Sales Sans Sleaze: Sell More, Goodly (FS014)

Selling doesn’t have to be sleazy or uncomfortable. It works and feels so much better when it’s not.

We all “sell.” Whether it’s ourselves or our services or our products or the carrots in our lunchbox (that we really want to trade for that kid’s bag of oreos).

In the previous conversation we learned how to do business badly. How do be a douchebag and sacrifice your audience on the altars of profit and vanity.

In this conversation we share the counterpoint: how to “sell” confidently, successfully and goodly… in a way that creates love and relationship with your audience (instead of fear, disappointment, and shame).

None of us were comfortable with sales at first. Most people struggle with it. This is a conversation about how we found our way.

We also answer a reader question from a lovely Scottish listener and I share a big tip from the best salesman I know.

Show Notes:

Raising Arizona — What a great movie. How are you liking these movie intros, by the way? Also, for those who don’t know here’s Randal “Tex” Cobb.

The Finding Your Voice episodes (001 & 002) of this podcast were really great and mentioned a few times in here. If you haven’t yet, check them out.

Fizzle Sales Video — our attempt to sell in an un-hypee way. Any thoughts on a) how we could do it better or b) how you can apply something to your own business from this video?

Penultimate — stick with logic, don’t be a Wojcik. (Oh! Burn!)

William Wilberforce — Thankfully he wasn’t afraid of coming off as a douche.

Robert Cialdini’s 6 Influences (video) — a 5 minute masterclass. Write the list of each he mentions. Put it next to your computer. Incorporate one or more of these in the next thing you make. Don’t be a douche.

Evernote Essentials by Brett Kelly — Brett is smart and oh-geeze is he a good hugger.

Ogilvy on Advertising — read this.

David Ogilvy’s Copywriting Process — It’s refreshing and human and I’m grateful for this honest look into his thoughts about work.

Ogilvy’s 10 Writing Tips — I tried hard not to need this one as well, but it’s just too good.

The Pejorative Mexican — if you’re unfamiliar with the parable we talk about, there’s an awesome story time in episode 006… literally story time.

Story Bramble — thanks so much, Stephanie, for your question!

Want Chase’s advice on the best cigar cutter out there? You got it.

Chris Johnson — the best salesman I know.