"I hate selling." Those were the first words on Dave Pollard's "How to Save the World" blog the other day. I really like Dave's musings, but this post really bugged me. I felt compelled to respond so I sent him this email:
Dave - Based on your perception of selling, you may be surprised to learn that a salesperson like me reads your blog. So because you're on a quest right now, I'd like to share a few thoughts with you that perhaps may alter your somewhat limited thinking of the profession I've been in for the past 25 years.
What you really hate is "poor selling" like the slick used car salesman who'll say anything to get you to buy from him or the telemarketer who invades your privacy at home with her poorly rehearsed script. The reason you hate it is because it's forced on you, it's manipulative, smarmy and self-serving. But you need to realize that those people are not successful in sales.
How is selling to smaller firms different from going after larger corporations? That's a question I get asked frequently. In my book, Selling to Big Companies, I lay out a step-by-step plan on how to crack into corporate accounts.