This was the punch line to a joke a heard a few years ago, the question from the wife to her salesman husband was: 'Did you get any orders to day darling?'.

'Yes I did; I got three orders - 'Get out - stay out - and don't come back!"

This is often the image people have of salespeople. Someone who is trying to sell a product or service to another person who doesn't want it, doesn't need it, and can't afford it!

We tend to have a negative view about sales people. They're not exactly up there with the doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants and other professionals. They are often not even in the same league as trades' people such as plumbers, carpenters or electricians.

SO WHAT ARE YOU? 

It is rare for someone to describe themselves as a salesman or saleswoman. They usually describe themselves as sales executives, sales managers or sales engineers.

Every time I run a Sales Seminar for business people I ask the group how they feel about Sales and Selling. They come back with comments such as:

• 'It's something you've got to do'
• 'I hate making cold calls'
• 'I hate receiving cold calls'
• 'Sales people can be really annoying'
• 'You've got to be a good talker'
• 'You need to be able to manipulate people'
• 'If you don't put on the pressure then you wont get the sale'
• 'I'm not really a salesperson'
• There are many more comments like this, and it may not surprise you to know that they all tend to be a bit negative about selling and salespeople.

Because of this negativity, many business people can feel a bit uncomfortable about selling their product or service. They don't want to be seen as pushy or annoying to a potential customer. 

'OH NO!'

And of course, human beings have a huge fear of rejection. We just hate to hear the word 'No!' We will do almost anything to avoid rejection. And of course, fear of rejection stops people contacting customers, asking for an order, or some other form of commitment.

It's fairly normal and understandable to feel this way, particularly if selling is not what you were trained to do. I occasionally do some electrical work around the house or even some mechanical work on the car.

However, it's not what I trained to do, so I can get a bit uncomfortable particularly when it starts to go wrong (electric shocks and bruised fingers are not unknown to me).

However, you need to find a way round all of this if you are to have a successful business.

HOW DO YOU FIND CLIENTS AND CUSTOMERS?

There are two ways:

1. You get them to come to you and buy your product or service
2. You go to them and sell them your product or service

If you are not comfortable with number 2, the selling bit, here are some actions you can take to get customers to come to you. Or as I like to say - 'Motivate them to Buy.'

• Provide extraordinary customer service
• Boost your business image
• Have a great business nameBrand it - put your name on everything
• Use business cards that do the business
• Make sure your website is customer focussed
• Network-network-network
• Get active on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
• Generate referrals
• Make videos - get them on You Tube
• Send good sales letters
• Publish a newsletter
• Write articles
• Present seminars
• And did I tell you to network?

So there you have it, and you haven't even started selling yet.

If you want any more information on any of the items above, take a look through my blog for some more details or drop me a line.

And yes; I'll cover some simple selling tips next time.

Alan Fairweather, "The Motivation Doctor," is an International Speaker, Best Selling Author and Sales Growth Expert. He will reveal how to – motivate your customers, motivate your team and motivate yourself!

For the past seventeen years, he's been developing the talents of Managers, Sales and Customer Service people, and turning them into consistent top performers.

Alan is a specialist in the Banking, Financial Services, Retail, Real Estate, Telecommunications, and Hospitality Industries. His inspirational and  entertaining, seminars are delivered in the UK, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam.

www.managedifficultpeople.com