What Is Sales All About? 2023

When I give talks to groups, I like to explain how basic sales techniques are used by people all the time, whether they know it or not. You see, my definition of sales is a bit broader than most people would have. The majority of people think that sales or selling is a transaction. You give me money and I give you a product or service. 

In my world, that "sale" is a transaction, but everything leading up to that transaction is "sales" or "selling". Think of a sale as a noun. It's a thing that happens as a result of selling.

So what is "sales" then? It is the process of trying to convince someone to do something they may or may not normally do, and to take action now. That sounds confusing at first, but break it down. 

1. Sales is a process. It's a series of steps, which can have a beginning and an end. The beginning may start with getting a referral or meeting someone at a networking event. The end will hopefully be a sale. All of that in between can happen quickly or may takes months, or even years to complete. I've met someone and closed them 15 minutes later. On other occasions, the sales curve lasted years.
2. Getting someone to do something they were neither thought of or maybe they had but were putting it off.  I know people who say, "I need to buy insurance, but it can wait for now." As a salesperson, I have to say, "No, it's can't wait. Do it now." I can't wait for you to make a decision years from now when I have to make a living now. Sounds very basic, but when you break it down, it makes sense.

So now that we have determined that the process and the goal are two separate entities that work together, we have to figure out how to make them work efficiently for you. A large part of this determines what you are trying to sell. Are you selling brooms, cars, disability insurance, or just selling something more important like yourself? 

Selling yourself, like in a job interview, is one of the most important job skills ever. And in the process of selling, it has to always be Step 1. Your client doesn't have to fall in love with you, but you only have a few seconds to earn someone's trust. A sincere smile and genuine concern can work almost instantaneously for you. 

I also discuss how sales is like dating. There is a lot of rejection with both, so you better start to enjoy it a little. Adding humor and fake "masochism" to my repertoire has helped my clients empathize with my plight as a sales professional. It's a tough job and most of my clients appreciate the work I put in for them. 

When I have a client who gets my sincere concern, but also my sense of humor, I not only become their life insurance agent, but someone they can trust to be honest with them. And that's what dating is all about. People will only buy from (or date) someone they like and trust. 

After you successfully sell yourself, then you can move on to selling your product or service. And when you close the deal, then you have a "sale".  I hope you close many deals and stay healthy!

Chris Castanes is a professional speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. He's also the author of "You're Going To Be Great At This!", a humorous look at sales. For booking information, click here. He's also the president of Surf Financial Brokers selling life and disability insurance in several states.