Many people foolishly believe because they're using the "internet", you no longer have to "sell" -- that the intenet "does it all for you". Nothing could be further from the truth. See, the internet is just another selling media, like direct mail... display ads... postcards... whatever. This story shows you what selling is really all about. I hope you enjoy it and find a way to use it sometime in your own business. For more than 30 years, an old school salesman -- a good ol' country boy -- traveled around 4 southern states in his station wagon with his bird dog, selling appliances to a long list of dealers he had established over the years. The wholesale company he worked for thought many times how they wanted to get rid of him because of his rather unorthodox way of selling, not to mention how he looked and talked. Yet despite his misunderstood methods, he was always in the top 10% in sales and won many company trips and awards. On company trips and outings with dealers and manufacturers he would often get drunk and tell corny hayseed stories and jokes, all the while dressed in his wrinkled and mismatched clothes....again, very unorthodox and uncouth compared to the upscale image the company wanted to present. Regardless of his methods, the old country boy was so successful at what he did, the firm couldn't afford to get rid of him. He once turned in a signed order for 2 box cars full or washers and dryers on a brown paper bag with grease and mustard stains on it (he lost his order forms). One week, our noted saleman was on a company trip to the plant of a large manufacturer of refrigerators for the unveiling of a new technical innovation. The innovation was for "Frost Free" refrigerators using a new insulation product called Acrylic Barrel Styrene (ABS). Everywhere you looked there were these three letters "ABS" on signs, banners, and handouts, everywhere... all over the place. At the opening of the first days meeting, with hundreds of sales reps present, the marketing executive for the manufacturer stood up and in an attempt to make a dramatic announcement about this new innovative technology, and he asked the group if anyone in the audience could tell him what ABS stood for. Our short, rumpled country boy in the back of the room jumped up on his chair waving his arms back and forth. The executive couldn't help but notice, and called on him, "Yes sir, the man on the chair way in the back." Without hesitation as he stood on his chair with his arms raised high in the air, he screamed his answer to the heavens above, "ALWAYS BE SELLING". Remember, if you want extraordinary results... you've got to use extraordinary (and unconventional) means to get them. Cause last time I checked... being average... doesn't... pay... much! Now go sell something, Craig Garber http://www.KingOfCopy.com P.S. Check out all the prior archives you've been missing, right here at: http://www.kingofcopy.com/tips/tiparchives.html |
