Sales Is Not a Dirty Word—An Interview with John Doerr

RainToday.com's Podcast: Marketing & Selling Professional Services

For many, including service professionals, thoughts about sales conjure up an image of the typical bad salesperson. That combined with self-limiting thoughts such as "I hate sales" can severely hinder your sales efforts. As much as you like doing your services work, you need to like doing sales.

That means you have to block those negative thoughts and embrace sales tactics that work for you, says John Doerr, co-president of RAIN Group, which recently released the report Forget Everything You Know About Sales and Begin to Sell Without Selling. Successful rainmakers know their strengths, and they use them to bring in new business. They do what they like to do.

Think about what would happen if you don't do things required for selling your services, says Doerr. Then flip it around and think about what would happen if you kind of enjoyed it just like you enjoy your consulting work.

"You will do the things that you love to do and have fun doing. Why not make selling one of them?" he says.

Listen as Doerr discusses:

• How to change your negative mindset about sales
• Which sales tactics you should use
• What you should do in every sales call or email
• Why you should sell as you serve
• Benefits of the Selling Consulting Services training program