Sales Superstars: Nothing Happens Unless Someone Sells Something

The world as you know it exists because of sales. If someone, somewhere, somehow is not selling every single day, you wouldn’t have food to eat, a car to drive, or a house to live in. We can live a day without the skills of a lawyer, or even a doctor but you can’t live even one single day without the skills of a salesperson.nnSelling is one of the most important functions in our society. Capitalism and the advancement of any society are dependent upon sales. nnEveryone is a salesperson, and everyone sells everyday.nnIn case you don’t believe me, consider the following: If you are a parent, you sell “finishing dinner” to kids through the reward of dessert. If you are in a relationship, you sell your girlfriend on watching football in return for a nice dinner out. If you are in a career or have a job, you sell your boss on the effectiveness and productivity of what you do. If you don’t have a job, you sell the person you interview for a job that you are the best choice out of all the other applicants. nnEveryone is selling something everyday. nnAs a matter of fact, if you want to see fantastic sales skills in action, just watch kids. They are the best salespeople on earth. Kids understand the importance of selling the moment they arrive on the scene. They sell their tails off, and keep selling. If you watch kids, you’ll notice that they ask directly for what they desire. They have not yet been programmed to think that this is somehow wrong or selfish. nnKids rarely take no as a final answer, and they think about how to construct alternative persuasive arguments when their initial requests are refused. They try to create leverage in their urging through win-win questions and arguments. They believe strongly in what they want and believe that they deserve it. Usually it’s parents, teachers, and other adults who try very hard to express to children that they shouldn’t be selling. You were probably reprimanded, scolded and scoffed at for most of your early selling efforts. Eventually you got the message loud and clear that selling was bad and something to be ashamed of. nnManagers and owners of businesses wonder why most people stink at selling; it’s because they have been conditioned not to sell. nnThe first step in the journey to becoming a sales superstar will be to eliminate this conditioning. Whether you are someone who is considering sales for a career, a struggling salesperson, a salesperson looking to reach another level of success, or a sales superstar who wants to see if I am “spilling the beans” to your secrets, utilizing what you learn will change your life.nnI bet you have heard everyone of these phrases many times over: “I hate salespeople.” “Salespeople are greedy.” “Salespeople are pushy.” “Salespeople just want your money.” “Salespeople are all liars.” “Salespeople are just uneducated pond scum that could not get jobs doing anything else.” In the same vein, consider the following movies and plays that you may have seen or read: “Death of a Salesman,” “Boiler Room,” “Tin Men,” “Cadillac Man,” “Wall Street,” “Glengarry Glenn Ross,” and “Other People’s Money.” nnWhat images and emotions do you conjure up about salespeople and selling in general? They’re not very positive, are they?