Sales is often seen as dirty, I’m guilty of this as well. But in fact every encounter where you want your own opinion or interest considered is a form of sales pitch. The further you get from a practical, hands-on job, the more you will be selling. All meetings involve selling ideas, perspectives or reasons. Raising a child involves selling your values, your ideals and what to eat for dinner.

If selling is such an integral part of life maybe it’s time to the negative stereotype?

Why do we even have a preconceived notion of selling as something negative? A car salesman quickly comes to mind, using the information imbalance to make a nice profit. He knows the true value of the car, the possible issues of that model and what he paid for it. Historically the customer did not have access to any of these facts and where at a huge disadvantage. Selling in this context almost become a form of scam where the sole goal is maximizing profit.

Two things can change this to a more positive and balanced experience.

Information balance. If the customer knows the value, margin and potential issues with the car, she will also know what price is reasonable. Internet has had a huge impact on this.

The second thing would be a change in objective. If the intention of the seller is to get a happy customer rather than maximizing personal gain, it suddenly becomes a positive experience for both parties.

We can use both of these in every day negotiations and persuasion attempts. Be transparent with your arguments and reasons. And make the goal a win-win, attempt to understand the opposite side and identify what is important to them. Like with most social interactions we need empathy and sincere listening to achieve this.