On the surface, you’d think that “selling” and “asking” go hand in hand. In reality, salespeople at all experience levels often hesitate, tiptoe around, or dodge direct closes because they’re afraid of rejection, worried about coming across as pushy, or insecure about asking.
On this episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount explores why salespeople fear asking for the sale and what to do about it with author and Sales Gravy University instructor, Tony Morris
Every salesperson starts somewhere. Tony Morris started turning a profit buying 10 pounds of sweets from a shop and selling them for 20 pounds. Before that, he sold car washing door to door. But before all that, he spent hours watching his father prep for sales calls in the mirror, honing his language and mastering his message. It drove home one idea for a young Tony: To be a sales success, you have to practice, practice, practice learning how to ask for the sale.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1KKPbXHCj8
The Fear Factor That Holds Salespeople Back From Asking for the Sale
There’s an underlying, deeply human factor that derails many capable sales professionals: The fear of asking for the sale.
Rejection stings, whether it’s a “no” from a potential client or crickets after your presented a proposal you believed was bulletproof. We fear hearing “no” because we interpret it, consciously or not, as a sign that our competence or worth is lacking. Ironically, the more empathetic and relationship-focused a salesperson is, the more they tend to shy away from scenarios that might lead to an uncomfortable refusal.
When you allow the fear of rejection for creep in when attempting to close the sales it often leads to:
Hesitation: You wait for the buyer to “signal” readiness, rather than proactively closing.
Defensiveness: If a conversation veers toward potential objections, you steer away or gloss over critical next steps.
Listen Now
Love PodBriefly?
If you like Podbriefly.com, please consider donating to support the ongoing development.
