“If you want to make more money, then improve your selling skills.” was what my boss once told me.
At that time, my impression of selling skills is what a used car salesman need. Yes, those people who always over promise and under deliver. It never occurred to me that as an IT professional, selling skills benefited me whatsoever.
The Truth About Selling
Today, I actually think that having good selling skills might be the most important skill set anyone can develop because we have to sell ourselves every day of our lives. It not only helps us save more money, but also earn more money.
I Don’t Want to Go to Traffic School.
Some of us have been stopped by the police because of speeding, but most of us probably wished we knew how to convince the officer to not give us a ticket. If there is a legitimate reason why you were speeding, don’t you want to tell the officer in a convincing manner why you should be given a break?
Hire Me or Else.
Interviewing is all about selling yourself. During the few short sessions, there is no way for the interviewer to know exactly everything there is to know about you. It is up to you to present everything good about yourself and give the interviewer the impression that you can perform the job at hand.
My wife is amazing at interviews because she knows how to show the best side of her. As a result, she can find jobs much easier than everyone else and probably enjoys a better starting salary too.
I Love Living Here.
My boss bought a house recently and got an amazing deal on a model home. He convinced the agent that he was very serious in buying and also had the capability to pay for the house long before the model was available. When the home builder put the model homes on fire sale a few weeks ago, the first person the agent called was my boss.
I am the Used Car Salesman
Like it or not, we are all used car salesman at some point in our lives. Being able to sell your car at a good price is not just about luck. Give the potential buyer every reason to buy the vehicle. Why should they buy the car when you don’t want it?
Improvement is a Journey
Some people are just better at selling than others, but no matter how good you are, there’s always room to improve. Try to:
- Practice – Try to deliberately practice this. The more you intentionally sell yourself, the more natural you become.
- Observe Others – Identify who are the great sellers at your company and after you finish admiring how good he/she, take notice. It’s the way picture they paint, the words they use and the confidence in their tone.
- Read Books – There are tons of books on this subject and although most of them tailor to a salesperson, many of the principles apply to everyone. The first sales book I ever read was Little Red Book of Selling and I highly recommend it. For less than $20, you really cannot go wrong.
- Take Classes – There are classes these days for just about anything and selling is no different. Ask the sales department for some recommendation. Just make sure you let them know that you aren’t after their job.
- Get a Mentor – Ask people you are observing to become your mentor. If you approach them sincerely, you will be surprised that many people will actually be happy to help. Remember to respect their time and show your appreciation to develop a win-win relationship.
Ready to Take Action
A person with strong selling skills will have a better job, make more money and have a better personal life as well. So go work on those selling skills. It may very well transform your life.
{ read the comments below or add one }
You’re absolutely right. Selling yourself and negotiating in general are very important skills that are applicable in many aspects of your life. Asking for discounts, bargaining a better deal for your cellphone plan etc, or even getting something as simple as better service at a restaurant. One thing that always helps: Being pleasant and smiling 🙂
Your book is available now as a V-book… and while I have no clue what that even is (old and non-techy that I am) it was funny that I ran across it in my Library’s monthly “Book Page” book review for Sept. 🙂 Small world.
Your little red book is available used online for as little as $9 plus shipping. Or maybe even free thru a local library.
Couldn’t agree more with you about selling yourself in a job interview. it is critical if you want to stand out. If you are a passive candidate, you better be something really special, otherwise you will get overlooked. Especially true for the better, more competitive, higher paying jobs.
Excellent post. I hear about getting a mentor all the time but I’m always afraid to ask people I know to be my mentor. I will just have to check this out.
Great post
I think your right you need to be a better seller in today’s economy especially.
Toast master and speaking in public is also a great way to sharpen your selling skills.