My Weekly Marketing

How to Sell Without Feeling Salesy

• Janice Hostager • Season 1 • Episode 128

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Selling often feels uncomfortable, especially when you didn’t start your business to become a salesperson. But what if the discomfort comes from how we think about sales, not the act itself?

In this episode, I share a mindset shift that’s helped me (and many others) approach selling in a way that feels natural, confident, and aligned with our values. We’ll talk about how genuine connection, clear messaging, and belief in your offer can turn sales from something you dread into something you’re proud of. If “selling” still makes you squirm, this conversation is for you.

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Janice Hostager:

I'm Janice Hostager. After three decades in the marketing business and many years of being an entrepreneur, I've learned a thing or two about marketing. Join me as we talk about marketing, small business, and life in between. Welcome to my Weekly Marketing. Okay, show of hands. How many of you like selling? Although I can't actually see your hands, I am going to guess it's not a lot of you. Honestly, I don't really love it either. But let's get real for a second.

Janice Hostager:

Most of us didn't start our businesses because we wanted to be salespeople. We started because we love what we do. Maybe it's coaching, or designing, or bookkeeping, or whatever it is, you name it. But when it comes to that dreaded moment, we actually have to sell what we offer, right? And suddenly it feels uncomfortable. We don't want to sound pushy or fake or like that smarmy used car salesman stereotype we all have in our heads. So we either avoid selling altogether or we do it in a way that feels kind of awkward, which makes the other person feel awkward too. But selling doesn't have to feel that way. In fact, when it's done well, selling feels natural. It feels like a service, it feels like helping someone take the next step toward the solution they've been looking for all along. And that's what today's episode is all about - how to sell without feeling salesy. By the end, you'll know how to reframe sales so it feels genuine, aligned, and even enjoyable. If you stick with me to the end, I'll share a free resource that will help you put today's ideas into action. Okay, so let's start by shifting the way we think about sales. Selling is not about hustling. It's not about twisting someone's arm. Selling is about helping. Think about it. Your potential customer already has a problem they want solved. Your offer is simply the bridge that helps them get from where they are right now to where they want to be. When you frame sales as a service, it feels a lot less scary, doesn't it? You're not taking their money, you're giving them a solution.

Janice Hostager:

I remember, early in my business, I had one of my first sales calls with somebody and I was so nervous. I had rehearsed lines, I had bullet points, I was so ready to pitch, and you know what? The whole conversation felt really stiff and awkward. She could tell, I could tell, and she didn't buy. But then, a few weeks later, I had another call, but this time I decided to take a different approach. I just asked questions, and I listened, and I showed her where my service fit into solving her problem. And she said, "Wow, I feel like you get me." And she signed up. And that's when it all clicked that sales is just about connection and relationship.

Janice Hostager:

But there are reasons people don't like sales and here are a few of them. First of all, pushiness. We've probably all had experiences with a pushy salesperson who doesn't give us time to think or doesn't leave us alone, right? When somebody is pushing their agenda on us instead of listening to yours, you feel kind of unseen and cornered. And when I'm feeling cornered, I don't know about you, but I want to run. Also, manipulation. Nobody wants to feel manipulated.

Janice Hostager:

Pressure tactics, fake urgency, or maybe making you feel guilty for not buying can leave a really bad taste in your mouth, and nobody likes that either. We also don't like when people talk about themselves a lot. People sa y things like "I've accomplished this thing or I've done that. You want people to have access to your background, for sure, and if you've got relevant experience to naturally pull into the conversation, by all means do. But customers want to hear about themselves and how you will help them, not about you.

Janice Hostager:

And finally, one more reason people don't like sales is the feeling that they're being closed. This is when the focus is on getting the sale, not building a relationship. We buy from people that we know, like and trust. A buyer understands you want a sale, but it needs to be on their terms, not rushed, not forced. You want to be available, but you need to help them feel in control as well. All of these smarmy sale tactics don't work anymore. People are way too savvy and, frankly, too tired of being sold to. What they want is a genuine conversation with somebody who understands them, their needs and their pain. So here's the secret - selling without being salesy comes down to connection and confidence.

Janice Hostager:

Connection means listening more than you talk. That's asking open-ended questions like "what's your biggest frustration with whatever it is you sell?" It means repeating their own words back to them so they feel heard, even using their own words in the text of your sales page, your content and your website. And connection also means showing empathy. "I know how overwhelming that feels. A lot of my clients come to me for that very same reason." If you've been there and a lot of us have when we're selling to our customers, let them know that, connect with them in that way. When you connect with somebody on a human level, the sale becomes a natural next step.

