Your alarm pings at 6 a.m. You brew the coffee, open the CRM, and brace yourself for a fresh round of dials. But there’s a question humming beneath the surface of every task: Why are you doing this?
In Chapter 3 of Sell It Like a Mango, Donald C. Kelly argues that purpose isn’t a fluffy side note—it’s the hidden engine behind consistent, energized sales performance. When you connect each outreach, follow‑up, and proposal to a deeper why, routine transforms into mission work, and quotas become milestones on a much bigger journey.
Kelly reminds us that selling carries power: you’re helping people solve problems, protect dreams, or unlock opportunities. If that concept fires you up, good—lean into it. Viewing sales as a craft elevates everyday motions (research, discovery, negotiation) into artistry that can genuinely improve a customer’s life.
Ask yourself:
Tough quarter? Pipeline wobbling? A robust purpose keeps you climbing instead of coasting. Maybe your why is funding your child’s college education, proving something to yourself after a career pivot, or empowering small businesses in your community. Whatever it is, clarity here becomes jet fuel when motivation tanks.
Quick exercise:
A why that clashes with personal values is a motivational time bomb. If integrity, creativity, or social impact matter to you, weave them into your sales approach:
Purpose isn’t a framed quote gathering dust. Keep it alive:
Tell your manager, mentor, or peer squad what drives you. Public purpose creates gentle pressure to act in line with it. Plus, shared stories fuel team culture—everyone feels less like quota robots and more like mission partners.
Early in his career, Kelly’s numbers dipped and burnout flared. Instead of chasing hacks, he revisited his core: helping people solve problems and live better. With that north star, objections felt less personal, follow‑ups gained warmth, and consistency returned. The by‑product? A surge in closed deals and repeat customers.
The next time you open the CRM, remember: you’re not just entering leads—you’re stepping onto the stage of a mission only you can fulfill. Let that truth spark a little extra fire in every conversation, and watch the results (and the satisfaction) follow.
Chapter 6 “Selling to the wrong people wastes time. Success starts with finding the right prospects.” — Sell It Like a Mango, Donald C. Kelly You can have the slickest pitch and the best‑priced product on the planet, but if you’re talking to people who don’t need what you sell, you’re stuck on a treadmill: […]
Chapter 5 You nailed the demo, sent a killer proposal—and then disappeared for a week. Sound familiar? In Chapter 5 of Sell It Like a Mango, Donald C. Kelly explains why that vanishing act quietly kills more deals than any pricing objection ever could. Success, he insists, goes to the professional who shows up today, […]
Chapter 4 Ask any top seller about their most humbling moments and you’ll hear a chorus of polite—and sometimes not‑so‑polite—“no thanks.” In Chapter 4 of Sell It Like a Mango, Donald C. Kelly reframes those stinging moments as stepping‑stones. Rejection, he insists, is rarely the end of a deal; more often, it’s an invitation to […]
Chapter 3 Your alarm pings at 6 a.m. You brew the coffee, open the CRM, and brace yourself for a fresh round of dials. But there’s a question humming beneath the surface of every task: Why are you doing this? In Chapter 3 of Sell It Like a Mango, Donald C. Kelly argues that purpose […]
Chapter 2 In Chapter 2 of Sell It Like a Mango, Donald C. Kelly turns the classic sales stereotype on its head. Selling, he argues, isn’t a slick game of persuasion—it’s an act of service. When you approach every conversation as a chance to solve problems and create value, quotas follow naturally. Below is a practical deep‑dive into this “service‑first” philosophy and […]
Chapter 1 How a childhood of mango hustles became a masterclass in modern selling— and how you can tap the same island‑forged mindset to land (and keep) your dream customers. A Morning in Kingston, a Lifetime of Insight Picture this: sunrise over Kingston Harbour, reggae drifting from a battered radio, and a cloud of ripe‑fruit […]
