If there's one word guaranteed to send an uncomfortable shiver down the spine of even the toughest consultant or coach it's “selling”.

Something about the word brings up associations with Willy Loman, Ricky Roma (or over here in the UK even more unfortunately, Del Boy Trotter).

Despite the fact that before we get hired we almost always have to talk to potential clients face to face or on the phone, most of us hate the idea that we might possibly be be considered “salespeople”. Or that this 1-1 discussion about whether we should work together is “selling”.

If you find that process really uncomfortable yourself, here's a simple solution I use with many of my clients in similar situations.

Instead of thinking of the meeting as a sales meeting. Think of it like your very first coaching session together. Or your kick-off meeting to start a consulting or other project with them.

What would you do in those sorts of meetings?

Well, you'd ask them questions to try to figure out what their big challenges were that you'd then work with them on.

You'd probably ask about the impact of those issues to get a sense of which were the biggest priorities. And you'd discuss some of the barriers you might face when it came to working on the issues.

And in that initial meeting you'd probably lay out an initial plan of action for them. And no doubt you'd confirm with them that they thought it was a good way forward.

And that's exactly what you do in your “sales meeting”. The only difference is that at the end, you ask them if they'd like to work with you to help them implement the plan.

(Michael Port puts it rather well. He advises simply asking “would you like some help with that?”).

Now that process isn't the absolute ne plus ultra of selling. But it is one that works, and one that even the most sales-averse professional can use.

If you're struggling to get as many clients from your meetings as you'd like, and you don't feel fully comfortable selling, give it a go.