How to Build Sales Confidence | #3 Why is Sales Confidence Crucial?

Why is it crucial to master Sales Confidence?

A mentee recently asked me, “what does sales confidence look and feel like?” I thought about it for a while, and a strong visual came to mind; I realised that Sales Confidence evokes feelings of solidity and strength. It’s being able to stand tall and feel so empowered that you know the next thing to come out of your mouth are the right words at the right time that will have the maximum impact. You begin to win when you attain a particular degree of expertise in any endeavour and exhibit confidence in that area. Confidence is a state, and sales confidence is a flow state. 

Sales confidence looks solid, powerful, inspiring, engaging, and enthusiastic. When someone is confident, they clearly communicate what, why, and how they wish to convey a message. As a result, if you are the subject of an interaction with that person, you will probably believe what they are telling you. You look and feel sales confidence when you show your expertise and credibility in a clear, articulate, and confident way. Some people might think a confident person is arrogant, but it’s not the case. Feeling comfortable and whole makes you more relaxed and naturally more attractive to others. Those around you can sense this level of comfort and solidity, and when someone makes direct eye contact with you, nods along, acknowledges what you’re saying, and relates it to you, it makes you feel listened to and trusted. It’s important to embrace yourself and present your best self, even if it means not adhering to traditional professional dress codes. I haven’t worn a shirt or suit trousers in a professional context in over ten years, yet I still look sharp and put together. Of course, there are appropriate levels of dress for specific contexts, and it’s essential to present your best self in a sales context, but ultimately, what you say matters more than what you wear. Confidence is not about arrogance; it’s about feeling good in your own skin and presenting your best self to the world.

That’s how sales confidence feels to me; what about you?

How does it feel to lack confidence?

Confidence is an inner feeling that you show to others. If you don’t feel confident, your body language will show it: your breathing will become shallow, and you might subtly hunch your shoulders, which will squeeze your diaphragm. You might feel smaller, those around you will therefore feel bigger, it will be challenging to get a handle on your words, you might hesitate before you speak, and you will be slower to react to questions. In other words, it’s easy for others to notice when we lack confidence!

Lacking confidence is an uncomfortable state that can limit how you approach your interactions with others. Although the signs are subtle, collectively, they mean you are less persuasive, less influential, less powerful, and less impactful. These factors will affect your ability to make progress with someone, especially in the sales cycle or when you’re trying to lead a team.

Of course, feeling insecure when you’re in a new environment, performing a new task, or learning a new skill is natural, but we can try to break the cycle. As you learn more, you become more skilled, which is a big step toward feeling more confident. Therefore, don’t let a lack of confidence intimidate you; it’s just a sign that you must work harder to improve yourself and develop your skills. 

Working on your confidence is one of the kindest gifts to yourself.

James Ski is CEO & Founder of Sales Confidence, a company dedicated to the professional advancement of sales professionals, & author of the debut professional development book How to Build Sales Confidence.         

This is an excerpt from How to Build Sales Confidence by James Ski, the full version of which you can purchase here.