You may have heard this story, but it is well worth re-telling: In the summer of 1998 the founders of Innocent Drinks set up a stall at a London music festival.

They put their smoothies out on a table, gave them out to everyone and had two bins set-up labelled ”yes” and “no”, with a sign saying “Do you think we should give up our jobs to make these smoothies?”.

The “yes” bin was full of empty smoothie bottles at the end of the day. Buoyed by the enthusiasm from the public, the lads from Innocent have since created quite a business.

The key idea in the above story is enthusiasm. Sales has been defined by many people in many complicated and technical ways, but my personal favourite is Brian Tracy’s: “a sale is best defined as a transfer of enthusiasm.”

It’s simple, and it’s true.

Forget about being a salesperson, with all of its negative used-car connotations. Forget about trying to close, dealing with objections and being pushy.

Just focus on making the other person enthusiastic about your idea, and you are a good deal of the way there.

You might be thinking, “this isn’t new, I do it all the time”. You’re right, we all do. Accountants, librarians, client service reps, morticians and salespeople.

Every time you convince someone to go on a weekend away or to buy you a gift, you are transferring enthusiasm.

How to transfer enthusiasm
How do we transfer enthusiasm effectively?

1. Ensure you know the person’s situation before you try to enthuse them.

You can’t get someone enthusiastic about buying a new boat if they suffer chronic seaksickness.

2. Get to know their situation by asking questions.

Questions get you the information you need to motivate people and stir enthusiasm.

3. Have some proof at hand.

Most of the time we buy emotionally, but need to justify the decision rationally. In other words, we are more likely to be enthused by an idea if we know other people have tried it.

4. Make it easy for people to accept your idea.

The less work they have to do the better. This means, for example, having cheap airline fares handy if you are trying to convince fellow hens to celebrate in Rome.

So, using the definition of a sale being a “transfer of enthusiasm” it follows that we are all natural born salespeople because we pitch our ideas and desires to colleagues, friends and loved ones many times during the week.

Next time you’re asked to sell something at work – be it an idea, a new system, a re-structure, or a product – you know what to do.

Don’t try too hard to “be a salesperson”. Take the pressure off yourself, and just lend the other person some of your enthusiasm.

Enthusiasm is, as the saying goes, infectious – and the key to sales success.