Baby's Got Sauce!

If you’ve got it, flaunt it! I’ve got it. I know Ronii has it. And other cool people, too. My mom has it, and one of my really good friends. But, just like Oreos and wine and quad espressos, too much of it is a bad thing.

Confidence. It sells. Confidence radiates how sexy, smart, and poised you are, and can therefore supersede even the most cunning sales pitch. Granted, what you’re saying to a potential client is likely important, the cold truth is, what they’re seeing can subconsciously make up their minds before you even open your mouth. Facial expressions, smiling, hand gestures, the tone of your voice, and general body language will give you away the moment you walk through a door.

Use this to your advantage!

Back in my college days (feels like forever ago to me), I can remember a specific conversation I had with one of my professors. We had to do one of those exercises where you make a presentation to the class, and afterward, you would get critiqued by the teacher. I remember telling him that I would always be nervous speaking in front of people, no matter how confident I was in my subject matter. I admitted that I could feel my voice wavering as I spoke, and even as I was getting comfortable giving presentations, my heart would pound incessantly.  His response resonated with me forever.

He said that, in fact, it was one of the best presentations he had seen that semester, and shared with me this advice: Nobody in the audience can feel my heartbeat, and nobody could hear my voice wavering…as far as the audience was concerned, because of the way that I carried myself and the confidence I had in my research and myself, I was indeed the master of the Hawaiian Punch marketing plan (there was a reason I chose this subject…although it escapes me at the moment).

So instead of focusing on selling an idea, product, or service, try shifting your focus on the “vibe” you exude and the personality you bring to your business. Chances are, this client has seen or heard of whatever it is you are proposing. But what they haven’t seen before is your sauce. Your tenacity, your conviction. A certainty in your abilities and your strengths that only you know and only you can convey. How you put the heart…and backbone…into your business.

Good luck!