I’ll never forget that night – lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling like my world was ending. I had just done a webinar where I poured out my heart and soul… and got nothing. Zero sales.
My mind was torturing me: “Maybe you’re not cut out for coaching. Maybe everyone was right – you should’ve stayed in IT.” I had spent a whole week preparing. I delivered with everything I had! I got amazing comments: “Alex, you’re incredible!” But when I offered my program – dead silence. No registrations. No payments. Nothing.
I felt like the biggest failure on Earth. The truth hit me like a punch to the gut – being good at coaching meant nothing if I couldn’t sell. And the worst part was I had zero money left. I couldn’t even pay next month’s rent. Soon I’d have to crawl back to my parents’ house, hearing those dreaded words: “We told you so.”
Then next morning, like a gift from heaven, I got a message from my client Alex. He was in town and wanted to meet for coffee. But my stomach turned into knots – I desperately needed to sell him coaching to survive, but how could I sell anything after failing so miserably?
That morning, something snapped inside me.
I had two choices:
- I can either be a coward, quit everything and go home to mommy, or
- I can face my biggest fear – learning to sell.”
This wasn’t just about business anymore – it was about personal development.
I got on my knees and prayed. “God, I surrender. Whatever happens today, I trust you.” Surprisingly, a wave of calm washed over me.
But my body was still trembling with fear. My mother’s voice echoed in my head: “Be a good person, don’t be like those sleazy salespeople.” All my life, I’d watched salespeople trick others. My own attempts at sales had ended in humiliating failure. But I loved coaching so much that I was willing to walk through fire for it.
Meeting Alex, I did something different. Instead of trying to be the nice guy hoping he’d buy, I just… listened. Really listened. Asked questions about his goals. Let him explore what would happen if nothing changed in his life.
The more he talked, the more he opened up. I could see the emotions in his eyes as he realized how stuck he was.
Then, like magic, he asked if I could help him. “Of course,” I said quietly. What happened next nearly stopped my heart – he pulled out money, put it on the table, and said, “Here’s the payment, you convinced me.”
I was stunned. I had barely said anything! How had I “convinced” him? That’s when it hit me – real sales isn’t about pushing or convincing. It’s about shutting up and letting people convince themselves.
In the taxi ride home, tears rolled down my face. I had $2,700 – enough for rent and a birthday gift for my girlfriend. But more importantly, I discovered that selling could feel natural and authentic. Just stop trying to sell and start truly listening.
The biggest revelation?
My coaching skills were actually perfect for sales! All that time I thought I had to choose between being a “good person” and being good at sales. But they were the same thing – truly caring about helping people.
That day changed everything. My business finally started to grow, and I never looked back. Because I finally understood – being good at sales doesn’t mean being pushy or manipulative. It means being genuinely interested in helping people transform their lives.