Hi there, Boss Moms! Dana Malstaff here—your coffee-loving, slightly quirky friend who’s currently battling a major allergy attack. If you’ve ever had allergies, you know the struggle is real, and let me tell you, mine are hitting hard right now. But don’t worry, I promise to keep this blog sneeze-free!
Today, I want to dive into a topic that most of us tend to avoid: sales. Yep, the word alone can make us cringe, but stick with me, because we’re going to make it feel a whole lot easier—and maybe even a little fun. Let’s get started!
Be honest—who here actually enjoys selling? Anyone? I mean, if you raised your hand, you’re in the rare club of people who thrive on it. But for the rest of us? Sales can feel awkward, uncomfortable, and downright terrifying.
And you know why? It’s because selling requires us to ask for things. And if we’re being real, most of us weren’t taught how to ask for what we want, let alone navigate rejection. Selling is like dating. It’s putting yourself out there, hoping someone likes you enough to say yes. And let’s be honest, rejection stings—even if we didn’t really want that person or client to begin with.
So, how do we make sales feel less like a cringe-worthy episode of awkward dating and more like a natural, dare I say, enjoyable process? Let’s dive in.
Why Sales Feel So Awkward
First off, selling is hard because it pokes at all our insecurities. Am I good enough? Do they like me? Am I asking too much? It’s like dating—except instead of swiping right, you’re trying to convince someone that your product or service is worth their time and money.
Think about it. In dating, we spend time getting to know the other person, building a connection, and maybe even throwing in a little charm. Sales are no different. You’re not just selling a product—you’re inviting someone to trust you, your process, and your expertise.
The Secret Sauce: Nurturing Your Audience
Here’s the good news: Selling doesn’t have to feel pushy or uncomfortable. The trick is to nurture your audience ahead of time. Yep, I’m talking about entrepreneurial foreplay. (Don’t worry, it’s not as weird as it sounds.)
Think about a healthy, loving relationship. It’s not about rushing straight to the big moment. It’s about the little things—like a sweet text, a thoughtful gesture, or sharing an inside joke. Those things build trust, connection, and excitement.
When it comes to your business, nurturing works the same way. It’s about letting your audience get to know you, trust you, and, ultimately, fall in love with the way you show up and what you stand for.
What Does Nurturing Look Like?
Nurturing isn’t just about sending a few emails or posting on Instagram. It’s about showing your quirks, your values, and the things that make you you.
Here’s an example: People often tell me they love how I joke around in my podcast or how I share little moments about my life. They connect with my random dating analogies or the fact that I’m always shifting in my chair because, well, I’m just not great at sitting still.
Your audience will connect with your quirks, too. Whether it’s your love of iced coffee, your obsession with colorful sticky notes, or the way you geek out about spreadsheets—those little things make you relatable and memorable.
And let’s be clear, nurturing isn’t about manipulation. It’s not about saying whatever it takes to close the deal. It’s about building genuine relationships with people who resonate with your values and vision.
Inline Mentions: Selling Without “Selling”
Here’s another game-changer: inline mentions. It’s one of my favorite ways to make sales feel natural.
What’s an inline mention? It’s when you casually talk about your product or service without a hard sell. For example:
- “One of the things I love about the Nurture to Convert Society is how we use micro-coaching to help members see results fast.”
- “That’s why we created the Nurture to Convert Society, so you have a roadmap to follow.”
See what I did there? I mentioned the Nurture to Convert Society (hey, by the way, you should totally check it out!) without making it feel like a sales pitch. It’s subtle, effective, and keeps your audience curious.
Building Trust Before the Ask
When you nurture your audience and use inline mentions, something magical happens: Selling gets easier.
Why? Because by the time you make an actual offer, your audience already knows, likes, and trusts you. They’re not just buying your product—they’re buying into you.
It’s like falling in love. Think about someone you’ve loved before (whether they were “the one” or not). Remember those silly, dorky quirks of theirs? The things that made you smile even though they were totally ridiculous? That’s what happens when your audience loves you.
When people love you and trust you, they want to work with you. They’re not hesitating or second-guessing because you’ve already done the work to build that connection.
Let’s Make Selling Easier
So, let’s recap how you can make sales less painful and more fun:
- Nurture Your Audience: Let them get to know the real you. Share your quirks, your values, and your stories. Build trust over time.
- Use Inline Mentions: Talk about your products or services in a casual, non-pushy way. Let your audience naturally get curious and excited.
- Focus on Connection: Selling isn’t just about making a sale—it’s about creating relationships that last.
When you do these things, sales stops feeling like a chore. It becomes a natural extension of the relationship you’ve built with your audience.
So, Boss Moms, how are you going to start nurturing your audience today? Think about how you can sprinkle in a little foreplay (in the entrepreneurial sense!) and make your audience fall in love with you.
As always, I heart your face, and I can’t wait to see how you put this into action. And hey, if you want more help with all of this, come hang out with us in the Nurture to Convert Society. It’s where we turn all this theory into action—and where the magic happens.
Let’s make selling easier, together. You’ve got this. ❤️
November 10, 2022
