How to Make Sales Less Awkward
One of the biggest reasons sales feels uncomfortable, especially for small business owners, is that it’s often done with no structure.
No process or clear steps. It's just a vague sense that “I should probably say something now”.
Here's a simple process that you can follow to fix this:
Introduction — Are we even the right people to be talking?
Qualification — What’s actually going on here?
Presentation — Matching a solution to what’s been said.
Close — Making the next step clear.
Where people usually get stuck is in the qualification stage.
Unpacking the Qualification Stage
It’s tempting to jump straight to solutions, especially when you already know your product or service can help. But when you skip the questioning and listening part, sales start to feel forced (because it is).
Qualification is where the real work happens because you're asking the questions, letting people talk and becoming comfortable with not fixing things immediately. In some cases, you might find that you're not the right fit, and that's ok because it's beneficial for both you and the person you're talking to. It's the process working as well.
When the qualification is done properly, presenting becomes simple. You’re no longer listing everything you offer; you’re connecting one or two things directly to what the person has already told you. When that's done well, the closing doesn't feel pushy; it feels like a natural and comfortable fix to their solution.
Do the Hard Work
As much as we’d like it to, sales confidence doesn’t come from books, scripts, or theory alone. It comes from talking to people. Following up and getting rejected, then realising that “no” is rarely personal, it’s usually timing, priorities, or capacity.
Over time, you become more comfortable. You start to see that most conversations aren’t about convincing anyone of anything; they’re about helping people understand their options. And when that happens, asking “Would you like to move forward?” stops feeling awkward. It just becomes the next step.
If sales feel uncomfortable, awkward, or harder than it needs to be, this episode is worth your time. We unpack the most common blockers people face, like rejection, confidence, and knowing what to say, then talk through practical ways to approach sales as a conversation, not a performance.
Whether you’re new to selling or just want it to feel more natural, this episode will help you build confidence, ask better questions, and approach sales in a way that actually feels comfortable.
