Daniel Pink & Adam Grant Interview on Why ‘To Sell is Human’: Using Sales Skills in Everyday Life
Episode Description
KNOWLEDGE@WHARTON ARCHIVES: Whether you are an educator, an art director or a project manager, you are in sales. So argues bestselling author Daniel Pink in his new book, To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth about Moving Others. Pink recently visited the University of Pennsylvania as a guest lecturer in the Authors@Wharton series. Wharton management professor Adam Grant interviewed Pink while he was there to learn more about the ideas in his book, including why consumers mistrust salespeople, what the new ABCs of selling are and why questions may be the greatest selling tool.
More on this interview: https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/daniel-pink-on-why-to-sell-is-human/ 📂 Marketing
Brief Summary
Dan Pink discusses his book on sales, emphasizing that everyone is in sales and introducing new principles for effective selling.
Key points
- We're All in Sales. Dan Pink discusses how everyone engages in selling, regardless of their job title.
- The New ABCs of Sales. Pink introduces attunement, buoyancy, and clarity as essential qualities for modern sales.
- Insights Over Products. Effective salespeople provide insights rather than just pushing products, leading to better relationships.
- The Power of Listening. Learning to listen better can transform your daily interactions.
- Perspective-Taking vs. Empathy. Understanding others' thoughts can enhance conflict resolution.
- Improving Email Communication. Research shows how to craft better email subject lines.
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Episode highlights
- We're All in SalesDan Pink discusses how everyone engages in selling, regardless of their job title.“We're all in sales, whether we like it or not.”0:35Mar 6, 2013
- The New ABCs of SalesPink introduces attunement, buoyancy, and clarity as essential qualities for modern sales.“Sales isn't what it used to be.”3:22Mar 6, 2013
- Insights Over ProductsEffective salespeople provide insights rather than just pushing products, leading to better relationships.“Salespeople are welcomed when they offer insights, not just products.”8:31Mar 6, 2013
- The Power of ListeningLearning to listen better can transform your daily interactions.“I wasn’t very adept at listening.”18:15Mar 6, 2013
- Perspective-Taking vs. EmpathyUnderstanding others' thoughts can enhance conflict resolution.“The muscularity of perspective-taking has been very useful to me.”19:13Mar 6, 2013
- Improving Email CommunicationResearch shows how to craft better email subject lines.“I realized how bad my email subject lines were.”19:44Mar 6, 2013





