The Most Dangerous Thing in Sales: Wanting to Be Liked

Hello, this is Aoto.

When I watch soccer, I notice that the strongest players aren't afraid of fouls.
In fact, players with great technique like Neymar or Palmer actually use them well to draw fouls.

It's the same for the defense.
Van Dijk, or more recently, Cubarsí at Barça, are the same way.
Of course, they aren't unnecessarily rough.

But they are clear about when to go for the ball.

Conversely, the moment you get scared and pull back your foot, you end up failing to win the ball and giving the opponent freedom.
Don't you think this is very similar to sales?

When you're in sales,

there are moments when the desire to not be disliked comes to the forefront.

You don't want to be rejected.

You don't want to make the atmosphere awkward.
You don't want to be seen as pushy.
As a result, you end up pulling back more than necessary, saying things like,

"If you're interested..." "No pressure..." "Maybe another time..."
Of course, consideration is important.

Hard selling is not the answer.

But,

when you prioritize not being disliked, your proposal itself can become weak.

I used to be exactly like this in the past.
I thought I was being considerate of the other person, but in reality, I was just protecting myself from getting hurt.
However, successful salespeople strangely know how to step in.

They say what needs to be said.
They ask what needs to be confirmed.

If necessary, they even share things that might be hard to hear.

But it never comes across as "pushy."

I think that's because their priority isn't "I want to sell," but rather "I want to help the other person move forward."
In soccer, players who can go for the ball when they need to aren't just being aggressive; they understand what is necessary for the team.

Sales is the same; perhaps true proposals exist only after you move past the fear of being disliked.
Of course, the feeling of being scared or not wanting to be disliked is important.

But as SKY-HI said, "Move forward even if you're scared," sometimes you have to challenge yourself without fear to achieve victory and success.

I believe we Japanese people lack that mindset.
I'm the same way, but when I watch soccer, there are many moments where I think, 'Oh, I can do more than this!'

Let's make this an aggressive Thursday!

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