Business owners and CEOs are all salespeople in some capacity. You say you can't sell, but if you're raising good kids then you are a better salesperson than all of them. Combined.
Parenthood subconsciously makes you an expert salesperson. Here's the sales tactics you know:
Give first -- As a parent you give tender, love and care to your young kids before they even know what their name is. You love them before they exist. Kids test your patience, but you keep loving them.
The best salespeople find a way to help other people (usually their customers) achieve their goals. They understand that they need to give first in order to win business. If you help someone regularly solve problems then you'll be seen as a valuable person to them and they'll want to have you around. Your first contact with a prospect should be all about identifying their problems (if they don't know) and providing a solution to them.
Communicate Directly -- Children know very little about the world when they enter it. Whoever coined the phrase "simple things amuse simple minds" was probably a parent. As a parent it's your responsibility to get rid of the ignorance your kids have about the world. You do this by talking to them in ways they will understand. Listen to two parents explain to their kids where babies come from. There is only one correct scientific answer to this question (I think!), but how it gets explained will be different depending on the child's personality, age and other variables.
The best sales people communicate directly. If they want to talk to someone they go and talk to them. They won't send an email asking for a time to talk. They'll just pick up the phone and ask for an appointment. Or, they'll just show up in person at their office and start talking. They also tailor how they explain their offering to what their potential customer wants and the personality of their customer.
Remain Committed -- The hardest part about being a parent is staying one. Your kids look up to you, even in their rebellious years, and hold you to a higher standard than anyone else in the world. You're their doctor, lawyer, janitor, coach, entertainer, teacher, chauffer and financier. How is that for a LinkedIn profile!? You are whatever they need you to be. Your patience to put up with the nonsense that your kids put you through is far more than you'll need at the office.
Good sales people don't have all the answers to customer's problems, but they do everything they can to find them. They don't win your trust and throw you over to an account manager after meeting quota on your dime. They stay in tune with your goals long term. Sales people know they may change roles and so will you. Good sales people don't lose their patience with customers. They aren't best buds with everyone either, but they know keeping a good rapport with people is important. That's how they stay relevant and win business in any industry.
You are a blessing to your kids. You work hard, provide opportunities you may not have had and teach your kids how to make the world a better place. Being a good parent means you are generous, patient, and noble.
It also happens to mean you're a sales tycoon.
Sajeel Qureshi is the VP of Operations at Computan. Computan is the back-end digital department for hundreds of businesses small and large and helps them generate leads and business opportunities. Sign up for free hour of digital marketing support to help you get more leads.