How Does Harry Browne's Approach to Selling Rely on the Principle of Service?


DougMaly.com
26AUG2020

Entrepreneur

From: "Business Course I" by Gary North
Lesson 10

"The Secret of Selling — Anything"

A road map to success for the salesman…
who is not aggressive
who is not a “smooth talker”
and who is not an extrovert
by Harry Browne

Selling as Service

"Selling as Service" concisely captures an idea that is not widely appreciated. This "secret" to professional sales is the secret to riches.

"Sales" as commonly understood and reinforced by entertainment media is a sleazy affair of tricking a fool out of his money. Certainly, "Selling as Swindle" exists in carnivals and elsewhere. But "Selling as Service" described by Harry Browne is a different concept.

Browne bases his approach on Sales defined as an exchange such that wealth is created for both parties simultaneously. In contrast to Swindle, where one party profits at the expense of another, Browne's approach enables both parties to obtain greater wealth after a sale than before.

Your job as salesperson is to provide your client with the items which they desire.

The service you provide is to fulfill their desires. That is, you make them happier.

The Process

The simple steps are:

  1. Learn their needs.
  2. Give them what they want.
  3. Seal the deal.
  4. Get paid for services rendered.

The key to the Process is to tune in to your prospect's inherent motivation. Your prospect is not a passive "mark" to be manipulated.

Motivation

To serve your prospect and make them happier, nothing can be accomplished until you identify specific motivations. In some cases, the prospect himself needs help clearing the fog and isolating core motivations: what makes him happy. Economic value is subjective. Every prospect has unique motivations.

In any case, grab ahold of this motivation. A good starting point is to simply ask about it. Prospects pay for results they want, but don't have or problems they have, but don't want.

Ask, "What do you want to accomplish by abc?" Or, "What is your greatest obstacle to xyz?" Once you identify motivation, do your homework and identify what products or services will deliver results. Then feed the motivation and let it drive the sale. When you succeed, your prospect's motivation is fulfilled. Your prospect is happy.

"Find out what the buyer wants, and help him get it."


d.maly@ieee.org