It amazes me how many people have a hard time reconciling their own jobs of selling.

It’s one of the reasons the “Is Selling Evil?” theme resonates with me and so many
others.

The truth is we are all salespeople. Whether you are “selling” a friend on your favorite
restaurant or “selling” a homeowner on buying your services. You’re selling. And it’s not
evil…in fact it’s providing value to the recipient.

That’s what selling should be about “value creation and benefits.”  That is what I teach
you through Piranha Marketing and the Rich Cleaner System.

Here is an excerpt from an article on this theme that I recently wrote for Success
Magazine:

Why Does Selling Get Such A Bad Rap?

My favorite definition of selling comes from a brilliant friend of mine, CEO and founder of
Strategic Coach, Dan Sullivan. I love the way he defines it, “Selling is getting someone
intellectually engaged in a future result, that is good for them, and getting them to
emotionally commit to take action to achieve that result.”

With that definition in mind, look back at the past 100 years. How many “breakthroughs”
would have been made without “selling”?

Martin Luther King Jr. got people intellectually engaged in a future result that got people
to commit to take action. So did Mother Theresa and JFK. So did Henry Ford and
Steve Jobs.

But then again, so did Hitler.

Hitler got people intellectually and emotionally engaged in a future result that murdered
people.

Yes, that was unarguably evil. But does that make “selling” evil? On a much lighter
note, what about the nightmare story of a sales person, foot in the door, high pressure,
not taking “no” for an answer? Does that make selling evil?

“Selling” took place on all accounts. The only variable in these equations was whether
the person doing the “selling” offered a “future result” that was good for all parties
involved.

Let’s look at this, because it’s profound.

Selling can be defined as, “Getting someone intellectually engaged in a future result that
is good for them…”

Remove the words “good for them” from that definition of selling and what do you have?
A parameter that allows the abuse of salesmanship.

Because when a person or company doesn’t consider “the good” for their prospect,
the game changes. This is where you find the person who manipulates for greed and
muddies the name of “selling” for everyone else.

But put the “good” back into that definition and what do you have? Suddenly “selling”
becomes something beneficial. Selling is helpful. Selling is progress. Selling is a better
future.

Selling is a better future and I’m working hard to change the perceptions about selling.

I feel strongly that selling is the oxygen of our economy and when it’s done ethically and
with integrity then it’s really something to take pride in. After all, you’re creating and
putting value out into the world…and benefiting your clients. And that’s something to be
proud of.

Best,
JOE

PS. Please check me out in the July issue of Success Magazine. My article can be
found on page 20. Or you can read it online.

PPS. This week I was absent from I Love Marketing but Dean Jackson hosted and
interviewed Anthony Melchiorri from the Travel Channel’s Hotel Impossible. Don’t miss
Episode 74 at www.ILoveMarketing.com Listen and discover:

• Client experience architecture
• Focusing on what you do well
• Anticipating needs
• Anthony talks about his experience at the Algonquin Hotel
• How your customers are watching everything you do
• Obsessing over details
• Being who you are
• Being the best or not the best