At Barrett, we know this to be true. Whether we call ourselves a salesperson or not, if we have an idea, product, service, skill, talent, or opportunity that we can offer to another and they can benefit from, then we need to be able to sell.
Most people, whether they are a partner in professional services, the MD of a business, a tradesperson, customer service, sales, baker, not-for-profit or administration, need the ongoing custom of members, patients, supporters, sponsors or clients to make a living.
Yet many people are still confused by ‘sales’. In fact, often when sales is mentioned you see people visibly recoil at the concept and some even go so far as to object to you using the term sales.
Why is this?
Because many so called ‘legitimate’ sales practices we experience are nothing more than manipulation and deceit, aggression and intimidation, or hard sell, pressure tactics. Whether we are conscious of it or not, most of us don’t like how selling is being sold to us. And we don’t blame you.
Despite the prevailing paradigms of the 20th century ‘old school selling’ tactics, highly successful sales people have always known the best way to sell. They know how to explore clients’ needs and help them get what they want. They know that trust supersedes like. They practice a range of life skills which are present intrinsically, whether we know it or not. They are applying skills which proactively forge honest and open relationships based on trust, transparency, respect, and doing what we said we would do. This is their competitive edge.
The Barrett Approach
This is the Barrett sales approach. We work with people to help them realise the vital role sales plays in our lives today. Some people believe it is not their right to put their ideas forward instead relying on their good work to speak for them. Others are too frightened and many have never been taught how to sell effectively. Too many people do not purposefully and proactively put themselves in a position to explore opportunities with others, bring their ideas to the table, create new possibilities or earn what they are worth.
Whether we earn a living from what we do or not, if we hide our talents and capabilities from others and no one knows about us or what we are capable of then how can we be of service and earn what we are worth?
Our aim at Barrett is to give people the life skills, tools and personal insight so that we are all able to proactively sell ourselves effectively, ethically and confidently in any situation. We want to work with you to cultivate selling skills and capabilities and achieve excellence through purposeful action.
The quote “Everybody lives by selling something” was coined by Robert Louis Stevenson, in the late 1880’s. Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson (13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. Stevenson was greatly admired by many authors, including Jorge Luis Borges, Ernest Hemingway, and Rudyard Kipling who said of him that he “seemed to pick the right word up on the point of his pen, like a man playing spillikins”.
The late 20th century saw the start of a re-evaluation of Stevenson as an artist of great range and insight, a literary theorist, an essayist and social critic, a witness to the colonial history of the Pacific Islands, and a humanist.
We help you cultivate your skills and capabilities and achieve excellence through purposeful action.
Purposeful Action combines process and person. It means having a clear vision of what we want to accomplish. Knowing why we are doing what we are doing. Having a clear goal and getting back on track if we get scattered or distracted. Finishing what we start and persevering until we get results.
Excellence means giving our best to whatever we do and giving our best to relationships. Setting noble and realistic goals and remembering to plan and practice. We don’t try to do everything, instead we focus on developing our special gifts.
Ready to set a new standard in sales excellence?
Talk to us, your selling better advisory team, and we’ll help you quickly and accurately assess your next steps.
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