Why are Authors more admired than Sales People?

I remember trying to sell my mom on why I should have a cookie before dinner. Maybe I didn't dream of it because that was something I was already doing?

I think you have an excellent point here, Howard. Live dialog requires you to think on your feet while actively taking in information. Writing can be edited and perfected over time. Certainly face to face interaction poses more of a challenge.

Howard you hit on an excellent point. Most people in sales or many industries are not trained in sensitive or effective communications. I liken the sales processes as an opportunity to serve. Professionals in sales are actively assessing a potential client’s needs and wants. The focus is on what is in the BEST INTREST of the client as it should be for any professional, but is far too often not with others. The problems come up when sales people haven’t received the training they deserve or the training is OLD SCHOOL and out of date. Their easy to spot when it’s clear the primary focus is getting the DEAL done. There are many factors that feed into this, but what’s most important is the client’s perception. Unfortunately, for every bad experience a client or customer has with a sales person is usually discussed with three times as many people over the positive, professional sales experience. The key, in my humble opinion, is effective training. Being a Professional in Sales equates to being excellent at building relationships and having fun.

Wow, Howard. This seems like a leading question and I am sure that you were a little provocative because you were looking to stimulate discussion.

I think that whether you are an author selling books (first we have to sell the editor at the publishing company and then we have to sell readers/buyers through book tours, public readings, websites and other stuff) or a business owner promoting other products (or services), we are all in the selling game.

I am not sure on your "quality live dialogue is a more difficult art than 'passive' writing" statement, though. I think that every author prays that there will be a reaction from the reader. We just aren't there to see it.

On your opening line, "Have you ever heard a child say, 'When I grow up, I want to be a salesman'," it makes me think of that third grade classroom scene in the Woody Allen movie, "Annie Hall." If you've never seen it, you should. Maybe no child ever says they want to be a salesperson, but neither do they say they want to be an acupuncturist or a professional organizer or a search engine optimization specialist.

Just the writer's perspective. Thanks for the thought-provoking question.

Not to be contrarian (actually, i love being contrarian), but "authors" are more admired than "salespeople" because creativity applied artistically (as is ascribed to certain authors) has social cachet while most people would abstractly categorize a "salesperson" as having chosen a profession that focuses on making money at the expense of anything with social value.

Is "sales" really such a crass profession? Well, on the one hand...sales skills are critical to the success of almost anything in life (whether it be dating, the practice of law, professional writing, etc.) but characterizing someone as a "salesperson" may not imply good sales skills, but rather the absence of non-sales skills.

Anyway, I am just rambling.

Well, assuming the premise is true-that authors are more admired than Sales People--it's got to be because authors are cuter. Simple :-)

With blogs, anybody can be an author, but how many people care about each one? Being an author or salesperson just means you have something to say. Salespeople who converse in person get to adjust the later parts of their conversation based on direct feedback. An author who gets no response at all may not be an author for very long.

I used to admire authors, until I had a pitch for a technical/business book accepted, and looked at the offer. I stopped admiring authors, and began questioning why anybody would ever publish a book.

Authors are more admired because they entertain us in our leisure time. That creates an emotional response that can't be equaled during a sale call. However, good sales skills seem to be lacking in our community. The sale is a dynamic process that needs skill and quick thinking to move through to the ultimate goal. People shy away from learning these skills because of intimidation. They see a bad salesperson and shy away thinking. I don't want to be like them and when they see a good one they think wow I don't know if I could do that. Let me be the first to tell you; you can do that. Good sales techniques are a learned skill that comes from practice and training. Most of the "Old School" tricks still work. If Howard is willing to offer up his expertise and you haven't had any classical sales training, you should take him up on his offer. Art T.

Michael wrote: "I used to admire authors, until I had a pitch for a technical/business book accepted, and looked at the offer. I stopped admiring authors, and began questioning why anybody would ever publish a book."

If I wanted to be making a fortune writing I wouldn't be writing books related to my industry. However, being a published writer in any industry helps establish you as an "expert" in your field and does open many doors. My first book certainly did that for me. My second book - the one I really wanted to write - has become my "calling card." In addition to requests to write articles, and invitations to be a speaker at universities, conferences and business gatherings; it has already resulted in new design clients and consulting jobs. many people take me much more seriously as someone who knows what they are doing, and talking about, as a published author. I've also had four additional publishers approach me about writing future books.

A couple friends are big-time best-selling fiction authors - with movie deals and other benefits. My partner always suggests that if I'm going to make a lot of money as an author, I need to write a killer trashy novel.

Just a point Howard, without the skill to write a persuasive message here, how would you hope to achieve the numbers required to attend a viable conversation based meeting?

The written and spoken word should be complementary, integral parts of any communication process...even Sales.

There's something about the written word, because it's been cast into being, as opposed to spoken words which disappear as soon as you utter them.

If publishing a book was always as easy as it is now, then authors might not have the same cachet- and maybe sales people would be more admired.

A good salesperson is nearly invisible, introducing the client and their problem to their solution, and then getting out of the way.

Unless the salesperson is also the 'author' - provider- of the solution.

Whereas a good author becomes more visible, as each reader comes into deeper relationship with her or him throughout the course of the book.

That's what makes indie folks so intriguing, and the position so challenging- we need to be as frictionless as sales people, in some ways, and yet we need to be squarely in front of the client providing the services as the author.

That's why many top salespeople from corporations have such trouble transitioning to selling their own services because it's so much more vulnerable.

Authors can wear cordouroy and still expect you to buy their books. A sales person couldn't sell anything, except cordouroy, whilst wearing it!

Stephen - That's hilarious! Thanks for defining it all so well. (I may wear corduroy to the biznik event this evening) - J.

I'm loving your contributions, too, Howard. We should definitely connect. I imagine I'll be making it up to Seattle sometime this year.

Stephen- LOL- that's the must succinct and accurate definition I've seen yet.

Cordouroy should make a big come back, it's the only musical clothing I can think of.

I had a history professor called zub zubb, because of his cordouroy trouser noises. He was published, but not under that name.

Howard, if there's even a hint of leather or suede elbow patch, then I'd summize that somewhere in the late 1960's your watch stopped!