Jordan Belfort who? Socrates, the Wolf of Athens.

If you opened this article because you had the doubt that Socrates was really talking to his disciples about pipelines, funnels and commissions on Peloponnesian wine sales, congratulations on the imagination.?

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Probably I drank some wine myself, to mention in the same sentence a man who would never have mistaken a suit for a toga and one who would not have met Americans even if he had lived till the age of 1,000 years old.?

Since I have now dusted off my high school philosophy books and have SalesForce still open, I still want to try to come up with an unusual topic: If Socrates had lived to the present day, would he have been a great salesman??

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Why this question??Let me explain.?

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The Athenian philosopher has remained in history for having given luster to the art of maieutics, a method of making conversation and communicating effectively with the interlocutor.

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This technique is based on Socrates' ability to ask his interlocutors questions in order to bring out their inner opinions, digging out the most superficial ideas, and then proceeding with further questions to bring out the contradictions or inconsistencies in their initial positions.

The aim of maieutics is to lead the interlocutor to reach a deeper understanding of himself and the world around him and to arrive at a conclusion on a topic with his own reasoning, urged and encouraged by the philosopher's questions.?

Socrates believed that truth was already present within each individual and that dialogue could help bring it out.??

Socrates always started with the admission of his own ignorance!?

This admission allowed Socrates to humble himself and feed his interlocutor's ego, putting him in a position where he is more inclined to show his opinions. In this way, Socrates avoids exposing his own opinion and puts himself in an advantageous position, encouraging dialogue and the exploration of new ideas.?

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In the Socratic dialogue, therefore, there is absolutely no teacher conveying absolute truth or teaching. It is the interlocutor who, pressed by relevant and specific questions, arrives at the truth step by step.??

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Here is an example of a Socratic dialogue.

Socrates: "What is your opinion on justice?"?

Interlocutor: "Well, justice is when you treat everyone equally."?

Socrates: "But if one person needs more help than another, wouldn't it be fair to treat them differently?"?

Interlocutor: "In that case, justice should be that the person who needs more help receives more attention."?

Socrates: "But if one person needs more help than another, then does justice require that they receive even more attention?"?

Interlocutor: "Yes, I think so."?

Socrates: "But then, does justice require that each person receive an amount of attention proportional to their needs?"?

Interlocutor: "Yes, exactly!"?

Socrates: "Interesting, so justice is not treating everyone equally, but ensuring that each person receives what they need proportionately. Thank you for giving me a better understanding of your idea of justice."?

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WHAT IF WE APPLIED THIS SAME METHOD IN SALES?

Socrates' art of maieutics could be the key for all those who, like me, spend their time amongst books about persuasion, negotiation and closing skills.

All of them are useful themes, but maybe we are still missing something important.

The recipe for proper sales communication is beyond value propositions, scripts and objections handling answers studied by heart!

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Often, salespeople try to convince the customer to buy something through persuasive techniques and sales presentations.?

Instead, through the art of maieutics, the salesperson can ask questions that help the customer reflect on his or her own situation and needs. For example, instead of presenting the product as the solution to all the customer's problems, the salesperson might ask the customer what challenges he or she is facing and how the product or service could help solve them.?

In this way, the customer does not feel compelled to buy something but rather feels guided toward a solution that is actually useful to him. He is getting on his own to the conclusion that he really needs your product!

And his brain is the thing that he trust the most, not you!

Through the art of maieutics, the salesperson can create a relationship of trust with the customer. When the salesman shows interest in the customer and his needs, the customer feels heard and understood. This can lead to greater customer loyalty and a long-term relationship based on mutual trust.

My dear Socrates, as you said, the world changes but human nature does not! And man will always be attracted to those who make him feel heard, even after millennia.

Your teachings are still super relevant!