The single biggest reason salespeople fail to close a deal is fear of rejection. The word "no" somehow resonates inside as a personal assault on their character, manhood (if applicable) or self worth. So how do you overcome fear?

First, you need to recognize fear for what it is. According to Zig Ziglar, fear stands for:

False - Evidence - Appearing - Real

The people you talk to don't know you. They don't have time to get to know you and they usually don't care about you. They arrive at your dealership to meet their own needs. And once they leave, they'll forget all about you, unless you give them a good reason not to. So in this case, there isn't anything real to fear.

What if the Fear is real?

My first job was as an apprentice carpenter working for a home builder. While I was never afraid of hard work, I was terrified of heights. So when the time came for me to carry floor joists while standing on a narrow 3' sill plate located at a height of 10 feet, I was freaked out. Yet two years later, I could walk across the same sill plate 30 feet high and not even think about it, even though the danger to my life was real.

In some cases, just doing something you're afraid of over and over again will eliminate your fears. It's what we call in sports a "gut check". This is where practicing your processes comes in. When you struggle with asking for the sale, practice it with a teammate, a friend or a spouse. Have them throw objections your way and do your best to overcome them.

Fears are rooted in self doubt

In the book Think and Grow Rich, there is a chapter addressing Autosuggestions, a process in which the thoughts of the mind automatically cause people to live out what they think about themselves. Similarly, the story is told of the Indian Chief who saw visions of two beasts constantly battling. When asked which of the beasts won the battle, he replied, "The one I feed the most."

You need to feed your mind with positive thoughts about you, your business, your customers and your processes. You can do this by reading motivational books, positive self talk, or enrolling in courses like the ones we provide at Auto University.com. Click here to begin your journey to overcome fear.