7 Sales Tips You Can Learn From Crash Landing On You

I just finished watching one of the best Korean dramas ever - Crash Landing On You (yes I know I'm very late haha).

Funnily enough, I noticed a few memorable scenes that can provide powerful teaching moments about sales. Hence, this post. I hope you'll be inspired and have an enjoyable read.

(I'm also hoping this helps me deal with the post drama withdrawal symptoms. Fingers crossed)

Needless to say, spoilers ahead. Click away and go watch the drama first if you haven't.

Sales Tip #1: Rapport Is About Establishing Similarities

Amongst the 4 soldiers, Ju Meok is probably the closest to Se Ri. This is because they hit it off from day 1, sharing a common topic - South Korean dramas and culture. Throughout the series, they have better quality conservations as they constantly refer to a common mutual understanding. Here in this scene, they make the same hand gesture after Ju Meok calls Jeong Hyuk a "loverboy", a term used in Korean dramas.

Sales Application: The very first stage of the sales process, is to establish rapport. There is no needs analysis, no presentation and no close if there is no like-ability. Rather than using profiling tools like MBTI or Enneagram or NLP techniques like mirroring, I find commonality the most effective. Find more areas of similarity and build off that. The same goes for your marketing and pitching - you want your prospects to go "Hey we're actually similar" or "This salesperson is talking about me".

Sales Tip #2: Personal Touch + Relationship Building = Customer Loyalty

After returning to South Korea, Se Ri didn't forget her ahjumma gang friends and even goes on to create her new line of beauty products after each of them. It's a sweet gesture, and shows her character arc from unknown, anti-social new girl, to someone they'll never forget. Will they buy products from her competitors? Low chance. Will they be raving fans and recommend her products to everyone they know? You bet.

Sales Application: Most repeat selling or referral generation processes today lack the personal touch. Invest in your customer relationships and seek to leave a positive and memorable impact on them by creating customised experiences and appreciative, thoughtful gifts.

Sales Tip #3: Woo Your Prospect And You Will Melt The Ice Queen

From the latter stages of the 2nd act, we see the development of Seo Dan and Gu Seung Joon's relationship. The former being an ice queen, and also committed to her fiancee took a while to warm up but was eventually won over by Seung Joon's relentless sincerity and charm. Again, great character development. I believe most viewers knew they were gonna end up together but I was impressed by how he a former con-man convinced her he truly loved her with his speech by the pier, and other actions leading up to that moment.

Sales Application: The conversion of a stranger into a suspect, then prospect, then customer is similar to wooing the person you like. Be sincere and don't give up after the initial rejection. One thing I don't like about most prospecting approaches, is that they view the prospect as just another figure, another number to hit their target. Treat your target like your love interest, give them attention, compliment them, make them feel special

Sales Tip #4: Active Listening Makes Hearts Flutter

Ah, one of the fan favourites. Jeong Hyuk manages to find Se Ri in a sea of people by holding a scented candle above his head, for her to spot him. Throughout the series, you see Jeong Hyuk remembering and regurgitating details that Se Ri told him, like her address, that South Korean guests feed their hosts the first bite of the meal, that she "descended, not fell" and "sometimes the wrong train brings you to the right destination".

Sales Application: Repeat the same words used by your prospects and encourage them to elaborate further. Seek to understand the prospect better than they understand themselves. It reinforces what we've covered so far - establishing rapport, and wooing your prospect. The fact that you took the effort to remember the smallest details really shows how sincere you are in putting their interests first.

Sales Tip #5: Imagine Your Business As The Male Lead And Your Prospect's Business As The Female Lead. Engage Your Prospect To Root For Them Being Together.

The NIS Section Chief was perhaps the first shipper of the RiRi couple, he allowed Jeong Hyuk to be in the hospital during Se Ri's surgery, taught him how to use the delayed messaging feature, decided to close the investigation and also tried to get them to meet one last time before crossing the border. All because he was rooting for love.

Sales application: Imagine your prospect so engaged that they'll root for both your businesses to work together. Achieve that by sincere wooing, establishing similarities, placing their interests above your own, a deeper understanding of them compared to your competitors and matching of your benefits to their objectives to show why you're a match made in heaven.

Sales Tip #6: Treat People Well And They'll Fight For You

The MVP of the 3rd Act, the rat Man Bok confessed what he did (what a great performance), deciding to rebel against the villain and planting the device on Se Ri's bed, reuniting her and her mother. We see the kindness both Jeong Hyuk and his brother displayed towards Man Bok, that he could no longer continue harming him. He couldn't go against his conscience any more, and even tried to shield Jeong Hyuk from the gun of the military director.

Sales Application: Treat the gatekeeper well and help them to win. Make them look good in front of the decision maker, and they'll fight for you. Treat your prospects well, even when there is no chance of closing them and they'll come back to you when their time has come. Treat your customers well, and they'll never leave you for another competitor.

Sales Tip #7: Surprise And Delight Your Customer

This is my favourite scene of the entire drama, so I've placed the video here instead of the usual image. When Jeong Hyuk revealed the second ring, even i gasped for air please. What a genius. And when Se Ri said she won't remove it forever. Ahhhhh romance maximus times infinity.

Sales Application: Doing the unexpected is an under-rated and under utilised strategy. Find ways to delight your customers by doing the unexpected. Go beyond the project scope, add special customised touches, take the initiative, send gifts, answer questions that haven't been asked yet and celebrate their wins.

I think I'm going to rewatch the entire series again.

Before I go, do share in the comments section, your favourite sales tip and also, your own. I'm sure there are many more we can learn from the series. I'll be happy to read them and also connected with my fellow CLOY fans ;)