Making Things Vs. Selling Things

The core function of business is pretty simple: we make things and we sell things.

Most of us build authority businesses because we want to “make things”—consulting advice, information products or courses—not because we have a burning desire to sell them.

And yet, if we don’t master the art of selling, we won’t stay in business for very long.

Legions of books have been written about “our” kind of selling (The Trusted Advisor may be the classic since it focuses on building the long-term, trusted relationships we consultants prize).

But the first step is to believe down to the core of your being that “selling” is a good thing because it’s helping your ideal audience.

Which means that withholding your expertise means you’re actually denying the people you most want to serve the benefit of your wisdom.

Which is the opposite of building authority.

Until you embrace selling (in its most helpful forms), it will be challenging to build the kind of deep authority you crave.