Why You Shouldn’t Be the Superhero of Sales
Lauren Bailey, Founder at Factor 8
I find many sales reps think of themselves as sales superheroes, but in reality, they’re using an invisible superhero cape and mask to hide their fear.
It takes courage to recognize what you’re scared of, say it out loud, and embrace it. No more hiding behind capes and masks. For reps, that means not relying on the easy fallback of just sending LinkedIn messages or emails. You build confidence in yourself by being courageous. Get on the phone! Discover how to find your confidence with these tried-and-true tips:
1. Say it, don’t ask it.
The tone of your voice on a call makes a huge difference with a potential customer. When I have a rep in one of my classes who is really struggling with confidence, one of the first “tells” is that the end of their sentence is a question with an upward inflection. I’ve created an exercise called “My name is Lauren, damn it!” When a rep uses upspeak and says “This is (my name). I’m calling from (my company)?”, we have them switch it around.
2. Master your intro.
Once you are in command of your name and company statement, it’s time to hook the prospect confidently. We focus so much on closing deals, but the first encounter is crucial. We’re all busy (especially our customers,) and we value our time. You have to grab them in the first 10 seconds, or they’re already thinking of ways to get rid of you.
3. Own your scripts.
One of the most ubiquitous tools for sales calls are scripts — but they also stifle confidence. Personally, I dislike scripts because they kill curiosity and conversations by keeping the discussion on a railroad track. Curiosity is so important to the sales process. If you’re hiding behind your call script, you’re not giving yourself the opportunity to discover new things about your prospect.
4. Celebrate the small wins.
Too often in sales, we only count the big stuff. In order to create more confident reps — especially when it comes to calls — we also have to celebrate the small wins. Way too many people judge success based on metrics.
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