Selling has been a vital skill since market squares in Ancient Rome to the trading floors of the New York Stock Exchange today. Some people are naturals, they have an ability to make you comfortable with anything they are selling. It is a beautiful thing to watch these people execute a sale, but not to worry even if you are not a natural there are things you can learn to become a better salesman. Let’s not worry about the product you are selling, because the most important part of the sale is you. The ability to sell yourself is what will allow you to sell products. Sell yourself first, then sell the product.

Get People Saying, “YES”

When you are in the midst of a sale you should start things off by getting the customer/client comfortable with saying “yes.” Asking proxy questions allows you to build a positive rapport with the customer/client before asking them to buy your product. The questions do not even have to be related to the product you are selling. If the potential customer/client is obvious sports fan for instance. Ask them if they are excited for the upcoming season, or if they plan on attending any games. These types of questions break down the stereotype of a sales person being untrustworthy. Build their trust and then sell the product.

Personality Match

Personality matching is one of the most common ways to build comfort with a potential customer/client. Read their body language, find out their interests, and use similar language. If the potential customer is laid back and making jokes, they will enjoy when you do the same. On the other hand if the potential customer is uptight and very to the point, you should recognize this and be to the point.

Don’t Be Pushy

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Often for a sale to be successful the customer/client needs to believe they need your services or product. They do not need you in their face every 10 minutes telling them how revolutionary your product is. Chances are, you are selling an elastic product, meaning the customer/client has can seek alternatives if they want. What keeps customers coming back is the level of trust and comfort they have with you. Don’t be pushy, get to know the person you are trying to sell to and figure our their needs. People who feel like they are talking to a sales person will rarely buy anything. People who feel like they are talking to a friend, will often buy anything.

Don’t Rip Anyone Off

It is widely known that it is much easier to sell to return customer than it is to a new customer. This is because the return customer has built a level of rapport with you and for the most part was satisfied with your services. This is why it is so vital to retain customers. To retain customers you must provide them with a legitimate service. Scamming people for a quick dollar will often result in you not only being disliked, but eventually dollar-less. If you find yourself with a naive customer and there is potential to sell them much more than they need, YOU SHOULDN’T. Sell people what they need and they will continually come back for what they need. Sell people things they will never use and they will see your services as a waste.

Believe and Endorse Your Product

Look at recently deceased Apple founder Steve Jobs for inspiration. Through reading his biography you will see that his immense self-belief is what fueled him through times of despair. He believed so strongly in himself and his product that it became contagious to the people around him. This is probably the single most important part of selling. You must fully endorse and believe in yourself and what you are selling. Because hell, if you don’t believe in yourself and your product how is anyone else supposed to?