Whenever I present the Sales for Nice people webinar, I like to start off gauging the mood of the room, by asking:
What does ‘selling’ represent for you, what thoughts or feelings come up?
Usually, people say things like ‘awkward’, or ‘necessary evil’, or ‘helping’.
But the other day, someone dropped ‘selling is begging’ in the chat.
Wait, what? No! Hell no!
See, this is why I’m in this business, teaching good people to sell ethically.
Because ‘selling is begging’ is an opinion based on an incorrect view, on many levels.
It supposes that we need something from our buyer, want something from them.
But we should want something for our buyer, instead.
Before anything, we should want for them to make the best possible decision at this point in time.
Which can be a yes or a no, it all depends.
And when you make your selling a process of helping them make that decision, there’s nothing awkward, or evil about it – and certainly nothing beg-y.
I’ll never tire of saying it:
Selling is the oldest profession in the world.
It’s inherently, fundamentally human. It’s how psychology and communication works.
Even chimps sell.
Because in the end, selling really is nothing more than offering something of value – be it time, product, food, attention, care, protection – and asking the other:
Wanna trade?
You do it every day, all day long, and so does everybody else.
So if there’s anything conflicting about sales in your experience, remember this:
You’re looking at it the wrong way.
And if you want to learn how to look at it the right way, go here.
Cheers,
Martin
