Selling with Noble Purpose

“What if selling wasn’t just about numbers, but about making the world a better place?” Lisa Earle McLeod challenges the traditional perceptions of sales in "Selling with Noble Purpose."

1. Purpose Drives Passion and Performance

Many people feel drained or uninspired by their work because they can’t see how it contributes to the bigger picture. By identifying the last moment your work positively impacted someone, you can unlock motivation and pride. Purpose activates the brain's frontal lobe, responsible for empathy, reasoning, and problem-solving, boosting both satisfaction and performance.

Examples

• Recalling a time you helped a coworker or client can reignite enthusiasm.
• Employees at companies with a purpose-driven mission report feeling more engaged.
• Procter & Gamble revived its struggling business by returning to its mission of improving lives.

2. Noble Selling Prioritizes Customer Needs

Selling with noble intent focuses on understanding and meeting customers’ genuine needs instead of pushing unnecessary products. This ethical sales approach not only benefits society but also increases profits. Companies like Southwest Airlines excel by aligning decisions with their purpose, making air travel affordable and fair for customers.

Examples

• P&G avoided failure by ensuring all products aimed to improve lives under new leadership in 2000.
• Southwest Airlines rejected adding bag fees despite losing out on $350 million initially because it conflicted with their purpose.
• The "Bags Fly Free" campaign boosted Southwest’s revenue by $1 billion, proving that purpose pays off.

3. Fear-Driven Environments Hurt Sales

Intimidation and fear create a toxic atmosphere where employees focus more on avoiding mistakes than serving customers. Fear triggers fight-or-flight responses, diverting attention from productive problem-solving. Leaders need to replace scare tactics with encouragement to increase employee focus on customer satisfaction.

Examples

• A fearful environment forced the author to manipulate sales outcomes to appease her boss rather than prioritize clients.
• The author’s boss focused on short-term sales over long-term relationships, risking client trust.
• Motivated teams perform better when clear communication and support replace intimidation.

4. Authenticity in Sales Cannot Be Faked

Customers easily detect insincerity through subconscious cues such as tone and body language. If salespeople believe in their product's value, genuine enthusiasm naturally shines through. Selling a product they don’t believe in, however, leads to subtle signals of discomfort, harming trust.

Examples

• A UCLA study found 55% of trust comes from body language, 38% from tone, and just 7% from spoken words.
• Companies wasting resources on teaching false enthusiasm overlook the power of genuine passion.
• Sales teams thrive when they sell products they are proud of, leading to better client relationships.

5. Stories Build Engagement and Morale

Narratives bring to life a company’s purpose and values, inspiring employees and customers alike. Stories connect employees to a sense of meaning and demonstrate how their work has an impact. They are a catalyst for both motivation and sales, turning abstract values into real-world applications.

Examples

• Graham-White employees took pride in a story showcasing their commitment when a rep waited all night in the snow to serve a client.
• Airtight brakes made by Graham-White helped save several freezing trains, a story that brought in new clients.
• Managers at Graham-White shared these stories to inspire loyalty and dedication across teams.

6. Investment in CRM Beats Expensive Managers

A robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system empowers sales teams with all the information needed to personalize customer interactions. While managers oversee a limited percentage of sales activities, a well-maintained CRM system can guide every pitch and query.

Examples

• A salesperson with comprehensive customer data via CRM easily trumps those relying solely on memory.
• CRM systems offering industry-specific insights and purchasing history help develop more relevant solutions during calls.
• At Citrix, detailed CRMs provided employees critical data to convince skeptical customers early in their cloud computing journey.

7. Analyze Successful Sales and Share Lessons

Capturing and analyzing the details behind each successful sale ensures continuous learning across teams. Citrix grew from $0 to $500 million in five years by documenting every major sale and making those lessons accessible to all.

Examples

• At Citrix, Traver Gruen-Kennedy introduced monthly success-case documentation to improve pitch strategies.
• A shared library of past successes helps employees pitch better to clients in similar industries.
• Sales increased dramatically when Citrix staff could tap into prior cases to emphasize product benefits.

8. Simple Actions Inspire Employee Engagement

Small, thoughtful actions from leadership can energize employees and reinforce a sense of purpose. Simple gestures like check-ins or helping lost visitors show employees how their work supports the company’s mission.

Examples

• Boston University’s policy of staff assisting wayward students creates a welcoming campus culture.
• A friendly dean who helped visitors exemplifies how such efforts align with the school’s mission to serve students.
• Encouraging proactive, small tasks prevents employees from losing focus during slow periods.

9. Selling with Purpose is Transformative

At its core, selling should feel meaningful, not mechanical. When sales teams understand the broader purpose of why their work matters, everything from motivation to client interactions improves. Selling can shift from being a job to a noble pursuit.

Examples

• A noble purpose helps connect salespeople to customers’ goals and builds authentic relationships.
• The philosophy transformed Procter & Gamble, Southwest Airlines, and Graham-White into purpose-led leaders.
• Performance skyrockets when employees stop chasing quotas and align with a mission larger than themselves.

Takeaways

1. Evaluate how your work impacts others and focus on the bigger picture to reignite passion in what you do.
2. Equip your sales team with a detailed CRM system that emphasizes understanding clients’ needs.
3. Document and share success stories to motivate employees and enable smarter strategies for future sales.