Websters dictionary describes Sales as a "transfer of property for money or credit." In the truest sense of the word that is its meaning, but it goes much deeper than that.

When you make a sale in your network or business opportunity it is the culmination of lots of work and effort on your part. You feel a sense of satisfaction and relief when a sale is made but as you know, it is not easy getting there. In the easiest sale, your customer already wants what you're selling...is even eager in some cases. An easy sale is someone who is already pre-sold on your business or opportunity. You just have to say a few words, show them a few things and they're already licking their lips aren't they?

That is the kind of sale you want right?

You know what you don't want? A hard sale. Someone that has to be talked into or convinced about your opportunity or business. Let's face it, you've heard the old adage, "no one wants to be sold, but everyone wants to buy."

That statement is oh so true. Too often in network marketing, a sale becomes combative even argumentative. Your potential customer is resistant and you're persistent. Mentally, their mind shuts down and they're thinking of reasons not to buy from you. This happens even while you're talking/selling but they're too polite to say anything. They don't want to buy and you anxiously want to sell.

This is the worse environment to be in because it will not and cannot lead to a happy result. Both you the seller, and they the potential buyer, will be angry and frustrated. Think about it, the mission is to take them head on and convince them to your way of thinking. Its a constant uphill battle when you sell this way and you're always working against them, not with them.

Is this the kind of sale process you want? Do you think this method would make selling your business opportunity easier or harder?

What if your marketing efforts helped in the selling process? What if your way of marketing got your customer ready to hear about your opportunity? What if your potential customer was already softened up and eager to hear what you had to say?

Going back to Webster's dictionary, it describes marketing as "informing the potential consumer about your products or services."

Marketing is information. Telling and promoting your product and service before you try to sell your product and service. When you market properly, you soften up the potential buyer...they drop their guard if you will. Through proper marketing of your business they are able to learn and gather information. If this information is positive, perhaps they will be open to be "sold."

Isn't that what you want? Would you rather talk to someone who is cold and resistant to your idea or someone who learned a little bit about your opportunity and is now warm to the idea of learning more? Not to be sold, but to learn more?

It took me a while to get that because I was always selling before my buyers were marketed to. I just jumped right into my opportunity at 100 miles per hour! I didn't market to them, I just tried to sell. That wasn't working for me that's for sure.

Selling is pitching your actual product, business or opportunity to the consumer. Marketing is getting your consumer ready to be pitched your actual product, business or opportunity.

Press the link below to read more about why sales is different from marketing.