We Are All Salespeople

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, one in nine Americans works in sales. Every day more than fifteen million people are persuading someone to make a purchase.

In his book To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others, Daniel Pink writes the following:

Yes, one in nine Americans works in sales. But so do the other eight.

Whether we’re employees pitching colleagues on a new idea, entrepreneurs enticing funders to invest, or parents and teachers cajoling children to study, we spend our days trying to move others. Like it or not, we’re all in sales now.

Additionally, Marie Perruchet in her book One Perfect Pitch: How to Sell Your Idea, Your Product, Your Business--or Yourself writes:

The art of the pitch is nothing short of a survival skill. If an entrepreneur can’t convince an investor in 10 minutes that a business idea has potential, that is often the end of it. If a project manager in a large enterprise can’t win support from other stakeholders, his or her project is at risk. You always need to be selling yourself, pitching your partners or your clients to work with you, or pitching what makes your new business an exciting and worthwhile investment.

To be able to sell is ranked the #1 skill that entrepreneurs believe you need to have in order to succeed.

In the nonprofit realm, you also need to sell. Many times I have asked my clients, their board of directors, their members and their staff why they fear asking for a donation. Most reply they fear rejection. If we believe in a cause, we should ask for donations. Passion and a belief in your cause will help you to sell your charity. They can only say “no.” Or better yet, they can say “yes” and make a donation.

We are all salespeople in all aspects of our lives whether in our profession, our personal lives or the causes that we believe in.