Sales can be challenging for small business owners, especially for those who worry about coming across as pushy. What if we reframed selling as an opportunity to connect, solve problems, and serve? Understanding what drives action can help you sell your products and services in a way that feels authentic, natural, and aligned with your values.
Motivation plays a key role in business sales, but do you understand how to tap into the motivational scale so you can sell authentically (non-salesy)?
The Motivation Framework: Ability, Motivation, and Attitude
Your ability defines what you’re capable of doing. Your motivation drives what you actually do. Your attitude determines how well you do it. If you want to become more confident in selling, focusing on your ability, motivation, and attitude is essential.
“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.” William James
Extrinsic vs Intrinsic Motivation
Motivation in sales isn’t just about wanting to make a sale. It’s about aligning your efforts with what’s important to you and your potential customers. Motivation exists on a scale with three key stages:
- Extrinsic Motivation: This includes ‘won’t do’ or ‘have to’ behaviours, which come from external forces like fear, force, or compliance. Sales tactics that rely on scarcity, manipulation, or hard-selling fall into this category.
- The Middle Ground: The ‘should do’ phase includes guilt, obligation, or anxiety. Many small business owners feel they should be selling more but struggle to do this with confidence.
- Intrinsic Motivation: The ‘want to’ or ‘love to’ level is where the magic happens. This is when selling aligns with your values, feels enjoyable, and becomes an extension of your passion for your business.
Moving Along the Motivation Scale in Sales
To sell successfully without being salesy, you must shift from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation. Here’s how:
Direction: Getting started and being clear about your starting point
Define why you are selling. Is it to help people, solve a problem, or bring joy?
Identify what makes your product or service valuable and how it improves lives.
Use language and storytelling that reflects purpose and passion rather than pressure. Instead of “Buy now before the offer ends,” try “This could be the perfect fit for you if…”
Progression: Make progress and facing setbacks
Sales is a journey of trust and connection. To unlock success in sales you need to set small, achievable goals for outreach, conversations, and content creation.
Face setbacks with confidence. Not every potential customer will say yes, and that’s okay. Reframe rejection as redirection. Listen to what your audience is saying and make the necessary changes.
Create flow by selling in ways that feel natural. Remember your UHP® (Unique Human Proposition). What makes your business unique? YOU do! Use storytelling by sharing customer success stories. If you enjoy writing, use blogs and newsletters.
Connection: Forging deeper connections to help you along the way
People buy from people they trust. Build relationships through conversations, engagement, and genuine interest in your audience’s needs.
Show up as a role model. Your confidence will be contagious if you believe in your product or service.
Fundamentals of the Motivational Scale
If you want to shift your mindset and sales approach from ‘won’t do’ to ‘love to’, consider these elements:
Language: Shift your messaging from transactional to personal. Instead of ‘buy now’, focus on how your product solves a problem or enhances a customer’s life. Take your ideal customer from HELL (their pain, needs, challenges) to HEAVEN (how they feel when they have your product/service which is the solution).
Deadlines: Use time-sensitive offers as motivation but in a supportive way rather than pressuring.
For example, I might use something like this for my Floofsville business:
We know how much you love spoiling your furry best friend, so for the next 72 hours, we’re giving you a little something extra!
When you order any of our dog treats or accessories before Friday, you’ll receive a free surprise gift, because your dog deserves all the love (and a few extra tail wags!).
No pressure, just a little encouragement to treat your pup while this special bonus is available.
Flow: Create a process for sales that feels natural. Focus on building relationships through content or networking if you enjoy conversations more than cold pitching.
Strengths: Play to what you do best. If you love storytelling, use that in your marketing instead of following rigid sales scripts. What are your skills and how can you use them?
Confidence: Selling is easier when you believe in your product or service. Remind yourself why you started your business and how it benefits others.
Role Models: Watch others who sell in a way that resonates with you. Learn from them and adapt their techniques to suit your style. Build credibility and trust – building and nurturing relationships with your current and potential customers should be at the core of your sales strategy.
Creativity: Explore new ways to present your product or service through engaging social media content or collaborations.
Encouragement and Compassion: Be kind to yourself. Life skills are sales skills, and they all improve over time. Let your authenticity attract the right customers.
The Power of Selling with Authenticity
When you align your sales efforts with intrinsic motivation, selling stops feeling like a chore and starts feeling like an extension of your passion. Small business owners don’t need to rely on pressure tactics. Instead, they can:
- Use deadlines that create excitement rather than fear.
- Lean into their strengths: storytelling, listening, community building, or creativity.
- Foster confidence in themselves and their audience.
- Sell with compassion, ensuring customers feel seen and understood.
The key to selling without being salesy is to love what you’re selling and believe in its value. When you do that, your motivation becomes infectious, and customers will naturally be drawn to what you offer.
So, how can you move along the motivation scale in your sales approach today?
Do you need help moving along the motivational scale in your business?
The Sales Day Trip is a new way for us to work together. We spend a full day covering lots of things, including peeling back your business to discover your ideal client and UHP® and building a sales strategy that will be life-changing for anyone who doesn’t like or know how to sell. This training day shares one simple message: ‘Sales is human, and you are unique’.
“Since reading Jules’ book my life has changed direction. I subsequently did a road sales trip day with her where we developed my business idea, Connect -Clarify – Create. She has been an inspiration to me! Her positivity, compassion and understanding approach are a joy to work with. Although Sales is her thing she is generous with all of her vast knowledge and experience of business and life. I feel honoured to work with Jules.” Jean Fleming
If you want to ‘Discover your UHP®’ with me, book a 1-hour personal coaching session HERE.
“Jules is a fantastic coach, approaching sales with energy and empathy. A trusted acquaintance introduced me to Jules after hearing I was looking for help developing my LinkedIn messaging. To say that working with Jules has been an inspiration is an understatement rather than an exaggeration! She’s helped me feel more comfortable ‘selling’ and our work together has impacted all aspects of my company’s communications.” Richard Banyard, Op-Tec Systems
Want to find out more? Schedule a virtual cuppa with me, and we can have a chat about my coaching services.
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