5 Ways to Build B2B Inside Sales Confidence
Due to the pressure of a sales career, sales teams often band together to share sales tips and best practices to achieve their business goals. The best advice I ever received from a colleague was: “Build sales confidence.”
It was the best advice because it is a simple truth, but telling someone to “build sales confidence” is no better than telling them to “be a dinosaur” if you don’t also provide a path to develop this skill. So here are five tangible ways to build B2B inside sales confidence that anyone can use.
1. Discover your sales style
One of the first challenges of any salesperson is to define their personal selling style and apply that approach to the sales process. Many struggle for years using a selling style that isn’t suited to their personality. There are a variety of styles that deliver sales growth. If you aren’t sure which style is right for you, there are free tests available online to give you more insight.
2. Know your business
Understanding the features and benefits of what you offer and how it compares to competitors’ offerings allows you to deliver meaningful sales solutions to your prospects. Becoming a subject matter expert is a great way to boost confidence and become a trusted advisor. And remember that you don’t have to have all the answers, There is absolutely nothing wrong with telling a prospect: “I don’t know but let me find out.”
3. Give yourself permission
It is time to reframe how we think about calling without permission. A dentist doesn’t question if it is okay to remind you about scheduling a cleaning because it’s their job, it’s in your best interest, and, if you don’t end up scheduling, it’s still your decision. Sales should be seen in exactly the same light. Once you give yourself permission, you will wonder why you wrestled with it so much to begin with.
4. Get excited
Energy and excitement are contagious, so bring a positive attitude to every interaction and you will feel better about every interaction. Your conversations will be smoother and more engaging. In fact, prospects are more likely to act when they are excited about something. If you start feeling that excitement wane, pump yourself up by introducing a new pitch or starting a little friendly competition with your peers.
5. Come prepared
Being prepared gives you confidence to easily navigate through your day. When you invest in developing a skill you might be weak in, you learn ways to overcome the ways it limits you. When you practice your pitch before a meeting, presenting becomes muscle memory. When you invest time in logging notes in your CRM, you will have information you need at hand. When you are ready for anything, your confidence soars.
At The Alias Group, we recognize the importance of building sales confidence. We strive to create a culture that supports the inside sales team and gives them opportunities for professional development. While a more confident team is a more successful team, the benefits of building confidence extend well beyond the work day. The famous salesman and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar said: “If you don’t see yourself as a winner, you cannot perform as a winner.” I would have to agree.
A version of this article appeared in the Delaware Business Times.
