Sorry Sales Heads, I had to. It felt good for a minute, but then I regretted lying to you. I’m sure you didn’t take me that seriously anyway, right? Boy, if you did you haven’t read enough of my sarcasm here on Nexxt.
I took a risk there. It was a “risk” because I really don’t get to know my audience personally here. All successful sales professionals I know have developed an ingrained sense of humor. We have to. We need to learn to make fun of ourselves, our process, and out stumbling. If you expect humor you will find it. If you take yourself TOO seriously your customers may see you as too “stiff”, and want to work with the next most entertaining sales representative instead of us.
Most of us have had the experience of trying to lighten the mood on occasion only to end up putting both our feet in our mouth. Let me tell you from experience: that’s not a flavor I enjoy! Last week when I said we all need to “Research, Learn and “Sell” the connections”, I meant that we need to know everything available, get to really know them. Make yourself that customized completely unique sales system. What we don’t know CAN hurt us, so we need to do that research.
Different people deal with their sensitive “hot buttons” in different ways. You may recognize your mistake immediately (Occasionally quite vocally), or you may simply never hear back from that one “hard case”.
There really seems no end to the number of ways to unwittingly offend someone. Be cautious with begin with gender, race, religion, physical attributes, and go on from there. Blunders in my back log:
- One December I sent my buyer contact Bill Thomas one of our huge Christmas customer appreciation wine and cheese baskets. Bill’s intern Jill telephoned to ask me if I knew that Bill’s mother was from Burma, and that Bill was a practicing Hindu. No Christmas, no alcohol. Fortunately for me, Bill saw humor in it and we got together for a Makar Sankranti lunch in January! (Jill got the basket!)
- I sent contact Karen Shook a beautiful MOMO Christmas card and gift. When I called her office to see when she would return from holidays, her assistant said she was on her way home with family to kindle the menorah flame before nightfall, like every Hanukkah. Who knew a blonde lady with the name of “Shook” could be Jewish?
- In one sales call, our marketing manager thought that it would be “memorable” to wear our tennis shoes and point them out to show we were ready to “hit the ground running”. After being asked to leave, Dr. Singh’s assistant taught us that in some parts of India it is a deep insult to display the sole of your shoe to another person. Long story, no sale there.
Unfortunately, I could keep going, but not now.
Do your research, maintain good humor carefully, and work those connections!
You can do this!
By K.B. Elliott
K. B. Elliott is a freelance writer for Salesheads.com. Working both sides of sales desks in the Detroit area for over 30 years gives him a unique perspective on the process. His networking interests as an entrepreneur connect him with many new venture start-ups in Southeast Michigan. On the chance occurrence of spare time, you will find him building computers and airplanes, or restoring antiques. To read more of his blogs, please go to Salesheadsblog.com, and be sure to check out the postings for jobs in nearly any industry at Nexxt
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