Is Selling a Science or an Art?

Over my past years as a sales trainer and coach, this is one question I often encountered.

Is it a science, with laws and principles?

Or is it simply an art, which involves feelings and emotions?

I think both are correct.

Selling is a science because if you follow certain procedures, you will get the results (although not all the time) . Selling can be called the "science of influencing". For example, if you have done all the steps in a typical sales call correctly, chances are you will get the appointment.

Selling is an art, because in the process of execution, you need to feel yourself and your prospects. You need to feel your own words and action to ensure that they are in congruent and convey care and concern for other party. You need to feel your prospect to know the state of his or her mind. I believe everyone reading this will have the misfortune of meeting a sales person who is insincere, pushy or insensitive.

That's why top sales training focus on both these areas. In the sales training process, you are taught both the steps (science), and how to develop your sensory acuity to feel how your prospect is feeling.

teck-beng
www.coachme2sell.com