By Alex Horvath
Every good salesperson knows that as a tool, he must carry an imaginary bag of arrows over his shoulder. The arrows in the bag represent potential answers to objections. There is an arrow in that quiver to address any possible objection the prospect might have. You've got to have an answer for every objection.
I've been told that I'm a pretty good salesman. But I had to admit a few months back that I had been stumped by the controller at the mid-sized building supply chain who for six-weeks I had been pitching a check guarantee service. I had called on this guy at least thirty times, had made several changes in my proposal, and, had even negotiated away part of my sign-up fee. His main reason for not signing was that none of his co-managers saw any worth in the service and that the rate was too expensive. I had used every arrow I felt I should have to use to overcome these seemingly basic objections. I was starting to wonder if he just didn't like me.
Never one to give up without a fight, I decided to call him just one more time. It was 4:45 PM on a Friday afternoon. Would he even be in the office? I dialed his number. "This isn't a sales call," I said to the controller when he picked up. "I'm calling to tell you a joke!" He was shocked!
I proceeded to tell him that I realized I had been kind of a pest (if he had signed a month earlier, I wouldn't have had to say that). I then launched into a clean joke, which, by the end had the guy in hysterics. Since he liked the joke so much, I instructed him to share it with his other managers and that I would call back in a week to see what they thought. Oh, and to see if they would be willing to look at the proposal just one more time.
A week later at 4:45, I called back. "They all thought the joke was mighty funny," he said. But with all the laughs, he had forgotten to mention the proposal. "No problem," I said. And proceeded to tell another joke. Again, he should share it with his managers and I would call in a week. He promised to have an answer for me this time.
The following Friday I started early. This time there would be no prisoners. I called him at ten AM. He picked up the phone, laughing. The second joke was so funny, he said, they all had gone on a joke spree. "I've got your agreement signed and ready to fax back to you." I don't think he had even mentioned the contract to his fellow managers.
I was happy my sales instincts had said to make that final call. The arrow in the bag I had neglected to use was the rapport building arrow that I needed to sell myself first, and then the company.
