Seth Godin, writes in his book Linchpin, “The moment you are willing to sell your time for money is the moment you cease to be the artist you’re capable of being.”

What a great summary of the T&M (Time and Materials) approach to conducting business.  This goes not only for yourself, but for everything you represent when you take your offerings to market.   I was meeting with a very successful salesman yesterday, talking about his achievements in selling to major retail accounts.  At one point in the conversation he made the astute comment, “Sometimes I think sales people think to themselves – I’m just a sales guy.”  He followed up by commenting, “I never want to be just a sales person.”  Seth Godin’s comments are directed toward this very attitude – I’m just the sales-guy.

Don’t waste your time being the average sales person, hocking products at your local account.  The alternative is to do something great.  Become an innovator.  This is not something some are born with and others can’t be, but rather something each one of us cultivates as we read, exchange ideas with others, think, and improve each moment of each day.  Don’t sell yourself short, start building the skills that move you to that adviser position, a position of great value to those you market and sell to.

© 2011, David Stelzl