Welcome to Quantum™

Selling - art or Science?

Art

‘Human skill or workmanship.’  ‘Intuitive rather than rational understanding.’ 

Science

‘Systemised knowledge. Exceptional skill due to knowledge and training as distinguished from natural ability.’ ‘Reliable knowledge about any topic.’

Since our formation in 1992 we have facilitated many, often animated, discussions where those assembled have debated whether selling is an art or a science as defined by descriptions similar to those above. The headline question typically being: “On a 1-10 scale if completely ARTISTIC equates to a 1, and completely SCIENTIFIC equates to a 10, where should we place the business of selling?”

Many of us are naturally drawn to the end-product of great creativity and flair. A multiplicity of examples from sport to fine art readily spring to mind. We can see that the end-game of selling is a human being influencing another human being. At the more advanced end of the scale in particular, we aren’t yet ready to be replaced by robots – but, just as we are unlikely to see a paperback on a newsagent’s shelf teaching us ‘How To be A Dentist’, and, more importantly, would certainly be mortified if attended to by an untrained dentist — so we are of the view that effective sellers are more taught than they are born….

We are quite sure that certain intrinsic ‘raw attributes’ need to be in place (intelligence relative to the market in question might be an example; the confidence to ask for the appropriate level of commitment might be another) but Quantum’s view is that as much, if not more, is learned (e.g. putting in the right level of pre-call preparation) than can be attributed to what lies inside of the human being when he / she leaves the womb….

Therefore, overall, our view is that on the 1-10 scale selling is probably a 6…..

What do you think…..?