Selling isn't Sleazy: Reframing Sales as Service

When most of us hear the word sales, a few things might come to mind: pushy car dealers, endless cold calls, annoying tele-sales, TV infomercials telling you repeatedly, “But wait, there’s more...” and dodgy pop-ups promising “one-time-only offers.” It’s no wonder so many would-be entrepreneurs never act on their ideas: they want to avoid that kind of selling.

But that's not how it has to be.

Selling isn’t about being manipulative and aggressive. It’s about being meaningful.

If you're building a business, whether it's handmade candles, a coding app, or eco-friendly snacks, you're not just selling, you're solving problems. You're not forcing something onto someone. You're offering something to them. There’s a world of difference.

“I don’t want to sell, I just want to help people,” you might say.

Brilliant. Because that’s exactly what selling should be.

The famous sales legend, Zig Ziglar (and a gentleman, apparently) said:

“Stop selling. Start helping.”

Young entrepreneurs often don’t realise this simple mindset shift can change everything. If you genuinely believe your product or service improves someone’s life, then not offering it is actually a disservice.

Sales coach, Bryan Mulry, says that the definition of sales is "the transfer of enthusiasm from one person to another."
"If you're not enthusiastic about what you sell, then nobody can be either. The first person you need to sell your product/service to is yourself."

Then be enthusiastic and let it bubble over to bless others!

A Story from the Flea Market

Imagine a young girl at a local market with a table full of hand-poured candles. She's made them herself — lavender, vanilla, peppermint — each one with a little handwritten tag. People walk past, glance, smile, but keep going.

She doesn’t call out. She doesn’t say a word. Why? Because she doesn’t want to seem “pushy.”

Now compare that to her speaking up and saying:

“Hi! These are my handmade stress-relief candles. A few people say they really help them unwind after work. Want a sniff?”

That’s not aggressive. That’s inviting. That’s serving. And nine times out of ten, someone will stop, smile, and maybe buy one. Not because they were pressured. But because she helped them see how her product could make their life better.

You don’t need a fancy script. You just need to care.

Author Brian Tracy suggests that a salesperson must see themselves as a doctor. Selling is not forcing your foot in someone’s door and compelling them to listen to a sales pitch. It’s about offering solutions that make lives better. If your product alleviates their pain point, the sale will come naturally as their brain views the acquisition of the product as a need rather than a want.

Think about it this way: If you had a torch and someone was struggling and stuck in the dark, would you wave it and offer it to them, or hide it behind your back because you’re scared of looking too “salesy”?

Ask questions. Listen. Share how your product helps. It’s not about convincing someone to buy something they don’t need. It’s about understanding what they need and offering something that fits.

People don’t buy products. They buy solutions to their problems.

Whether it’s a student looking for a quiet candle to study by, or a busy parent who needs an easier way to pack healthy lunches, your role is to say, “I’ve got something that might help.”

People hate pushy, manipulative, money-hungry selling, but they support anyone who shows that she cares and is looking for the people who need the solution she provides.

Being proud of your product doesn’t make you arrogant. Being passionate about your business doesn’t make you aggressive.

It makes you brave.

So instead of thinking:

“I don’t want to come off as salesy…”

Try this instead:

“If this can truly help someone, it’s my job to let them know it exists.”

That’s not pushy. That’s purposeful.

Sales isn’t pressure. It’s permission to solve a problem.

Sales isn’t talking. It’s listening for the right moment. The best salespeople aren’t the best talkers. They’re the best listeners.

Sales isn’t a trick. It’s a tool to help people get what they value.

It’s not about you. Sales feels awkward when you make it about you — your money, your numbers, your goals.
But when you flip it and make it about your customer — their needs, their experience, their life — it stops feeling uncomfortable. It starts feeling natural.

So the next time you hesitate to post your offer, share your product, or strike up a conversation at a market stall, remember this:

You’re not bothering anyone. You’re offering value.
You’re not selling. You’re serving.