“A salesman is the act of one, on behalf of another, for the benefit of both.”

This is an unknown quote I came across many years ago.  While we do not know who wrote this quote, I am pretty sure that they had to have been a very successful sales person and rock pusher.

I challenge anyone to come up with a more descriptive definition of a selling in a fewer number of words.  While this quote applies to selling, I would argue that it also applies to life. Taken at the simplest level it is summary of a philosophy for selling and for life. 

Every great action starts with one person.  It may be an act of service, a product, or a passion to change the world.  It starts with the act of one.  Then as “one” comes together with “others” who are like-minded, they now act as a group.

For a great action to succeed it requires a motivation, through out history when one person acts on behalf of another, it creates a selfless path to success.  When the focus is not on “you” but on “them”, a culture of greatness is created. 

For this greatness to grow and multiply, the act of one must benefit both parties.  The “one” and “the another” must both feel that they have benefited during the process.  In sales this is pretty easy to measure.  Did the sales person use good judgment and provide a product or service that benefited the customer, if so they probably made a sale.

An act of one, on the behalf of another, for the benefit of both