The Art of Selling

77005422All of us are in the business of selling. Some people sell real estate, cars, investments, or any number of items we all have or want to have. While it’s obvious these people succeed or fail based on their selling skills, it’s less apparent but just as important that the rest of us also succeed or fail both in our personal and professional lives based upon our ability to sell.

Whether you’re a teacher selling your students on the validity of the lesson, a parent selling your kids on doing the right thing, an individual selling a potential employer on your ability to accomplish a job, or anything else we do in our lives, we succeed based on our ability to sell.

In some circles, selling has gotten a bad name because some individuals abuse the process. Whether it’s a ballplayer, a minister, an accountant, or a salesperson, don’t judge the validity of the profession based on the poor standards of a few people. Selling is among the most honorable professions in the world, and it is also among the highest-paid professions.

The first and most important key to selling is to be sold yourself. If you believe in a product, service, or idea, selling is simply a matter of sharing a great discovery with a friend or potential friend that you care about. Selling is never about your need to move a product. It is always about the other person’s situation and the needs they may have that can be filled by what you are selling.

Honorable salespeople service the same customers throughout a lifetime. They can sell the same family a dozen cars, four homes, or countless suits throughout the decades. Unscrupulous people are always looking for new customers because they shortsightedly took advantage of the customer/salesperson relationship during their initial transaction. A trusted salesperson becomes like a valuable and well-connected friend. They would never risk the relationship over one short-term potential profit.

If you treat your customers like friends and serve them as if they were family, you will find that your customers will serve as your salespeople as they send business your way year after year. A slick ad or hectic sales pitch can never take the place of a satisfied customer that refers their friends, family, and associates to you. You never get a second chance to make a good first impression, and a great reputation built over a lifetime can be ruined in a negligent moment.

As you go through your day today, seek to provide service instead of selling products, and you will find that you accomplish both.

Today’s the day!

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by e-mail at Jim@JimStovall.com; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor.

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