--- title: The proper foundation for selling description: Setting up a relationship of equals right from the beginning is essential if you want to create a lasting and mutually beneficial business relationship. image: https://www.deepskymarketing.com/hubfs/Image%20of%20a%20succesful%20casual%20business%20woman%20using%20laptop%20during%20meeting.jpeg --- [![deepskymarketing](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/hs-fs/file-2158775755-png/deepskymarketing-1dec2014/logo.png "deepskymarketing")](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/) - Services - [Business Report Card](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/business-report-card) - [A Simple Marketing Plan](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/simple-marketing-plan-0) - [Manage Your Business](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/leadership/tribal-leadership/-0) - [Leverage Points for Business](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/leverage-points-for-business) - About - [What Clients Say](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/about/what-clients-say/) - [Case Studies](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/about/case-studies) - [Meet Us](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/internet/agency/meet-us) - [Blog](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/internet/the-master-marketer-blog) - [Free Consult](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/internet/DeepSky-contact-page) The Master Marketer BLOG # The proper foundation for selling Posted by [Jeffrey Schmidt](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/internet/the-master-marketer-blog/author/jeffrey-schmidt) on Wed, May 10, 2023 @ 1 AM FYI — I learned this from John Rosso, he was a trainer at the [Sandler Sales Training School](https://www.sandler.com/?utm_campaign=Gut%20Instincts%20Initial%20Campaign&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-87TB9A0dg86RSXUxusSYahTKzdZ2WrafXxTHl3HAYbbGP_2arp_-haprdMDSR99jae8Y68), one of the biggest in the world. John taught that setting up a relationship of equals right from the beginning is essential if you want to create a lasting and mutually beneficial business relationship. Here are a few tips. **Relax** Being tense is like getting skunked, people can smell it and will avoid you like the plague. Being relaxed is not a luxury, it is an important building block of success. If you bend and contort yourself to fit the needs of people (as "people pleasers" are prone to do) you'll always be tense and scare people off. Take responsibility and make your self comfortable by being who you are. This way you find the right kind of clients for YOU. This is huge for your success! **Trust** If you are selling something that has value (and you need to be) trust that people can see that value. Yes, you'll have to learn the best ways to communicate value. Yes, you'll need to practice and refine how you say things a lot. That's your job. Trusting your product or service is required because people can sense it. Trust your product or service — or sell something else. **A relationship of equals** Sales people need to do inner work if they want to be able to ask pertinent and sometimes uncomfortable questions that move a relationship forward. If you've created a good relational foundation you can ask just about anything without causing a problem. This is the crux of selling: having a good enough relationship to be able to ask forbidden questions at the right time and in the right way. What might this sound like? Here is one possibility among millions: ***"Sally, pardon me for saying this but it strikes me that you really like what you are hearing but I feel a hesitation, am I on the right track here?*** If Sally says yes, then ask: "What might that hesitation be?" Please note: this only works if you are asking questions out of curiosity for Sally's welfare — a tremendous skill to learn. If you are saying things to maneuver Sally into a sale she'll feel it and move away from you. Start right now and assume people know what you are thinking and feeling. This keeps you honest and in good rapport with people. Your Business Building Mentor. Jeffrey Share this content Posted by [Jeffrey Schmidt](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/internet/the-master-marketer-blog/author/jeffrey-schmidt) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ## MORE RECENT BLOGS ### [Why Steve Jobs was big on INTUITION](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/internet/the-master-marketer-blog/steve-jobs-on-inuition) Steve Jobs said: “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want. Everything else is secondary.” W... [Read more](https://www.deepskymarketing.com/internet/the-master-marketer-blog/steve-jobs-on-inuition) ### [AI is Changing Business. 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