, pride and care.

Confidence

The basis of all successful selling is confidence. This does not mean blind hope -- it is more about how you think about yourself and the future.

Self-belief

A confident person believes in themself and their abilities to sell. In order to create trust, the first thing that you sell is yourself. Whilst self-belief does not guarantee a sale, it always increases the probability of success.

If you go into a selling situation and you do not even believe in yourself, then you are doomed to failure. If you do not believe in yourself then the customer will not believe in you either, nor will they believe what you say. Your doubt will become their doubt and doubt does not lead to the sale.

Informed optimism

Blind belief is not always a good thing. Being positive because you have studied the product and the customer is greater reason to be confident. Belief and optimism provide powerful support but they do not replace factual knowledge.

If you are ready to sell, with good information at your fingertips, them you have good reason to be optimistic. Even if you do not have complete information (and who does), a tendency to optimism also helps create a positive attitude.

Can-do

Finally, self-belief and an optimistic approach lead to a 'can-do' attitude which means you will get out there and create the sale through your thoughts and actions. Belief is not enough: you've got to put in the work too.

Pride

There are two forms of pride. As one of the seven deadly sins, it can be a very selfish thing. But pride placed outside yourself is an important attitude that communicates and transmits itself to your customers. 

Pride in the company

First, you should be proud to work at your company. Associating yourself with the brand and the brand values should make you feel good. You should be happy to tell others where you work.

Pride in the product

Secondly, you should be proud of what you are selling. Just thinking that you have the privilege of selling such a fine product should make you very happy indeed.

As with pride in the company, an intrinsic pride in the product is a powerful motivator, both for you and for your customer.

Care

Finally, a selling attitude is a caring attitude. Rather than just dump products on customers, if you want them to ever come back again, you should care about them and their problems, and hence be proud of how your products will help.

Care for customers can include taking time out from the normal selling context to check up on them, that the product is working ok and that they are happy with it. It can even include sending them Christmas and birthday cards -- to their partner too.

When others know that you care about them, personally, then they will be far more willing to trust you -- and trust is the first doorway towards selling.

See also

Values, Trust

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