This week I invited my friend and total badass entrepreneur Gretchen DeVault to share her own story about learning how to sell.
Gretchen runs Tiny Blue Sky, a full-service marketing agency for craft beverage, specialty foods, and emerging consumer goods.
She’s also the Co-Founder of Lean The F*ck Out.
What is Lean The F*ck Out? Well, you know “Lean In,” right? It’s for women in corporate jobs.
Well, Lean The F*ck Out is for YOU and ME: women entrepreneurs who are leaning OUT of traditional careers to run our own businesses and create our own ways of living and working. ?
Onto Gretchen’s story…
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“Here’s the thing, I don’t think of myself as a salesperson. But a big part of what I do as an entrepreneur is selling.
I had a vision for a company and the only way to get to the goal was by selling.
Hindsight is 20/20 and the last couple years have been challenging.
After taking courses, listening to podcasts and reading business books I thought we needed to niche into a vertical. So we did. Without leads in the pipeline.
I thought marketing would bring the leads (I know better). We redid our website, created lead magnets and some pretty amazing content. I waited for the leads to roll in!
Crickets. Panic set in fast.
This turned to the thought: “Please don’t make me do cold calling.” That snowballed into negative self-talk about selling as a whole. After all, I’m not a salesperson.
? Then last week, on the Lean the F*ck Out podcast, we talked with Leah Neaderthal, founder of Growthworks Solutions, about sales as an entrepreneur. We discussed the fear that often comes with sales — particularly for women entrepreneurs.
I wish I’d had this conversation a year ago!
I recommend this episode for any woman entrepreneur who is at all intimidated by sales.”
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Here’s the interview she’s talking about: “Selling doesn’t have to suck: An interview with Leah Neaderthal”.
In this 35-minute podcast I talk with Gretchen and her co-founder Tera about:
– How to conquer your fear of selling
– Understanding the real value you provide your clients/customers
– Breaking down cold emailing and making it not suck
– How to avoid undercharging
You can listen on the LTFO site or here on iTunes.
Enjoy!
Leah
P.S. If you’re intimidated by selling, there are few ways you can work with me to gain authentic confidence and selling know-how, so you can sign the clients you want.
- Get the free guide “The 3 Steps to More Comfortable Selling” – This guide and 3-day mini-course share three important strategies to make selling more comfortable and more effective.
- Sign up for SIGNED – This 10-week course teaches you how to sign new clients comfortably and consistently, today and for the life of your business. You’ll learn how to build your sales pipeline, master the sales process, have comfortable conversations that move the needle, and get paid more per contract. Plus you’ll join the Private Coaching Community and get weekly live support from me and the community of entrepreneurs. Learn more and sign up here. If you’d like a free preview of SIGNED, reply to this email and let me know.
- Work with me privately – If you’d like to work with me one-on-one to grow your business, reply back with “Private Coaching” and let’s set up a call.
