Many business owners and salesmen are selling products. But my question is: Are they genuinely interested?

Most companies are selling their products, and most salesmen directly sell the product. But both of them have the wrong approach. Your product is not wrong, but your selling approach is wrong.

Why? Because they do not understand how to sell it. They misjudge your real audience. They force people, and their advertisements show fake benefits. They directly say, "This is my product and your benefit."

Acknowledge Your Real Audience's Identity

A great salesperson doesn't directly target your audience—they provide real value for your audience. They know the consumer is not a fool. They understand why someone would buy this product. They know what problem your product solves.

Your product is not valuable just for your company, but for the actual value in your intention and mindset.

Let's understand with an example. When Facebook was being created, Mark Zuckerberg didn't think about what he could improve in his product. Instead, he only focused on which features people were demanding and which features no one needed. His only focus was on how to engage people so that they would keep coming back to the platform.

Without Need, You Waste Your Time

Until you create a need for your product, you are just selling a product. The customer doesn't want your product; they need your product. Until you meet their needs, your product is just a product.

Someone said that you should not focus on the product itself, but on solving people's problems.

Understand Your Product Through These Questions

Write down these key questions and find solutions:

1. What is the real purpose of my product?
2. How can I connect my customers with my product?
3. What problem does my product solve?
4. Is this a real problem for my consumer?
5. What marketing strategies does my marketing team implement?
6. What is the key benefit of my features?
7. What features of my product are my customers actually using?
8. Who are my loyal customers?
9. How are my customers responding?
10. Will my product have value in the coming years?

These 10 questions will help you determine where you're headed. It's similar to tracking your health. The answers are hidden within each question.

Using this method, it's essential to conduct a pre-mortem of your business.

How to Actually Sell Your Product

Selling is a technique that involves emotions rather than just the product itself. You sell your expressions and behavior along with the product.

When selling a product, you don't just tell the product's features; you tell the customer its purpose and its biggest benefit. When selling any product, it's important to understand the other person.

A Story of Three Selling Approaches

Let me tell you a story. A father had three sons. They were asked to sell a comb, but the condition was that it had to be sold to Buddhist monks—and you know that monks don't have hair.

So the three of them went out. The first son met a disciple and said, "You don't have hair, but when you itch, you can scratch with the comb." So he somehow sold one comb.

Then it was the second son's turn, and he also used some trickery and said, "Whoever has a habit of combing their hair can use it." He sold 10 combs.

The third didn't do that; he learned the situation there. He went straight to the Buddhist monk and asked how many pilgrims visit daily. "10,000 a day," the monk replied. He then asked if the people there frequently need to comb their hair. "Yes, they do."

The son said, "The problem is, people just buy your books and teachings but don't remember them." The monk asked, "Why is that?" The son wisely said that people often remember what they see every day.

The Lesson from This Story

The lesson to be learned from this is that when selling, don't just look for your own profit; consider the benefit of the person you're selling to as well.

What you're selling isn't about what you want to give—it's about what they actually need and benefit from.

The Win-Win Principle in Selling

Stephen Covey wrote in "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" about the win-win situation—where both sides win. This is the foundation of great selling.

When you sell, you're not taking from the customer, and they're not taking from you. Both of you are winning. You get your business, and they get their problem solved. This is real selling.

Most salespeople think only about their commission, their target, their profit. But the third son in our story? He thought about the monk's problem first. The monk wanted his teachings to reach people—that was his win. The son sold thousands of combs—that was his win. **Win-win**.

That's why win-win is not just a business concept; it's a mindset. When you approach selling with the mentality that "I want my customer to win first," you automatically win. Because when your customer wins, they come back. They refer you. They become loyal.

One-sided wins don't last. If only you win, the customer feels cheated. If only they win, your business dies. But when both win? That's when real, sustainable business happens.

Understand the Audience, Improve the Product

Selling is an art where you understand your user and adapt your product to suit their needs.

You also need to understand that as technology changes, people's behavior also changes. Therefore, if you don't adapt to the evolving technology, your product will remain the same, but your business will decline. Just like Blockbuster did when Netflix grew.

That's why it's crucial to keep up with the times. Flexibility is essential in business. That's why I've included the 10th question.

Conclusion: Selling Is About Creating Value, Not Pushing Products

The difference between a salesman and a great salesperson is simple: One pushes products, the other creates genuine value.

Your product doesn't sell itself. Your audience's needs sell it. When you truly understand your customer's problems and position your product as the solution they've been searching for, you're no longer selling—you're helping.

Ask yourself honestly: Are you forcing your product onto people, or are you genuinely solving their problems? Are you thinking about your profit, or are you thinking about their benefit first?

Remember the third son with the combs. He didn't trick anyone. He didn't force anything. He simply understood the real need and created a solution that benefited everyone. That's the art of selling.

Your loyal audience is waiting. But they're not waiting for another product—they're waiting for someone who truly understands them. Be that person. Adapt with the times. Stay flexible. And always, always focus on the value you create, not just the product you sell.

That's how you build a business that lasts.