[lin robinson]

This echos a powerful concept in sales that's been around for years, SPIN selling.

Simply, the idea is, you aren't in an adversary relationship with a buyer (which so many salespeople do see themselves). The salesperson is essentially an unpaid consultant enabling his client to better his service, product, or life.

My analogy is that, instead of two people standing eye to eye, you have two people side by side, examining the situation.

The salesperson is there to understand the client's situation and problems and offer solutions that work.

The need to examine and understand the client's situation is the basis of communication, really.

There are books and seminars and stuff on SPIN (developed by a guy who made a name for himself with another book that pretty much proved "teams" don't really work for business) and it's an important thing to expose one's self to.