Mastering Sales: 8 Principles to Build Confidence & Close Deals

Let’s be honest, if you’ve landed on this page it’s for one reason. You’re struggling with sales and/or sales conversations. I’m willing to bet that self-doubt is holding you back from closing deals and I’m not going to promise that reading a blog post is going to change that. What I know is going to change that, build your confidence and get you into a sales machine is ongoing practice. That you find inside the She The Mighty Community, but read this first to get you started. 

Why Your Beliefs About Sales Matter

When you think of SALES what do you think of? 

The pushy sales agent? 
The call saying, “we can help you with your business” when they don’t even know what your business is. 
The click-bait, “with this course for $997 you too can go viral!” 

If you’re wondering how businesses can make money ethically like this, they can’t. This is not the only way to make sales and now in 2026 I would argue these tactics are becoming harder and harder to close with. People are smarter and so are you but it’s these perceptions that often create subconscious barriers that make sales conversations stressful and unproductive. Which builds evidence in your own mind that “you’re not good at sales”.

Your beliefs shape your actions. If you approach sales with integrity and confidence it will attract your ideal client because they can sense it. Trust will naturally develop and that’s what you need to make any sales relationship work. So yeah, I’m going to get you to do some homework. Because that’s what we do in the community and I want you to leave this page with some actions. “Sales” is a verb and you’re not going to get good at it by simply thinking about it.

But I am going to get you to start by thinking about it. Reflect on: 

Understanding and reshaping these beliefs is the foundation for sustainable sales success.

Principle 1: Be Completely Sold on Yourself

You have to believe in what you’re selling. Trust begins internally and to sell authentically first you have to believe that what you’re offering is valuable. You don’t have to have everything fully figured out, I’m not saying that, but you do have to be a few steps ahead to the point where you KNOW that the advice, the product, the service you’re offering can help this client. 

“But Michell, how do I know I have the confidence?”

The answer is, you’re going to be nervous and do it anyway.
You’re going to recognize your strengths and where your knowledge is. 
You’re going to prepare by walking through every aspect of the sale BEFORE jumping on that sales call. Everything from testing your website checkout to the final follow-up email once the service is done. 
You’re going to accept that you’re going to slip up and that five years from now you’re going to cringe at what you were offering. 

I want you to be proud of that first sales call and first service you offer, but I also want you to visibly shutter when you think back at it in 5 years. That shows that you’re growing and learning… and that you’ve been around for five years. 

Your belief in yourself reassures prospects and encourages them to trust your recommendations.

Principle 2: Be 100% Sold on Your Product

When you genuinely believe in what you’re selling your enthusiasm is contagious. Your convictions allow you to communicate with authenticity, making it easier for your future clients to see the value. But it’s more than understanding your product's unique benefits. If we’re talking about a shirt, what’s the unique benefit of a shirt? And remember that the customer doesn’t care that it’s “locally made” - they might, but that’s not usually the selling point. The unique benefits have to be for the customer themselves. So this shirt, that’s 100% cotton was designed for _____ so it will fit like a glove. This shirt will give you - the wearer - the confidence to go up to a stranger in line at a coffee shop and have your own version of a Hallmark moment. This shirt will never need to be ironed so you can wake up 5 minutes before your big meeting and still feel put together with enough time to make yourself a coffee. 

See what I mean? 

You also have to understand where your product shines and where it doesn’t. If we keep using this shirt example, an area where it doesn't shine could be the price. Price is often the number one fear for entrepreneurs but remember, there is a client for every price point. They just need to understand the value. 

Which leads me to my last point on this principle, be honest with yourself about who benefits most from your offering. You might think that this shirt is for the 30-something mom who doesn’t have any time and needs a 100% cotton, iron-free shirt but in reality could it be the college student who doesn’t actually know what an iron does who’s going to interview after interview? Understanding who benefits most is going to be a huge win when it comes to sales because it allows you to use their language and understand what they value. 

When you’re certain about your product's value, your prospects feel it.

Principle 3: Know Your Value Proposition and the Competition

Who’s your competition? And I want you to really think about this one.
Nespresso does not compete with the local coffee shop down the street. 
Why? Their customers are different. 

The quick and easy convenience forward Nespresso does not attract the same person or really even offer the same product as the locally roasted experience forward local coffee shop. 

Clarity creates conviction and knowing precisely what your product offers and how it stands out against its true competitors is going to be crucial in sales. This knowledge will allow you to tailor your pitch, answer questions confidently, and disqualify clients that aren’t the right fit. 

Read that again. 

You do not need clients who are not the right fit. 

And you can say NO to clients who are not the right fit. 

