Actually, I don’t hate selling. I hate having to create opportunities to sell.

When you examine what drives the success of a business you’re sure to find a successful salesperson. For many small business owners, who work on their own, it will be their success as a salesperson that will make or break their business. But, it’s not selling skills that make those people successful. It’s how good they are at generating selling opportunities.

I know there are many shy people who don’t like talking to strangers. And, it’s not unusual for shy people to own a business. But, even shy people are proud of what they do, what they know, and what they sell. Once they start talking about their business they can easily explain the benefits of what they do or offer. They believe in what they are saying.

Selling IS NOT about twisting someone’s arm until they give up and buy from you. Selling is not really about “overcoming objections” or knowing “when to close”. Selling is what happens naturally when you are in front of a prospect that needs, wants and can afford what you have that will solve their problem.

So, the main hurtle for small business owners isn’t actually selling. The hurtle is securing the opportunity to sell – getting in front of a true prospect

This part of the equation is what Marketing is about. Marketing is the investment you make into activities designed to cultivate selling opportunities. This complex and inter-related discipline will be the topic of our next blog post.

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