We are all sales people to a certain extent. Whether we work in sales or not, we are selling ourselves in one form or another to someone else. Every form of relationship has selling involved in one way or another.
Parents have to sell themselves to their kids. We have to sell ourselves to people that we’re attracted to like in the song “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” that has suddenly come under attack for the silliest reason. We sell ourselves to coworkers, bosses, managers, friends and family. As such we need to learn from the best – kids.
SELLING AT HOME
Kids are natural born sales people. They want things; the most popular toys, the coolest games, make-up, gadget, clothes, bling. So they go to work on their parents… If they want something bad enough, they’ll just keep at it. They’re relentless. A good word that. We should all learn to be more relentless in going after what we want.
|
Kids are natural born sales people. They want things; the most popular toys, the coolest games, make-up, gadget, clothes, bling. So they go to work on their parents. Promising better grades, negotiating deals to help around the house, achieving new records in races. If they want something bad enough, they’ll just keep at it. They’re relentless. A good word that. We should all learn to be more relentless in going after what we want.
But it’s not just the kids that have to do a lot of selling, parents have their work cut out for them as well. We must sell our son on vacation plans (if you’ve ever traveled with an unhappy kid, you’ll understand). We must sell kids on dinners, on taking swimming lessons, on doing their homework, on which movie to watch, to name just a few. Sure, we can play our trump card and simply ram it down their throats, but that’ll only lead to anger and mistrust. You’ve got to find ways to win them over.
I am constantly selling myself to my wife and son. We all have different things we want to do, and when there are three people in the family you have to be careful because you can always be out voted. I have to bring my “A Game” to the table. I need to convince them why we should go where I want to go and do the things I want to do.
BECOME SHERLOCK HOLMES
Whether we’re selling ourselves to kids, our bosses or our clients, what’s the secret?
Back in college, I had an internship at FedEx where I attended a five-day training. The best thing I learned from that was to listen. A LOT. Ask questions, find out their needs, and understand the problems they are facing. Too many people go in for the kill as soon as they walk into the room, that rarely works. Instead, you’ve got to play Sherlock Holmes for a bit. The better you understand their situation, the better you can offer up a solution. This works just as well in business as it does at home.
It’s not just the kids that have to do a lot of selling, parents have their work cut out for them as well… Sure, we can play our trump card and simply ram it down their throats, but that’ll only lead to anger and mistrust. You’ve got to find ways to win them over.
|
Here’s a point that we must keep in mind when selling, it’s not so much about the initial sale, but the relationship. Developing relationships allows for long-term success. Every success I’ve had in sales has come from what Japanese people call “Nemawashi” which I have heard described as “laying the foundation.”
TRUST IS THE NAME OF THE GAME
Trust is a critical component of building a strong foundation, and that takes time. We need to keep in mind another important expression to remember is “Under promise, over deliver.” The second part is critical. We’ve got to blow people away, amaze them with what we do. The last thing you want to can do is “over promise and under deliver.”
SUGGESTED READING
Life is all about sales, whether we realize it or not. If you’re looking to up your sales game, you might want to try these following books.
- Influence by Robert Cialdini
- The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann
- Dynamic Selling by S. Robert Tralins
- How to Sell Your Way Through Life by Napoleon Hill
- The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes
Don’t have the time to read these books, no problem. Head on over to my LinkedIn page and add me. Each week, I’ll share notes on books I’ve read as well as short videos on topics such as productivity, success, leadership and sales.
Photo by Steve Wiesner on Unsplash