Flip the Switch: Remove the Stigma of Selling.

An excerpt from my next book on Sales Culture. Releasing early 2023.

You may not have chosen to sell as a profession, but does that mean you are not in sales? Not on your life.

The 21st-century company is complex. There is not one decision-maker. Your external customer and internal customer both have complex company infrastructures to manage. This means selling needs to be both an art and a science. We need good selling skills and practices (science), but there is an art to how everything comes together at just the right time and just the right place and by just the right person so that everyone is satisfied.

People retention and growth depend on mindset and connection to the business.

If we're going to make a difference in the culture of the organization—if we're going to make a difference in how we show people that every interaction matters—it begins and ends not only with people but with the mindset and the behavior we ask them (and ourselves) to embrace every day. 

Features and benefit selling was the way to sell when I started my career at Xerox decades ago, selling copiers, typewriters, and fax machines. Selling today is different. It isn't something that we plug in, and it happens. It's not an app that downloads. It's not "if you do this, miraculous things will happen." The kind of growth companies today need comes from a combination of the culture we build and our willingness to lead that culture. Because every single person in the organization has a choice every single day to think about the interaction that they're engaging in at that moment, we need everyone invested because, as we know, everyone's in sales.

When I say everyone's in sales, I mean that everybody in the organization does something every day with every connection and conversation that influences the customer's decision to say yes to their company. Once employees understand that everyone has a role in the sales process, mindset changes, and the company is more successful at reaching its goals. Sales training typically focuses on tools. Companies must focus on changing the culture.

 Don't Be Afraid to Sell

Fear can prevent us from selling. Why? It's simple: No one wants to be "that guy." We groan just thinking about the used car salesperson stereotype. So when people hear the word sales, they shut down. The minute we put that sales label on something and they think, "Well, this is selling," people freak out. They say, "Hey, I'm not in sales." And you know what? That freakout, and that shrinking away, is that negative stereotype that keeps us from achieving our goals. We all have the power to achieve whatever we want, but we have to sell it. And that makes us uncomfortable. Are you ready for incredible growth through individual mindsets and people?

Todd Cohen, CSP, has been inspiring and motivating audiences for over 15 years, teaching them to sell themselves to achieve goals and incredible success. His sales culture keynotes and workshops are in demand from audiences from every background, including salespeople! Delivering approximately 90 appearances every year worldwide, Todd leaves people with a story to tell and feeling great about themselves!

You can learn more about Todd and book him for your next conference at toddcohen.com.