I once asked a group of sales training participants to define "Selling." By the blank expressions on their faces, you would have thought I asked them to explain Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Even though all were sales professionals, i.e., people engaged in the practice of selling, they were initially baffled by the question. Eventually, a few answers emerged: "Convincing someone to buy what you have"; "Exchanging money for goods and services"; and "Getting someone to say 'yes'." No one could provide a more detailed definition of "selling."

So, what is selling? It can be broadly defined as a structured process of interaction between a prospective buyer and a seller. If we exclude sales generated through catalogs, infomercials, websites, and the like, which are more appropriately characterized as merchandizing, then selling is really a process of communication - an exchange of information and ideas - between people.

For this communication to be effective and efficient, it must be a two-way process - an open and honest give-and-take of information between the prospective buyer and the salesperson. If either party attempts to dominate or manipulate the conversation, the process breaks down. For instance, inundating the prospective buyer with features and benefits without first determining if those features and benefits actually address the prospect's needs and concerns is counterproductive. The "information dump" is just as likely to provide the prospect with as many reasons "not to buy" as reasons to make the purchase. Similarly, if the prospective buyer begins by dictating the terms of the potential sale or making other demands before determining if the salesperson's product is the best fit, time and energy are wasted.

It is the salesperson's responsibility to keep the communication two-way, on point, and moving the selling process forward. The salesperson must ask appropriate questions to elicit enough information to determine if he or she has the appropriate product or service to address the prospect's needs, wants, challenges, or goals. If the salesperson's offering is not a good fit for the prospect, it's time to end the process. On the other hand, if the salesperson can provide a best-fit for the prospect, he or she must ask appropriate questions to help the prospect discover the fit. Educating with questions in the early phase of the selling process is just as important, maybe more so, than making a polished, professional presentation at the conclusion of the process.

A prospect may be enthusiastic about a product or service and a salesperson might be excited about the expectation of making a sale. However, if the prospect doesn't have (or is not willing to invest) the required resources to complete the transaction, the selling process will eventually grind to a halt. So, the salesperson must also ask appropriate questions to determine if the necessary resources - typically money and time - are available and if the prospect is willing to make the investment. Having a two-way conversation about such issues prior to a presentation will eliminate the investment-related roadblocks that routinely occur at the conclusion of a presentation. However, discussing money with a prospect can be particularly precarious. Prospects are typically suspicious of the salesperson's motives. Keeping the conversation open, honest, and two-way will do much to alleviate those suspicions.

How a prospect will make a buying decision is also critical information a salesperson must obtain early in the selling process. The salesperson must know the criteria the prospect will ultimately use before he or she can develop an appropriate presentation. To obtain this information, the salesperson must use the same interviewing skills as a newspaper reporter - uncovering the specifics about the who, what, when, where, how, and why of the prospect's decision process.

If the salesperson's communication efforts have been successful, he or she will know the most appropriate product or service to present, the price at which to present it, and the manner in which to present it in order to obtain a buying decision. More importantly, the prospect will also know what the salesperson proposes to present, at what price, and the manner of presentation. Last-minute surprises and unfulfilled expectations on either part are unlikely.

So, what is selling? It is a structured communication process to identify and qualify selling opportunities. If you want to improve your selling experience - and results - improve your communication skills.

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