The Secret of Selling Anything Quotes

“So when you approach any individual, make sure you realize that he will do what he wants to do. Don’t laugh at his choices; investigate them to better understand what he’s trying to accomplish.
If you wish to trade, you will have to offer the person something he wants more than what he has already. It’s his resources you are seeking. He will control their use. You will have to be in tune with his desires or there will be no exchange.
The consumer is the object of the whole process. And he chooses in terms that are meaningful to him (not to you). You will succeed only as you find ways to satisfy him.”
― Harry Browne, The Secret of Selling Anything

“The first step in trying to get along with other people is to realize that each is doing what he wants to do. Examine his actions, uncover the motives for his acts, find out why he wants to do as he does. And, as we’ll see further along, this will give you the opportunity to earn his respect and cooperation to an extent that others can never obtain.”
― Harry Browne, The Secret of Selling Anything

“It is not how long you work at some task that determines what you’ll receive for it in exchange. It is the value someone else places upon the product or service that determines what it is worth in exchange.”
― Harry Browne, The Secret of Selling Anything

“your balance sheet is an indication of how much you have served others ~ in terms of their standards, their values, their desires. Don’t ever forget that happiness is relative. Your idea of what’s good for someone else may not be shared in the slightest by that someone.
Understand, too, that I am not saying you ought to be considerate of others or that it is ethical to make people happy. It is a simple fact of life that if you do not make people happy, they aren’t going to do business with you ~ on any basis.”
― Harry Browne, The Secret of Selling Anything

“Those who wish that success would fall into their laps will wish forever. But those who look at the world as it is, who recognize that the consumer is king, who take the trouble to find out what the consumer wants ~ these men make fortunes. People will always reward them ~ because people will not want to be without their services.”
― Harry Browne, The Secret of Selling Anything

“All you have to do is to make it your business to find out what people want ~ instead of assuming it, instead of telling them.
The one rule that sums up the job to be done ~ the one formula that is fully in harmony with the real world ~ the secret of success is:
Find out what people want and help them get it!”
― Harry Browne, The Secret of Selling Anything

“If there were no shortage of human resources in this world, consumers could buy everything and have everything they wanted. Then there would be no point in wondering how to succeed.”
― Harry Browne, The Secret of Selling Anything

“It is not how long you work at some task that determines what you’ll receive for it in exchange. It is the value someone else places upon the product or service that determines what it is worth in exchange.


Your “costs” are not important to the other person. He only cares about the value of the product to himself. What he’ll pay to get your service is based solely on the value he places upon the object”
― Harry Browne, The Secret of Selling Anything