The Psychology of Selling

1. The Psychology of Selling

Session One

SELF-ASSESSMENT

1. Am I proud of my profession?


2. Am I in the top 20 percent of salespeople?


3. Do I genuinely like myself?


4. Is there any aspect of selling that makes me
   uncomfortable?


5. Does my self-concept include a high level of
   income?


6. Can I cope with the rejection that I will inevitably
   encounter in selling?

SUMMARY
The most important thing we have to understand in the
world of selling is that nothing happens until the sale
takes place. The most successful organizations in the
world have superb selling organizations. They rise or
fall on the quality of their sales effort. We can be proud
to be salespeople because it is upon our efforts that the
whole economy floats. There is no limit to where we can
go in this profession if we are properly trained and
skilled in selling.

In selling, the 80-20 rule, or the Pareto principle,
prevails. According to the 80-20 rule, 80 percent of sales
are made by 20 percent of the salespeople. Once you get
into the top 20 percent, you don’t have to worry about
money or employment again. Your job is to get into the
top 20 percent and then into the top 4 percent. In the
top 4 percent, you become one of the highest paid
people in the world. The purpose of The Psychology of
Sellingis to show you how to achieve that goal.

The winning edge theory says that the difference
between top performers and average or mediocre
performers is not a great one. It is always just a small
difference: Top performers just do certain things a
certain way a little bit better each day. If you develop
that winning edge, there’s no reason why you cannot
move rapidly into the top 4 percent.

Selling is an inner game. That is, what is going on
inside the mind of the salesperson makes all the
difference in his success. We know there is a direct
relationship between a salesperson’s self-concept and his
sales performance and effectiveness. We feel
uncomfortable if we don’t act in accordance with our
self-concept. We will never earn much more or much
less than our self-concept level of income. Our job is to
raise this self-concept level of income.

We always sell in a manner consistent with our self-

concept. Some of us are uneasy about picking up the

phone and calling somebody. Some of us feel

uncomfortable about closing. By becoming more skilled,

we feel more competent, raise our self-concept and

become more successful.

The core of self-concept is self-esteem. A person with

high self-esteem likes himself. How much you like

yourself is the key determinant of your performance and

your effectiveness in everything you do.

There are two major obstacles in selling. The first

obstacle is the customer’s fear of making a mistake. The

second major obstacle in selling is the salesperson’s fear

of rejection. Until a salesperson develops confidence, a

high self-concept and sufficient resilience to bounce

back from inevitable rejection, he cannot sell

successfully. All outstanding salespersons have reached

the point where they no longer fear rejection.

Sales are usually based on friendship. People will not

buy from you until they are genuinely convinced that

you are their friend and are acting in their best interest.

There is a direct relationship between your level of self-

esteem and how well you get along with different

people. The best salespeople have a natural ability to

make friends easily with perspective customers.

A key element in selling is enthusiasm. A sale is a

transfer of your enthusiasm about the product or

service into the mind and heart of the other person.

The reason so many people fail in sales is that they do

not stay with it long enough to get those first few

winning experiences that raise their self-esteem and self-

concept and set them off on a successful career in

selling. That’s why it’s so important that from the very

beginning you say to yourself that nothing is going to

stop you until you are successful.