This is a perfect example of how living and selling cohabitate. It’s perfect because it is an analogy that we can all understand.
In sales we have to think about who we would like to have as a client then we have to think of the best way to approach them. The next step is prospecting. Once we find them we start sending messages that we hope makes us and what we are selling sound good enough not to be ignored. However, getting them to respond requires many tries because they don’t respond as quickly as we would like. So, we keep trying until one day, maybe, the prospect replies. Now the questioning starts. Our answers determine whether or not we are worthy of that crucial first meeting. After providing, what luckily enough turns out to be what the prospect wants to hear, we are granted an appointment. Now we really start to prepare. We start to worry if we are dressed appropriately and hope we say the right things and hope we don’t accidentally spill our coffee all over ourselves. We get to the meeting on time but our prospect isn’t there and now we wonder if they are going to even show up. However, it goes well and we get a second meeting and a third and a fourth until it’s time to close the deal. They have learned to like and trust us enough to get into a business relationship and we’re happy. But wait. There’s more. Now the ongoing service work starts and all we can do is hope we don’t screw it up and lose everything we have worked for. Let’s not even talk about the possibility of a competitor showing up who tries to steal the business that we have worked so hard to get and keep!
I am absolutely certain that as you read the sales steps you realized that this is exactly like the dating experience. In fact if we are lucky enough to find the right partner and we ‘close the deal’ we realize that it was only possible because we sold ourselves.
As long as we have been honest, authentic and shown empathy, all going well, we will not lose what we worked so hard to get. Keep being a good listener and remember it’s not all about you. Living really is selling!