The creator’s guide to breaking through selling blocks
Oftentimes our association with a “salesperson” is quite negative. The word itself is reminiscent of a fast-talking charmer with slicked back hair who says anything to make a buck. So when it comes to the online sales process, it’s hard to shake those preconceived notions around what it means to be a salesperson. As a result, it causes some mental resistance to selling.
Your knowledge, your superpower
As a course creator, your passion and knowledge in your area of expertise is your superpower. Your desire to share that with others and make bank in the process is likely what fuels you. An inevitable aspect of getting your course to the people who need it most is by marketing and selling it to your audience using the online sales process.
More often than not, this piece of being a “salesperson” leaves many with a feeling of ick. Perhaps you feel awkward, pushy, or just downright out of your depth when it comes to selling your product. Here are some actionable ways that move past that to ensure both you and your audience benefit from what you create with your online course.
Mini courses are an effective way to entice potential students with bite-sized content. Our free “mini course guide” will help you get started today.
The online sales process
As you move through the online sales process, remember that it’s essential to be aware of your mindset and thought patterns when it comes to selling. If it feels uncomfortable, get curious about what exactly the resistance is. For example, some imposter syndrome might show up in the form of you questioning, “Who am I to be selling this?” For others, it about not wanting to seem pushy or annoying. Or perhaps when people say no to what you’re offering, you start to question if your product is even worth what you price it at.
There are a multitude of thoughts that can arise. If you acknowledge these beliefs and work with them as opposed to trying to just push past them, it’s going to be a lot easier to reframe your mindset around selling. Read on to find out how you can do just that!
Provide value for free first
This can look like having a useful freebie or regularly posting helpful snippets about your topic for your audience, as well as under promising and over delivering. When you do this, you’re not only establishing yourself as an expert, (which is very important, as we explore in tip #2), but it also activates the Principle of Reciprocity.
This principle is rooted in the psychology of feeling the need to give something back once we’ve received something. This is even more heightened when the receiver feels like the giver offers something without expectation of return. So be generous with your audience and they’re more likely to buy from you.
Don’t be shy when it comes to testimonials
Being humble is important, but scale some of that back when it comes to letting your audience know how your products or services are transformational for others. This is based on the human tendency to be more inclined to purchase or work with you if they see others doing it.
As mentioned in this Forbes article on selling, “People are sold not based on statistics, but stories.” A way you can implement this is by having longer term clients share their stories and how impactful your products or services were. Video testimonials are likely to resonate the most but even written feedback can sway others.
This is not about you
It’s easy to get caught up in how others might perceive you when you’re selling, or what it might mean about you as a business owner if your audience isn’t buying what you’re selling. Shift your focus from yourself to your prospective client. Selling is about how your product can improve your prospect’s life. You get to focus on that instead of the money component.
On that note, don’t take it personally if people don’t buy. Separate yourself from your business and product, and be wary of creating stories, such as “My product must not be that good then” or “I’m not good at business.” Those beliefs get to shift into “This person just wasn’t the right fit for my product, and that’s OK.”
Get creative with running sales and promotions
The holidays are an awesome time to offer special pricing especially to your current customers. Rewarding them with insider discounts can help build loyalty and keep them coming back, making sales on your end even easier. Alternatively, it’s simple to offer promotions for new signs up too. This generosity can help you move through some of the resistance or “feel-bad” thoughts that come up during the selling process.
Be sincere with your gratitude
It is easy to get caught up in the online sales process of always trying to onboard new customers. So, take time to express a heartfelt gratitude to the those who are already with you. This is something as simple as having a personalized thank you email. Include their name when they buy something instead of the standard and boring “Thanks for being a valued customer” language.
You can also take some time each week to send some of your current customers a quick note of appreciation through DMs on social media. Not only will this be a reminder to your clients and make them more inclined to return for more, but it can also be a boost of confidence for you to be reminded of the impact you’re already making.
Wherever you are with your mindset on the online sales process, remember that it does get easier the more you do it. Over time, it’ll feel like you’re not even selling but rather just having conversations with prospective and current customers. Nurture those relationships and watch as your confidence and profits grow.