Hey guys. Had a quick question. I’m going for my first job sometime soon. I have tried before but always stop at the last second. I don’t have the confidence to go in. I hate public speaking and stuff like that. It is so easy in my mind but once it’s actually time to act, I can’t get myself to do it. This may sound kinda dumb to many of you. I understand, It’s dumb to me that I can’t just go in and give my pitch. Don’t really know what to do. Any advice you could give to me? Do you guys have a good sales pitch that I could piggyback on? I feel like if I could almost follow a script in my head it would help me a lot.
Hey, no shame! I had to give my first public speech a few years ago (haven’t done it since) and when I stood up there my nerves acted up so bad that my legs literally shook uncontrollably and I couldn’t control them, even though I didn’t “feel” all that nervous. I love to talk, I’m pretty extroverted, but not when meeting a new person and not when confronted with a large group of people I don’t know. The most important thing is to smile and be pleasant and respectful, that is key. I’m sure the guys on here can give you some of the words to say, but that won’t work if you aren’t focused on being pleasant. I had to do it plenty of times before I actually got fairly comfortable with it. I still get really warm on the back of my neck and want to clam up when I talk with new potential clients, but I am trying every time to just be confident and not back down, because I find it really hard to be persistent. So remember those things, be pleasant, polite, be confident, and just get out there and do it!
Every no is 1 more closer to a yes.
The more you do it the easier it’s gets
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If you get nervous and blank out on your script forgetting a line, then what?
Be yourself, speak your mind, and speak from your heart. If you are passionate about what you are doing, then you will be able to speak naturally and unscripted. You really need to be able to do that for sales, because you need to be dynamic to adjust to the reactions of the person you are pitching too. The last thing you need to do is be nervous, so being yourself and not an actor might help.
You can have your basic topics in an outline to study perhaps, but not scripted. That way you can drill in your mind the points you want to make and not forget anything important, but you won’t be memorizing lines like a script.
Each job is different, and each customer is different, even though all the work may be basically the same. So a basic pitch will work for most jobs, but you will have to customize it on the fly to suit the personality of that person you are pitching to and the specifics of that job.
As @JMR said, “the more you do it, the easier it gets”. Over time you will be able to peg personalities, and get a feel for what that person is wanting to hear, so that you can pitch it in a way that best appeals to them. However, they all want the same thing… quality work at a reasonable price… so building off that will be appealing to most. You just have to get a feel for what they think defines those points.
Being a good listener is important, because you have to let them speak in order to clue you into what they value most. Sales is an art form, and like all others, you either have a natural talent for it, or it takes practice to develop the skills. But, don’t be nervous, be confident. Listen well, and be agreeable. Everyone has different approaches, so you have to find what works for you. Over time you will, so just do it and start practicing, Again, as @JMR said “Every no is 1 more closer to a yes.”. So, don’t be afraid to get rejected, because that is the only way to learn how to improve your pitches.
No, I am not claiming to be an authority on salesmanship. And no, I am not claiming to have had training, or courses, or read a bunch of books about it either. This is just my advice from my own experience.
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ive heard some say “toastmasters” is good for learning too speak too others
since i was young ive been speaking and have been doing sales since 16yrs old.
i would say a couple key things.
rehearse whatever you plan on selling, practice really makes a difference.
be sold out if you doubt your abilities so will those that hear you.
read and use audiobooks if you can itll also help with communication
m
lastly be completely sincere! this is probably the most crucial aspect of sales imo
i cant be anyone else there are many i admire but im not them i have too be comfortable and happy in my own skin.
Just be you… Believe in yourself and the service you offer, if you don’t no one else will.
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You know what you do for a living; Fill in the keywords with short descriptive sentences.
You know the services that you have to offer; Fill in those keywords with sentences.
If someone asked you about the services that you offer would you be able to explain clearly and distinctly what you do? If not, practice that. If so, practice that. Practice with a friend, relative, or a mirror. Be confident, sincere, and personable. Embrace the “yes, when can you start”; don’t fear the “no, we have somebody”. Confidently book the yes; graciously accept the no with a business card and suggestion of “if for some reason they don’t work out for you anymore, call me”.
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You could start with “How are you today, would you be interested in a free window cleaning estimate?” If they say no, ask if you can leave your business card.
