Beliefs about money and selling
Episode #3 of the course Mental exercises for beginner entrepreneurs by Genevieve LeMarchal
Regardless of whether or not we are in an official sales role, entrepreneurs must be salespeople. Many of us started what we do because we wanted to bring something great into the world; making money wasn’t the biggest part of the decision. But once things start going, it usually becomes very clear that money is an extremely important part of the equation. And money comes from sales.
A predominant mindset that often quietly sabotages us is the belief that sales and marketing is dishonest and smarmy, and that making and having money means we are greedy. Another mindset that can stem from this is feeling that we don’t deserve or should not have wealth and prosperity in our personal life or business.
There is no quick fix to turn these mindsets around, because they have often been with us for quite a while, sometimes since childhood. But you can start training yourself right now to think in a new way.
If you believe that what you offer has value to the people you create it for, you have to shift your thinking.
You are not taking anything away from anybody else by bringing your thing into the world. There is an unlimited amount of opportunities, money, and success for everyone, and you do not have to deprive anyone else in order to benefit from your success. This is called the Abundance Mindset.
This translates to a money mindset as well. Many entrepreneurs secretly believe that earning money means taking from someone else, or that having money means that we will become bad people.
So what can we do about it?
These are very hard mindsets to shift! It takes persistence and time to truly change the way you think of something. However, a powerful way you can start today is with your logical brain.
Repeat this to yourself several times a day this week:
“Having more money will amplify that which I already am.”
If you are a giving person, money will most likely amplify that. If you are creative, money will bring about more of that too. Unless YOU allow it to be otherwise.
It is very powerful for entrepreneurs when we shift our thinking to create an abundance mindset, because we are creators of opportunities in the world, and the things we bring to life grow and expand. If we believe and operate as if there is an unlimited supply and opportunity for everyone, this adds fuel to an already powerful fire.
This means that proclaimed entrepreneur or not, we are all in sales, and selling is a critical part of a huge ecosystem that we are an integral part of. Even if your title doesn’t involve anything having to do with sales, if you have to convince people to take some sort of action, you are in sales.
Enthusiasm and passion for what you do is a force. If you are not enthusiastic about what you are offering, you probably shouldn’t be offering it. When we don’t feel the enthusiasm, we feel like a fake. This is when sales and marketing start to feel sleazy.
Action Tip
This one is a big one!
Before you start to label yourself as smarmy and feel weird or bad about selling or marketing what you do, examine your mindset regarding money and explore whether you feel there is a lack in the world and that you are taking away from others by contributing and earning.
Recommended book
“To Sell is Human” by Daniel Pink
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