I’ve heard it said that, “we’re all in sales.” And although there’s a part of me that hates to admit it, I’m coming to see that it’s true. No, we may not be actually selling physical products, but there’s a certain level of selling—of persuasion—that happens throughout life.
Perhaps it’s in trying to convince someone of the right course of action, or of the value of an idea. Maybe it’s in trying to get someone to trust you or believe you. These kinds of situations happen all the time, not just in the business world where there are professional salespeople. As parents, teachers, spouses, or friends, there will be times when we will try to persuade someone of something, which is a kind of selling.
Now, sometimes the term “selling” can get a bad wrap due to the pushy, obnoxious salespeople we’ve all encountered. But selling doesn’t have to be manipulative or pushy or insincere. A teacher may try to persuade her students, a pastor his parishioners, or a parent her children. In a sense, all of these are trying to sell ideas to others—trying to get them to “buy in” on what is being communicated. But this doesn’t mean it’s out of selfish motivations. We may try to persuade someone to make a decision because we sincerely think it’s in their best interest. We’re trying to sell them on what to do, but it’s not because we’re trying to make a profit. We’re simply using the power of persuasion to help others make a decision we think is best.
And all of us do this at one level or another, even if it’s just at the level of trying to get others to buy into us—to trust us, to believe us. We see this in dating and marriage. In a sense, we’re making a sale. We’re hoping that the other person will buy in and commit to a relationship with us. And we’re doing what we can to convince them that doing so is the right choice.
We’re all in sales in one way or another. And once we realize that, it will affect how we do what do, because the words we use and the actions we take matter. They will affect our credibility with those around us, and will directly contribute to whether we’re successful in whatever we sell. Perhaps it’s a product, or an idea, or a way to live—maybe even whether we can be trusted as a friend.
In the end, we’re all selling something—it’s just a matter of what and how.