What issues are different for women in building the business relationships necessary to sell personal services to men? Baby Boomer women are uncomfortable asking a man out for dinner or drinks because of the risk of sexual innuendo. Millennial women seem more comfortable doing so with men of their own generation – but not with older men.
While there are many successful women in sales, proportionally fewer are good at selling themselves (e.g., as a provider of professional services). Both older and younger women have a hard time “tooting their own horn.” Women find it easier, in general, to sell others and may do a “soft sell.” Reluctance to sell oneself is deeply rooted in nature (brain structure and hormones) and nurture. The “confidence gap” may affect some women’s ability to sell themselves.
