When you go to the movies, you buy a ticket, maybe some popcorn and a drink. When you go to get your haircut, you pay for the haircut and maybe you leave a tip for the hairdresser. When you need to go somewhere, you pay to put gas in your car. So with all these things in life that you have to pay for just to do anything, why does the word sales make so many people cringe?

Is this you? Does the idea of sales give you the feeling that your business phone is a 300-pound monster with hair growing out of it, snarling at you and daring you to say something? Here’s the thing everyone needs to remember - nothing happens in business, or in life, without a sale - without something being sold.

Maybe it’s not the idea of the word itself, maybe you just don’t like the process. But that’s the way it is. You have to sell something if you want to stay in business. So stop resisting sales.

Selling is not a bad thing and you have to stop thinking of it as such. The idea that if you build it they will come, that’s only happened for one person – Kevin Costner, and it was in a movie. That’s not the way it happens in real life. In business, you can’t just put up a sign, or a shingle, or get your business checking account and expect clients to flock to you simply because you did those things.

You need to sell something. Stop being afraid of the process of sales.

Maybe you have fear related to sales and selling because you think you’re manipulating someone or you’re forcing them to do something they don’t want to do. If you’re marketing yourself authentically then you’re not manipulating people - because that’s not who you are. You’re not cheating them or harming them or manipulating them into doing something.

Remember, you’re asking people to do business with you and if you have a service or a product you feel could benefit them or help them, solve a problem or a challenge they’re having, then all you’re doing is presenting it to them and asking them to start a relationship with you and your business.

Not everyone will immediately jump on your offer. That’s okay. There are people out there who are skeptical of everything. Maybe they need a little hand-holding or persuading before they do business with you. If you have something of value for them, you owe it to them to hold their hand, to persuade them that you’re meant to have that relationship with them. You don’t have to feel bad about that. It’s business and that’s what a business relationship is about. Someone has a service or product, the other person has money to invest - like peas and carrots, they just go together.

What matters most, is for you to be turning prospects into ideal paying clients. The only way to do that is to sell them something.

So start making things happen for you and your business. Start selling those wonderful products and services you have for people. Stop fearing, stop resisting making sales and doing business.

Go have some fun…go make some sales!

Author's Bio: 

Diane Conklin is an author, entrepreneur, coach, consultant, event planner, speaker and copywriter. Diane is a direct response marketing expert who specializes in showing small business owners how to integrate their online and offline marketing strategies, media and methods, to get maximum results from their marketing dollars. Diane also shows entrepreneurs and small business owners how to outperform their competition by measuring their marketing, and strategically use multi-media campaigns to stand alone in their marketplace as the go-to provider for their products and services.

She is the co-founder of Complete Marketing Systems and for more than 15 years has been showing small business owners how to start, build and grow Information Marketing businesses where they take knowledge they already possess and turn it into passive, ongoing, leveraged profits.

Through her company, Complete Marketing Systems, Diane helps event promoters market, plan and manage their live events, workshops and seminars, using cost effective, multi-step marketing strategies that put butts in seats, without the promoters losing theirs. As an Event Marketing & Planning expert, Diane has planned and produced multiple events grossing over $1,000,000.00.

As a business and marketing strategist, Diane has been involved in numerous campaigns grossing over $1,000,000.00 in sales several times in her career.

Diane has proprietary home study systems, coaching programs, and provides done-for-you services in the areas of Social Media, Information Marketing, Direct Response Marketing, Direct Mail and Event Marketing, Planning and Management.

As a speaker, Diane has shared the stage with the likes of Joan Rivers, George Foreman, Dan Kennedy, Bill Glazer, Lee Milteer, Harry Dent, Lee Phillips, Fabienne Fredrickson, James Malinchak, Dov Baron, Peggy McColl, Marshall Sylver, Alex Mandossian, Marie Forleo, Barbara Corcoran and many others.

Diane was voted Information Marketer of the Year for her innovative marketing strategies and campaigns.