A secret for surviving in business

This week I was on a radio show. And I started wondering how the radio business works. I knew that it sold ads and branded content, but I didn’t know how they could be surviving in the age of digital media.

The interview went well because the DJ was kind and served up softball questions for me. He made me sound like a rock star.

Then the DJ took me on a tour of the offices. It was at night, and the studio was quiet and still.

He showed me the various sound booths and the fun technology that they employed. We walked into the room that all of the DJ’s shared. Their workstations that were lined up on a single countertop that they also shared. It wasn’t sexy.

Finally, we walked into a large room with offices and dozens of cubicles. “This is the sales area,” the DJ said.

Just by the square footage, the sales team dwarfed the rest of the facility. And, based on the number of desks, the headcount must have at least doubled the other work areas.

Right then, it dawned on me. Radio stations are surviving because they are selling. They’re selling like their business depends on it because it does.

Are you selling like your business depends on it?

To be honest, I’m not. And it got me thinking and acting. I started to sending out cold emails, pitching ideas to existing clients, and reaching out to friends.

Not all of sales is selling. It’s just keeping and building relationships. And, in time you will build a community of people that will help your business and career rise.

Maybe you don’t have your own company. But, you still need to sell even in your career. When you’re pitching an idea to your manager or co-worker, you’re selling. When you’re talking to your boss about that promotion and raise, you’re selling. When you’re interviewing for that dream job, you’re selling.

Many of you may find selling distasteful (the word even grates at my ears a bit). But it is an essential part of work. We may not like it because we are introverts, shy, or whatever. Nonetheless, we must sell to survive and thrive.

Are you selling like your career depends on it?