You might think you’re a copywriter, or a producer, or a strategist, but I’m here to tell you that those are just codewords for salesperson. And if you don’t think they are, then I’d wager you probably also feel underpaid or overlooked for promotion at work.
Here’s my thesis. Every one of us is a salesperson. But only some people accept it. And those people, for good or for bad, are the ones who get ahead*
Wait. See that asterisk? I’m not trying to sneak that one through. Here, “get ahead” means purely in a professional, career ladder sense.
That may not be your idea of success. Or, you may have decided it’s not your idea of success because then you get to maintain the illusion of control. Regardless, I think the perspective’s still valuable.
And don’t worry about all this talk of sales. Jordan Belfort isn’t going to make you sell him a pen. That’s not the type of sales I’m talking about. (Actually, it totally is. But for now, let’s keep pretending it’s not so the conversation can continue).
Sales is just a slimy word for convincing. Think about all the moments in your life when you had to convince someone of something. Or all the moments when you’ve been convinced of something. Where to go to dinner. What movie to see. Which idea to present. Whether you get a raise. Which X-man has the best super power (Darwin). Whether or not you’re replaceable at work.
You may claim that’s not sales. But I’m not buying. I think those situations, and thousands more in your life are all examples of why being a better salesperson is probably the most important skill to develop. Or, at least to understand.
And it’s pretty straightforward. The best salesperson doesn’t just hawk their wares; they figure out what the buyer’s looking for find a way to sell that.
So who’s the buyer? The interviewer. Or your creative director. Your colleagues. Or your boss. Your client. Or your client’s boss’ boss. Regardless of who they are, they’ve all got one thing in common: they aren’t you.
So stop blindly selling what you want them to buy and instead try to understand what they are actually looking for.
Often, you’ll find it’s not a problem with the wares you’re selling. Just the way you’re selling them. Understand the person in front of you, and they’ll never stand in your way.
Well, would you look at that?
Turns out “sales” is just an uncomfortable synonym for a word that’s probably already one of the oft-forgotten values written in your agency handbook: empathy.
It’s a value for sure. And if you start thinking of yourself as a salesperson and employing it at work, I promise you’ll see just how valuable it is.
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