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Sales are integral to business.

The reality is, if you have no sales, you have no business. No accountant in the world can spin the numbers to make them work if no one is buying what you are selling.

If you talk to just about any business owner or leader of a company, they will tell you that marketing is one of their biggest focal points. There are times when it outpaces production.

In the social media world, essentially all paid ads are geared toward sales, either directly or indirectly through a lead generator. The whole idea of business on social media is to make connections in order to, at some point, make sales.

When you think about it, sales are paramount to business – the engine that keeps the company moving forward and upward.

But when you ask the average leader of a company what keeps them awake at night, sales are also their nemesis.

Why is the thing companies need most also the thing they struggle with most?

• Often, the state of sales is blamed or credited based on the state of the economy.

To a degree, this is true. But there are companies that manage to thrive, even in the worst of economies; and companies that tank, even in the best of economies. Consider the Great Depression. Companies went under, most certainly. But some existing companies survived and even thrived; and some new companies were born during that era. One of those companies, in fact, grew to be a Fortune 500 company.

• Lack of sales is attributed to customers.

“People just aren’t buying these days.”

“People aren’t interested in my goods and services.”

This, too, has merit to a degree. If you don’t have something people need or want, they won’t buy.

• Tough competition

In today’s global economy, this is an undeniable truth. Competition is tough, and margins are tight. And yet, some of the most profitable businesses of our time, started in basements and garages, have risen to take on the competition.

Your Secret Sales Weapon

If the economy is good, you have a product or service people need, and the competition is manageable; but you are still not selling, it may be time to pull out your secret weapon: your team.

If you ask the average person, “Are you good at sales?” most will answer with an adamant, “NO!”

In this article, I venture to say that everyone – including you – is a high-potential sales person.

Every day, in some form or fashion, you sell someone on something – a customer, client, team member, family member, or maybe even yourself. You sell them on goods, services, ideas, or actions.

How do you do this?

Simply by being yourself.

Did you know there is a research-based assessment you can take to find your best inner sales person…even if you are an introvert?

You don’t have to be the stereotypical sales person to make a sale. In fact, in a relationship marketing society, the successful sales person model has been refashioned considerably.

Sales have become more about building a trust-based relationship, establishing a connection, and providing a solution to a problem. It is more about listening than talking (or yelling); helping than persuading; and communicating more than pitching.

If you study some of the successful leaders of our time, you will find they are not all extroverted stereotypical sales personalities. Many are quite the opposite. When it comes to sales, all personalities can sell when equipped with the knowledge of who they are and how to do it in a way that is sincere to them.

To learn more about how you and your team can craft a sales program that fits your style and is highly effective, click here. We’d love to help you address this critical business component!

As the CEO of Strength Leader Development, Deb Ingino is a highly sought-after international executive mentor, coach, trainer and speaker. Deb is well versed in global business operations and helps business leaders and their teams to discover and leverage their strengths, so they can create highly collaborative teams that deliver great results. With a refreshingly direct style, Deb helps leaders and their teams to deliver profitable results. Connect with Deb to learn more about her mentorship and coaching programs to equip you with advanced strategies to elevate your results.

When you have a strong team that collaborates well,
you have a competitive advantage.

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