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To Sell is Human

Daniel H Pink

246 Pages
2013

To Sell is Human

The Surprising Truth About Persuading, Convincing, and Influencing Others

Canongate Books

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"To Sell is Human" - Summary

"To Sell is Human" by Daniel H. Pink explores the idea that everyone is involved in sales, whether they realize it or not. From parents convincing their children to go to bed to professionals pitching ideas to their bosses, selling is a fundamental part of human interaction. Pink uses a blend of scientific research, analysis, and practical advice to show that the nature of sales has evolved. He provides readers with a toolkit of strategies, including new ways to pitch ideas, understand others' perspectives, and frame messages more effectively. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their persuasive skills in both personal and professional settings.

Key Ideas

1

Everyone is in Sales

Pink argues that regardless of your profession, you are constantly selling something, whether it's a product, an idea, or yourself. This concept broadens the traditional view of sales and makes the book relevant to a wide audience. Understanding this can help you become more effective in your daily interactions.

2

The New ABCs of Selling

Pink introduces the new ABCs of selling: Attunement, Buoyancy, and Clarity. Attunement involves understanding and aligning with others' perspectives. Buoyancy is about staying positive and resilient in the face of rejection. Clarity involves making your message clear and compelling. These principles are essential for effective persuasion in today's world.

3

Practical Tools and Techniques

The book is filled with actionable advice and exercises designed to improve your selling skills. From six new ways to pitch your ideas to five frames that can make your message clearer, Pink provides a comprehensive toolkit for anyone looking to enhance their ability to persuade and influence others. <h2>Key Ideas</h2>

1

Everyone is in Sales

Pink argues that regardless of your profession, you are constantly selling something, whether it's a product, an idea, or yourself. This concept broadens the traditional view of sales and makes the book relevant to a wide audience. Understanding this can help you become more effective in your daily interactions.

2

The New ABCs of Selling

Pink introduces the new ABCs of selling: Attunement, Buoyancy, and Clarity. Attunement involves understanding and aligning with others' perspectives. Buoyancy is about staying positive and resilient in the face of rejection. Clarity involves making your message clear and compelling. These principles are essential for effective persuasion in today's world.

3

Practical Tools and Techniques

The book is filled with actionable advice and exercises designed to improve your selling skills. From six new ways to pitch your ideas to five frames that can make your message clearer, Pink provides a comprehensive toolkit for anyone looking to enhance their ability to persuade and influence others.

FAQ's

The main premise of "To Sell is Human" is that everyone is involved in sales in some form, whether they are aware of it or not. Daniel H. Pink argues that selling is a fundamental part of human interaction and provides strategies to improve persuasive skills.

The new ABCs of selling introduced in "To Sell is Human" are Attunement, Buoyancy, and Clarity. Attunement involves understanding and aligning with others' perspectives, Buoyancy is about staying positive and resilient in the face of rejection, and Clarity involves making your message clear and compelling.

"To Sell is Human" is beneficial for anyone looking to improve their persuasive skills, whether in personal or professional settings. The book's insights and practical tools are applicable to a wide audience, including parents, professionals, and anyone involved in pitching ideas or influencing others.

๐Ÿ’ก Full 15min Summary

Selling has transformed into a pervasive, collaborative skill necessary for success in diverse fields.
0:00 / 2:09

Selling is not just for salespeople anymore. In today's world, we all spend a significant amount of time persuading, convincing, and influencing others in our work and daily lives. The traditional view of salespeople as greedy and deceitful is outdated. Selling has become more collaborative, with a focus on transparency, fairness, and mutual benefit.

While old-style door-to-door selling has waned, the author argues that sales itself has not declined. The data shows that about 1 in 9 U.S. workers are in traditional sales roles. But the author's survey reveals that an even larger portion of the workforce spends significant time "moving" others - persuading, convincing, coaching etc. - even if they are not in sales positions. The ability to effectively influence and persuade others turns out to be vital for success in all kinds of jobs.

Three key trends have led to this transformation: the rise of entrepreneurship which requires selling skills, the need for most jobs to encompass a wider range of responsibilities including selling, and the rapid growth of education and healthcare industries which revolve around "moving" people.

To be effective at moving others today, attunement, buoyancy, and clarity are critical. Attunement means connecting with individuals and groups by understanding their perspectives. Buoyancy combines resilience and optimism to persist through challenges. Clarity allows you to identify others' hidden needs.

Skills like improvisation, curation, and concise relevant messaging are also vital to persuasion. But equally important is making the act of selling personal and purposeful. Selling should create value, not just extract it. When done right, selling utilizes our innate human abilities to meet others' needs, advance society, and lead more fulfilling lives.

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