What is selling? For some it is the exchange of good and services for an agreed value usually a monetary one. The transaction is initiated by the seller and therein lies the problem. Think infomercial or most radio or television advertising.

An increase is simply moving forward from where you are now to where you want to be. Sales Coaching Tip: Having a written plan of goal supported by written goals helps to bring clarity to this overall process.

Now, just imagine what would happen if the customer or buyer would initiate the action to purchase from you? Then you as the provider of the products or services are no longer selling because the buyer is now in control. Of course, when done correctly, the customer believes he or she is in control yet you as the seller are truly in control.

Possibly, you may be disagreeing with me. Think about walking down any grocery aisle and perusing the plethora of products. Do you actually believe those boxes of cereal, cans of soup or bag of chips were placed there willy, nilly? The grocery retail industry spends millions of dollars to understand the buying psychology of their consumers and uses this information to their advantage. Companies then vie for the best shelves and pay a premium for that shelf space.

When you engage in education based marketing and couple that with the ability to persuade people subliminally , you are no longer selling. (Note: Subliminal means below the level of conscious.) Your potential customers (a.k.a. prospects) are not hearing about your products or services, but rather about you and how you understand their most pressing challenges. Everything from the clothes you are wearing to the words you are speaking to the non-verbal action you re taking are registering both consciously and subconsciously. You are building a relationship with that individual based upon mutual respect. Sales Coaching Tip: People buy from people they trust.

Now some may say that subliminal persuasion is hokey or even unethical. That may be the case if you are unethical and using it to dupe your prospects. However, human beings relate on a variety of levels from their senses as well as through their emotions. Zig Ziglar was once quoted as "sales is a transference of feelings." This transference in many cases is happening both consciously as well as subconsciously. Sales Coaching Tip: Neuro linguistic programming helps to explain what is happening beneath the surface.

Understanding how to make your case (persuade) softly yet firmly is a combined marketing and sales skill set. When you have mastered that skill, you just may discover having your customers buy from you is a whole heck of a lot easier than having to sell to them.