Some kids are masters at getting what they want, no matter what the circumstances. Can we learn something from these youthful masters of the persuasive arts? I think we can.

Here are some selling skills children often use when they want something:

Focus
Persistence
Intensity
Enthusiasm
Charm

What's amazing to me is how fast some kids can turn on these skills. As soon as they decide they want something, they flip a switch and they go into high-powered selling mode. Watch out if you're the one who's telling them "no".

As someone who has sold different products and services for a living I can see where the proper application of these skills could be effective.

But, these skills can be misused. Kids can go too far in pursuit of their goal. So do some salespeople. There is nothing worse than a salesperson who keeps calling on you after you've told him many times you are not interested. Simple persistence all by itself is not a recipe for successful sales.

Often when kids don't get what they want, they cry, scream and whine. That's fine for kids but business people can't afford to do that. When we ask a lot of people to do something, we'll get a lot of them telling us "no".

All the charm and persistence in the world will be ineffective if your prospect really has no interest in what you're offering. Make sure the person you're trying to persuade has a genuine interest in your product or service.

It does not pay to get angry or huffy with someone just because they don't do what you ask. Relationships take time and multiple contacts before they blossom. You need to make contact with a new lead 8 to 15 times before a solid relationship will begin to develop. So, getting mad at the first "no" will prevent you from developing a lot of good business relationships.

Finally, many kids tend not to listen to our reasons for saying no. As a businessperson, obviously we want to listen to our prospects so we can understand their situation better. This is the only way we can discover if it makes sense for them to do business with us.

So, should you sell like a child? In the end, I'd say "no". But I would temper that by saying you should consider some of the positive selling skills children use well. They're valuable tools for any businessperson to have available.