“The best product must be sold. Customers will not take it from you. You must ask them to buy.” Edna Newman The other day I received an e-mail from a young woman about to start her own business asking if I could help her overcome her dislike of selling. She told me about her fears, her lack of confidence, her hating to ask for anything, and that she disliked intruding on the privacy of others. She didn’t use the term introvert, but she certainly described herself as one. I searched for an answer with meaning and simplicity that might help her. Here is the gist of my comments. I see selling as asking someone to buy your product. A simple business transaction. Your prospect can say yes or no in so many words. Your prospect can be polite or rude- it does not matter. What is important is that you ask for the order. I believe in putting all the fanfare, role-playing, sales psychology, motivational analysis, and canned presentations on hold and focus on the simple strategy of asking your potential customer to buy your product or service. If you are queasy or nervous or even have feelings of guilt asking strangers to give you money for your products, do a flip of your emotions and have pride in your mission. Do you realize that without free enterprise with all its trappings of advertising, promotion and salesmanship, our standard of living might well resemble the present state of Russia? If you think selling is unethical- think again! Yes, there are dishonest businesspersons, and many quasi socialists or public servants who think most entrepreneurs are- but they are wrong. When you bring products and services to the market you are offering solutions to problems, fulfilling wants of your neighbors, and performing services to make living easier. You and your business are contributing to our economic society- And you will succeed if the public wants what you offer. To fulfill your mission of entrepreneurship, you have a responsibility to tell the world about your business. You are not trampling on the rights of others; you are offering economic choices- which translate to a sense of market freedom. As soon as you repress those hang-ups or feelings of guilt over asking people to part with their money for your products, the next step is to order your suit of amour to withstand the barbs of rejection. Expect success, but expect many “no’s” along the way. Not everyone will have a need for your offer, not everyone may be able to afford it and not everyone is polite and well mannered. Remember this, a no or rejection is not about you, it is about your product-don’t internalize it. Practice this well-known tool of selling success-use the law of averages. Count on asking ten persons to land one yes. Simple! Ask enough people and you will be a success. No mystery- just common sense. While asking is the main course, if helps to add some enticing deserts: 1. Learn to listen. Most people are so busy planning their next sentence they never hear the other side of the conversation. Listen with your eyes as well as your ears. Work on your skills to read people and their reactions. You will make more sales by listening to your customer than your customer listening to you. 2. Learn to ask questions. Show an interest in your customer if you want the customer to show an interest in your product or service. What is your opinion of someone who never “shuts up”? Boring! You will turnoff and fade to a self-imposed trance. If your sales are a monologue with no participation by the customer – you are asking for rejection. 3. Don’t prejudge your prospects. The ones you think will never buy will be the ones to surprise you. Many sales have been lost because the salesperson made a snap judgment over dress or mannerisms. It is easy to allow your inner perceptions of people to color your sale skills. Worry about the law of averages not your selection process 4. And finally, know what you are talking about. Don’t think glossing over the details will work-, potential customers are quick to notice ill-prepared sales pitches. Because that is what they become- a carnival pitch-not an honest offer. If you are selling services or products to other businesses, it is well established that business owners and purchasing agents rarely buy with the first sales call. They believe in putting the salespersons determination and reliability to the test. Remember this: eighty percent of initial sales are not made until the 4th or 5th sales call but that eighty percent of salespersons never hang in beyond the 3rd visit. So add persistency to your rule of asking! Copyright 2003 Paul E. Adams Dr Paul E Adams, Professor Emeritus Business, Ramapo College of New Jersey & Retired Entrepreneur, Syndicated Columnist, Host of the access cable TV program "Tri -State Movers and Shakers," and Author of “Fail-Proof Your Business,” Available @ Amazon.com. Comments, questions, or suggestions to: xpaul@pikeonline.net