The 1,000th Sales Machine Post

Yes, this the 1,000th Sales Machine post. To celebrate, I'm taking the morning off.

Just for fun, though, here's the first Sales Machine post, in all its over-enthusiastic glory:

Everybody sells. I don't care what business you're in; you're selling something. Have an idea? You've got to sell it to your boss. Are you a big shot CEO? You're selling your credibility to investors. You work in rocket science? You're selling your expertise. Are you a great artiste, beret and all? You're selling the value of your art â€" even if money never changes hands.

It's ironic, though. Despite the fact your success in any field is entirely dependent on your ability to sell, Western culture considers selling tawdry. "Selling out" is what phonies do. "Selling yourself" is a whore's strategy. The very word "selling," in most people's minds implies "tricking somebody into buying something they don't really want." Say the term "salesman" to somebody outside of sales and chances are they'll be picturing some cigar-chomping blowhard wearing a checked jacket on a used car lot.

That's such total BS.

Which leads me to what this blog is all about. For the past four years, I've lived and breathed sales. I've picked the brains of hundreds of the most successful sales professionals on the planet -- finding out what works, and what doesn't. And I've tried a lot of their techniques in my own business.

I'm going to share their secrets in this blog. If you've never (consciously) sold before, prepare to be amazed, because you'll pick up tips that can supercharge your career. And if you're already in sales, I'll be giving you the kind of practical tips that can turn "making your numbers" into a cakewalk.

Before I get started, though, here's the most important thing I've learned: selling is all about helping people achieve their dreams, including yourself. That's why everybody sells, and why you should too.