I get the biggest kick out of sales managers and sales trainers who tell their salespeople “get out there and sell, but don’t be a salesperson.”
There is nothing wrong with being a salesperson! Salespeople are falling all over themselves to stop being “salesy” and guess what? They are fooling no one. Their prospect knows that they are a salesperson and most prospects are okay with it.
Selling is exchanging goods and services for money. How you go about selling is a different story. Yes, I agree that we salespeople need to add value or we are worthless. However, that is a given; isn’t it? Your product or service has value for someone or you wouldn’t be selling it.
Role rejection call reluctance is costly and contagious for individuals and organizations. George Dudley and Shannon Goodson, authors of the Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance state that “Role rejection call reluctance occurs when a salesperson is intellectually willing but emotionally unable to accept a career in sales. Role rejection call reluctance is like the heart transplant patients showing the first signs of organ rejection while insisting they feel great.”
Negative sterotypes of salespeople etch deeper with each repetition into the psyche of salespeople disposed to Role Rejection.
The good news is that role rejection can be diagnosed and addressed head on. The #1 carriers of Call Reluctance are sales managers and sales trainers according to Dudley and Goodson.
Let go of the misconception that there is something wrong with selling. Connect with your laser-sharp value proposition. Revisit the benefits of your product or service and shift your perspective.
