Definition of a Salesman

The sales professional makes the difference when it comes to both making the sale and maximizing the sale.

?This is perhaps best illustrated in an anecdote I found through a sales director years ago. 

When a new sales rep asked, “What’s a salesperson?” this is the story that was told-

A young fellow walked into a department store and asked for a sales job.

Since the applicant had no previous sales experience, the man-ager was naturally leery.

But having a soft heart, he said, ‘I’ll give you one day to prove yourself. You can start right away in sporting goods.’

Later in the day, the sales manager dropped by to see how his new salesman was doing and found him talking to a customer.

He overhead the new sales associate tell the customer

‘You’ve made a good selection. This is a terrific fishing rod, the best we carry. But you know, the really big fish aren’t by the shore. You have to get out into the middle of the lake. What you need is a boat.’

The customer hesitated for a moment but finally agreed.

The salesman went on.

‘Of course, by the time you row out to where the really big fish are biting, you’ll be too exhausted to enjoy yourself.

Fortunately, we have a motor that’s just right for that boat.

And you won’t find it for a better price anywhere in town.’

The customer couldn’t turn down a deal like that, so he bought the motor, too.

‘Now, that should just about do it,’ the salesman concluded, and then hesitantly asked

‘How are you going to get that boat to the lake?”

The customer didn’t know, and it wasn’t long before the new salesman had sold him a trailer.

When the customer left, the sales manager came rush-ing over.

‘You’re terrific! You just made the single big-gest sale in the history of our store! And just think, all because the customer came in to buy a fishing pole.’

The new salesman looked at the sales manager and said,

‘He didn’t come in to buy a fishing pole. He wandered in, and we started chatting.

He mentioned that his wife was in the next department buying shoes because she was going to her sister’s for the weekend.

I joked and told him it sounded like a dull couple of days for him.

I then asked if he’d ever thought of taking up fishing.’

My Two Cents

Selling is about a transference of emotion and it takes curiosity and empathy to find ways to do so.

It's not always going to end up like in the story above. However, when you find ways to be interested in people and helping them find a solution to their problem, sales will naturally find their place.

Great salespeople look to understand and help customers solve a problem first before selling.

Sometimes that even means not selling your own product.

The Great Zig Ziglar urged salespeople to "stop selling and start helping."

To Zig, every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.

Which obstacles do you think the young salesman overcame in his sale? Share in the comments below.