Sell Without the “Ick”: 4 Tips that Stick

January 6, 2026 in Selling

If you’ve ever felt your stomach flip when someone says “you just need to sell more,” you’re not alone. At Aviatra, we hear this from women every single day — brilliant women who love what they do, but feel shaky when it’s time to talk about pricing, value, or closing a deal.

But here’s the truth: Selling isn’t a personality trait. It’s a skill. And like every skill, you can learn it.

Recently, I sat down with the ever-insightful Lacey Starling, CEO of LinkNKY. Lacey has been selling since her early college days — back when she was knocking on doors, pitching website services, and learning how to hear “no” without shrinking her ambition.

She shared a handful of simple, game-changing strategies that every woman entrepreneur can use — starting today.

And we’re passing them straight to you.

1. Selling Isn’t a Performance — It’s a Conversation

A lot of founders picture sales as a high-pressure pitch where you need to “win” the other person over. No wonder it feels intimidating.

Lacey reframed it beautifully: “Selling is just two humans having a conversation.”

You’re not twisting someone’s arm. You’re not talking them into something they don’t need. You’re simply helping them understand what you uniquely bring to the table.

When women shift from performing to connecting, everything changes.

2. Get Clear on Your Company Values: What You Stand For Drives How You Sell

Before you can confidently talk about what makes your business special, you need to understand the heartbeat behind it — your values.

Your values influence:

• how you deliver your product or service

• how you show up for customers

• how you communicate your work

• and what feels aligned (or not) in your sales conversations

  
  

When you’re grounded in your values, your confidence naturally rises because you’re not trying to “sound like” a salesperson — you’re simply being yourself.

For example, if one of your values is radical transparency, you’ll explain your pricing openly and honestly.

If your value is speed and reliability, you’ll highlight turnaround times and responsiveness.

If your value is high-touch care, you’ll emphasize how deeply you support your clients.

Values become your compass. The clearer you are on them, the easier it becomes to talk about your business — and the more naturally you attract people who appreciate what you bring.

3. Differentiate Yourself From Competitors (with a Little Research + a Lot of Confidence)

Once you know your values, you can move into the next layer: what makes you different from everyone else in your space.

And yes — this is where light competitor research helps.

You don’t need to spiral down a comparison rabbit hole. But you can absolutely:

• look at 2–3 similar businesses

• note what they emphasize

• observe what’s missing

• identify gaps you naturally fill

  
  

This isn’t about copying or competing. It’s about finding your lane — the one built around your strengths, style, and values.

For example:

• Maybe your competitor is fast, but you’re more thorough.

• Maybe they’re big and impressive, but you’re more personal and accessible.

• Maybe they offer a broad menu of services, but you specialize deeply.

  
  

Differentiation isn’t about being “better.” It’s about being different in ways that matter to your customer.

Once you’re clear on that, selling becomes easier because you’re not trying to fit into someone else’s mold — you’re confidently presenting your own.

4. Understand the Difference Between an Objection and a Buying Question

This is where so many entrepreneurs lose momentum — not because they can’t sell, but because they misinterpret what they’re hearing.

Women especially tend to take comments like: “I’m not sure how this helps me” as a hard no.

But Lacey explains these are usually buying questions, not objections.

A buying question means:

• they’re curious

• they’re imagining how your offer fits into their world

• they need clarity, not closure

  
  

Instead of backing away, gently lean in:

• Ask them to share more about what they’re looking for.

• Connect their needs to what you deliver.

• Help them picture the transformation they’re about to experience.

  
  

Now, actual objections do happen — but they’re not personal.

Think of the last few things you didn’t buy. It wasn’t about the person selling it.It was about timing, budget, priorities, or something entirely unrelated.

A “no” is often just a “not right now.”

Let that open the door to a deeper conversation.

Curiosity builds connection. Connection leads to clarity. Clarity leads to confident decisions.

That is what selling without the “ick” looks like.

You Can Do This — Truly

Selling is not about being aggressive. It’s about being helpful.

You started your business because you care about solving a problem. Lean into that.

Shift from “I have to sell” to “I get to help.” When you do, selling starts to feel a whole lot less icky — and a whole lot more natural.

We're Here to Help

If this resonated, imagine what we can unlock together.

Join us in January for our Sales without Sleaze Masterclass, where we’ll dive deeper and:

• Clarify your offer and ideal customer 

• Map out your customer’s journey

• Discover your unique “sales personality” 

• Practice closing the deal in a way that feels natural, honest, and aligned with your personal style

  
  

We’d love to see you there.

Your next level of sales confidence is one decision away.