Description

There is a common misconception that sales people are sleazy, unethical, and greedy. Sales is seen as a sort of low-end profession. Robert reminds us that without salespeople, there would be no functioning economy – so we should be thanking them for the conveniences we have every day.

Robert tells us that every person is a salesperson in some way, and that as salespeople we need to be helping people make decisions to use our product or service, because most people have a hard time making decisions to begin with.

How do we change the way we think about sales? The first step is to realize that we have a problem. When you catch yourself experiencing the fear in the sales process, remind yourself of the value that you’re giving the person on the other end of that transaction. We need to work on our own beliefs before we can influence someone else.

If you’re convinced that you’re in a noble profession and adding to people’s lives, others will be convinced too and your sales will skyrocket.

Highlights

• “Without sales, there’s no economy, no business, no products, no services, and no money in your pocket.”
• “It’s not about convincing anyone or even persuading them of something, it’s about guiding them and helping them make a decision if your product or service is a good solution for them.”
• “Somehow, through decades of negative media bombardment, bad sales trainers, and a few bad apples, our society has gotten this idea that someone in sales is sleazy, unethical, greedy – something that you do if you can’t be a doctor or lawyer.”
• “If you over-promise, puff, exaggerate, or worse, you’re not a sales professional, you’re a con artist.”
• “Sales is one of the most noble, if not the most noble profession in our society.”
• “If nothing gets sold, absolutely no economic activity is done.”
• If you have any hint of fear in the sales process, it’s likely that you have some false beliefs that need to be addressed.
• “In any influence situation, congruency is critical for success.”

“If in the back of your mind, you haven’t convinced yourself that you’re a valuable part of delivering value to your customers, it’s going to come across to your customer.”