Learn To Sell Yourself

No, no, no, of course it wasn’t meant like that (got your attention though didn’t it?). So you’ve probably heard something about this from your career center or your parents and probably brushed it off. In this case though, you should have listened. For starters, if you have an entrepreneurial take on the way you live your life, it is likely that you’re already familiar with the importance of being able to convey an idea or to present yourself in a way that motivates others to work with you. If you don’t think of yourself this way, you should consider starting. You would be surprised how important this way of thinking can be when it comes to separating yourself from the crowd.

In light of my recent experiences in the the post-graduation world, I have come to believe that knowing how to sell or knowing the process of making a sale is an invaluable skill to have. A sale is inherently more complex than someone deciding to make a transaction. A sale involves researching to find and target prospective buyers, developing knowledge and understanding of what it is you are selling, and then articulating this knowledge in a persuasive manner so that the buyer decides that your product or service is a worthy or functional purchase.

Now I bet some of you are wondering how in the world this applies to you, after all you don’t want to be a salesperson. You might be surprised to find out that transactions like this happen all the time in areas that you wouldn’t necessarily think of as the world of commerce. Ideally, the ability to sell is quite helpful in what could be referred to as human commerce. An excellent example occurs in the process of job searching.

Effectively, when searching for a job, you’re selling yourself to potential employers. If done correctly, you will have taken the time to sit down and decide what skills you actually possess, to research and find companies that are in need of those skills, and once you’re knowledgeable of your skills be able to tell these companies that you are in fact capable of fulfilling their need. This is an example of why it is vital to know how to sell and is where it becomes a skill that can translate to many facets of life. If you’re an entrepreneur this applies to you as well and is probably even more critical to your future success. Many would argue that a little sales knowledge could have saved many failed start ups. Its important to realize that everyday interactions can benefit from sales experience. Getting a loan from a bank, convincing your extended family where to take this years family vacation, and pitching your business plan are all examples of sales you might make.

This may be a bit of an extreme position in the interest of playing devil’s advocate but I do believe that the ability to sell can serve you many times over and is essential life skill for anyone, no matter their business or occupation. How important do you think it is to know how to sell? Am I using the correct terms when applying it to real life situations? What experience have you had with this philosophy? Has it helped you?