I have often heard people say, “I could never sell anything.”
I will usually just smile and nod my head when they say that. I don’t always try to change their mind.
But the truth is that I do believe that anyone who has a great work ethic and is willing to follow my direction can become a great sales person. I have seen people from all backgrounds do exactly that and build a great lifestyle for them and their families.
Sometimes, when I am feeling playful, I will enter into a discussion with them on this topic by asking a question about any area of life in which they might have an opinion. That exchange normally goes something like this:
Me: “Hey, what do you think of that church youth center building project that we are considering?”
Them: “Oh, I think it is a very good idea.”
Me: “Why do you say that?”
Them: “Well, we really need to grow the membership in the church if we are to reach the community more effectively. To do that, we have to bring in more families. Families tend to go to church where they believe their children will be happy and learn more about their faith. This building project will do that.”
Me: “Well, you may think you could never sell anything, but you just sold me.”
One of my prized possessions is an autographed copy of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Influence, by Dr. John Maxwell. In that book, Dr. Maxwell makes the following statement:
“The True Measure of Leadership Is Influence – Nothing More, Nothing Less”
Dr. John C. Maxwell
The same can be said of successful selling. Your success is dependent upon your ability to influence others.[lightbox link=”https://jeffcwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/elephants.jpg” thumb=”https://jeffcwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/elephants.jpg” width=”300″ align=”right” title=”elephants” frame=”true” icon=”image” caption=””]
My friend, Bob Burg has a great tool for assessing your ability to influence others. The assessment is free, and I think it is a valuable exercise of all.
Enjoy!
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