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Guest post by: Sue Barrett Become an Author

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‘Everybody lives by selling something’ has had a profound impact on our business at Barrett. Since we introduced this as our core philosophy and principle behind our work it has been amazing how many people feel open to discuss the topic of selling and sales, especially those people who have been most reluctant to the concept of selling including professions such as Teaching, Law, Accounting, IT, HR, and Engineering.

At first, it seemed that this statement may narrow us to being seen as just ‘sales’ focused but in fact the opposite has occurred. While ‘everybody lives by selling something’ has focused our attention on what we do well, it has also broadened our horizons in terms of who we work with. This statement, coined back in the late 1800’s by Robert Louis Stevenson, has shifted the conversation to a broader landscape. Beside sales teams, we now engage with, train and coach teachers, accountants, lawyers, engineers, and others who would never had considered selling as part of their professional repertoire.

‘Everybody lives by selling something’ seems to have allowed people to discuss an area that is fundamental to human relationships and communication, the principle of exchange. In our lives we are all exchanging things of value. Whether what we exchange is of value to others should be determined through effective communication, open dialogue, and trust.

Taken to an organisation wide level, everybody in a company has an impact on how the business communicates with and engages in the principle of exchange with its customers, suppliers, the broader community, and each other.

The legacy of silos in organisations, where departments distance themselves from each other, pitting their agenda against others to gain an upper hand, is the opposite of the principle ‘everybody lives by selling something’. It flies in the face of being a fit, viable business, yet this still happens and businesses, staff, customers, and the broader community suffer as a result. All the bluster about being ‘world’s best practice’ or ‘best of breed’ comes undone in an instant when people forget that ‘everybody lives by selling something’. The energy wasted, emotions expended, and distress caused because people think they were more important than the greater good of their company, their customers, and the community is very sad.

It reminds me of a simulation exercise we run with teams where people form groups (‘companies’) and then have to create their own departments. The dynamics of this particular simulation test people’s ability to choose between the greater good for their ‘company’ or the self-interest of their own department, thereby tests their ability to engage in the principle of exchange. Although each group is a company in itself, they are also competing for points against the other groups (‘companies’) in the simulation. It is amazing how many people compete with people within their ‘company’ and end up losing out to a competing ‘company’. Their focus falls internally and they miss the point entirely.

The irony is that while we say that we are focused on trying to stay ahead of our competitors with better products and services and snappy marketing, it is often the internal competitions (politicking, one-upmanship, disassociation from customers and sales) in our own organisations that is undermining our efforts to be effective, sales fit, and successful.

Everybody in our organisations needs to be an ambassador for our business, our message, and our brand. There needs to be recognition that we are in one of two roles 1) actively involved in selling or 2) supporting someone who is.

How well people and organisations embrace and practice this philosophy will be the test. We encourage you to have open discussions about ‘everybody lives by selling something’ in your business and see what happens.

Enlightened sales people and leaders already recognise that ‘product’ is only part of the sales process and that selling is actually a ‘value exchange’, underpinned by real relationships. Those companies that support and train all their people in a culture of proactive client engagement, transparent selling and proactive positive communication practices aligned with their strategy, will gain a significant competitive advantage.

So we would like to ask you, do you live by selling something?

Remember everybody lives by selling something.

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