Day 04 - The Sales Call

I am in Salmon Arm today following up with current clients and trying to gain new ones. Since I started in production and since being a small production "firm", I get to where multiple hats - bookkeeping, shooting, editing, and well sales calls.

I know people that are far better at sales calls than I am. I know people that are very pushy, intentional or down right rude - however you want to call it. I know people that are soft spoken but can make the sale when needed.

I think my favorite sales person of all time is Dwight Schrute. If you remember correctly, he beat the computer, on one day!

When it comes to sales, I've learned just a few quick points and I'm sure others as well, but these are the ones that stick out today.

1) Be Confident in What Your Selling - I talked to a rep at Telus the other day who basically talked me out of buying Telus TV. He told me the 77 channels of basic they offer are mostly music channels and that the deal Telus has on right now isn't that good. He could of told how awesome the 50 channels of actual TV were, but he couldn't stand behind his product. *Sidenote - confidence and honesty are important - Being Over Confident can lead you down the path of the Confidence Man

2) Believe in What Your Selling - If you can't stand behind the product, if you can't say that you use it yourself or you can't say that it's actually worth while, then get out of it. Stop selling it. It will do you more harm then it will do anyone, any good. A friend of mine, Omer, is a man who not only believes in what he is selling, but has a passion and desire of what he sells. I guess you could put those into points as well, but having a belief in your product like Omer does, well this country would be a better place.

3) Be Simple With What Your Selling - I've learned, especially in selling web packages, promotional work, social media campaigns etc. that walking through what your selling in a simple way is better than getting right deep into the nitty gritty. Your client or potential client wants to know that if they buy "said product" that they will get "said result". I like to package up my offers into simple categories - McDonalds made this famous with their combo deals or In N Out Burger with their 3 combo choices. SIMPLE SELLS

4) Don't Over Sell What Your Selling - There are certain stores out there that offer Product Service Plans on EVERYTHING they sell. I mean EVERYTHING. I bought a Coke there once and I swore the cashier wanted to sell me Product Service Plan for it. I think you know what I'm talking about with not over selling your product. More times you will shoot yourself in the foot than you will do any good. Find that point where you've pushed far enough and then leave it there. Let the customer have some control and put the ball in their court. You will kill your sale if you don't.

I could go on in other stuff I've learned, but truth is I keep learning. I keep taking it one sales call at a time and I keep looking to do what I love. Fact of life is that we are selling something. We all have a product we are selling and we all need to learn what it is and how to sell it.

I think truths that reign in humanity apply to what we're selling - be truthful and honest, be generous and transparent. Not only will this help you be a better sales person, but a better human being.

I leave you with the words of Melvin Udall from As Good As It Gets "Sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here."

Cheers, Matthew A. Hawkins