I just wanted to thank everyone for their input on my recent thread asking for sales help. http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=119409.1
The job was pretty much signed when I got there. In less than a week I had hired a designer to complete drawings and accompany our client in here selection process for tile and fixtures. I put together a detailed proposal.
I took a chance with money out of pocket that would normally be contracted for in a design contract. In these days though that may be a tough sell.
The designer’s assistance sure helped as did the whole fact that I made available this service.
In spite of having almost closed the sale before I even arrived to complete my presentation, I still insisted on blabbing my big mouth away………client is in sales, and we got to chatting. I told her I hate “selling”. I equate it to manipulating someone into doing something that will favor me. She laughed and told me I really suck at selling and gave me a few quick pointers.
Something I did walk away with is the fact that most people do not approach purchases in the same manner as I do. I want facts, lots of them, and I’ll make up my own mind thank you. I disdain salespeople with a fervor.
I have much to learn.
Sold the job at my price and ready to rock!
Thanks all!
Eric
“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.” — Sherlock Holmes, 1896
Replies
"Something I did walk away with is the fact that most people do not approach purchases in the same manner as I do. I want facts, lots of them, and I'll make up my own mind thank you. I disdain salespeople with a fervor."
that realization is what got me over the hump.
I was always good at talking to people ... but really had to learn to sell.
Moslty for that very same reason ... I was positive what I was being told to sell would never work ... as it'd never work on me. When I did the carpet cleaning sales we were dead broke and I just needed cash ... so I just shut up and did what the boss said. Was suprised to see it actually work.
I was selling jobs over the phone for hundreds and thousands of dollars ...
and I'd never listened to a telemarketer for more than 3 seconds before I hung up the phone.
when I started selling cars ... it really hit home.
It was one thing to be suprised when someone said "Yes" over the phone ...
but to sit there and see them do it in person right across my desk ...
wow.
Thot ... there's a whole 'nother world of people out there!
and most people are like that ... most ain't like us.
anyways ... Great news!
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
"and most people are like that ... most ain't like us."I don't know which is more frightening? That are aren't more, or people like us..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Yep, there's one for the Quote Thread:
"and most people are like that ... most ain't like us."
Congratulations!
JeffBuck receives the BT 'Truth in Print' Award.
Saaalute!
Edited 4/28/2009 10:14 am ET by rez
and ... top keep the sales discussion going.
next step is to realize you're not pushing them into buying something they don't want ...
you're helping them by making them realize you are the best person to hire for the job.
You're not selling materials .... you're selling yourself.
Your expertise ... your knowledge ... your honesty.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Jeff, think you could help Frenchy?
That guy needs a job or something.............anything.
Joe H
Thanks Jeff.
Curious thing............my oldest son is a stockbroker. He's got the gift. But he learned it early before he had so many thought clouding the process.
I definitely need to work on this. She told me I suck!! Still gave me the check though!
"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking." — Sherlock Holmes, 1896
How bad can you suck when you've got the check?
Eric, first off- Congrats! second------ since the propsect was a sales professional---if your sales skills were too professional-- you might have turned her off to the sale- she would recognize the techniques consider the possibility that she found your " sales ineptitude" refreshing and honest.Telling the truth?--- I don't much care if people think I am dumb, or poor or whatever--- I will use that perception to sell if I can. Perhaps you recall that I often mention here on Breaktime that I am just a dumb roofer---- that ain't by accident If I can-- I will straight out tell a prospect that "I am the worlds worst salesman--- but lets walk around the house and I will tell you exactly how we would do your roof, step by step"--- then as we walk around the house I mention how we will protect THAT shrub, how the siding over there will be protected, WHERE we will position the dump truck each day---and that no equipment or debris will be left overnight on premises and so forth--- how things will be flashed-- where and how much icegaurd will be used-and why-etc. in the end-- maybe the presentation isn't smooth--- but there is no doubt about EXACTLY what I am going to do and how I am going to do itMaybe you stumbled into the same thing with YOUR customer---after all- she isn't hiring you to be a salesman--- she is hiring you to remodel her bathroom-- your sales skills are irrelevant! congrats again,
stephen
I told her I hate "selling". I equate it to manipulating someone into doing something that will favor me. She laughed and told me I really suck at selling and gave me a few quick pointers.
You really need to read some books by competent sales people or take some selling classes. If you think you can manipulate someone, you have the wrong mindset and are looking at the process from the wrong point of view.
Oh, by the way, congrats on closing that deal.
I'm curios about what those quick pointers were.
I would have looked her in the eye and said I sold you didn't I?
I would have looked her in the eye and said I sold you didn't I?
me too...after the job was completed, and paid for!"...craftsmanship is first & foremost an expression of the human spirit." - P. Korn
CaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
dovetail- I would never mention that to the prospect. In her mind--- she was actually complimenting Eric- while simultaneously flaunting HER skill. I don't see any percentage in "one-upping" her ME?- I would be quite happy for her to tell all her friends and neighbors-- "he is the worlds worst salesman--- but look at the work he did!"
stephen
Oh I don't know ... Said with a smile , a laugh and a twinkle in the eye I bet it would be accepted without a second thought especially by someone who had just joked about my selling skills while buying what I was selling..
