[mattmanser]

Some people are natural sales people, some aren't. I've noticed that the guys really really good at selling don't even think about problems of a product or social barriers to contacting people and just do it.

As I can't read their mind I'm not sure if it's a mindset they deliberately choose or just a different way of looking at life, but you definitely sound like one of those kind of people.

Great trait to have, but not everyone has it. Doesn't mean you can't be an entrepreneur if you don't have it though.

[edw519]

I don't think it has anything to do with sales or selling.

Are you passionate about your work? Obviously most of us are. We talk to each other here about it all the time. Do to any dev group or hacker hangout and it's hard to hear yourself think with all the chatter we share with each other about our work.

Emailing, calling, or talking to civilians is the same thing. As soon as we think it's "selling", we set up a mental block that's no good for anyone.

Just build a great product for others and share your passion about that product with them. Anyone can do it. In fact, most of us already are.

Just be yourself, let others know how your work will benefit them, and let the "selling" become a byproduct of that process. It's much easier than many of us think if we just give it a chance.

[mattmanser]

Now you're describing the difference between an extrovert and an introvert. Appreciate everyone is not the same!

[mattmanser]

Though I do actually think your advice is a great way of looking at the process and for introverts consciously motivating yourself with that mantra.

[zackattack]

I think you're setting up a false dichotomy.

Imagine that someone had a really annoying mosquito bite. Imagine you had a tube of anti-itch spray you could sell to that person. It would be lose-lose of you to not at least inform the person of the option to buy.

edw519 is implying that the product he is building solves a pain and he feels ethically compelled to share it. That's good, that's smart. That doesn't mean that you can't ALSO make tons of money building trinkets and selling them aggressively, 'cuz many people like to be sold things, but it seems that edw belongs to category 1.

[lelele]

> I don't think it has anything to do with sales or selling.

It does. Whether you know you are selling or not, you are selling.

> Just be yourself

If you are a natural born salesman, then that works. If not, by all means be yourself anyway, but be aware of what sells and what doesn't, and put some effort into it.

The book which has taught me what selling really is (and why techies often fail at it) is "The art of salesmanship" (I guess that's the English translation) by Heinz Goldmann (sadly it's little known).

Interestingly, Goldmann points out why sometimes skilled and passionate people fail at selling.