Real wealth awaits those who can play this game well.
To the professional salesman or woman it is the quest that counts. The chase is the thing. Once it’s over and the deal is won and the initial exhilaration has worn off . . . it’s a letdown. The blood starts surging through their veins again only when they’re off on a new pursuit and back in the game.
It requires wit, nerve and persistence. It is a process of continual change and therefore an ongoing education. Yes, it has its basics that you must be familiar and competent with, but you’re still always dealing with another human being. It’s not like a chess game, because in sales, as in life, the pieces think for themselves! They don’t always do your bidding. They have their own purposes and pressures that might or might not include your product or service.
But, let’s be truthful about it. Once a salesman always a salesman whether you are in the game or not. If you’ve got the bug you might as well admit it and enjoy it. If it’s in your blood, have fun and use it to your advantage. If you don’t love it, find another line of work. For the details will kill you. You’ll hate it and it will show. The customers will pick it up and they’ll stay away in droves.
There is nothing like the grouchy, slouchy, irritable, mean-tempered, negative and inconsiderate salesman. He is instantly recognizable. He grates on you. He pressures and forces you. He makes you think he doesn’t like what he is doing. And he doesn’t. In fact, he probably detests it. This is not what he wants to be doing, and he can’t hide it from you no matter how hard he tries.
It is work to him and not fun at all. And somehow it makes him feel degraded. But then, after all, he doesn’t think much of himself . . . so why should you? Furthermore, he doesn’t seem to have much success either. Ever wonder why?
It should be obvious that you do not buy goods or services when you are mad unless you are forced to, moreover, you do not purchase things from a person whom you dislike . . . if you can help it, and you usually can. Every customer expects good treatment. He has a right to it. Give them what they want with a smile, (and mean it) and they’ll stick with you forever.
The salesman is invaluable. His job is arguably one of the most important in the business process. He is after all in a position to directly influence the vital communication lines of the world today. He provides the essential interface for every meaningful commercial exchange required for the “business of business” to function. Without him who would be beating the drum for the next new technology, or the application of that technology to a practical purpose?
Furthermore, if in some distant future, through some alchemy of specious argument and vacuous logic, the elimination of human connection and interchange in the sales process is attempted, it will most certainly fail.
For it will be found impossible to reduce this process only to marketing, public relations or advertising. Don’t buy into anyone promoting the idea that “all sales will eventually be reduced to just taking orders,” without human contact. My suspicion is that whoever is saying this is secretly seeking to eliminate the competition.
Countless attempts have been made to isolate the essential elements of the sales process and reduce the procedure to a rote, quasi-scientifically-tested algorithm as a guaranteed method to get the customer to buy.
Of course we used to simply call this a plan . . . but no matter . . . it should be clear that any formula, procedure or process which omits entirely the element of personal human contact and interaction will ultimately be doomed to failure.
Personal contact always has been and will remain the critical component in any and all sales efforts.
Furthermore, there is a direct correlation between your success and your mastery of this connection.
daniel w. jacobs
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