Do You Love The Work But Hate to Sell?

From time to time, I am asked the following question: Vinay, I love what I do, but I hate the selling part. What do I do?

If you're like me, you don't particularly enjoy selling, nor the constant pressure of having to chase and close deals.  While I understand the sales process and the need to drive revenue, the use of war like language often used in sales (closing, chasing deals, breakthrough resistance, get 'em to say yes, etc.) is a turn off for me.

I am certainly not implying it's wrong but just that it doesn't work for me. You see, to me people aren't to be conquered, nor are they just deals to be closed, trophies to be won.  Rather they are real living human beings, just like you and I and therefore deserve to be served, to be helped. To me "selling" is the start of a relationship, not the ending, the closing.

While I don't particularly enjoy selling per se, I do love helping people.  I love becoming an expert in something and then sharing that expertise with others as well as using it to help.  So if you're like me, I say to you, stop selling and start helping.  Here are some of the ways you can do that:

1. Write:  Write articles, start a blog, participate in various electronic discussion groups in which your target audience participate, write books, short booklets, and tips.
2. Teach: Develop and deliver educational programs.
3. Present.  Develop short talks.  Speak at conferences and other various gatherings.
4. Serve: Get involved, serve on committees, boards, and other such groups.

As you get in front of those you want to serve and share your expertise in these various ways, you'll start to get to know people, and more importantly people will start to get to know you.  Through such efforts, your network will grow, leading to conversations, some of which you'll initiate and some others will initiate.  In due time work will flow to you.  Working this way not only leads to work, it also leads to more joy and fulfillment, for both you and the people you help.

Now some may question if this just a mind game for at the end of the day we still have to drive revenue.  After all, just helping with no returns doesn't work for too long either. What I do know and have experienced is that if you love your work but hate to sell, shifting the mindset from selling to helping can make all the difference, in both your own success as well as those you help.  So stop selling and start helping and you'll be well on your way.