The Importance of Confidence in Sales

I believe the biggest take away from class and every speaker we have had so far this semester is how important confidence is in sales.  In any sales interaction customers can tell how much you believe in yourself and the product. A salesperson that speaks with confidence appears a lot more trustworthy. Compared to someone who struggles to be bold, leaving the customer with question marks. Earlier in the semester, we met with Coach DiDonato. When he spoke, it felt as if there was not a single doubt in his mind about the material he was teaching. In return, I was engaged in the whole class and believed everything that he taught. This was because I felt like I could trust in what he was saying. He backed everything up with real life examples and situations to apply certain skills. As a football coach it’s that confidence that allows him to get 100 guys to put their bodies on the line for Grove City. Customers are way more likely to listen to someone if they are strong in what they are talking about. Hesitancy will kill conversations. If the salesperson on not fully bought in, neither will the customer. One key part of confidence in sales is eye contact and speaking clearly. Dan Huddock taught us that when making eye contact with someone else the person who looks away first feels inferior. Using skills like making eye contact and talking at a good pace for a customer to understand are little things that go a long way. I’ve learned this semester that those little things matter. One way to build confidence is through preparation. Study the product and understand it until you become confident with any question that gets thrown your way. Lastly, confidence doesn’t look like being super persistent in asking for a customer’s business. Instead, it’s being self-confident and showing the customer you don’t need their business. It’s either a good fit or it’s not. As the salesperson you let the customer decide.