Anytime you are trying to convince someone of your way of thinking, you are selling them. It doesn’t matter how large or small the decision is. Sales is a natural part of everything we do. It’s the foundation of trust. We tend to trust those who sell to us honestly, and not trust those who use shady techniques.
When you are the boss, it’s easy to sell as your customers don’t always have many other options. Most options they do have are more extreme – leave the company, disobey the direction, or go over your head. None of those are great for their short-term success.
When you are selling to the boss or a colleague, they have more opportunity to say no. It’s almost always easier for them to say no than yes. Saying no keeps things as they are, it minimizes change. If tomorrow is much the same as today, it’s hard for things to go too wrong. Converting that natural no to a yes is all about sales.
Before you make your pitch, think about what they are going to consider when making the decision. Most decisions are made immediately based on their learned instincts. They are going to ask themselves a few rapid-fire questions (often without even thinking about it) and then return an answer. If you don’t provide all the answers or information in advance, you won’t get the “yes” you are looking for. It’s all about selling it right.