Get All Access for $5/mo

The 5 Irrefutable Principles of Selling The more you are willing to give, the less you will need to "sell.''

By William Ballard Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

There are five principles when it comes to selling. Follow these natural principles and sales begin to happen immediately. It doesn't matter if you're selling online or offline. These five principles are your five keys to unlocking the door to massive revenue growth for your business.

Related: How Your Attitude Can Win You Sales

1. Consumers only buy products and services that benefit them. The first thing you need to know is consumers don't buy from you because you're a great salesman. It behooves you to accept and receive this truth in your business, that consumers simply buy products and services because they "believe" that those products or services will benefit them in some way.

To succeed in your business, you must know without any doubt that your product or service is beneficial to the consumer or client. If the consumer or client is not happy, you do not get paid. That brings us to the next principle.

2. Value comes with a price tag. This principle is simple. The more your product or service benefits the consumer, the more you can raise the price. Nothing of value in this life comes without a price.

Following this principle is essential at the production phase, when you are coming up with a product or service. Your focus must be on benefit to the customer in the product launching stage, when you are putting the finished product on the shelf, so to speak.

3. Credibility is dependent upon two factors, trust and expertise. John Maxwell in his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (AFF) writes, "Leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less."

We develop this powerful, intagible quality of influence by growing the trust our customers and clients have in us and for our what we offer. One way we do this is by attaining and demonstrating expertise in our particular field or industry. This brings us to the next principle.

Related: Flip 'I Hate' to 'I Love' to Sell

4. The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself. Bob Burg and John David Mann wrote in the Go-Giver, "As long as you're trying to be someone else, or putting on some act or behavior someone else taught you, you have no possibility of truly reaching people. The most valuable thing you have to give people is yourself. No matter what you think you're selling, what you're really offering is you."

You go "all in,'' with your head and your whole heart, to provide the solution to a consumer's problem. Think hard about how you are going to make the best product or provide the best service that, literally, will change the life of the consumer or prospect you want to help. Your heart must sincerely and genuinely want to provide a solution that can benefit the consumer or client and change their life for the better.

This attitude is the fertile soil where the trust the consumer gives you is nurtured and grows.

5. This is a give and give relationship. At first glance, most people think it means that you, the business provider, give the service or product and they, the consumer, give money for the service or product. That is not what I am referring to here. What I mean by a "give and give relationship'' is that you, the business provider, are always giving. The consumer is never giving.

When you sell your product or service, always give the consumer, as a bonus a free, genuinely valuable gift on top of what they have paid for. They will come back to buy from you, time and time again.

These are the five irrefutable principles of selling. Follow them, sit back, and watch your profit margins skyrocket into space.

Related: How to Adopt a Sales Mindset

William Ballard

CEO and Founder of William Ballard Enterprise, LLC

William Ballard is the CEO of William Ballard Enterprise, where he blogs about writing, publishing, business, and entrepreneurship.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Operations & Logistics

What Every Entrepreneur Should Prepare for in 2025 — These Trends Could Make or Break Your Business

With AI, shifting supply chains and political forces reshaping the landscape, businesses across every sector face a pivotal year ahead. Here are three hard-won lessons that have helped me adapt to market changes — and can help you thrive in 2025.

Business News

'Life Changing to Many': MIT Makes Tuition Free For Families Making Less than $200,000

The sticker price for a year at MIT without aid is $85,960.

Starting a Business

He Started a Business That Surpassed $100 Million in Under 3 Years: 'Consistent Revenue Right Out of the Gate'

Ryan Close, founder and CEO of Bartesian, had run a few small businesses on the side — but none of them excited him as much as the idea for a home cocktail machine.

Business News

Watch 'The Banana That Broke the Internet' Sell for Millions at Auction

Justin Sun, Chinese collector and founder of cryptocurrency platform TRON, placed the winning bid of $6.24 million for "Comedian" on Wednesday.

Leadership

10 Ways My Leadership Has Changed in 10 Years

Reflecting on the ways my approach to leadership has transformed over the past decade and the key lessons I've learned along the way.

Marketing

Want To Be a Great Marketer? Stop Thinking Like One

In an age of AI-fueled content overload, consumers crave genuine connection and meaningful marketing.