Selling and Buying Ideas

In Daniel Pink's great book, To Sell is Human, he asserts that we are all salespeople beyond those we usually associate with selling products. That is, we regularly try to persuade others to buy our ideas in every-day, simple negotiations, from which restaurant to go to, to which movie to watch. Teachers are purveyors of ideas that they attempt to sell to learners on a daily basis, in exchange for the time and energy of the learners.

I believe in Pink's contention of an expanded view of what selling is about. Not just products, but processes as well. If you accept this premise, then I recommend the following two books - 1. Selling the Invisible: a Field Guide to Modern Marketing, by Harry Beckwith. and, 2.  Buy-ology: Truth and Lies about Why We Buy, by Martin Lindstrom.

Beckwith speaks to people who are tasked with selling the abstract -  like life insurance or an education - concepts or experiences that are not something you could touch, see, smell, or hear. Contrast intangibles with something real and present - like a car. You can sit in the car, smell the newness, feel the seats, hear the engine, test drive it and now right away whether or not it's worthy of your investment. You can't see education or life insurance in the moment. These two examples of the intangible are long term in nature and without a score or rank at the end of the day. Beckwith's book is a valuable resource.

Lindstrom offers an interesting read that is replete with examples or summaries of research studies, unburdened by rich detail and endless footnotes. He presents evidence of why and how people are influenced, often times at an unconscious level, prior to making an investment, be it monetary or time.

Combining these three books have served me well in exercising leadership designed to sell education to consumers who will not truly be able to determine the scope and value of a product they have invested in for years to come. If you indulge your professional curiosity you will acquire many practical ideas that can be employed in enlisting people in the mission of a school.