--- title: Don't Be A Pigeon (Why Selling Is Dead) description: Traditional selling techniques are no longer effective in the twenty-first century. image: https://www.liftenablement.com/hs-fs/file-361475866-jpg/blog-files/img_4956.jpg --- ![Award Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%203.png) Award Winning, Amazon #1 Bestseller: The Revenue Acceleration Framework ![Lift Logo](https://www.liftenablement.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Lift-Theme-Dev/images/LiftEnablement%20-%20Logo%20-%20Reverse%20(2).png) HubSpot's Most Trusted Partner for Complex Implementations ![HubSpot Certified Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%204%20(2).png) HubSpot Certified App Partner ![Award Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%203.png) Award Winning, Amazon #1 Bestseller: The Revenue Acceleration Framework ![Lift Logo](https://www.liftenablement.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Lift-Theme-Dev/images/LiftEnablement%20-%20Logo%20-%20Reverse%20(2).png) HubSpot's Most Trusted Partner for Complex Implementations ![HubSpot Certified Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%204%20(2).png) HubSpot Certified App Partner ![Award Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%203.png) Award Winning, Amazon #1 Bestseller: The Revenue Acceleration Framework ![Lift Logo](https://www.liftenablement.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Lift-Theme-Dev/images/LiftEnablement%20-%20Logo%20-%20Reverse%20(2).png) HubSpot's Most Trusted Partner for Complex Implementations ![HubSpot Certified Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%204%20(2).png) HubSpot Certified App Partner ![Award Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%203.png) Award Winning, Amazon #1 Bestseller: The Revenue Acceleration Framework ![Lift Logo](https://www.liftenablement.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Lift-Theme-Dev/images/LiftEnablement%20-%20Logo%20-%20Reverse%20(2).png) HubSpot's Most Trusted Partner for Complex Implementations ![HubSpot Certified Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%204%20(2).png) HubSpot Certified App Partner # Don't Be A Pigeon (Why Selling Is Dead) [ Doug Davidoff ](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/author/doug-davidoff) Feb 24, 2011 2:05:00 PM ![Pigeons and Salespeople](https://www.liftenablement.com/hs-fs/file-361475866-jpg/blog-files/img_4956.jpg?width=300&name=img_4956.jpg "Pigeons and Salespeople")Traditional selling techniques are no longer effective in the twenty-first century. A study conducted by Harvard Business Review revealed that [only 1 in 250 salespeople actually creates positive economic impact](https://blog.imaginellc.com/thoughts-on-harvard-business-reviews-salesperson-study) for their companies, and less than 37% of salespeople meet a profile deemed to be “effective.”  It is time to end the traditional approach to sales, where most salespeople are considered pests or peddlers and transform that approach so that salespeople are perceived as the valuable assets they can be. Through 20 years of research, I have learned that the problem is a systems problem, **not** a people problem. To drive profitable growth, companies must adopt new *systems*, develop new *skills* and apply new *disciplines* to be effective.  The good news is that companies that make this transformation gain disproportionate rewards – often 5 to 10 times average rates of return. The fundamental problem with traditional selling is that it *structurally* places the focus on the commodity value.  If your goal is [differentiation](https://blog.imaginellc.com/go-deep-shorten-the-sales-cycle) and earning margin premiums, then you must work against traditional selling tactics.  For six years, the focus of this blog has been to support the development of a better approach to selling.  Consider this post a 30,000 foot review of six years of content (with the links to previous posts to support it). Here's the problem with traditional selling: A new, far more effective model of selling flips these issues on their head.  The focus is on [creating value throughout the entire sales/marketing process](https://www.imaginellc.com/createvalueinsalesprocess).  Rather than merely fulfilling demand (which is akin to being a pigeon trying to compete for a piece of bread) the focus is on creating demand - what I call [Demand Creation Selling](https://blog.imaginellc.com/creating-a-diagnostic-selling-system). Growth is tough enough as it is.  Businesses can no longer rely on systems and approaches that work against them.  The time has come to change the way you sell - and the rewards await.   [B2B Sales Strategy](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/topic/b2b-sales-strategy), [Demand Generation](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/topic/demand-generation), [Sales](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/topic/sales) ## Read On [![](https://www.liftenablement.com/hs-fs/file-361913552-jpg/blog-files/slide1.jpg?width=352&name=slide1.jpg) ](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/revisiting-what-do-you-sell) ### [Revisiting: What Do You Sell?](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/revisiting-what-do-you-sell) In April, I discussed the need to shift from selling “stuff” to selling results. Making that shift... [![](https://www.liftenablement.com/hs-fs/file-361913552-jpg/blog-files/slide1.jpg?width=352&name=slide1.jpg) ](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/the-shift-what-do-you-sell) ### [The Shift: What Do You Sell](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/the-shift-what-do-you-sell) I have a simple question for you: What do you sell? But wait. Before you answer it, realize that... [![](https://www.liftenablement.com/hs-fs/file-361923547-jpg/blog-files/h7-schools-practice-hurdle-315.jpg?width=352&name=h7-schools-practice-hurdle-315.jpg) ](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/the-purpose-of-lead-generation) ### [The Purpose of Lead Generation](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/the-purpose-of-lead-generation) For those of you that are subscribing to our Fast Growth Weekly Tips, this post is a reprint. I got...