by Don Sanders

What exactly is selling? Have you ever asked yourself that question? For many years, hundreds of so-called 'experts' have made millions in the process of trying to tell you the answer.

Thousands of books have been written on the subject. There is no end to the proliferation of selling seminars, infomercials, coaches, and manuals on the topic. It seems that no stone has been left unturned in the quest to find the secret definition of selling. Every industry has spawned its own list of selling 'experts,' and the promotional products industry is no exception.

For example, one individual claims to know the "secrets" to selling imprinted items. For a fee, he will send you tapes that unlock these secrets. Another expert sells a secret report, in which he reveals how anyone can sell millions of dollars worth of product on a yearly basis. The only catch is that the report costs $800.00. Then there are the ones who offer sales training for a fee. You simply show up with a check before their shows, and the answer is yours. An industry association even gets in on the act. For a certain fee, you can attend one of their selling academies.

Do you have to spend money to understand selling? If you think about it, the concept of selling is absolutely free. It all boils down to one thing--getting people to like you.

Much of what we do in life is based on what we like. We are frequently motivated to take action because we either like something or we don't. Take the simple things, like going to a movie. You primarily go see movies that you think you are going to like. You buy a certain brand of car because you like the way it looks or performs. You live in a house or apartment for certain reasons, and you date or associate with people because you like them. Just think about it.

Why then, should selling be any different? In reality it’s the same. You are motivated by what you like, as are your customers; they buy from people they like. So to be a success at selling, you simply need to get people to focus on your good attributes. Does that sound hard? It's really quite easy!

The trick to being successful is keeping the people you deal with focused on the things they do like about you. Talk about things the customer likes to discuss, such as their hobbies, or children, where they grew up or went to school, etc. Stay focused on them. You already know about you!

Here are some examples of actions that will inspire people to like you:
If you take someone to lunch, ask him or her where he or she wants to go.
If a customer requests a sample, get it delivered at once.
If they place an order, make sure the factory delivers the order on time.
If someone has a problem, resolve it quickly.
If you cannot meet a request, be honest and say that you cannot.
Marketers want us to believe that life is about looking good and that will make us happy and successful. But, in fact, both life, and selling, will run more smoothly when you do things that make other people like you. Take some time to analyze what people do like about you, and then use that wit, charm, reliability, or creativity on all of your customers on a daily basis and you will be on the road to selling success.

Don and Susan Sanders are twenty-year industry veterans. As professional salespeople, they have written numerous articles for industry publications, won two Pyramid Awards, written two books, and produced a 58-minute documentary film. They have recently created the first-ever promotional products sales training site: www.sellpromoproducts.com. While there, register to receive frequent selling tips.