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
If it was me my response would be; No, I bought because I was able to see past your "selling" to see what I though that you could do for me..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
LOL Good response!
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Congratulations Eric!
I believe sales people are more amenable to a well crafted sales presentation. They recognize features and benefits, when their objections are answered they know they are closed.
The "Columbo" approach can also work when the client is "control freak".
The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.
- Fyodor Dostoyevski
"Something I did walk away with is the fact that most people do not approach purchases in the same manner as I do. I want facts, lots of them, and I'll make up my own mind thank you. I disdain salespeople with a fervor."
Ditto.
I knew a guy that sold industrial equipment. He reminds me of frenchy.
Whatever he was into at the time the best and he tried to "sell" it to every one that he knew.
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
I want facts, lots of them, and I'll make up my own mind thank you. I disdain salespeople with a fervor
That's an interesting conundrum.
The role of a salesperson is to educate the consumer and feed them facts....lots of them.
Who would you prefer to get your facts from? Someone that doesn't know or believe in the product?
I find way too many "saleman" that know less than I do about the product.Much information is available from the internet and from manufactures literature.A true sales that knowledgable and is trying to inform rather than just push what he is selling is really helpful..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Well said.
That's why companies are so selective about hiring.. First they get virtually unlimited applicants and second they can demand that the salesman already be up to speed selling exactly that product because that's the true key to success..
I may well be able to sell but product knowledge doesn't come instantly with hiring. ..
""The role of a salesperson is to educate the consumer and feed them facts....lots of them. "" Guess that is why we call them "Educators" !!
;-)
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Not surprisingly most of the better salesmen are former teachers.. If you can hold the attention of bored teenagers an interested business person is a much easier target..
"Not surprisingly most of the better salesmen are former teachers.."
Where did that "fact" come from? I've never heard anything like that.
My experiance, common sense.
If a teacher is capable of holding the imagination of teenagers who don't want to be there it'as a PIECE OF CAKE TO HOLD THE ATTENTION (oops CL) of an adult who's interested..
The ambition to quit a secure job for the fincially rewarding job of sales indicates ambition and the method of payment (commision) ensures that they remain motivated to continue to do well.
So add all those factors together, intelligence, ambition, and motivation and it's not surprising that they do well.
"Where did that "fact" come from? I've never heard anything like that."
I was kinda wondering that too.
I've worked alot of different sales jobs ... can't remember working with one former teacher.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Congradulations!
I'm glad she straightened you out, salespeaple who try manipulate people into doing something they don't want to usually fail. Few people are willing to be manipulated against their will.
For your information there is a book out there called shut up and sell. It tells you how to deal with the very issue you spoke of.. (blabbing on)
It was one of the most effective books I've ever read on selling..
Edited 4/28/2009 11:43 am ET by frenchy
btw ...
yer the greatest dales person ever ...
and ... you have free time.
and internet access.
how about you start a thread ... or series of threads ...
sharing that wealth of information.
tip by tip ... page by page.
save a copy of each masterpiece as you go along ...
and after a coupla months you may have written the worlds greatest sales primer.
3 birds ... one stone.
killed some time
educated the unwashed
and turned it all into future income.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
In terms of hating salespeople: I think you hate soliciting. Me too. I'd never, ever buy ANYTHING over the phone, on principle. I can't believe telemarketers ever had the right to disturb me in my home. I think that's an outrage.
But as for being sold on something I think I want - well - that's a different story. I'm extremely discreet with my money (i.e. cheap), and sometimes need a push to get out my checkbook. I appreciate being sold on something that's actually worthwhile.
Now for something irrelevant:
I wonder if there might be some interesting cultural differences in selling between Canadians and Americans. I live near the border, and some people working in service/sales have described some intriguing differences to me. The stereotype is that if an American walks into your store, your best strategy is to approach them right away in a friendly manner. Whereas Canadians will brush you off and leave unless you let them browse first. Interesting, eh?
Edited 4/30/2009 5:33 am ET by Biff_Loman
Biff I don't think that's a uniquely American/ Canadian thing.. I see that in many people some want prompt service and some want to be left alone unless we need help..
Okay, on the subject of solicitors.
Would you be annoyed at Jeff if he canvassed your neighborhood as he's suggested in this thread?
good question to ask.
just remember ... we're knocking at that door to introduce ourselves ...
not sell anything!
short, sweet ... usually a simple Hello, I'm Jeff ...
the whole goal is the business card hand off.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
I would, but statistically I think I belong to something like 7% of the population or some other ridiculously low number.
Glad to hear that you got the job.
I also don't like pushy sales people. But that definitely works with some people.