I'm not a Salesman
“I'm a terrible salesman. I couldn’t sell beer to a naval man on shore leave. And what's more, I hate salesmen.” Said a seasoned corporate soldier in a recent conversation with me. He’s looking to re-invent himself as a founder and was seeking my counsel. This rang alarm bells for me. So a (very important) conversation ensued….
First I should probably confess that I consider myself, in part, as a salesman. I suspect I’m probably a reasonably good one; I've built several businesses, I convinced my wife to marry me, and people describe one of my ‘super-powers’ as an influence. Sales, like leadership, is largely an influence, which is why I think it’s so important.
10 reasons why embracing your inner salesperson will help you do/become:
1. A better communicator - articulating a concept clearly so someone understands what you're on about...
2. A better debater/arguer - you won't win unless you've explained your perspective in a way that will influence the other's thinking
3. Better listener – more than half of selling is about listening (not talking!!!) - for what the other is saying (or trying to) and (where I believe the art is) to what they're **not** saying.
4. More choice - if you can approach people and circumstances then you'll open up opportunities for business and maybe even a partner. You know what I mean here....
5. More likeable - a truly effective salesman is one who gets alongside someone and becomes a trusted advisor to them. It's rare that you trust someone you don't like, right?
6. A great influencer - at its worst someone who gets their way, best - takes people on a positive journey of achievement (read - leadership).
7. Becoming intrinsic to and pivotal for a company’s growth - without sales you die.
8. Reach and influence - not manipulation. The former is giving the information to allow them to make an informed decision and the latter is pushing someone towards the outcome you want.
9. A better negotiator - one of the pillars of selling is being able to create a win-win scenario where both parties feel like they're getting a fair deal, or fair enough to do the deal!
10. Perspective - able to take on others' perspective so you can either change your own opinion or theirs...
Why are we here then? Wel, the observations from the chap above are not isolated, I’ve encountered numerous people who attach negative connotations to selling. Personally, I suspect they originate from sources like:
- Amway (I have no issue with multi-level marketing but I don't like the clandestine practices in the background)
- Door knockers like encyclopedia or vacuum-cleaner salesmen (Potentially even those pushing some form of “god’s word” door to door)
- The unethical approaches practised by the ‘villainous’ salespeople (often and unfairly professions such as the proverbial used-car salesman…)
Occasionally of course these are well grounded, however, I believe it normally comes down to the individual, not the product.
I personally cannot see the downside to having some sales skills to draw from. I was prompted to write this as I read this morning that New Zealand is in a “double-dip” recession, and if there is one thing I know - when times are tough, your business relies upon you to be better at winning new business!
Cheers,
Josh
"Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, What’s in it for me?'"
– Brian Tracy
"The man who does more than he is paid for will soon be paid for more than he does."
– Napoleon Hill
Book I’ve loved about how to sell:
The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation
by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson
This book is a groundbreaking business book that challenges traditional sales approaches. It introduces the "Challenger" sales model, which categorises salespeople into five profiles: Hard Worker, Challenger, Relationship Builder, Lone Wolf, and Problem Solver. The book argues that the most successful salespeople are Challengers who teach, tailor, and take control of sales conversations. This model emphasises understanding customers' needs and pushing them to think differently about their business challenges and solutions.
I have read it 3 times so far and cannot recommend it enough!
