To Sell is to Persuade

Many would wonder, why is it so hard to sell? Is it beacuse of the nature or the demands of the job, is my approach to sales wrong or is it because I have a 'face problem' haha well those were questions running through my mind when I approach people to strike a genuine conversation. Call me social deficion and I may agree with you years back, but I am trying to break out of my coccoon. To learn to break my inferiority complex. It is a learning curve but I am slowly but surely getting to where I want.

Being from a family whose parents thrive on sales to keep food on the table and shelter over our heads, I cannot help but wonder why can't I pick up a thing or two from my parents on how to 'sell' something? My dad always believes everyone at some point of their lives should and must learn how to sell. And knowing my father, no matter how direct and shrewd he may be, you can always learn something from him as he almost always is right. True enough, this was what I picked up from him.

In actual fact, meeting new people was something never in my comfort zone. So is running, but after making that first leap, that jump to a world of uncertainty, I never looked back since. The pass holidays, i took up a sales/marketing job for a survey company and boy did I struggle to approach and convince people to take up a survey. The first few days were tough and my morale was battered and down. However, there's always a way out of any struggle if we look beyond the trouble and search out a solution. I consulted my father the other day, and him being in sales for don't know how many umphtin years, he told me in a calm yet driven manner, son..your approach is wrong! here's a few pointers to follow..use persuasive words, words that does not make people feel forced upon to take up whatever you'r presenting. Give them the impression that a win-win sitution is what we are aiming for and not a matter of manipulation, control or coercion.

In essence the advice helped me alot. People begin to respond better when I appoached them and soon my life at work was beginning to feel easy. I do not have that refrain nature when I try to approach someone. I was let out of my leash, I gain my confidence and self-esteem was on an all time high.

Just last week, I went to Jinjang Community Clinic to clerk paients and basically strike a meaningful conversation with them to get their medical history. On hindsite, I was thankful cause what I learned in the holidays could be applied well in my daily life of a medical student. You see, it's not impossible, be adventurous, venture into the realms of the unknown and make that leap to break free, to break your boundaries!

Well, the message of the post basically underlines the importance of 'selling' . We all must understand that men have already began selling from birth. When a baby cries vehemently, the poor fella is trying to persaude you to give him milk, to clean his nappy or to attend to him. Everyone lives by selling something whether we realise it or not. So, it follows throughout our life that if people care about us, if they respect us, if they have good rapport with us, then they are more likely to respond to our persuasion. Therefore, it's vital that we tap on this wonderful art of selling and hone the skill.

In a nutshell, selling is the art of creating a desire in the mind of the buyer and satisfying that desire and interest so that the buyer and seller benefits. Therefore, it is safe to say that we can get everything that we want in life if we just help enough people to get what they want. So whether we like it or not, selling and persuading are and always will be constant realities in our work and personal lives, and to be successful, utilising these skills is absolutely paramount. Do take this to heart and have a good think about it ok.