Are You "In Sales," or Do You SELL?

In my over three decades of training literally thousands of individuals to become better, more proficient and more effective salespersons, I have come to realize that one of the greatest challenges is often that the person himself merely sees himself as being in sales, rather than someone who is selling. Isn't that somewhat strange since each of us sells regardless of what our field of endeavor or occupation may be? We either SELL a product, a service or ourselves. The key differential in how we perceive this is that being in sales acknowledges that something might be sold but tries to separate ourselves from what we perceive as a somewhat perhaps savory endeavor, which far too many people consider selling. However, the reality has little to do with one's negative perception but rather relates to how professionally we perform our duties and whether our attitude is one of being value oriented, or rather is merely self serving. Whether you are in business for yourself, or work for an organization or company, your mindset, and your realization that selling must be proactive, will often determine, your effectiveness and results? Wouldn't you prefer to work with a Real Estate professional, who seeks to sell your home (through marketing effectiveness, negotiating, etc), than one who merely represented and presented your property?

1. Are you expressed attitude in sync with your actual behavior? Is your focus about service to your customers and clients, or is all about you and what's in your personal self interest? Do your actions and whatever you sell geared to best satisfy what is best helps others?

2. How empathetic, energetic and enriching are both your proposals and intents? Do you truly believe in whatever you are selling, be it either a product or a service, and do you honestly believe what you are telling others is what you really believe? Are you committed to earning the trust of others over and over again, and will you proactively be involved in enhancing some aspect of other people's lives?

3. Do you just hear, or do you effectively listen to what others are telling you, both with words as well as in non verbal manners? It is far easier to feel good about being in a selling frame of mind when you do all you can to fit their needs to whatever you sell.

4. Learn all you can about all relevant aspects. That includes the product or service you provide, as well as what others want and need. It is somewhat a simple and common sense concept, yet nevertheless an essential and true one, that when you better understand what's going on, you become far more capable of finding the hot button that creates that crucial common ground that is often the inevitable deciding factor.

Those who feel good about selling, for whatever reasons, invariably become the most successful doing it. It is nearly always a red flag warning when someone creates a personal mindset of referring to themselves as being in sales rather than selling!