Whether you know it or not everyone is selling something every day. You don’t need to be a salesperson to sell anything. In fact no matter what do you you’re selling something, either you’re selling someone or someone is selling you.
Any time you are trying to influence an outcome, any time you are trying to get your way, any time you are trying to persuade someone, you’re selling and every time you get your way you’ll be paid a commission. Not all commission is monetary. Commission can come in all forms, good health, happiness, love…
Are You Sold On Yourself?
The most important sale you’ll ever make in your life is to yourself. The first thing is to be sold on yourself. If you want to get anywhere in your life you need to believe in yourself, in whom you are and what you’re capable of.
No matter what your profession, even if you have a “real job”, whether you’re a doctor, lawyer, accountant, a professional athlete, entertainer or entrepreneur, you need to be able to sell yourself to reach the top of your profession and industry.
Only to the degree that you are sold on yourself can you sell yourself.
If you’re not convinced that you’re a great person to be with how are you going to convince anyone else to be with you?
If you’re not convinced that your time is worth x amount how are you going to get anyone to pay you that?
If you’re not convinced on how on valuable you are how are you going to get anyone to value you?
If you’re not convinced that you’re the best actor, singer, athlete, doctor, lawyer, accountant, real estate agent, entrepreneur…why would you even put yourself forward for big opportunities? You probably won’t.
So it all starts with you being sold on yourself. It has to be a conviction!
Now I know you might be thinking that this whole “believe in yourself” stuff is the same old stuff you’ve heard a million times and its good that you have heard it before. This is a prerequisite for success at anything.
The reason so many people talk about it is because it’s a fundamental of being successful.
Are You Sold On Your Product?
I was never a great employee…no, scratch that, I was actually the best employee wherever I have worked, I just didn’t last that long anywhere because I never really believed in what the company was doing.
In a few sales stints I did I didn’t have the best numbers. Not because I wasn’t a good salesperson but because I just wasn’t sold on what I was selling. I didn’t really think the customer was getting the best deal. I knew it was never the best product or service for them compared to what was out in the market. I was even secretly surprised when some customers thought they were getting a good deal. “Wow, how easy was that?” I would sometimes think.
Even in my own businesses I would typically price products and services very low because I didn’t sell myself on the value I was offering. I didn’t take the time to fully sell myself on all the benefits and all the reasons why someone should buy from me.
I mean why would you think anyone would be better off buying from someone else rather than yourself if you really believed that you were offering the best solution?
That doesn’t mean that you lie to yourself and tell yourself that you have the best product and most features when it doesn’t. What is does mean is that you sell yourself on all the plus points and make the most of what you have.
“Price, Quality and Service, pick 2 of the three”
If you can offer the highest quality product and offer world class service at the lowest prices you’re going to make a lot of money but in almost all cases that’s not realistic or sustainable.
I can’t get a Ferrari for Hyundai prices. If you want to offer a premium quality product/service with the highest levels of service then you need to charge a premium price for it to be sustainable.
When selling yourself on your product or service make a fair comparison what’s out there in the market.
Maybe you are not offering the highest quality product but maybe you offer better customer service and better prices. Maybe your prices are high but that’s only because you offer the best product and the best service.
There are different expectations of quality and service at different price points, just remember that when selling yourself on your product or service.
Bottom line is that if you want to sell more the first person you must sell is yourself and that’s the most important sale you’ll ever make if you want to be successful.
