People Buy You: The Power of Confidence

By Jeb Blount

PowerPrinciples: Do You Have The Winning Edge?

Far too many salespeople believe that features and benefits, price, presentation, and marketing materials are the most important parts of selling. Unfortunately, none of these things close sales. Even if you sell the best products in your industry, at the best price, from the most reputable firm, you will never be successful if you cannot get your customers to like, trust and believe in you. In other words, to be successful in sales you must first get your customers to buy you.

One of the most important, and sometimes over looked, keys to getting people to buy you, is your confidence. Just think about it, do you enjoy being around people who lack confidence? Neither do your prospects and customers. We like to be around and associated with confident people because confident people look like successful people.

Your aptitude for developing confidence plays a critical role in your sales career. Unfortunately, as you well know, confidence is a complicated emotion involving many internal and external influences. Regardless, you can learn to develop and maintain confidence. However, it won't be easy and there will be many ups and downs. In fact, at times you will feel like you are in a catch 22. For example, if you are in a sales slump your confidence will naturally erode even though you will be required to regain your confidence to have any chance of emerging from your slump.

The good news for you is that you have the power inside of you right now to develop confidence, even if you don't feel particularly confident at this moment. The process of improving or building your confidence is as simple as your choices. You choose what to believe about yourself. You choose how you will approach your sales calls. You choose to invest in your mind, body and spirit. And, you make your career choices.

Just remember, people form relationships with other people, not products and services and people want to build relationships with people they like. When you are confident, when you hold your shoulders high and your chin up, and when your customers and prospects perceive that you have the ability to solve their problems, your pockets will quickly fill with gold.

Three PowerPrinciples for Building Confidence

Invest in Mind: It is a fact that we feel most confident when we have gained the knowledge and developed the skills to be effective in our sales career. Build your knowledge with 15 minutes of professional reading each day. Improve your skills by attending every training your company provides and going to outside seminars. And, even if you don't know everything don't be afraid to "fake it til' you make it."

Make a Change: Don't like your job, your product, your company or your industry? It is difficult to have confidence when you don't believe in your product or you don't believe your company can back up your promises. It is difficult to find confidence when you are in a sales job that doesn't fit your talents or you are in an industry that doesn't excite you. Perhaps it is time to make a career change or in some cases an attitude change.

Manage Your Beliefs: What do you believe about yourself and your ability to succeed? It is easy to find out. Just listen to your self-talk. You talk to yourself constantly. If you are saying things to yourself that are eroding your confidence you've got problems and you've got to stop. Find a coach or a friend who will help pump you up. Read inspirational books. Listen to inspirational audio programs. Pray. Get away from negative people. Do whatever works and what ever it takes to change your conversation with yourself and you will be amazed at how your confidence builds and your career prospers.


Have sales guestions? ASK THE COACH!