“You wrote recently about the importance of creating your own income. I agree, yet I find it almost impossible to proceed as I just don’t know how to sell anything. I have no motivation to make the effort to make the extra money I need, because I feel like I would be a total failure at it. How can I overcome this problem?”

Earning an independent income is vital for goal achievement; and selling is an integral part of this process. For some persons, the thought of selling is as welcome as going to the dentist with a cavity. However, you must conquer your anxieties to fix an ailing tooth; and if you really want to realise your financial dreams, you have to overcome your resistance to doing sales.

One reason that may demotivate many persons from trying something new, like selling, is that they lack confidence. The good news is that sales, like any other life or business skill, can be learned. There are simple, repeatable steps that novices can take, which will help them to improve their techniques and eventually excel at the task of selling.

Get educated by sales experts

There are hundreds of great books and resources written on the concept of sales success. Many legendary experts, such as Zig Ziglar, Dale Carnegie and Brian Tracy, have shared their vast knowledge and expertise and inspired several generations of salespersons to develop their sales skills to produce lasting financial rewards.

One outstanding work that has helped thousands, perhaps millions of readers is Frank Bettger’s best-selling effort, How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling. As the title implies, Bettger shares his experiences of how he was able to turn around his personal and financial fortunes by applying simple yet effective sales techniques.

Be inspired by a rags-to-riches tale

Bettger outlines his tried, tested and proven formula that allowed him to work his way to becoming one of the highest-paid salesmen in his time. For anyone struggling with the frustrations inherent in creating self-propelled income, this book offers not just workable sales strategies, but provides hope that success is possible, despite the challenges.

I really like Bettger’s memoir because he reveals his less-than-stellar attempts at making a living by selling, and discloses the mistakes he made along his journey. It always motivates me to hear real-life stories from persons who overcame their personal problems and became successful. Let’s now look at some of Bettger’s suggestions for improving your ability to earn by selling.

Determine needs and wants

Many people think that selling is trying to convince someone to buy a product or service; so if they lack persuasive skills, then they might not be very successful at it. Bettger debunks this myth by declaring that the secret of sales is “finding out what people want and helping them to get it”. Therefore, sales should really be about helping persons to find solutions to their problems.

If you take the focus off your own needs, you will realise that selling gives you a chance to make a difference in people’s lives. Bettger explains that you need to develop the art of listening and asking questions to determine people’s desires. Once you discover their main concerns, find ways in which your offering can deliver the results they desire, and you will make the sale.

Play a numbers game

“Show me any man of ordinary ability, who will go out and earnestly tell his story to four or five people every day, and I will show you a man who just can’t help making good!” A disheartened Bettger heard this statement when he was about to quit his sales job. He discovered that the key to success was to approach more people with his product every day.

Another secret Bettger learned was that seeing a lot of prospects was not enough; it was also important to keep records of his activities. Tracking his results allowed him to immediately see where he was going wrong, and gave encouragement to do more of the tasks that produced success. You just can’t make the money you need if too few people are aware that you have something to sell.

Bounce back from failure

Finally, Bettger reveals that a key element of success is not to be afraid of failing. He declares that fear of failure, a weakness common to most people, will prevent you from attempting new opportunities or continuing when you are beset by setbacks. Ironically, giving in to this irrational fear can actually produce the negative results that you are hoping to avoid.

Most successful people have experienced repeated failures, Bettger notes. Babe Ruth, baseball’s immortal home run king, struck out more than any other player in history; but he never let his failures discourage him. Bettger insists that you should develop a sense of indifference to your failed attempts; learn from them instead and keep improving until you ultimately reap success.

Bettger provides many other step-by-step strategies that can help you to sell any type of product or service successfully. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to receive the motivation they need to earn more.

Copyright © 2013 Cherryl Hanson Simpson. No reproduction without written consent.

Originally published in The Daily Observer, April 11, 2013

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Cherryl is a money coach and business mentor, and founder of Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services. See more of her work at www.entrepreneursinjamaica.com and www.financiallysmart.org. Contact Cherryl