Sell or Be Sold

KEY MESSAGE

“You’re either selling or being sold—on every idea, every conversation, every day.”

This book isn’t just about closing deals. It’s about:

• Selling your ideas

• Selling your product

• Selling your value

• Selling yourself on your own success

🔥 BIG IDEAS

1. Sales Is a Survival Skill

“Nothing happens until something is sold.”

Everything in life is sales:

• Convincing someone to use your product = sales

• Getting hired = sales

• Convincing yourself to push through fear = sales

If you don't sell your ideas, you're at the mercy of others who do.

2. You Must Be Sold First

“You’ll never convince anyone if you aren’t 100% sold yourself.”

• Believe deeply in what you're selling—product, idea, or solution

• Obsessively use your own product (be your best customer)

• If you waver, they’ll sense it. Confidence sells.

3. Only One Rule: Always Be Selling

Every moment is an opportunity to:

• Build trust

• Create certainty

• Help someone make a decision

“The goal isn’t to pressure—it’s to help someone make the right decision with confidence.”

4. Master the Selling Process

Cardone keeps it simple:

1. Greet – Show energy, confidence, attention

2. Fact-Find – Ask questions, uncover pain, build trust

3. Present – Link the product directly to their problems

4. Close – Assume the sale, ask confidently, handle objections

5. Follow Up – Fortune is in the follow-up

“Selling is like dating—don’t expect commitment without trust.”

5. Treat Objections as Buying Signals

“An objection just means they need more information or more certainty.”

Don’t see objections as rejection:

• “It’s too expensive” → You didn’t show the value

• “I’m not ready” → You didn’t create urgency or trust

Use objections to dig deeper, not back off.

6. Handle Rejection Like a Pro

• Rejection is not personal

• Every “no” brings you closer to a “yes”

• Keep showing up, refine your message, build your resilience
  
  

“Rejection is just a sign you didn’t sell hard enough—yet.”

7. Follow Up Relentlessly

“Most sales happen after the 5th contact—but most people quit after the 2nd.”

Follow-up is where 10X people win:

• Email, call, text, DM, share value

• Stay professional but persistent

Be so present they can’t ignore you.

8. Sell with Passion + Ethics

“Selling is not about tricking. It’s about transferring certainty and helping others win.”

True sales is about:

• Belief in your product

• Desire to help others

• Clear, confident action
  
  

🔑 Quick Mantras from the Book

• “Be sold on what you sell.”

• “Obsess about helping people.”

• “Fear of rejection = fear of success.”

• “Treat selling like a duty—not a job.”

• “Money follows attention.”
  
  

🎯 Final Summary

You sell every day. The more you master it, the more freedom you gain—in business, in relationships, in life.