I’m Not a Salesman

“I’m not a salesman.”

Yes you are.

I remember using those words as I started to make a little money playing music. Musicians are artists, not business folks, right? After all, the art is more important than the business, isn’t it?

No, it’s not. And at least 50% of any business is sales.

Don’t worry, I don’t subscribe to the “ABC” baloney about sales. If you have to resort to the mantra “always be closing” you’re probably selling junk. Let’s start there.

What do you sell? Before you say you’re not in sales let me rephrase the question: What is it that you do?

I quickly learned that once I was trying to purchase food and shelter as a musician, I had to take care of business as much as the art. Didn’t Elvis have the letters “TBC” painted on his plane? I quickly learned that not only was I responsible for sales, everything I was doing was sales! Every minute on stage I was trying to communicate with an audience. That’s sales. If they didn’t want to listen, I wasn’t going to eat!

What is it that you do? Whatever it is, if you want to eat and you want to live indoors, you need to accept the fact that 50% of what you do is likely to be sales.

I also learned that sales is not just what you’re doing when you finalize the sale. I don’t believe you should “always be closing” unless you want to have most of your business lunches with a party of one, but closing is an important part of the sales process.

Sales is about tooting your own horn.

I’m not talking about sitting down with someone and blathering endlessly about what you do or what you make. You first need to establish a relationship; Jeffery Gitomer is right when he says people hate to be sold but they love to buy and most of us love to buy from our friends. The relationship is the first step.

The next step is establishing value for what you do, what you produce and who you are. Without a perception of value there will be no sales closed and likely no lasting relationship either.

For the moment let’s assume that you understand the importance of establishing sound business relationships built on value for your customer or client. Let’s also assume that your customers or clients, like mine, make strong referrals and are a significant part of growing your business or helping you make your way up the corporate ladder.

You’ve still got to sell, and as I said, selling is tooting your horn. That just sounds bad, doesn’t it? At some point you’ve got to be comfortable educating people as to the valuable product or service you have to offer.

Go back to my first question: What is it that you do?

Next question: Is what you do valuable to someone? If not, go on-line and buy one of the “ABC” systems for sales. If what you do is valuable, start tooting your own horn! If you believe in what you’re doing it’s your obligation to tell people about it. If you don’t, they’ll have to settle for an inferior product or service just because they didn’t know about yours.

I’m still actively involved in the martial arts business. The martial arts can help you unlock your fullest potential. They help you develop discipline, focus and self-reliance. The martial arts can save your life! Practicing the arts improves your health in mind, body and spirit. Martial arts can literally transform your life; they transformed mine.

So, I spend a great deal of my life performing a service that literally transforms lives. Shouldn’t I be telling someone about it? That’s what I mean by tooting your own horn!

There are always people interested in what you do. Telling them about it is selling. To sell effectively you must have a great product or service in which you believe with all your heart. You must be an expert in your product or service. You must be able to tell people about your product and service within the context of providing value and establishing a relationship.

Simple, not easy!

For now, simply change your thoughts about selling. The next time you catch yourself saying “I’m not a salesman,” simply say:

“Yes, I am.”



I’m Not a Salesman - To learn more about this author, visit Jim Bouchard's Website.

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