Tales of Sales Experience
Several months ago, I cold-called on an auto-paint supply store. I was treated pretty rough by a front-end manager who, after stepping into the back office for a moment, came out and informed me that, "No, the owner isn't interested in a better rate."
My intuition led me to believe that this woman dissuaded the busy owner from even giving me a look-see. Since I picked up on the fact that she had the owner's ear, I thanked her and left, with the plan in mind of returning sometime in the future, hopefully on her day off.
About two
weeks later, I overheard two women speaking about a new business
while I was waiting to pick up some Chinese food. I briefly
introduced myself and handed my business card to the woman who was
evidently starting the business and getting advice from the second
woman. The second woman asked for a card also, relating to me that
she owned a business also, and that her bank was charging her a high
rate. She said she'd give me a call so I thanked her and took my food
and left.
Two days later, I received a phone call from the second woman asking me to come by and compare rates for her, etc. Well, guess who greeted me and led me into the office of the second woman? Yes, it was the gruff, "We'll have no soliciting salesman in here" woman from the auto-paint store!
After two visits over the course of a week, I sold them an additional terminal and printer for the front counter (they already owned one from their bank) and signed an account that processes about $15,000 per month.
This story proves that if you have a decent product to sell, many times the hardest half of the battle is getting to the person who makes the decisions and can benefit from your product or service. Now, every Thursday night, I hang out in Chinese restaurants and hand out business cards. What a business!
Paul Kimpel
ISO
Want to see your name in print? The Green Sheet is looking for Tales of Sales Experience. It's a jungle out there, tell us your adventures on the selling blacktop. What advice do you have for dealing with the natives? How can other Sales Professionals avoid the land mines and quagmires that lurk along the selling process? Share your insights, experience, and hard-earned knowledge with other readers. Stories should be 100-150 words in length. Hardcopy and handwritten submissions will be accepted. The Green Sheet will PAY you if we use your story $50 for handwritten submissions and $100 for typed or computer formatted stories. Send your submissions to Julie O'Ryan, Associate Editor, via e-mail grnsht@aol.com or snail-mail P.O. Box 6008, Petaluma, CA 94955-6008.
