What Is Selling - Really?

You’ve had that experience when someone sold you a product, but it didn’t work the way it was promised. Or you may have felt “pressured” into buying something that you didn’t really need or want, but you did it any way to be nice or pleasing.

You probably decided that selling is pressuring or convincing or making someone do something they don’t want to do because the seller wants to make money.

And you decided you’d have none of it.  You wouldn’t talk about what you offer, you wouldn’t ask for the sale, you wouldn’t appear pushy or grabby or greedy.

So your business limps along.  You don’t have many clients or customers because you’re not making offers or selling anything.  You wonder what’s wrong with you because you’re not succeeding the way you had hoped.

There’s nothing wrong with you.  You just have the wrong idea about what sales is and what sales is not.

Yes, there are people who pressure, convince, and manipulate to make a sale.  These are the people you don’t want to be and who you steer clear of.

There are people who lead, influence, and move others to action.  These are the people you want to be.  These are people who intrigue you and make you want to know more about what they are doing.

You may wind up buying their products or services if you decide you want what they are selling.  They are drawing you in, allowing you to get to know them, and creating a relationship with you.

You don’t realize they are in the process of selling something to you.  It could be an idea, a new way of looking at something, a new habit that will improve your life, or their product or service.

So this week, look around and see who intrigues you.

Is it Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra and their 30-Day Meditation Challenge?

Is it a yoga teacher who encourages you to take breaks and breathe?

Is it your partner who invites you to have a night away so you can be together instead of working all the time?

All of these are sales conversations.  Begin to redefine your definition of selling by seeing which conversations you are drawn to. Notice how it changes how you would feel about “selling” your products and services.