When I think “Salesman,” it's hard not to imagine the slickster at the
used car lot asking, “What’s it going to take for me to put you in
this Buick today, Bob?"
But the truth is that we’re all in sales now. Not in the deceiving, get-rich-quick
sense. We’re all trying to move,
persuade or convince people, often with great intentions.
- Teachers sell students on the idea that what they’re
teaching deserves attention. - Test prep tutors sell kids on their techniques and
strategies - Hopeful student body presidents sell their candidacy to
students - Superintendents sell districts on necessary budget cuts or
staff changes - Our Collegewise counselors sell our students on the merits
of looking beyond famous colleges - Fundraisers sell their non-profits on potential partnerships in the community
- And kids sell their qualifications to admissions committees through applications and essays
Daniel Pink’s new book, To Sell is Human,
explores this fundamental change—that we’re all in sales now—and explains how
we can all get better at it. The book
just came out today and it’s next on my reading list. If you’d like to learn more, here’s an NPR interview with the author.