When we stop thinking of sales as a transaction and start thinking of it as an invitation, everything improves.

The pressure evaporates. The awkwardness fades. The conversation becomes more human, more helpful. And most importantly, it becomes more successful, too.

This isn’t just about semantics.

Unlike me, most small business owners didn’t start their business because they wanted to be a salesperson or a marketing person. You probably started your business because you have something useful, meaningful and valuable to offer. 

At some point early in the life of your business, you will have been told that you’ll need to learn how to sell your services or products. And it never quite sat right, did it? In many cases, the whole selling thing feels, at best, awkward. 

There’s a reason: most sales advice is rooted in old thinking. It’s transactional. Borderline manipulative. At worst, you’re told to hustle, hustle, hustle. 

That’s not how to make ongoing, high-quality sales from people who like you and recommend you. No. That’s how to be avoided.

But there’s another way.

Think like a host, not a hunter

As is often my way, I’d like you to imagine something.

Imagine you’re throwing a dinner party. You’ve planned the evening, cooked the food and set the table. The doorbell rings. You open the door. One of your guests is standing there. Do you welcome them with, “So, what’s it going to take to get you to wolf-down this lasagne tonight?”

Of course not!

You smile. You welcome them in. You offer them a drink. You say, “Come and join us.”

That’s an invitation.

Why invitations work

Now imagine applying that same invitational approach to your business.

Not pushy.

Not needy.

Just clear, warm, and open.

“Here’s what I do. Here’s how it helps. You’re welcome to join.”

That switch, from selling to inviting, makes a huge difference in how people respond to you. They don’t feel like targets. They feel like people. They feel ownership of the decision. It was their choice. Their timing. Their move.

And that makes them far more likely to hire you, buy from you, engage deeply with you, refer others to you, and stick around with you.

Effective

You might be wondering: But is this effective? Isn’t selling supposed to be a bit more pushy?

No.

• Not if you’re playing the longer-term game. And that’s what’s required in order to grow a successful business.
• Not if you want to attract good-fit clients, earn their loyalty, and build something sustainable.

I haven’t sold my services to anyone in 30-years! I’ve explained what I do, how it will help them and then, they choose to hire me or they don’t. It always feels like two people exploring whether something wonderful could happen between us.

Sometimes the answer is no.

Sometimes it’s not yet.

And sometimes, it’s a resounding “YES!” and the beginning of spectacular results, which they hadn’t even dreamed were possible.

ALL of those outcomes were better than pushing someone into a yes they weren’t ready for. That kind of yes usually leads to headaches later.

What this could look like to you

Well.

• If you’ve been dreading sales calls.
• If you feel awkward or cringe when you write your marketing messages.
• If you’re attracting people who aren’t quite right, and you don’t know why.

Try this.

Stop selling. Start inviting them to join you!

You don’t need to push. You don’t need to close. You don’t need to chase.

You just need to extend a clear, thoughtful, honest invitation to the right people, at the right time.

And let them hire you or buy from you. It works amazingly well in every economy. But especially now, when your prospects are nervous about spending money and run a mile from pushy salespeople!