Janice Hostager:

The second piece is confidence. First, confidence in your offer. If you know your service changes lives, you're not pushing, you're inviting. If you're anything like me, you've poured out your heart and soul into your product. Be proud of the results you know that they will get. Next, confidence in your value. Don't apologize for your price or water it down. It may be that some people can't afford it. That's real life. Don't discount it. Know the price of the transformation it will bring. That's where the value lies. And finally, confidence in your ability to deliver it. Share stories of past results, case studies, or even your own journey. Show receipts. Show how it's changed the lives of others.

Janice Hostager:

When you show up with connection and confidence, people feel safe saying yes. Okay, you're probably saying "Oka, janice, but how do we do this in our own business?" Okay, so here's a few practical steps: First of all, follow my Trail to the Sale framework. Selling is not the first step. It's one stage in the journey, further on the journey. By the time someone gets to the sell stage, you've already built awareness, trust, and credibility. You should have already built a relationship with them. If you want my Trail to the Sale framework, you can get it by going to janicehostagercom forward slash trail. I'll add that link to the show notes too.

Janice Hostager:

Also, invite, don't push. Instead of saying "you should buy this," try "based on what you've shared. Here's what I'd recommend as your next step." Again, nobody likes to be pushed into an offer, and realistically, it'll end up biting you in the end, since those are the people that are more likely to ask for a refund when it doesn't work out for them. And then also, if you have multiple offers, then prescribe. Don't pitch. Think of yourself like a doctor. They don't list every possible medication, they prescribe the one that fits your condition. You're doing the same thing with your offer. For example, if you're a photographer, instead of saying "I have a package that includes three hours, 50 edited photos and an album." nstead, you might say, "based on what you told me about wanting candid family photos that actually feel natural, I'd recommend a lifestyle session. It gives us time to capture your family's real personalities without feeling rushed." See the difference? One is a pitch, the other is a prescription.

Janice Hostager:

Next, handle objections with empathy. People are always going to have objections. If someone says "it feels expensive", can you respond "Nope. If someone says "This feels expensive", you can respond by saying "I hear you. A lot of my clients felt that way before they started. Can I share how they got past that?" Then share how they were able to change your life with the offer. It's hard to put a price tag on changing someone's life.

Janice Hostager:

Next, give choices. Sometimes people just need to feel in control. Offer two or three packages or payment options that will give them some control over what they buy. And then finally, keep it conversational. Use stories, analogies and real-life examples. Although I provide a script in my Modern Marketing Mastery course, along with other tools and recommendations for sales calls, it's never meant to be verbatim. For me, when I'm on a Zoom call with a prospective client, it helps to have an outline that'll keep me on task without sounding like a robot.

Janice Hostager:

Now let's cover a few things you want to avoid in a sales call. First, talking too much. If you're doing all the talking, you're not learning what they actually need. Ask open-ended questions, and get to know them without feeling like you're interviewing them. Make it natural and conversational. Find some things you have in common. Also, you want to avoid using jargon.

Janice Hostager:

Your customer does not care about proprietary frameworks. They care about the result, how you've helped other people, what you can do for them. You also want to avoid being vague. Just be really clear and specific about what you can do for them. Being vague isn't going to help you make the sale. They want details. They want to know how you will help them. And finally, don't apologize for your pricing. Your price reflects your value. Don't undercut yourself and don't apologize.

Janice Hostager:

Practice your sales calls and especially practice saying the price and then staying silent. We get uncomfortable around silence. It feels awkward. You could remind them of everything that your offer includes. If you're feeling tempted to discount, you could also have a free add-on that you can include. That's so much better than discounting the price. Also, some experts disagree with this one, but before I hop on a sales call, I send out information about my business and what I provide and the results that other people have received. In that packet, I include my price range so there are no surprises on the call. That helps with the awkwardness on both of our accounts. So here's the bottom line.

Janice Hostager:

Selling doesn't have to feel salesy. It's not about pressure. It's about developing a relationship where you earn the opportunity to ask for the sale. When you focus on connection and show up with confidence, the right people will feel drawn to say yes. And the best part, when you sell this way, both you and your client walk away feeling good. If you want extra help with this, I've created a free resource called the Overwhelm Entrepreneur's Marketing Strategy Playbook. It'll help you map out your Trail to the Sale so that when you get to the sell stage, it'll feel natural and aligned. You can grab it, as I said earlier at janicehostagercom forward slash trail. Remember, sales isn't about convincing people, it's about helping them solve a problem. Thanks for tuning in today. For more information about anything we talked about, visit myweeklymarketingcom forward slash 128. If you know somebody else who hates selling, please forward this episode to them. Thanks again, I'll see you next time. Bye for now.

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Janice Hostager

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