How to Sell Without The Ick: Sales for Sensitive Entrepreneurs
Sales is an uncomfortable part of business for anyone.
But if you’re an empathic, heart-led person, you likely feel that discomfort 10x more.
There can be a sense of tension between running a conscious business and making money. Like the two are at odds.
I’m here to tell you they’re not, so release that limiting belief, stat!
From my own experience of hating sales (see my story below) but believing in my work, I found ways to sell without feeling like I was selling.
In this post I’ll share those tips with you so you can sell without the ick and grow your business.
QUICK BACKSTORYIn college, I was hired for a job promising double the pay of my restaurant gig. Starry-eyed and naïve, I didn’t realize until I started training what I’d been hired for… selling kitchen knives door-to-door. *cue inner panic*
I quit on the first day.
To me, sales evoked sleazy, swindling salesmen and pushy peddlers preying on sensitive souls—easy targets for their manipulative tactics.
Certainly there is a shadow side to sales, but I’ve since learned that sales, like branding, is often misunderstood. Just like your brand is so much more than aesthetics, sales is more than a greedy hawking of goods. And both are necessary elements of an abundant business.
So how do you grow your spiritual business by selling in a way that doesn’t give you the ick?
First, flip the script
Sometimes all it takes is a little perspective shift.
Embrace the fact that your business exists to help others.
You didn’t start your business just to make money. Chances are, your business is connected to a deeper purpose. There’s a “why” behind the work you do.
For a lot of sensitive and spiritual entrepreneurs, that purpose is to be of service to others in some way. So sales becomes an invitation to be of service.
Therefore, simply reframe “selling” to “sharing your offerings as an act of service.” And recognize that you’d actually be doing people a disservice by NOT telling them how you can help.
AFFIRMATIONSharing my offerings is an act of service.
If you believe in the value of what you’re selling, then there is no reason to be ashamed of promoting it. I didn’t believe in the knives I was meant to sell, so it wouldn’t have been in integrity for me to sell them. But to someone else who genuinely believed in their value? Absolutely.
If I ever catch myself thinking, “how can I make more money?” I change the question to: “how can I best help people?” This quickly moves the energy from your ego into your heart.
Invite and empower decision-making
Sales is really just about building relationships with people. And those people might benefit from what you offer.
It’s not up to you to decide if you’re the right fit for them—that’s their decision to make. Your job is to share the information they need to make a decision and invite them into what you’re offering.
When you try to push your product or service on people, that’s when it enters shadow sales territory. The kind that gives everyone the ick.
Instead of trying to convince people to work with you using conventional (or as I like to call it, bropreneur) sales tactics , like false urgency and aggressive language—you empower them to make the decision.
So instead of selling, your responsibility is simply to show up, invite, and make it easy for them to say ‘yes.’
Intentionally filter out the wrong people
It might seem counterintuitive or even scary to push people away, but that’s exactly what your brand should be doing. That’s how the RIGHT people will know you’re the one for them.
Your business is not for everyone; find the ones you align with and want to work with, and focus on connecting with them.
This saves you from clients who drain you, work that feels unfulfilling, and messaging that tries to please everyone (and resonates with no one).
The right people doesn’t just need what you offer. They understand why it matters and are ready to invest their time, energy, and money into it because they understand + trust the value of it.
This naturally makes it easier to speak to and connect with those clients that make your work fulfilling, enjoyable, and impactful.
ACTION STEPA great way to easily filter people is with your website contact form. Ask questions that help you understand who they are and what they’re looking for so you can decide if it’s an aligned fit.
For instance, on my project inquiry form, one of the most important questions I ask is, “What kind of designer are you looking for?” If someone selects “I just need someone to execute my vision—I already know exactly what I want created” then I know that I’m not the best fit because my process is highly collaborative.
Don’t sell your what, sell your why
As Emily Heyward writes in ‘Obsessed: Building a Brand People Love From Day One:’
“A brand’s clear emotional idea is more compelling than the product or service itself.”
This is not a new concept. Donald Miller says the same in ‘Building A StoryBrand’ and the viral ‘Golden Circle’ TEDTalk has a compelling case for it as well, referencing highly successful brands, like Apple, who have led with this idea.
The gist is that people don’t care about WHAT you’re selling. It’s the WHY they care about.
When you connect what you do to a deeper meaning, people feel an emotional connection to your work. It matters more because there’s a bigger purpose to it. Something they care about and can get behind, making it more likely that they choose you over someone else.
ACTION STEPUpdate your About page with your personal story and your ‘why.’ Here’s how I did that on my About page.
Just be yourself
Authenticity is more than a buzzword. It’s the reason people choose one business over another…
86% of people say authenticity is a key reason they like and support a brand.
(SOURCE)This means that YOU are your business’s key differentiator. Your approach, personality, beliefs, etc. are what make your business stand out. (Especially in the era of AI where things are easily imitated or generated.)
It all boils down into a simple equation…
KNOW → LIKE → TRUST = SALESPeople have to know you to like you. They have to like you to trust you. And they have to trust you to buy from you.
How do you show up more authentically in your business?
Start by getting clear on who you are, what you offer + why, and how you show up and connect with the right people. (Here’s how.) Knowledge is power and that clarity will come across in everything you create, sell, or share.
Create a brand that sells for you
A client once told me:
“I feel like I don’t have to sell myself anymore. My brand does it for me.”
And that’s exactly what your brand should be doing for you.
If sales feels hard, slow, or stagnant, it’s because your brand isn’t carrying the weight it’s supposed to.
When your brand is aligned + clear—when it actually reflects the depth of your work, your value, your perspective, etc.—people get it. They feel you. And then selling doesn’t feel like selling anymore. It feels like a natural invitation instead of pressure or convincing.
(That’s exactly why I created this self-guided branding process. To help you clarify and align your brand so that it sells for you, 24/7.)
Bonus!
A few extra DO’s and DON’T’s for selling without the ick:
DO be yourself and show your personality, beliefs, values, etc. DON’T hide behind your brand!
DON’T rely solely on your credentials, expertise, or resume. DO share your personal story and ‘why.’
DO let others sell for you by sharing social proof (testimonials, reviews, etc.)
DON’T ghost your own business. DO pick one place to be seen (your blog, Substack, Instagram, etc.) and show up there regularly
DON’T overlook the impact of visual communication (aka your brand and website design), which has more of an impact on sales than you might realize:
Ready to expand your brand?
Here are a few ways I can support you…
✺ The Aligned Brand Method: Self-Guided Branding Build a brand that works for you 24/7 with the foundational branding process behind my client work, at your own pace. Get Instant Access →
✺ 1:1 Creative Catalyst Feeling stuck, scattered, or on the verge of something? This focused one-on-one session gives you clear, direct support to reach your brand + business goals. Book Your Session →
✺ Brand Alchemy: Full-Service Branding + Website Design A transformative, immersive experience to align, design, and expand your brand that includes brand strategy, logo & identity design, and a custom website. (Only 4 seats per year.) Explore Services →
NOT SURE WHERE TO START?
