| Everyday in addition to the basic spam of email, | | | | sold him that 4x4 Expedition. Ah, that was all." |
| friends send me jokes. Some are funny, some are | | | | The boss said, "A guy came in here to buy a |
| not. Those that are truly funny have a nugget of | | | | fishhook and you sold him a BOAT and a TRUCK?" |
| wisdom or enlightenment within. Here's a story that I | | | | The kid said, "No the guy came in here to buy |
| like and it not only makes sense, but delivers a | | | | Tampons for his wife and I said, "Dude, your |
| common sense sales message that we can all learn | | | | weekend's shot - you should go fishing." |
| from. And, that's no laughing matter. | | | | In sales, like in life one thing leads to another. It's |
| A young guy from South Dakota moves to Florida | | | | simple. If we know our customers, we can help |
| and goes to a big "everything under one roof" | | | | them. There's an educational video series on sales |
| department store looking for a job. | | | | called The Principles of Sales and Marketing: The |
| The Manager says, "Do you have any sales | | | | Power of Ethical Selling. The series outlines the |
| experience?" The kid says, "Yea, I was a salesman | | | | principles that should underlie all sales and marketing |
| back in South Dakota." | | | | transactions. Each program contains solid advice and |
| Well, the boss liked the kid and gave him the job. | | | | concrete lessons that teach effective skills. My |
| "You start tomorrow. I'll come down after we close | | | | favorite is called Keep It Simple, which is really the |
| and see how you did." | | | | essence of sales and up-selling. |
| His first day on the job was rough but he got | | | | "Customers are constantly bombarded with all kinds |
| through it. After the store was locked up the boss | | | | of information, misinformation, or jargon, which is |
| came down. | | | | used to cover for the absence of information. The |
| "How many customers bought something from you | | | | successful salesperson is the one who can |
| today? | | | | communicate most directly and simply the benefits to |
| The kid says, "One". | | | | the customer of the product or service being |
| The boss says, "Just one? Our sales people average | | | | offered. This program explains the advantages of |
| 20 to 30 customers a day. How much was the sale | | | | keeping things simple, how to find an information level |
| for?" | | | | at which to work with customers, how salespeople |
| The kid says, "$101,237.65". | | | | can develop a better understanding of their own |
| The boss says, "$101,237.65!!" What the heck did you | | | | product, and how they can communicate their own |
| sell?" | | | | knowledge effectively to their customers." |
| The kid says, "First I sold him a small fishhook. Then I | | | | -- Informational copy from Keep It Simple |
| sold him a medium fishhook. Then I sold him a larger | | | | The more we talk to our clients and interact, the |
| fishhook. Then I sold him a new fishing rod. Then I | | | | better we can serve them. And the better we can |
| asked him where he was going fishing and he said | | | | serve them, the more chance we have of seeing |
| down the coast, so I told him he was going to need | | | | customer satisfaction. Happy customers mean we |
| a boat, so we went down to the boat department | | | | are successful and will be rewarded. |
| and I sold him a twin engine cabin cruiser. Then he | | | | When the punch line is the bottom line, sales and |
| said he didn't think his Honda Civic would pull it, so I | | | | up-selling is no joke. |
| took him down to the automotive department and | | | | |