On the surface, the title of this post may seem peculiar. After all, how can you sell yourself out of an opportunity? Actually, you may have done it recently and just didn’t know it! So before you read further, take a minute to reflect on the last time you were selling/pitching an idea, product or service.
If you’ve ever worked with a business coach, taken a sales training class, or read any literature on how to sell/pitch, you’ve gotten some variation of the elements that constitute the sales process, such as know your target client; know their problem; understand how your solution solves their problem; and deliver on your promises. Most salespeople (newsflash: we are all salespeople!) progress through their sale cycle believing the various stages are about selling to the client. Considering that is how many of us have been conditioned, that posture isn’t too surprising. Yet, what I continue to re-discover is that the sales process is really more for helping the seller allow the buyer to buyer. Let me explain. (Continue reading…)
