Believe in What You Sell

As a young man, Phil Knight sold encyclopedias door-to-door. He wasn’t very good.

Post-college, Phil sold mutual funds. He was slightly better.

After middling success, he made a surprising career choice.

Phil began to import shoes made in Japan and sell them to runners in the Northwest United States. He’d attend races and run out of inventory before the end of the day. Somehow, he became an exceptional sales person.

What was the difference? Belief.

Sales is the transfer of belief. Founders generate sales when their earnest, authentic belief in their product or service overpowers the skepticism of their prospective customers.

Our best salespeople will share that same level of belief. Transfer your belief to others to get your sales snowball rolling. If it starts to slow down, check in with the belief levels of your team.

Do they know how happy your clients are? Have they seen folks out and about with your product?

Phil’s belief was so great that he put millions of Nike shoes on feet around the country.

Not bad for a mediocre encyclopedia salesman.

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