Sales isn’t something you do to someone. It’s something you do for someone.

Everything changes when we put the customer first. When their problems, issues, challenges become our primary focus, we stop doing something to our prospects and start doing something for them.

That something . . .

Is fixing a broken system, it’s finding more money for capital improvements, that something is helping them compete better, that something is helping them deliver more for less, that something is expanding into new markets. That something is something that makes their world, their business, their environment better.

As sales people when we’re doing something FOR our prospects, we’re enablers.

When we’re not doing something for someone, we’re doing something to someone. When we’re focused on our product, when we’re focused on the features and benefits of our product we’re doing something to people. We’re trying to convince them, cajole them and get them to buy for our purposes. When we’re thinking about quota attainment, quarterly earnings, Presidents Club, bonuses, etc. we’re doing something to someone.

Selling it’s not about you, your company, your products, your services, your awards, your quota, your commitment to the street, your presence on the Inc Fastest growing companies. Selling is about your customer and what you can do for them.

Doing something to someone rarely feels good, thus the slimy feeling of sales.

Doing something for someone, well that’s an entirely different story.