We’re SELLING from the Moment We’re BORN!
From the very moment we’re born we naturally begin selling. It’s an innate sense to get what we want. Life begins with crying which sends a signal to those present that we have a need that we’d like taken care of. Crying is a very effective form of communication in the first few years of life. Crying indicates we’re hungry, we need a diaper change, or we’re tired and want to sleep. We use crying to sell those that can solve our issue that it’s in their best interest to help us. At some point we begin to realize that the ones taking care of our immediate needs are selling us on the fact that they love us. We soon begin to respond with a smile when someone helps us as a way of saying thank you.
The learning curve occurs quickly as our selling begins a trial-and-error period to get what we want. We begin to sense what works and what doesn’t and at some point, make adjustments. From our mid-single digits to our late teens, we become focused on selling ourselves. We do this to secure and nurture friendships, relationships, being a member of an athletic team, school band, or clubs like scouts, drama, debate, science, robotics and more. During these years we all have a desire to be liked by others so the selling of ourselves becomes critical for our inclusion.
As we enter adulthood, a huge shift occurs that goes beyond just wanting to be liked by others. It’s then that we have a firm grasp on how being appreciated, respected, and loved makes us feel. To obtain feeling appreciated, respected, and loved we modify the way we sell ourselves to others based on what did and didn’t work with our prior experiences. Often, we enter a period of time where we become hyper-focused on selling ourselves to a new love interest. It’s rare that we ever experience such intense focus on selling as we do when we think we’re in love with someone. We spend time and money on presenting the best version of ourselves from the way we look to the way we communicate. We become acutely aware of what does and doesn’t work as we continually improve our selling method and strategy.
The next selling stage of our life is when we begin our vocation, or first job. Selling ourselves is important in the attempt to secure the job we’d most like to have. The intensity and refinement of our selling is especially important if there’s a specific job or company that we’re pursuing. This is typically where a huge division occurs in our culture. For most, the selling of oneself continues on in their vocation to secure advancement of title and compensation. This is also a time when our selling approach finds its groove in our personal life with family, friends, and other community members. As we tweak and modify our personality to match up with the people that form our peer group, we find comfort in soft selling ourselves in order to maintain the relationships with those who appreciate, respect, and love us.
People who end up with a position as a professional salesperson get a chance to experience a whole different level of selling which can lead to an enhanced way of living life. You see, whether selling a product or a service, the most successful salespeople never view what they do as selling. They see what they do as helping others. It’s a perspective shift. As time goes by, they learn to ask the right questions and spend most of the time listening to the answers people respond with. This allows them to ascertain whether their product or service can help that person or company. And they fall in love with the way they feel when they’re sincerely able to help others. The focus is never on the money they could make. It’s where people in sales get divided. The bad actors only care about themselves. The successful salespeople begin each day excited about the people they’ll be able to help.
Examples? People that sell clothes, shoes, and makeup are helping others improve their self-image. Vehicle salespeople help others discover what best serves their transportation needs. Insurance salespeople help others find just the right balance between budget and piece of mind. Restaurants, Gas Stations, Grocery Stores, Malls, and every small business out there all help us with convenience and choice. For ANY business out there, longevity and profitability are based solely on that company’s ability to help others. That’s the business side. But what about the personal side?
Consistently selling yourself, with the sincere intentions you hold deep in your heart centered around helping others, is the shortest path to long term joy in all your relationships. The relationship you have with your spouse, your kids, your parents, your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers, your church, and your community improves when you invest in the selling of what makes you…well, you (when you have a heart that’s dedicated to helping others). You’ll find that kind of selling to be the quickest path to people reaching out to you in return with appreciation, respect, and love which represent the three things that we all crave every day of our life. Hey…I Believe In YOU! GiddyUp!