Do you love to hate the word “sales?”

I’ve had some negative sales interactions. You know the kind. I was a buyer and I felt pressured… ignored. Sadly, sometimes those stereotypes of sleazy salespeople are earned. We’ve all had these experiences! 

Even in the face of that truth, I don’t want to toss out the baby with the bathwater. I want to redeem the word and reputation of “sales.”

If you are reading this blog, chances are you work in the sales arena. You might be an entrepreneur or a sales team manager. In any case, you’re responsible for bringing in new clients or customers.

So consider with me the implications a negative impression of sales can have or has had on your career. Does that icky feeling about sales cause you to hold back from initiating with potential buyers?

You get to decide what sales means to you. If you decide that it is pushy and manipulative, then that belief will influence how you connect with potential clients.

My definition of sales (borrowing from the late, great Ron Willingham) is that sales is something we do for someone, not to them, or at them. My definition of sales includes providing extra value above and beyond what the circumstance requires. When we do sales work with this perspective, like a good human strives to do, we don’t have to reject the word “sales.”

If you want to face the beliefs that influence your sales and sell with greater confidence, consider coming to our one-day, in-person conference in Houston on Sept. 6th, 2024. Join the waitlist here to get the details and early bird pricing first.