Why Convincing Someone isn’t Selling?

Convincing someone is the most challenging job in life. We all see that a lot during the conversations we have with our families, friends, and colleagues. Convincing would often end up in a result wherein one person feels, “Something is not right, but I am still going to do it.” Or, “Something isn’t right, and therefore, I am not going to do it, whatever you may say.” Finally leading to a conversation like, “I knew something wasn’t right about this.” Convincing results in the grief for both the parties. So many relationships are getting destroyed because of the conversations made to convince.

Have you experienced this?

I hear sales professionals say this all the time, “Convincing this client is so difficult.” Or, “Oh, you know what I couldn’t convince them, and now we are not in touch for some time.” All this happens because we tend to confuse “Convincing” with “Selling.” Let me say this “Convincing inevitably brings a lot of personal suffering but selling on the other side is a joyful and satisfying experience for both the parties.” So selling isn’t convincing your buyers to buy, and convincing isn’t selling at all.

How is selling different from convincing?

While you are convincing someone, you come from your point of view, and you are pushing your audience to accept your point of view.

Selling is to come from your audience’s perspective packaged in your way, and the audience feels like signing-up willingly into it.

Convincing builds a lot of anxiety for you, and it starts making a lot of uncomfortable environment for your audience.

Selling builds curiosity for you and your audience, making both ask a lot of questions, questions, and answers make it comfortable for both in a selling situation.

Convincing is monologue while selling is a dialogue.

Convincing makes you think that a data-overdose will help you convince someone while it only confuses your audience. Selling restricts itself to only one or a few reasons that matter for your audience to believe in you and see what you see.

Convincing is extremely tiring while selling is a refreshing, educational, and enriching experience.

Convincing is preaching for the audience while selling is a learning experience for the audience.

I hope I’ve made my point, and you enjoyed this reflection. I have made these mistakes myself, and that’s how I know it.