I like the vibe of living in an urban area. But with it comes some aspects that make other people squirm, like bumping in to the homeless.

For a period of time a homeless man was living in his van in the vacant lot bordering my property. When I first moved in he was cautious when we would pass each other, not knowing what I would do.  

We came to be on friendly terms. I knew his name, kind of. He told me one thing one day and a slightly different name on another, in part due to slurred speech that accompanied his drunken state.

It was a particularly challenging tug on my heart on bitter cold nights to be warm in my bed and hear him turning the engine of his van off and on periodically to keep himself warm. I knew it wasn’t safe to move past friendly waves and an occasional gift of a simple food to eat.  

It helped to know a relatively prominent restaurateur was murdered as a consequence of letting a homeless man stay in her home. Apparently he was not open to her request that he move out of her place.

And some other tender-hearted friends of mine let a homeless man sleep in their car dealership at night until they were awakened in the middle of the night. A call from the fire department with news that their business was in flames jolted them from their sleep. The man had caused a fire after putting something strange in their microwave while intoxicated.

I reminded myself that God gives all of us free will. There are options for this unconventional neighbor of mine that he chooses not to take.

Then I had my sobering thought…

…and if I don’t get off my you-know-what and start selling in my business, I will be right out there with him.

So why do people like me and other business owners sometimes like resist selling so much, when having an effective sales funnel is the lifeblood of a business?

1. THE PARADOX OF MORE BUSINESS – Especially in the early stages before you have all the systems and efficiencies in place, business owners have mixed feelings about getting new clients. Everyone wants new clients and the revenue that comes with them.  But, with new clients comes more work. Many entrepreneurs are feeling quiet strung out to start with. On an unconscious level, it is not unusual to push away business out of an underlying fear of overwhelm.
   
2. PERFORMANCE ANXIETY – With any new client, there is always the risk that they will be disappointed in the promise of your product or service. For some, the resistance to sell is about the fear of not living up to the expectations of their customers.
   
3. THE UNPLEASANTRIES OF BUSINESS – If you have been in business long enough, you have experienced a business exchange that felt negative. It might have been learning of a new regulation that will cost large sums of money, getting an audit, having key staff members leave you in a pinch, cash flow problems, conflicts with vendors, clients, or business partners. Uncertainty and unexpected problems accompany the freedom of business ownership. By keeping our activity low, which not doing sales will do, you reduce the probability of the inevitable challenges that are a part of a thriving business enterprise.
   
4. DISCOMFORT OF NON-IDEAL CLIENTS – It’s easy when the cash flow is down to accept anyone as a customer. But business owners who’ve been around the block recognize that a non-ideal customer can cost more than they are worth. They suck more time, complain more, have unreasonable expectations, don’t appreciate the value you are giving then, and can and often do spread negative messages about you and your business. That can damage your reputation, which can harm your bottom line and growth. Zoning in and attracting those ideal clients is an art and science that you can develop over time. But those dicey, learning experiences with non-ideal clients can make you want to call back in the cave to lick your wounds rather than pick up the phone or get to networking groups to attract fresh meat.
   
5. FEAR OF GETTING TOO BIG – Then there is the problem of when the market is resonating with you and your product or service.  When you aren’t clear about your Holy Spirit-inspired vision and where you see you and your company heading, your unconscious is doing the math you aren’t doing. It can see how you can quickly reach capacity with your current business structure. It puts on the brakes for you. But often you wake up too late when your car has been parked for days in a deserted parking lot before you realize your current clients are finished and there are no new ones in the shoot.

So here’s the quick and dirty solution…

• Have a thought out business model that jives with your overall vision for your biz and life,
• Be clear on who your ideal client is, the problem you solve, and how your solution is different and put measures in place so you are highly visible in hangouts where your ideal clients like to spend time.
• Understand there will be people who do and do not like you. In fact, the more polarized the response to you, the more authentic and aligned you likely are.
• Be up for the ups and downs of business and see every challenge as a learning opportunity that will catapult you to that next level in your entrepreneurial journey.

When you love what you do, appreciate your gifts, value your offering, you start to realize that not reaching out to others in the sales process really is a selfish act.  There are people out there dying to have your product and service. They are simply waiting for you to invite them to do business.

Christian Entrepreneur’s Guide to Manifesting Your Biz and Life Dreams: When you understand it isn’t about you, it’s about how you can serve others, the words and actions naturally come from your lips and body, and the sales process starts to feel as natural as breathing.