Edward Golod, the founder of Revenue Accelerators and a successful Fortune 100 sales professional, entrepreneur of three business, and impassioned sales evangelist offers up an excellent post in the Adotas Weblog: How to Sell without Actually Sounding Like a Salesperson. Here are several excerpts:

The best salespeople know that selling comes down to relationship building, and doing it very quickly. And since just about everybody resents being in a relationship that feels disingenuous, it’s crucial that you do NOT sound like stereotypical salesperson.

Here are several ways to help you avoid coming off like a used car seller:

1. Put your self-interest on the back burner - Your goal is to make quota. But all those proven, consultative sales techniques you have learned will NOT work unless you put your self-interest aside while you build a new relationship.

2. Listen, listen, listen… 80% of the time - When you’re building a relationship, you’re selling trust, and trust comes from “active” listening.

3. You must ask the correct questions - Since selling is about helping executives make buying decisions, the best thing to do is ask questions to help the discovery process along.

4. Become an equal to the executive - Decision-makers do not usually want to spend time with salespeople. Period! They want to work with businesspeople that provide solutions, and fix problems that address painfully business situations. Be an equal and be confident.

5. Count before you respond - When responding to common objections, take a deep breath and hold it for 3 seconds. You need to be calm, focused, and fit the context of the relationship you are building.

6. Trust comes from sharing…do NOT interrupt - Do NOT sell to your prospect while they are sharing.

7. Do not abuse knowing their name - When talking; do not over-use the prospect’s name.

8. In essence, care about them! - When relating to people, care about them and tell them.

Conclusion - Selling is hard work, especially in the online media world. You need to stand out, be unique, and quickly sell your value to higher-level executives. Using a disciplined, structured approach will get you there faster, as it has over the last 20 years in filed selling across the country. Practice well, practice smart, but practice.