How to sell as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

Today I’m talking about how to sell if you are Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). 

I find that it is people who identify as highly sensitive who are most likely to shy away from sales and sales conversations because it feels so uncomfortable, and this is such a shame because as a Highly Sensitive Person myself I believe that we are actually even BETTER at sales than the average person – when we approach it in a way that works for us.

And of course, when you shy away from sales you are actually doing a disservice both to the client who needs your help and to yourself and your own business. 

Today I’m looking at why highly sensitive people are better at sales and also sharing 5 ways to make sales easier and more comfortable if you are a highly sensitive yourself. 

Watch the video or scroll down to read:

So why DO highly sensitive people (HSP) find sales so difficult? 

Typically what most people have learned about sales comes from what I call the “traditional” sales approach. This is very much focused on “getting the customer to say Yes” at all costs, the agenda of the person doing the selling, and the use of techniques like closing and objection handling. 

And of course if you identify as highly sensitive, you will be extra sensitive to:

• Being perceived as pushy or out for your own gain

• Not wanting to upset or offend the potential client

• Not wanting to try and make them bend to fit your personal agenda 

• Energy and non verbal cues which can be draining for you energetically 

So for this reason, as a HSP myself I don’t use or teach closing or objection handling techniques.

However, I believe that Highly Sensitive People are actually even better at sales – I should know I made sales into my main career – and later a business.  I actually believe that my sensitivity is my sales superpower as I’m more able to read the energy of the situation, pick up on what people are not saying, and just instinctively know whether to back off and give the person space reflective, or lean in and give them a large dollop of encouragement or a gentle kick up the backside to go ahead and buy from me. 

So if you are HSP I encourage you to embrace your sales superpower! 

There are also some key things you can do to make sales feel easier and more comfortable for you – so you can actually look forward to your sales instead of dreading it: 

 1. Mindset of Service  

If you are also an HSP it’s really important you make a shift away from believing that sales is about “Closing” or “Getting the client to say yes”.  You are likely never going to feel comfortable about effectively forcing your agenda on someone else

Instead come to your situations with a mindset of service.   There’s a question that I find it really useful to keep at the front of my mind throughout a sales conversation:

“What is in the best interest of this person I’m talking to right now?”

This doesn’t mean shying away however – what might be most of service and most supportive to them might be you to take them through a conversation to help them reach a decision. Or for you to help them explore and overcome any worries about working with you. 

2. Make it OK to say No 

Set it up right at the beginning of your sales conversation OK that it’s totally OK if they decide to say no – and that this applies to both of you.   This way you as the business owner know you don’t have to make the client an offer if it doesn’t feel like a natural fit.  And the client knows that it will be totally OK with you if they decide not to go ahead after exploring things with you. 

This removes the pressure and means you are both able to engage fully in the conversation you need to have to identify whether you really are a good fit to work together.   I always say

“Your client will only feel safe to say Yes to working with you if they first feel safe to say No”.

3. Travel together 

Think of your sales process and sales conversation as a journey.  You are taking it together, and you are equals on that journey.  However you as the business owner are the guide as you are most familiar with the path and the terrain and are aware of the pitfalls and the shortcuts.

What makes it a partnership is that at each stage of the journey you check that they client still wants to travel with you.  A bit like reaching a gate and asking “would you like to go through?”

In a sales conversation this might be checking that they want to hear more about your offer instead of launching right in, or checking that they are happy for you to ask deeper questions to challenge something they’ve just said. 

4. Follow the 7 Steps to Yes! 

This is my structure for an authentic and heart-centred sales conversation.   Following this structure this will give you safety and confidence, because you will always know where to go next in the conversation.  There are also certain things built in to the process that help ensure you don’t accidentally come across as pushy.  

Which means that you can relax and be fully present to the conversation that needs to be had.

Following this structure also mean that the client will feel heard and cared about, and so when you make your offer they will be more likely to receive it as coming from a place of service rather than you just being out to make a sale. 

5. Space out your sales conversations 

If you are HSP your sales conversations will be about more than just asking questions, listening and presenting your offer. 

You will also be leaning into the energy, picking up on what is not being said, almost reading the mind of the client.  While deeply connected heart-centred sales conversations can be hugely rewarding and fulfilling, they can also be energy draining for a HSP.  So make sure you block out plenty of time for each sales conversation with time in between to take a break, so that you can be fresh and ready to do the best job you can for the next conversation 

These are just some tips from my heart-centred sales process that is particularly effective if you identify as highly sensitive.

With just a few tweaks to the way you do sales you could soon come to love it as a favourite part of your business – Yes, even as a Highly Sensitive Person!

The 7 Steps to Yes! – FREE Video training

I hope you’ve found this useful today and if would like to get this 7 Steps to Yes! process in a bit more detail you can sign up for a very short video series at www.catherinewatkin.com/7steps.