Shake Your Sales Fears: 3 Easy Ways To Get Comfortable Marketing Your Small Business

 
Selling yourself is hard. So hard, in fact, that similar to public speaking, just the thought of it creates anxiety in a great number of people. Selling your company, or selling the goods or services of your small business is only slightly less intimidating. Unfortunately, unless you've stumbled upon a revolutionary must-have product or service, if you can't sell, your business won't succeed. Actually, even if you have stumbled upon that revolutionary must-have product or service, you'll still need to market it to let people know that it exists.

So how do you overcome anxiety? While therapy and medication are possible options, neither of those methods are viable solutions for this scenario. So here are three effective tactics that can help you shake your sales fears.
 

 
Be excited again

You invested your life in your company because you became excited about it. There was enough passion in your idea to convince yourself it was worth risking everything to give your dream a chance. It's hard to remember that initial thrill once you're mired down in the day-to-day of actually running a company. However, if you want to find the quickest way to burn through that sales insecurity, remember those early days. The ones filled with promise and adventure. Remember how you couldn't stop talking about what you were going to do? That's the spirit, now go forth and market!

 
Be real

Unless you're an actor, being someone else feels rather unnatural, but that's what people think they have to do when they are selling. There's a stereotypical sales guy in most people's minds, and chances are you don't like him, yet that's who you think you need to be. If you don't like that obnoxious carnival barker with the megaphone who is relentlessly trying to close the deal, why would anyone else? Luckily, there is someone infinitely more likable than that guy. It's you, and there is a remarkable benefit that happens when you stop trying to be someone you're not — your anxiety disappears.

 
Remember, it's not about you

It's about meeting the needs of your customer. If you take the time to really listen to your prospect, you will know with one hundred percent certainty, if what you have to offer is what they truly need. Once you have that information, you can proceed with confidence and say goodby to your fear of selling.
 

 
This article was written by Allen Foster for CBS Small Business Pulse.