What do salespeople and philosophers have in common?

For one thing, they have time to think, which is very rare these days.

Look around you, particularly on the highways at 7:45 or 8:45 in the morning, People are rushing to get to work so they can then rush from one task to another.

Usually, they arent in charge of their schedulesother people make decisions for them as to where theyll be, and with whom theyll speak, and when theyll do it.

Salespeople are some of the few functionaries in our society who can plan their communications with prospects and clients, who can reflect on their goals for meetings, and who can take some care in adopting certain strategies for convincing their listeners.

In this sense, theyre like Socrates, the greatest philosopher, and the very best sellers design their presentations with this immortal, in mind.

What was Socrates greatest strength?

He was an expert at asking questions, and his probes were anything but ordinary.

His inquiries made people doubt, what beforehand, they took to be unassailable truth. He educated, not by telling or instructing or training, as most of us define these activities.

His process of educating got listeners to persuade themselves to change their positions. It is a gentle form of persuasion, not owing its power to the marshalling of one fact after another.

Today, much of what is referred to as consultative selling is really an attempt to apply the process that Socrates used thousands of years ago.

Today, its still powerful to ask the right questions, to listen, and to be patient while people convince themselves to buy, right there, in your presence.

But its always tempting to bypass this process, because it takes a little time, and it requires crafting suitable probes, that arent offensive.

Even Socrates wasnt a complete master at this, as you may know!