salespeople

GREAT SALESPEOPLE ARE SOLD ON THEIR WARES

Carl Mays

Everyone is a salesperson. Some are great, some are good, some are okay and some are lousy. But everyone is a salesperson.

You might say, "Not me. I've never tried to sell anything and I never will." Wrong. Even if you have never attempted to sell a product or service, you have attempted to sell your ideas, your point of view and your opinions. And, even more importantly, you have attempted to sell yourself.

You might ask, "When have I tried to sell myself?" Well, have you ever asked anyone for a date or attempted to get asked? Have you ever applied for a job? Have you ever tried out for a sports team or some other type of program? Have you ever asked someone to marry you or attempted to get asked?

When someone is considering buying something, the product, service or idea is not the first thing of importance to the potential buyer. Initially, the most important thing is the "seller" of the item. After the potential buyer is sold on the "seller," then the item is given more consideration. If the potential buyer is not sold on the "seller," then more than likely the potential buyer will not progress to become an actual buyer.

It could be an opinion, idea or service you are trying to sell, but let's say it is a product. After the potential buyer is sold on you, then the product will be seriously considered. But before you have a chance to sell this product consistently, you had better be 100 percent sold on it yourself. Unless you really believe in what you are selling, you can't sell with conviction. If you don't really believe in what you are selling, no matter how much you fake it, most intelligent people will see right through you. Then they will become "unsold" on you, as well as the product.

All great sellers of ideas, opinions, services or products have strong convictions about what they are selling. That is why I encourage any seller of anything to study, research and analyze what it is you are attempting to sell. Know as much about it as you possibly can. Play the "devil's advocate," coming up with as many objections to what you are selling as you can think of.

As I have spoken to over 2,000 groups, totaling over a million people, I have constantly put myself in the listeners' seats. That is why I often raise objections to my own points, then refute these objections with examples, logic and reason. I can tell by the listeners' eyes and body language that I am asking and answering many of their questions as I proceed through my presentation.

And I don't know how many times people have approached me following a speaking engagement and said, "I can really tell that you enjoy what you do." Of course, I enjoy it! If I didn't enjoy it, if I didn't believe in it, if I didn't think it made a positive difference in people's lives, then I wouldn't do it!

Conviction is deepened when the salesperson believes so strongly in an idea, opinion, product or service that he or she is "turned on" to the positive value it can bring to the potential buyer. And, if you truly believe in the value of something, you owe it to yourself and to potential buyers to become highly proficient in the knowledge and presentation of the item.

You may be selling insurance, houses, vehicles, clothing or some other product. You may be a teacher selling the students on the value of knowledge. You may be a coach selling your team on a game plan. You may be a minister selling a congregation on "the right way." You may be a parent selling your children on "doing the right thing."

Whatever the case, you must truly believe that what you are selling has great value and you must truly believe that the people who buy from you can gain in some way as a result of the purchase. If you can't believe this, then you should not be selling what you are attempting to sell. There are too many good products, services, ideas and systems in which you can take pride. You shouldn't waste your time and other people's time on something neither you nor they can completely buy into.