The Greatest Salesman in the World is not a book about selling per se.
It’s a book about cultivating the person you want to be as a salesman or a saleswoman.
All of us are selling something.
The Greatest Salesman in the World inspires and challenges you to be introspective, stretching yourself mentally, emotionally and spiritually to be the finest version of yourself.
The main character, Hafid, is given 10 scrolls, which he opens one by one, discovering great truths about the secrets to selling success.
The book is really short so if you haven’t read it, I would highly recommend it.
With Valentine’s Day approaching, I want to share a few gems of wisdom from the second scroll, which is about Love.
“Love” is an unconventional topic in the business world, but I know those in the association and business communities love and care for your members and customers – those who you serve and provide value to.
I hope these quotes will touch and inspire you to show up better. To serve better. To just be better.
On having the right purpose in serving our customers
“Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men and until I master this art I will remain no more than a peddler in the marketplace. I will make love my greatest weapon and none on whom I call can defend against its force.”
On overcoming objections and rejections
“My reasoning they may counter; my speech they may distrust; my apparel they may disapprove; my face they may reject; and even my bargains may cause them suspicion; yet my love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest clay.”
On what you say to others
“I will laud mine enemies and they will become friends; I will encourage my friends and they will become brothers. Always will I dig for reasons to applaud; never will I scratch for excuses to gossip. When I am tempted to criticize, I will bite my tongue; when I am moved to praise I will shout from the roofs.”
On reacting to others
“But how will I react to the actions of others? With love. For just as love is my weapon to open the hearts of men, love is also my shield to repulse the arrows of hate and spears of anger. Adversity and discouragement will beat against my new shield and become as the softest of rains. My shield will protect me in the marketplace and sustain me when I am alone. It will uplift me in moments of despair yet it will calm me in time of exultation. It will become stronger and more protective with use until one day I will cast it aside and walk unencumbered among all manners of men and women, and when I do, my name will be raised high on the pyramid of life.”
On loving ourselves
“And most of all, I will love myself … Never will I allow my mind to be attracted to evil and despair, rather I will uplift it with the knowledge and wisdom of the ages. Never will I allow my soul to become complacent and satisfied, rather I will feed it with meditation and prayer … I will greet this day with love in my heart.”
Here’s to greeting each day (and member/customer) with love in our hearts!
