Sales success strongly depends on forward momentum. The more activity we create and the more we are able to keep the sales process moving forward, the greater our chance of success. But creating forward momentum is not always easy, and things like self-doubt or lack of self-confidence can creep in and hinder our ability to keep things moving forward.
A lack of self-confidence can manifest itself in many ways – Do you ever stop following-up with a prospect because you’re afraid you won’t be able to answer his/her questions? Or avoid making outreach calls because you don’t know exactly what to say? This “imposter syndrome,” or the tendency to think of ourselves as frauds because of a lack of self-confidence, can be very destructive to our psyche and our ability to be successful. This HubSpot blog, How to Deal with Imposter Syndrome in Sales, offers tips for overcoming imposter syndrome in yourself and in your prospects. Next time you feel yourself slipping into a bout of “imposter syndrome,” follow these tips:
Learn your craft and your offering: Study up! Focusing your attention on building your sales skills and knowledge of your product/service can help to combat a lack of confidence.
Create a “success file”: Sift through your past project successes/sales. Compiling thank you notes from past clients, mementos of recognition from your boss and any other evidence of your past successes can help keep your mind on the great things you’ve done and boost your confidence!
Release the need for perfection: Not even the best salespeople have a 100% close rate! You are not a fraud just because you don’t close every sale you attempt. You can still be very good at what you do without being perfect!
Express gratitude: Thinking about other people can help to get you out of your own mind. Take a moment to think of something someone has done for you and shoot them a quick “thank you.” Thinking of the things that are going well in your life can help to get you out of a rut and boost your self-confidence!
Engage with a mentor: Hearing the perspective of someone else, especially someone you look up to and trust, can help get your thinking back on track. A mentor can point out where your thinking took a wrong turn, where your strengths lie and help you regain confidence.
Remaining confident and refusing self-doubt are the two things that can keep “imposter syndrome” from creeping up on us. Next time you feel yourself doubting your skills, try one of these tips to boost your self-confidence and keep the forward momentum that is necessary for sales success!
