My friend Jamie gets whatever she wants in life. She seems so lucky. We meet for lunch and she can always persuade the manager to give us the best table. She can turn almost any “no” she hears into a “yes.” At work, she is the top sales rep every month. People gravitate toward her. When she plans an event, everyone wants to be involved. She’s dynamic and being around her is inspiring.
What makes her so compelling? Is it luck? No, it’s confidence! She knows she is great at what she does, and she is motivated always to put the best version of herself out there.
What about you? You have great skills and you are valuable too! And you don’t even have to be Irish! Are you selling the best version of yourself?
We hear the same tips all the time… make eye contact, watch your posture, highlight your accomplishments, do your homework, etc.… But there are some simple ideas you can apply in any situation where you would like to see the “no” become a “yes!”
So, here are a few tips to help you sell yourself with confidence and not just relying on luck.
Be aware of up–talk.
Uptalk is the trend of phrasing sentences as though they are questions. It is a slight upward inflection at the end of the sentence. It is very common, and you most likely do not notice you do it. But it is the opposite of confidence and assurance. It communicates timidity. It says you want the listener‘s approval of what you are saying.
You can be more assertive than that! Speak with confidence.
Not sure if you use up–talk? Record yourself speaking. Do a role-play presentation or interview with a friend. Watch it and learn how to speak more confidently.
Take the time to listen.
Remember my friend Jamie? She can draw out the quietest person in a group and make them feel important. She asks questions! And then she listens to the answers. She genuinely cares about others.
This is actually easier than luck: Ask questions at your meetings or interviews. Communicate that you care about their company or about what motivates them. If the people in your meeting seem bored, they probably are. Involve them! People love to talk about themselves. Figure out how to line up their passions with your goal. Then you can engage your listener with what specifically speaks to them.
Additionally, make sure you are listening in an interview. You may have rehearsed some amazing answers to give that highlight your great skill set, but it is more important to really hear the questions. Make sure your own agenda does not replace what your interviewer really wants to know.
Practice this in your everyday life! Learning to be a good listener, one who engages with what is being said instead of what you might say next, equips you for great success!
Tell a story.
Engage your listeners with a compelling story. Make sure it’s a good one that highlights your strengths and communicates who you are. Even a story of your biggest failure can be used to relate what you have learned and how it is has made you into the person you are today. Even bad luck can be pure gold! Keep it brief, but interesting.
The great thing about a great story? People will remember you!
Most importantly
Display your strengths with confidence! Be unique. Be original. What makes you different and, therefore, essential to that new committee or sales team? Own it! That is the best version of you.
Stop waiting for a little green man and a rainbow – having a sales mindset IS your pot of gold! Show how your potential is exactly what they need, and people will want to gravitate to you!