How Limiting Beliefs Affect Your Sales

Let’s start with a definition of limiting beliefs as they relate to selling your products or services.

A limiting belief is something that somebody believes is going to limit their ability to buy what you’re selling.

If your prospects have a limiting belief, they’re not going to purchase from you until you can overcome that limiting viewpoint.

A limiting belief is another term for an objection.

There are two categories of objections describing limiting beliefs:

  • Internal limiting beliefs = ideas they have about themselves;
  • External limiting beliefs = ideas they have about the outside world;

Some typical internal limiting beliefs include:

  • I don’t have enough money
  • I won’t have enough money left over if I buy
  • I don’t have enough time
  • I’ll have to work too hard
  • I’m going to get hurt, or I’m going to be uncomfortable
  • I’m going to feel dirty
  • I’m going to feel stupid
  • I’m going to feel alone
  • I’m going to feel like I’m “less” in some way

So, this can be traced back to the 10 reasons why people buy. I go over this in my book, Copywriting Secrets:

  • Make money
  • Save money
  • Save time
  • Avoid effort
  • Escape pain
  • Get comfort
  • More cleanliness
  • Praise
  • Feel more love 
  • Increased popularity or status

These can lead to some strong internal beliefs (positive and negative).

On the other hand, external limiting beliefs are about limitations “beyond” or outside themselves.

What your audience believes about your product or service:

  • It costs too much and will leave me with nothing.
  • That’s going to take too much time.
  • That’s going to take too much effort.
  • That will hurt me.
  • That will make me uncomfortable.
  • That will make me dirty.
  • That could make me feel or look stupid.
  • That’ll make others stop loving me, or cause others to see me as less.

The first step in understanding external and internal limiting beliefs is discovering the ones your prospects connect to your product or service.

Limiting beliefs are universal. You have to identify the objections (limiting beliefs) and overcome them in your sales copy to boost your sales conversion.

If you’d like to learn exactly what to do to overcome those limiting beliefs, check out the Sales Copy And Content Marketing Hacks with Jim Edwards Facebook group.

You’ll be glad you did!


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1 Comment

  • Adventago

    Reply Reply November 29, 2020

    Great blog post-JIM this is very true

    I have a limiting belief and that is selling things for high ticket

    I can’t think who on earth would pay $2497 or 997 for an online course

    I know that these kind of people exist however I cant seem to find any of them

    I’m always getting the broke dabblers

    Anyway, thank you for your great value take care from your friend Adventago 🙂

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