Sales lessons from Glen Gary Glen Ross

Glen Gary Glen Ross is a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by David Mamet that depicts the cutthroat world of real estate salesmen in Chicago. The play is famous for its sharp dialogue, dark humor, and ruthless characters who will do anything to close a deal.

The play may seem like a cautionary tale about the dangers of unethical sales practices, but it also offers some valuable lessons for anyone who wants to succeed in sales. Here are some of them:

- Know your customer. The salesmen in the play are constantly trying to sell worthless land to unsuspecting buyers, without knowing anything about their needs, preferences, or motivations. This leads to frustration, rejection, and wasted time. A good salesman should research his prospects, understand their pain points, and tailor his pitch accordingly.

- Create urgency. The play is set in a time when the salesmen are under immense pressure to meet their quotas, or else face losing their jobs. This creates a sense of urgency that drives them to work harder and faster. While this may not be the most healthy or ethical way to motivate salespeople, it shows the importance of creating urgency in sales. A good salesman should convey the value of his product or service, and why the customer should act now, before it's too late.

- Be confident. The play showcases the contrast between the confident and successful salesman Ricky Roma, and the insecure and struggling salesman Shelly Levene. Roma is able to charm and persuade his customers with his charisma and confidence, while Levene is constantly begging and pleading for a sale. A good salesman should be confident in himself, his product, and his ability to solve the customer's problem.

- Learn from failure. The play also shows how the salesmen deal with failure differently. Roma is able to bounce back from a lost sale and move on to the next one, while Levene is crushed by his failure and loses hope. A good salesman should learn from his mistakes, analyze what went wrong, and improve his skills and strategies.

- Don't give up. The play ends with a twist that reveals that one of the salesmen has betrayed his colleagues and stolen their leads. This shows how desperate and ruthless some salespeople can become when they face adversity. However, it also shows how some salespeople never give up, even when the odds are against them. A good salesman should be persistent, resilient, and determined to achieve his goals.

Glen Gary Glen Ross may not be the most uplifting or inspiring play about sales, but it certainly offers some insights into the psychology and dynamics of selling. By applying some of the lessons from the play, you can improve your sales skills and performance. #sales #salespeople