Sales isn't about talking other people into buying something they don't want or need. That's called conning.

Sales is about finding out what the customer wants, needs, and desires. Then helping them get it, says Bob Burg, today's guest on the Get Ya Some Radio Show. 

Bob is the million selling author of The Go-Giver and the creator of the Golden Rule of Business:

"All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust."

Nobody is going to buy anything from you because you've got a quota, or you need the money, or you're having a sales contest. The only reason someone is going to buy from you is because they believe they'll be better off by doing so.

The more you can do to take your focus off yourself, your competition, your products, and your company, and putting 100% of your focus on your customers, the better off everyone will be. 

There's no splitting the difference. 50/50 is a losing proposition. It's 100% about making sure that the customer wins.

If you're selling cars or homes or some other product that's exactly the same as what your competition is selling. You only have two choices. You can sell on the lowest price or you can sell on added value

And your ultimate value proposition is you. More specifically THE EXPERIENCE of doing business with you.

Bob says there are 5 elements of value

• Excellence
• Consistency
• Attention
• Empathy
• Appreciation

And the degree to which you can communicate those 5 elements of value, at every single touch point in the customer relationship, is the degree to which you can eliminate price, and the competition, from the conversation.

"Money is simply an echo of value. It's the thunder to value's lightning."

You can't make a sale. You can only create an environment in which the customer perceives buying from you as in their best interest, as adding value to their life.

It ain't about you. It's all about them.

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