@Dityo – you know – I’d forgetten all about the days of bartering. You are so right. We use to have sales built into the fundamental dialog of each transaction. By having labeled prices on all our goods we have fallen out of habit. When I lived in the middle east, you bargained on everything!

@ Jarkko – you are wise my friend! oh the boundaries we build for ourselves

It’s actually funny how we like to separate our lives in different parts: work / life, business / life separating the business part outside the rest of our lives when actually they are not quite so separate.

It reminds me about the basic of getting stuff. The era when human are bartering stuff. Nowadays, we have gateway to exchange thing or services which called as money.

Being confidence (not cocky, of course) in conversation also created some values to the conversation. It makes “magic”. IMHO, selling is an art of life. “Without life, I can’t sell anything. Without sales, my life is nothing” …

Even people who are not out for the money or economic gain, need to be aware of influence. Non-profits need people to “buy into” an idea, whether it be attending a free concert, or donating their time and money to a cause.

There’s an excellent book out about the topic from a professor named Cianaldi, and recommended by Charlie Munger, which helps describe how people are influenced, for better or worse.

BUT my calm cool collected demeanor goes to cr*p as soon as we get to the part of the sales conversation regarding $$CASH MONEY$$. How do I carry that same attitude (Hey, you have a problem, i have a solution we all get along great) through to the signing of the contract?

This might be hyperbole. Does the transactional nature of ‘work’ necessitate some kind of adversarial relationship? How do I avoid the “one party wins – one loses” version of the sales relationship?

I totally agree though, if you are really trying to be helpful and not just make a sale, it doesn’t feel like selling anymore. It just feels like helping out.