Over recent years the term ‘salesman’ or ‘salesperson’ has become an unpalatable term.  If you’re not sure what I mean try this…put the term “Salesman” into Google images and take a look at what shows up.  The pictures are less than flattering to say the least!  I’ve even used the term “Slick Salesperson” as a negative term in a previous blog entry.

However I’d like to suggest that regardless of your occupation and profession we are all sales people.  I’d also suggest that we should be proud of this fact with one important caveat…the product or service we sell has to do what we say it’s going to do.

There are many professionals including individuals involved in accountancy, law and financial services who won’t admit they sell their ‘product’ due to the perception of the word ‘sales’.  In many professional sectors (including our business) the ‘product’ we sell isn’t tangible.  The ‘product’ is our knowledge and expertise together with a robust process ensuring that our clients finances are looked after now only now but for the long term.

So, should we be ashamed or embarrassed of selling our product or service?  If our product or service meets it’s expectations and delivers on it’s promises…no.  Our society is built on individuals and businesses buying and selling products and services and we would live in a fundamentally different world if we all decided that ‘selling’ wasn’t an activity which added value to all of our lives.

Maybe it’s due to the fact that the British tend to be slightly more reserved than our cousins in the US (as they do not seem to have as many reservations about selling and promoting their services).  Maybe we don’t want to be perceived as “pushy” or any of the other negative connotations which as associated with typical “sales” behaviour.  Regardless of the reasons we still continue as a society to be embaressed about selling!

However I believe that promoting and marketing your service shouldn’t be about an ‘in your face’ or ‘pushy’ approach.  It should be about educating your potential clients about how your product and service can add genuine value to their lives both now and in the future.  It’s about keeping your promises so that your existing clients and professional connections become your greatest advocates.  It’s also about only working with clients where you know that your product and service will meet a need.

I’m not a big fan of the phrase “(S)he can sell Ice to Eskimos”…after all, what need are you meeting by doing this!  A more professional salesperson would identify the need the same Eskimos…let’s say for Jumpers and provide said Jumpers to meet this need. Should we change the phrase to “(S)he can sell Jumpers to Eskimos”….I’m not sure!

So, if you know your product or service meets your clients needs, you can truly deliver on the promises you make to your clients and you behave in an ethical, honest and responsible way…be proud to be a Salesperson.  It makes the world go round!