Leadership and Selling

Oct10
2012 17 Comments Written by danonleadership

Repost from  2011

A skill every leader needs to have is the ability to sell. This is a skill you need to have no matter your current position or industry. This is because every day you are intentionally or unintentionally selling something. It might not be a product or service but as we will see there are many other things every leader sells. The thing we need to remember is every leader sells but not every leader is effective at selling. For example,

 If it is during a job interview you are selling yourself to a potential employer.

 Or

If you’re trying to get money from a bank it’s selling your idea or vision to the potential lender.

Or

If you’re a church leader you share (sell) Jesus and the gospel in hopes others will see the truth.

Or

If you’re a blogger you write because you have a desire to sell (produce) something other people would want to read.

All of these things requires an aspect of selling. But it depends on how good you are at selling that determines the outcome. We will discuss how to become better at selling soon, but now here are 4 things a leader sells or should sell,

1. Themselves- A leader (or person) should be able to sell themselves. Which requires the ability to sell themselves to their people and potential people who could follow them. This takes the willingness to be yourself, understanding your strengths and weaknesses and be your unique self.

2. Vision- People follow a leader’s vision because they have communicated a compelling vision of the future. It takes a leader selling the vision to create buy-in and commitment.

3. Goals- If a leader wants to see results then they need to sell the importance of accomplishing goals and seeing results. Leader’s need to provide goals which lead to results.

4. Values- The leader’s values should be showing through their actions and behaviors. Before the people buy into your values, the leader first needs to live by them. Over time people will see your values and if they are good they will begin to add them to their life.

These are some of the most important areas a leader needs to be able to sell to others. Here are 10 points to remember about selling (in no specific order),

  • Be yourself
  • Be passionate and enthusiastic
  • Be confident
  • Be clear in your communication
  • Know what you’re selling
  • Focus on building a relationship and connecting
  • Find a want, need, or desire and then fill it
  • Make sure you listen
  • Have clear intentions
  • Be a good closer and ask for buy-in

Remember everyone is selling something. So make sure you develop your selling ability, even if it’s only selling yourself.

Question: How do you see sell yourself as a leader?

Posted in Leadership
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  • http://www.lifeofasteward.com Loren Pinilis

    I think the key to understanding this is understanding what selling is. If you think of selling as a used car salesman trying to get you to buy something you don’t want and won’t be good for you – then I can see how selling is a negative thing. But if you see selling as simply explaining the benefits to someone and showing them why a particular option is honestly the best thing for them, then selling is actually a helpful thing for them.

    • http://danblackonleadership.com/ Dan Black

      Great point Loren. It’s important to have the correct understanding of selling and then sell correctly. Thank you for sharing.

  • http://tcavey.blogspot.com/ TCAvey

    I don’t know how good a sells person I am, but I sure try. I know anything good I manage to accomplish is God and anything that falls short is me getting in God’s way.

    So glad you reposted this- great message. Giving me much to think about!

    • http://danblackonleadership.com/ Dan Black

      I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I think it’s something everyone can and should become better at. Thank you for reading and commenting.

  • floyd

    Everyone is indeed a salesman. I think one of the things that is missing is the importance of communication. We tend to think technology will do the trick all on it’s own. The best salesman is the person who gets a chance to look another person in the eye… the beginning of a real win/win relationship starts with that. Where it goes has endless possibilities.

    • http://danblackonleadership.com/ Dan Black

      Yes communication is essential and thank you for mentioning that. Thank you for adding your wise thoughts.

  • http://deuceology.wordpress.com Larry Carter

    I think one of the greatest ways is to treat each relationship like a savings account. Make more deposits than withdrawals. People will listen snd then may even give when you need to take some out.

    • http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

      Concept works great in marriage too, Larry :) . Always have more deposits than withdrawals.

    • http://danblackonleadership.com/ Dan Black

      Great illustration. Thank you for sharing that, the key is to give more than we take:)

  • http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

    i never used to see leadership as a ‘sales’ position. Would get miffed when folks wouldn’t follow and agree with me, “just because i said so and am in leadership, you are supposed to trust me”

    I’ve since to understand that it doesn’t matter how awesome your product is (Imagine Jesus), people need to buy-in first, otherwise it’s not a genuine conversation. And people who are no genuinely converted have the highest rate of ‘returns’ – from backsliding in faith, bringing back your product to cancelling service contracts. Awesome repost.

    • http://danblackonleadership.com/ Dan Black

      Buy-in is a must. I think the best way to get buy-in is through our example and past track record (if we are selling our self/leadership). Thank you for adding to the discussion.

  • http://www.lincolnparks.com Lincoln Parks

    It has to be with sheer integrity. We spoke about this in our small group tonight. I said that actions speak louder than words.

    • http://danblackonleadership.com/ Dan Black

      Amen about that:) Thank you for sharing.

  • http://www.danerickson.net/ Dan Erickson

    Great insights, Dan. Selling our visions, goals, and values rather than focusing on selling our product or service is a much more honest form of success. And if our values are in line with a higher system of values, chances are we’ll sell out product or service, too.

    • http://danblackonleadership.com/ Dan Black

      Great point Dan. sharing them leads to the potential of selling our product. Thank you for reading and sharing.

  • http://About.me/marcmillan Marc Millan

    Agree.
    M_

    • http://danblackonleadership.com/ Dan Black

      Thank you for reading and sharing! Sorry this was a late reply.