I can't stand selling!

Let's be honest, if you loved selling--if you truly adored it--would you be more successful in your business, government department or organization? Without a doubt. Whether you are selling a product, a service, a program, an idea or a vision, much of your work life revolves around selling.

Some people love selling. They find it interesting, fun, even oddly satisfying. They relish sitting down with a new product, service or program to come up with ideas about how to sell it to a specific group of people.

Admittedly, this is a rather small demographic.

Why is it that some people love selling while others loathe the idea? For the same reason some people love cars, interior decorating or science while others find joy in opera, hockey or military history.

A large part of it can be summed up in one word: Exposure. Oh, and knowledge. Okay, two words.

The more you are exposed to something, the more knowledgeable you become. And the more knowledgeable you become, the more you enjoy--or, at least, appreciate--it.

When you start to learn more about selling, you realize that it is not convincing people to do something against their will or despite their best judgment. It is not the art of smooth talking. It is not plaid jackets and manipulation.

Instead, it is an ability to look at a product (or service or program or anything you are trying to sell), determining what benefit it offers to people and then finding those people so you can tell them about it.

It's fulfilling people's needs.

If you collect stamps and you get a letter from a company telling you about a new gadget that will enhance your collection, that's not "junk mail." That's the right offer to the right person at the right time. Getting that gadget will bring a smile to your face. That's selling.

If you are a mechanic and see an advertisement in a magazine touting the very latest in tools that will allow you to enhance your revenues, or you are a mother and hear a radio advertisement about an upcoming vaccination clinic, you are happy to spend your money or time on that offer. That's selling.

Selling is not a bad thing. It's not something to fear or loathe. In fact, it's something to embrace.

So, expose yourself. To knowledge about selling, I mean. You'll fear it less while enhancing your success--and your bank account.