Many people think sales is for “a certain type of individual.” Only young, charismatic, risk-taking, entrepreneur types that like living on the edge are “cut out to be in sales.”
In fact, you may have even chosen your career deliberately so that you’ll never need to be in sales.
But you see, you’re selling all the time – even when you don’t realize it.
Are you a teacher? You’re selling information and structure in the classroom.
Are you a nurse? You’re selling patients on the necessary course of medical care.
Are you a stay at home mom? You’re selling your children on how to behave.
Are you a lawyer? You’re selling your expertise and services – and you’re oftentimes selling the jury!
Because you see, contrary to popular belief, sales isn’t talking. It’s not “trying to convince anyone to buy something they don’t need.”
No – sales is not talking – sales is asking questions in order to more effectively meet a need. Then, you meet it.
In other words, sales is service! And by this definition, practically everyone is in sales!
In addition, there are tons of valuable marketable skills for which there is fantastic training, but very little – if any – solid teaching on how to market and sell them! So it seems that no matter your industry, sales skills are important.
This realization was a turning point for my latest guest on my podcast, Julie Finch.
Julie is an attorney who has been working in Business Law for many years. After the Great Recession, Julie decided to open up her own firm, Finch Law, and break into an uncharted entrepreneurial territory.
Even though sales felt like something she shouldn’t have to do, Julie realized quickly that adopting a few tools of the saleswoman’s trade would be to her advantage.
And it was.
Check out her story on my latest podcast!
