Sales are essential for the success of a small business, but many small business owners "hate" selling.

So what do you do when you "hate" selling and you're a small business owner?

The short answer is get on with it, without sales you don't have a business, just an expensive hobby.

The good news is that there aren't many people who are great at sales or even love it from the start.  For most it's a needs must process.

I loathed my very first and very scary, experience of "selling".

It was back in the late 1990s, I'd have been in my early 20s, when I went to an interview for a sales position.

I found out when I got there that it was a group interview. It started with a presentation about the job, and then each person had to stand up, in front of the big, I'd guess 30 plus, group, to roleplay "Sell me this pen" back to presenter.

Yes, it was as bad as it sounds.

Back then I had ZERO sales experience. I don't know why I was invited to the interview or even why I applied!

I was surrounded by men in smart suits, who were far older than me. Each one gave their professional sounding, testosterone filled, sales pitch and I sat, waiting my turn, terrified.

I had no idea how to sell. I was just a photographer who was curious about other opportunities.  

When it came to my turn, I stood up and spoke.

Everyone before me had talked about price and seemed to put pressure on to "buy now".

I had no idea how to do that.

Instead I asked the presenter questions, did they need a pen? What would they use it for? I then held up the pen they had given me and said this would be perfect for them and asked if they would like to buy it.

 I sat down, but all I wanted to do was run out the door and drive home. We were then told, those who were successful would be contacted by phone.

Later that day I received a phone call and I was told that I was one of just 2 who were being offered a job based on the group interview!

You could have knocked me down with a feather! I felt rather proud but I didn't accept the job because I'd hated the whole experience.

Looking back, I'm impressed how instinctively my approach to sales was spot on.

Selling isn't about shouting "buy this", it's about asking questions and listening, and making a recommendation.

It's about getting to know people.

And it's about being passionate about the product you're selling, and helping someone else understand if it's right for them, or not.

If you wonder why I'm reminiscing it's because I've just finished prepping for class called "Sell Out Selling".

Which explains why I've been thinking about that awful interview! But the interesting thing is, after that experience I still went on to have two sales jobs.

One day I'll share stories from my days selling mobile tyre replacement services - that was very much learn on the job!  And then I had another sales position, selling courier services, which had full on, roleplay and everything, professional training because selling is a skill you can learn and improve with practice.

The thing is, these are key skills which have continued to serve me well over years as a small business owner.

I'll be teaching the Sell Out Sales class is exclusively for The Make More® Club members.

If you're not yet a member of The Club, you can find out all the details here:

As a small business owner, selling is your number one priority - whether that's online through an ecommerce store or in person at an event or on the phone or through emails or messages.