Salesman 101

I had a small experience that happened approximately two months ago. I was actually being a door to door salesman. This was done in order to get rid of the unwanted items from my warehouse. This is due to the fact that online market has a totally different nature with offline market. Hence, not all items that sell very good in the conventional store could behave similarly in the online store. Being desperate by the condition, I decided to give it a go.

It was the first experience for me and it was very very very exciting, depressing, frustrating, and also full of fun. It was exciting and full of fun because I met a lot of people in that particular day. Of course I could understand the market condition better from the conversation with the people. However, it was depressing and frustrating since I was rejected for so many times in a very short period of time. Honestly, I have never experienced that many rejections in such short period of time in my life before.

At the end of the day, I forced myself to extract the essential lesson from that particular experience.

• Try to study the market first before you actually become a salesman. One of the biggest reasons why I did not sell was actually my products. As Mr. Pontoh said, a product should have a unique selling point and provide reasons for customers to buy.
  
• Just do it!! It was really hard for me to actually start the initial conversation in selling the products. I was worried that I would be thrown away from the stores. The fear of being rejected would always keep you under pressure and might lead to the result of not selling any of the products. But do not let this feeling overtake your guts.
  
• The last lesson is: Do not think about the rejection too much =). I think being rejected is totally normal. Instead of thinking about the rejection, control your energy to speak with the people that reject you and ask them why they do not want the product. Find out the best solution from your customer in order to make your sales rolling.

In conclusion, I give all my salute to all the salesmen out there. It is not an easy task to be done. Keep your head up!!!

Please share us your unique experience as or in facing a salesman in your life.

David Herlambang

MarketingFirst

You have to be an experience customer, before you can be a good seller (Part I)

People say that by understanding you learn and succeed. Julius Gaius Caesar once said: “Veni, Vidi, Vici” – I came, I saw, I conquered. We have to urge ourselves to face the problem (I came), then we digest the problem, understand the issue and planning our strategy (I saw), lastly we take appropriate action, implement our strategy which is the product of our understanding (I conquered).

In the peace time we have other problem to conquer. One instance, we may want to start a new business to feed the family. A business, regardless of its position in the supply chain (manufacturer, distributor, retail, etc), industry (finance, agriculture, automotive, etc), or type of goods (goods – products, or services), it is basically buy and sell. You buy, and then you sell it at profit. It sounds really simple. But once you are engaging in one, it suddenly becomes complicated.

One problem arises after the others, complicate the already complicated matters. One of the issues usually there is not enough return. We have all these running costs, but it seems that the graph is going under and will never pick up. Out of the confusion, usually we are thinking about cost cutting. But wait! If we carefully analyze this problem, roll it back carefully. We may find that the problem is with our products. It is either the products do not sell as quick as we want or do not sell at the price we are expecting. What is wrong here? I have carefully planned everything, I have made acceptable assumptions, and I have done my market research, what could possibly be wrong here?

Shall we go back to this article title: “You have to be an experience customer (first), before you can be a good seller” – “experience customers” in general and for that particular product (target market) The true meaning behind all these is; understanding. You have to be able to understand your customers, their expectations and their values. It is not only knowing who is your customers and what they do, but how they “feel” your product and put yourselves in their shoes.

There is one problem still, which usually pops up. Someone said to me, I am an experience customer but yet I am not a good seller. Hearing this issue, it brings my memory to an old saying: “Wherever there is profit, virtue is taken lightly.” People tend to forget their experiences in deciding further actions. They have their experiences, but they do not apply that knowledge. Or even worse, they do not see the bigger picture and the long run impact. They feel the need for cash inflow now, and only think in short term timeframe. They are willing to take this short term profit even that it will jeopardize the bigger goal and long run return. Usually, when they realize that they are off-track, it’s already too late.

The past is not there to be forgotten. It is there not to be used to lean backward but to push us forward in the right direction. Moreover, it is not the actual state of being understand that we need, more importantly is the application of knowledge as a result of our understanding.

Author: Michael A Oei - MarketingFirst Group