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Brave selling: Succeeding with conviction, not aggression

We all know there comes a point in life when you need to take things by the scruff of the neck and charge ahead with purpose, irrespective of the outcome.ย  But, this is challenging when the pressure is really on, your back is to the wall and youโ€™re faced with limited opportunities. In childhood development, […]
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Trent Leyshan
Brave selling: Succeeding with conviction, not aggression

We all know there comes a point in life when you need to take things by the scruff of the neck and charge ahead with purpose, irrespective of the outcome.ย 

But, this is challenging when the pressure is really on, your back is to the wall and youโ€™re faced with limited opportunities.

In childhood development, some parents are confused by their confident and out-going kid transforming into a timid passenger on the sporting field. They respond with comments like, โ€œTommy needs to be more aggressive!โ€

The concept of being โ€œaggressiveโ€™โ€ is ultimately a destructive one. In this example, the child doesnโ€™t need to be โ€œmore aggressiveโ€ โ€” what he needs to do is develop the confidence to be brave and be rewarded for it.

This will mean building confidence through facing specific fears and overcoming limiting beliefs. Such as, being hurt, looking foolish in front of peers, not knowing his role or understanding the rules.ย 

Think about the average salesperson, the same principles apply. Chloe, much like Tommy, is a seemingly confident, outgoing salesperson, yet she retreats when faced with objections, strong personalities or challenging clients. Chloe doesnโ€™t need to find her aggression to succeed โ€” she needs to be brave.

The first step in being brave is to start doing what scares you. That will mean:

  • Pick up the phone and make a โ€˜Red Phoneโ€™ call.ย 
  • Take control of the conversation.
  • Kill the time wasters!
  • Ask for the business.
  • Work through objections.
  • Be creative. Negotiate.
  • Put some skin in the game.
  • Follow up ferociously.
  • Donโ€™t be scared of losing the business.

And always ensure the customer knows you care and appreciate them and their business. Scary stuff, isnโ€™t it? These are all brave acts.

All brave salespeople have a โ€˜duty of careโ€™ for their customers. They push back and fight because itโ€™s right and they know whatโ€™s right for the customer.

Trent Leyshan is the founder ofย sales trainingย company,ย BOOM!ย Salesย and the the author ofย OUTLAWย &The Naked Salesman.