In a recent LinkedIn post, Ryan Gomez, CFP® challenges the common perception of sales, arguing that the core principles of selling—communicating value—are fundamental to virtually every profession. Gomez, a Certified Financial Planner, uses a personal anecdote from a climbing gym conversation to illustrate his point that many individuals, even those in non-traditional sales roles, inadvertently engage in sales activities daily.
The conversation began with a friend expressing a disinterest in sales, despite earning significantly less than sales professionals at their tech company. This prompted Gomez to break down what he believes sales truly entails.
“Showing that the value your product/service provides is exceeds than what the buyer pays.”
Gomez, CFP®, emphasizes that sales is not about high-pressure tactics but about effectively demonstrating the worth of an offering relative to its cost. He elaborates that different individuals value different aspects of a product or service, making personalized communication key.
The Financial Planner as a Sales Professional
Gomez draws a parallel between his own work as a financial planner and the broader concept of sales. When his friend expressed surprise, questioning if his role involved more than just managing money and tax planning, Gomez detailed how his services inherently involve demonstrating significant value through cost savings.
He provided specific examples from his practice:
- Reducing or deferring taxes by $1,050 through tax-loss harvesting for an account of $320,000.
- Saving $35,000 by advising on filing as an S-Corp for a $400,000 1099 earner.
- Generating $3,072 in savings by optimizing HSA and 401(k) contributions for an individual earning $180,000.
In each case, Gomez highlights that the fees he charges are considerably less than the financial benefits he helps his clients achieve. This directly aligns with his definition of sales: providing value that surpasses the cost.
“In all these situations, I’m charging them less than what I’m helping them save.”
Universality of Sales Skills
Gomez extends this perspective beyond finance, asserting that everyone engages in sales in some capacity. He illustrates this with several examples:
- Engineers must “sell” their ideas to product development teams to get them implemented.
- Marketers are tasked with “selling” a company’s image and value proposition to the public.
- Even parents, he humorously points out, are in sales when they try to convince their children to eat vegetables.
According to Gomez, the common thread is the effective communication of value. He posits that successful individuals in any field understand how to articulate the benefits and worth of their contributions or offerings.
“Everyone’s in sales in some way… At the end of the day, sales is just effective communication of value.”
Focus on Problem-Solving
Further refining his argument, Ryan Gomez, CFP® suggests that the most effective salespeople are those who prioritize solving genuine problems for their clients or stakeholders, rather than merely pushing products or services. This problem-solving orientation ensures that the value being communicated is relevant and impactful.
“The best salespeople focus on solving real problems, not pushing products.”
Gomez concludes his post with an encouraging message, advising individuals to continue their work as long as they are genuinely adding value. His insights serve as a reminder that developing strong communication and value-articulation skills can be beneficial across all professional domains.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Ryan Gomez, CFP® on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on July 27, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →