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iDEA Inspiring Digital Enterprise Awards

Intro

Although we might not be aware of it, we are all capable of selling. In fact, we do it hundreds of times a week from a very young age.

When we become aware that we must sell, however, things get a little trickier. With so many methods of selling, so much advice, so many different approaches, it is easy to feel overwhelmed: the palms start to sweat, the throat starts to dry, and panic starts to set in.

The key to selling is having knowledge of the different ways there are of going about it and finding the way that works for you.

In this badge, we are going to try to show you lots of different approaches. All of them have been shown to work, and hopefully by the end of the badge, you’ll have discovered an approach that suits you.

Why is selling important?

Selling is critical to the success of many businesses. The success of businesses is vital to the economy. The strength of the economy dictates the well-being of a country.

So, you could say that selling is really quite important.

A good sales person could be the difference between a company making a loss or a profit.

It isn’t just people with ‘sales’ in their job title that should try to master the art of selling. Being able to convince people and sell ideas and theories is a great skill to have in all walks of life.

Task

When you think of ‘selling’ which words pop in to your head and what do they mean to you? Look at the words or sentences below and decide whether you agree that they define selling or not.

1/4

The exchange of a commodity for money; the action of selling something.

  • Yes
  • Maybe
  • Nope

Maybe!

This is the dictionary definition of selling but selling is so much more than this.

Next question

2/4

Manipulation.

  • Yes
  • Maybe
  • Nope

No!

If a person feels like they are being manipulated, then this is the opposite of good selling!

Next question

3/4

Pushing a product.

  • Yes
  • Maybe
  • Nope

Maybe!

Selling could be seen as a pushing a product. However, if you are successful in your selling approach, your consumer will not need to be pushed, you will have convinced them that what you’re selling satisfies a want or need.

Next question

4/4

Addressing a problem or need for a fair price.

  • Yes
  • Maybe
  • Nope

Yes!

This is the crux of selling. A sales person needs to identify a problem or issue (often known in sales as a “pain point”), provide the means to fix or address this for a fair rate of pay, meaning that both parties end up satisfied with the transaction.

Well done!

We'll explore this in more detail later.

Let's continue