Speaking at the recently concluded Middle Managers Conference held at Jamaica Pegasus hotel, Duane Lue-Fung, founder and chairman of sales training and support institute THINK GROW LEAD, advised the audience that “like it or not, we are all in sales now”.

During his presentation, Lue-Fung shared strategies to develop the selling competencies of outstanding managers, which, in his opinion, is about “learning to sell well”.

Lue-Fung shared with the audience that one in nine workers are in sales, yet eight in nine workers are in non-sales selling. And he asked, “What percentage of your work involves convincing or persuading people to give up something they value (attention, effort, time, money etc) for something you are offering?” And that is what Lue-Fung meant by non-sales selling. To the large audience in the Jamaica Pegasus he brought this thought to light, “For those who think I am kidding when I say you are in non-sales selling, consider that in your middle management job your daily sales customers are your boss and executives, suppliers, customers, direct reports, and peer managers.”

He continued, “The number one middle management challenge is to get others to move! To sell people on taking action!”

So what are the sales success barriers? Lue-Fung told the audience it is not possible to be effective as a middle manager in the business of non-sales selling to get others to move if you have the following blocks:

• The need to be liked

• Uncomfortable asking tough questions

• Unable to confront

• Avoidance of a possible no

• Avoidance of prospecting activities

• Acceptance of put-offs.

And there is more! Lue-Fung said so many of us are dealing with self-limiting beliefs that are related to:

• Ideas relating to selling that either support or sabotage your success in sales

• Ideas about sales/your skills/the sales process

• Ideas about the prospect/customer

• Ideas about the product/service

• Ideas about the industry

• Ideas about the economy

• Ideas about the company.

Lue-Fung challenged the audience to think about what in the list is holding them back, and then he introduced the AIDA principle of sales. That is “getting ATTENTION, identifying INTEREST, arousing DESIRE, and spurring ACTION”.

Further, Lue-Fung said that controlling emotions is also another key in developing success in one’s career, even if you are not in direct sales.

“So many of are caught off guard when situations change, and it is what you are saying to yourself in these moments that make the difference. Are you strategising on the fly? Are you worrying or panicking? Or are you scripting your next moves and being creative?”

A good middle manager, Lue Fung shared, takes the time to understand that they are really in the business of selling their ideas to the stakeholders in the organisation.