You Don’t Have to Hate Selling – Sales Is Service

“I hate selling.”

I hear this all the time, especially from coaches, consultants, business owners, and other professionals who never really thought of themselves as salespeople.

They love what they do. They know they can help people. They believe in their product or service.

But selling it?

Yuck.

Here’s the problem: If you hate selling, there’s a good chance you’re thinking about selling the wrong way.

Selling isn’t about convincing someone to do something they don’t want to do. It isn’t about manipulating people, applying pressure, using clever closing techniques, or talking someone into buying something they don’t need.

Selling is Serving.

Think about it.

If you genuinely believe your product or service can solve a problem, improve a situation, save someone time, make them money, reduce their stress, or help them achieve something important, then telling them about it isn’t something to feel guilty about.

In fact, NOT telling them is doing them a disservice. (p.s. – it’s doing you a disservice too)

Your job isn’t to convince. Your job isn’t to persuade. Your job isn’t to talk people into things.

Your job is to have a great conversation and help someone make a good decision.

That starts with curiosity.

Ask questions. Listen carefully. Understand what’s happening in their world. Find out what they want to accomplish, what’s getting in their way, and why solving the problem matters to them.

Then determine whether you can actually help.

Sometimes the answer will be yes.

Sometimes it will be no.

And that’s okay.

Great selling isn’t about getting everybody to say yes. It’s about helping the right people say yes – while being perfectly comfortable helping the wrong people say no.

That’s service.

When you stop approaching a sales conversation thinking, “How do I get this person to buy?” and start thinking, “How can I help this person make the best decision for them?” something changes.

The pressure drops.

You become more curious.

You listen better.

You stop pitching and start having good conversations.

And strangely enough, you’ll probably sell more.

So, if you’ve been telling yourself, “I hate selling,” try changing the definition.

You don’t have to love pitching.

You don’t have to love closing.

You don’t have to become some slick, fast-talking salesperson.

You just have to love helping people.

Because when selling is done correctly and with integrity, selling IS helping.

And there’s absolutely nothing to hate about that.