“Put That Coffee Down! Coffee’s for Closers Only.”*
*From Glengarry Glen Ross, 1992.
Introducing the March SUCCESS magazine edition – The Selling Issue
Nothing happens until someone sells something. I mean, nothing. I’m not referring solely to the selling of products and services; I’m talking about selling yourself—your ideas, opinions, values, desires and objectives. There is nothing you can obtain in the human experience without the skills of selling or influence.
We learned how to sell before we even learned how to speak. We learned quickly that we can influence the attention and actions of our parents with the right facial expressions or the appropriate cry. They are methods we used to sell or make someone do what we wanted. Children are some of the most effective salespeople there are. A child who wants ice cream or a toy in a grocery store aisle will apply every selling skill in the book, with relentless persistence, until he or she closes the sale. Children know how to overcome objections, push through stall tactics, handle rejection, seek the higher authority, not take no for an answer and continue to ask for the order until the deal is sealed.
Here is what’s most important to understand: We all sell, all day, every day. It always tickles me when someone says, “Oh, I’m not a salesperson.” Then they launch into a detailed “sales” presentation with all the reasons and supporting points to back up their assertion. We all make several dozen sales presentations every day, whether it is selling a friend to go see a movie we are excited about or to try a new restaurant. Maybe you are selling your boss on why you were late, why you need a day off or why you need a raise. And maybe the most important sale you will make is why the person of your dreams and desires needs to pick YOU to spend the rest of their life with. You’d better know how to sell.
Even parents, most especially parents, need to refine and master their selling skills. Parents need to sell their children on their principles and values… before the drug dealer on the street corner sells them his. It is important for all of us to study the art of sales, and this issue of SUCCESS will help you!
Here are a few articles in particular I would like to point out:
Jeffrey Gitomer on finding unique selling opportunities in today’s economic times
Seth Godin on Using Virual Marketing to Spread Your Idea
The Big feature with BIG George Foreman
How to sell to big companies by Jill Konrath
How to sell yourself with Mel Robbins
Profiles in Greatness: Albert Einstein
I hope this issue sells you on discovering and igniting the best within you!
Darren Hardy
SUCCESS Publisher and Editorial Director
Follow Darren behind the scenes of SUCCESS: www.twitter.com/DarrenHardy
Share this post
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Nice writing style. Looking forward to reading more from you.
Chris Moran
So true. Nobody will ever take a recommendation from you, listen to what you have to say, or let alone buy something from you without you selling yourself first. Something that was a fantastic exercise for me was evaluating what my beliefs were about sales. What is the foundation of what you believe about sales? What comes to mind when you think of a used car salesman? Do you think slimy and desperate, or do you admire their ability to deliver a great sales pitch? Do you believe in yourself? Do you believe that you have an unbelievable product that everyone should have? Better yet, do you and your family use the product that you sell? Do you have specific go to strategies that can help you sell in different situations? Do you believe that persistance is the key to a sale, or do you feel like you’re being annoying? Do you take no for an answer, or do you try again to sell to their values? There is such an art to salesmanship and George is right, if you can sell you’ll never starve!
As a parent, the art of selling our beliefs to our kids is a big reason to get better at asking questions and teach the sales process. I “practice” on them all the time.
Craig
So true. Another great article. Wow. You sold me. I have four children of my own and I know what selling is all about. It occurs daily in this household. Thank you Darren. I always love to receive and read through these articles.
Lynn Burchard
This is the best part of the article: “We all sell, all day, every day. It always tickles me when someone says, “Oh, I’m not a salesperson.”.
We are always selling, even if it’s not in business. We are selling in life with our family to get our point across. We sell to our children when we want to convince them to stay in school or not to use drugs. We sell our opinion, our thoughts, our emotions and ourselves. Yes, we also sell in jobs and business when we want a promotion, a raise or just to sell our products or services. I call it ABS. No, not Antilock Brake System… Always Be Selling!
Excellent content here and a nice writing style too – keep up the great work!
Glad I found this site – I’m finding the content very useful – thanks!
Agree 100% Funny recently my teenager said he didn’t want to be a salesperson like me. Next thing you know he’s coming home from his part time job with a top sales award!
Absolutely correct Darren! Whether we like it or not, we are on this generation now of selling and marketing. The more adept we are into the system, the more we will get “into” our goal and become successful. Selling is everything… even the way we dress, walk, talk… is selling! that is selling ourselves to our peers… to everybody… just to connect, even in silent… Selling doesnt mean that we have to keep on talking… gestures do, our body language and facial expressions is part of how we market ourselves to people.
That is why in this era of survival of the fittest and survival of the connections, we have to and it is really a need to keep on learning, exploring on how to become effective salesperson…. even if we are only an ordinary citizen… they also have a story to tell… and they need to be heard…
Your article will be an eyeopener for those who would not believe that we are all salesperson in this world! It’s just that we have different arenas…
Kudos to you and your team again for this article!
Congratulations and more power!