How to Sell Your Ideas: Prepare for Success
According to Daniel H. Pink’s book To Sell is Human, everything we do is sales. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can succeed at selling if you don’t prepare to sell. For starters, if you want to sell your ideas, consider whether you’re a plausible source for the case you want to make. Unless you are, you might be better off scaling back your idea to something for which you have credibility or finding someone else who can make your case for you (or at least with you).
It’s advisable to ask yourself some questions, such as these recommended by two Wharton business school professors. I especially like the first of their nine questions: “How does the other person perceive the problem or opportunity?” The way you see the matter may be altogether different from how the other person sees it. If you try to make a case strictly based on your own perspective, you’re likely to fail.
A related question is number six: “Will your idea conflict with any of this person’s beliefs?” That’s a biggie, because if you present your idea in a way that clashes with the other person’s way of thinking, you might as well pack your bags. While it’s not inconceivable that you could, in time, help the person see things differently, you’re unlikely to be able to do it at the same time as you attempt to sell your idea. Your challenge, therefore, is to consider how you can adapt your idea to fit within—or at least not contradict—the other person’s beliefs.
Another part of preparing to sell is to gather as much hard data as possible so you’re well-versed in the facts of the matter. Learn the interests of those you want to sell to and customize the message for them. In addition, listen to many points of view and seek to incorporate aspects of as many as you can into your proposal. That will make the idea more than just yours; it will show that you’ve taken the views of others into account.
For ideas that are big in scope, dollars, or impact, it’s important to test those ideas by explaining them to people who aren’t the decision-makers but can give you valuable feedback. Ideally, you can test your ideas with people who have insight into the thought process of the person you want to sell to. If these “test listeners” don’t understand and accept your idea, you’d best hike back to the drawing board and do some further preparation.
Finally, check out this short, delightful video with four very useful tips on how to succeed in selling to your boss—or just about anyone else, for that matter. I especially like the idea of asking for a bite-sized yes.
