What Do You Really Sell?

Nov 11, 2025 | Podcast

WAW ep 132 what do you really sell

“You’re never selling your product. You’re selling what it represents for people. Clarity of purpose starts with understanding what you really sell.”

When you run a business or lead a team, it’s easy to think you’re selling a product or service. But what you’re really offering is an outcome such as an emotion, an experience, or a sense of confidence. Those are things that stick with people long after the transaction ends.

When I worked in transportation, we weren’t just moving people from point A to point B. I realized we were giving them peace of mind. At Disney, it wasn’t about tickets or rides; it was about helping families create memories they couldn’t believe. And at McDonald’s, it’s not about burgers and fries. It’s about consistency and convenience. Once you uncover why people chose you and want to keep coming back, everything else falls into place.

Many organizations spend hours crafting lofty mission statements that sound good on paper but mean very little in practice. They use big words, long phrases, and lots of aspiration. The problem is that no one on the front line knows how to live it. People don’t need a statement; they need a purpose that is clear and actionable that helps them make decisions in real time.

That’s what leaders like Lee Cockerell understood so well. His teams weren’t told to “provide exemplary guest service.” They were told to “be so nice the guests won’t believe it.” That’s a statement people can act on, remember, and rally around.

When we strip away the fluff and focus on clarity, we start building cultures that thrive. Purpose is about much more than the poster on the wall. It’s about the way your team shows up every day. When you really know what you’re selling, you stop trying to impress people and start inspiring them.