How to Teach Kids the Most Important Sales Skill
- Will Rainey
- Apr 11
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 21
I enjoy talking about selling with my daughters. I believe that if they learn this skill early, it will give them a real advantage in life.
A while ago, I showed them a short video that captures one of the most important lessons in selling and then helped them practice it at home.
The Best Sales Video
The video is called “How to get what you want from your parents”.
In the video, a young boy asks his dad, “Dad, can I have a bowl of ice cream?”
His dad replies, “No, buddy, it’s almost time for bed.”
The boy then turns to the camera and says, “Let’s try that again.”
This time, he takes a different approach.
Instead of asking directly, he says, “Dad, I really missed you today. Can we share a bowl of ice cream and talk about our day?”
The dad loves the idea and agrees.
He then tries something similar with his mum. Instead of asking to play video games, he offers to help with the laundry so she can sit down and have a rest. While she relaxes, he can play his game.
You can watch the video here:
What’s in it for them?
This video highlights one of the most important principles in selling.
People are far more likely to say yes when they can clearly see what’s in it for them.
This is something many people miss. They focus on features and hope the other person will be interested.
It reminds me of when Steve Jobs introduced the iPod. He didn't talk about storage or screen size. Instead, they said, “1,000 songs in your pocket.”
He focused on the benefit, not the features.
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Teaching this at home
To help my daughters develop this sales skill, I sometimes respond to their requests with, “Make me a deal” or “What’s in it for me?”
It encourages them to think differently and come up with ideas that work for both sides.
⚠️ BE WARNED: If your kids are like mine, their first attempt at making a deal will likely be closer to extortion than negotiation. “If you don’t give us what we want, we’ll whine all day.” Stay strong.
More recently, they have become far more creative in their deal making:
Offering to feed the cats (all 5 of them) when they wanted some of my chocolate
Benefit: less work for me
Saying that they and their friends will make my favourite brownies if I let them stay over
Benefit: I get my favourite snack
Starting with, “Remember when we watched that Star Wars movie together? Shall we go to the cinema again?” (knowing I wouldn't be a fan of the suggested film).
Benefit: quality time together
I only ask them to “make a deal” occasionally. Sometimes I just want to be a nice parent.
That said, I am already seeing them come prepared with a deal without being prompted. The habit is starting to form.
Is this manipulation?
Not everyone likes this idea. Some people feel the video teaches kids how to manipulate others.
I understand that concern. There is a line between selling and manipulation. There are a lot of people who use this skill to manipulate people into things that are good for them. You can read more about this in my blog: Manosphere: Teaching Kids About Money Before Influencers Do
I discussed selling vs manipulation with my daughters. Should you only “sell” something when the other person genuinely wants or needs it?
My view is that good selling is about finding a position where both sides benefit. There are still limits. If a child suggested something clearly inappropriate, no “deal” would make it acceptable. That decision sits with the parent.
What the child is learning is not how to override that boundary, but how to find a better way to ask.
Sales is a life skill
I am not just talking about selling products.
You sell yourself in job interviews. You sell your ideas when you disagree with someone. You sell your value when asking for a promotion.
I have seen highly capable people miss out on opportunities simply because others were better at presenting their value. That is why I believe this is such an important skill.
Encouraging kids to think about the other person and aim for a win-win outcome can give them a real advantage later in life.
It might not be for everyone, but it has worked well for us.
What to read next:
Thanks for reading,
Will
P.S., I really appreciate all the reviews of my book Grandpa’s Fortune Fables. If you have read it, it would mean a lot if you could leave an online review. It really does help the book reach more families.