I’m going to get off my soapbox now and get back to the principle. Research your competitors thoroughly and make sure they’re offering the same core product or experience to you. Know your own product’s benefits and limitations, and ask your clients about what they need. Remember that people love talking about themselves so getting prospective clients talking and recording their answers is going to be a great way to tweak your own offers going forward. 

Principle 4: Believe Selling Is Helping

What was the last thing you purchased yourself?
What sold you on the purchase?
And did it serve you in your life??
For me, it was a pair of shoes. Did these shoes “help me”? Of course they did!

“Wait - but how did shoes help?”
Well, I needed the shoes to feel put together for work. 
I needed shoes to go out into the snow.
I needed shoes for an event where I didn’t want to feel underdressed. 

There are lots of ways that people can be helped and it doesn’t always have to be in some big life changing way. A cup of coffee brings joy, a dinner out is an experience with friends, a notebook is a vessel for capturing your thoughts. 

Every sales conversation should help your client solve a problem or fulfil a desire. Think about concert tickets for this one. When you reframe sales as an act of service, something you have that holds value that you’re willing to trade (usually, time for money) it will help evaporate your hesitation. Focus on how your product or service can and will improve your client’s life. 

Ask yourself, “How can I approach each interaction with a genuine intent to help.”
Also remember that people will find help regardless if it’s from you. You not making the offer does not “save them money” it means that they’ll be spending it elsewhere. 

and when you genuinely believe that the sale will make their life better, it becomes easier to advocate for your offering.

Principle 5: Make Friends with Rejection

You won’t close 100% of your pitches. 
If you do, you need to raise your prices.
Almost all sales efforts will result in rejection at some point. The key is to make rejection your friend by understanding that without it, there are also no sales. 

It’s not personal, they don’t “hate you” they just don’t need the help you're offering. 

Up to 90% of prospecting can lead to a “no”, which sounds terrifying but the 10% that are a “YES” can be more than you can handle. Don’t get bogged down by the percentages, just increase your volume. 

I’m going to hold your hand when I say this, you need to detach your self-worth from rejection. 
You are worthy regardless if you only ever hear “no.”
You’re smart and you will shift your client or your offer but no matter what - business does not make you any more than or any less than. 

Truly believing that comes with practice and the only way to practice is to get out there and get rejected! It will also make subsequent sales conversations easier, you’ll learn what objections are most common and what your client is actually looking for. 

Principle 6: Stick to the Amazing Truth

The biggest superpower in sales? Truth. 
Because with integrity trust will follow. Be honest about what your product or service isn’t the best fit for. Disqualify prospects politely rather than overpromising and struggling through. 
There is nothing worse than offering a service that you kind of know but not really, a client takes you up on it and you struggle through delivery. Instead, focus on a smaller offering that you know you can succeed in which will help build trust, prevent dissatisfaction on both sides and positions you as a credible expert. 

People respect hearing the word, “no” just as much as when they hear the word, “yes.” 

Create and sell based on your product’s real benefits, and you’ll find sales become more straightforward and less stressful.

Principle 7: Play the Numbers and Observe

Ever heard, “what gets measured gets managed”? 
Track your sales activities the same way you would track your instagram analytics. 
Make a spreadsheet, put it in your phone. 
You need to know what works and what doesn’t. If going to networking events gets you no sales leads why are you spending your time there?

If Instagram is great for engagement but gets you no leads, why are you spending your time there?

Focus on setting clear revenue goals and keep track. 

If you’re not sure where your leads are coming from try a whole slew of things and track where you had the most leads come in.

If you have a discovery call with clients before they book you, break it down. What questions do you ask, what are the follow-up plans and how can you replicate these actions?

A systematic process turns sales from guesswork into a strategic activity. Here are a few more action steps for you, 

• Track prospecting efforts and outcomes.

• Observe your rapport-building skills.

• Measure objection handling and closing success rates.

Data-driven insights help you refine your approach and focus on high-impact activities. If you’re not sure how to do this, we have videos available in Sales School in the She The Mighty Community. 

Principle 8: Practice, Practice, Practice

Sales is a skill. 
Which means that it’s developed over time and through consistent practice. 
There are tons of ways you can practice. You can role play, you can write out scripts but the best way is through real interactions and getting feedback. Yes, feedback. 

Feedback can come in the way of booking a client, it can come from mentorship and it can come through self criticism by watching back recorded interviews. However you decide to get practice, start building that into your weekly set of tasks. This is just as important as any other business building activity. 

Final Thoughts: Confidence, Authenticity, and Consistency

Mastering sales isn’t about gimmicks or pushy tactics; it’s about cultivating genuine confidence, honest communication, and persistent practice. When you align your beliefs with your actions, sales become an act of service and connection—beneficial for you and your prospects.

Start by examining your beliefs about sales, learn and embody these principles gradually, and watch your results improve. Remember, every rejection brings you closer to a yes, and every “no” is just a step in your journey.