From Resistance to Resilience: 6 Mindset Shifts for Effortless Selling

The other day I went to my favourite local Coffee Shop down at the seafront, they have homemade sweet buns, incredible coffee and my guilty pleasure matcha latte. I'm obsessed with anything matcha and Japanese culture but this is not what I am gonna talk about today. When I was about to leave, I asked the barista, who is also the owner of the place, a super chill guy who used to own a bike shop in London a few years ago, where he gets his matcha from. I had struggled to find one that was so vividly green and flavourful like his.

Mine reassembled more grey-green puddles without any flavour. Without hesitation, he gave me a full intro to the different grades of matcha, which one he uses, which tools I need and where to buy it, also that I probably have been scammed and sold baking grade matcha for a high price. Curiosity crept in and I asked if he sells this matcha powder as well

"Of course, I have one over here just waiting for you, you'll love this one. It's quite pricy but it's the real deal."

You know deep down...Sales is not just about selling your act. It's about building relationships, understanding the needs of your customers, and providing value. Before you can even think of implementing any sales tactics, you want to work on your mindset. Because what is "up there" is what determines what is "out there". To be great at sales, you need to have the right mindset. Here are some tips on the mindset shift required to be great at sales as a performer:

1. Believe in Yourself: To be great at sales as a performer, you need to believe in yourself and the value of your work... You need to have confidence in your service and your ability to sell it. Believe that you have what it takes to make the sale and that you can provide value to your clients.

2. Focus on your client: The key to being great at sales is to focus on your client and your audience. You need to understand their needs so you can provide solutions that meet those needs. You need to be empathetic, listen actively, and ask questions to understand their pain points. Coming from a place of service has always been grounding for me and helped me to get to eye level with my clients who are, after all, just people like me.

3. Be a Problem Solver: Great salespeople are problem solvers. Don't just sell your services, provide solutions to your client's problems. Their problems are never ever stupid or annoying, they are the single best opportunities to provide value to your clients above and beyond your act. You need to be able to identify problems that are common for your type of client and provide solutions that are tailored to your client's needs - they will feel like you know the answer before they even have to ask.

4. Embrace Rejection: Rejection is a part of sales. Not everyone will be interested in your work, and that's okay. Embrace rejection and use it as a learning opportunity. Understand that rejection is not personal, and use it to improve your approach.

There is no failure just information. What you do with this information is what determines wether you'll be more successful or not.

5. Learn from Failure: Failure is another part of sales. You will not always get into every show you apply for, even if you are perfect for it. There are 100 reasons why a performer is selected to be cast, and only one of them is the act. Learn from your failures and use them as opportunities to grow and improve. They take the time to analyze what went wrong and use that information to make changes for the future. You can always try again later.

6. Be Persistent: Sales is not a one-time event. It takes time and persistence to build real relationships with your clients and close contracts. Be persistent and never give up. Keep following up with potential clients and providing value until you make the sale. Remember, no one owes you ANYTHING. It is your duty to provide enough reason and resources to build the know, like and trust factor. Some producers watch a performer for years until they feel like they are ready, enough established or the right production and budget are available. Stay persistent, your time will come.

In conclusion, to be great at sales as a performer, you need to shift your mindset from just selling your act and asking for work to providing value to your clients. You need to focus on the client, be a problem solver, embrace rejection and failure, learn from your mistakes, and be persistent. With the right mindset, you can become great at sales and become an in-demand, industry-recognized capable performer who leads with confidence and clarity.

I'm curious by nature - which of the 6 tips hit home for you? I love those little nuggets that can make powerful shifts - if you had a shift LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS (because that's where the best conversations happen!)

xoxo