251–260 of 305 posts
> We were victims. Therefore, we had license to take whatever measures were necessary. Once this worldview sets in, it’s very difficult to break out of, not least because it often feels so perfectly just. One of many nuggets of wisdom in this excellent text.
There’s an entire political culture built on this framework. And it’s spreading.
Can someone summarize this insane wall of text?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sales are maligned. There is the guy at the car dealership who specializes in adding an extended service contract for your new car. Then there's the guy who sells a software development project that lands a well qualified customer (joy to work with) and a good specification which was well estimated and price so you can complete the work profitably. Maybe you know nothing about formalwear but somebody sells you a suit…
Sales are maligned for good reason. I'd wager I've experienced the "you know nothing about formal wear but somebody sells you a suit you really feel good in" salesperson a handful of times. Now, the number of times I've had someone try to sell me something while clearly not listening to what I have to say and getting uncomfortably pushy about it, well... yikes.
It’s weird to meet people who look for the short-term gain in every single situation. Especially if they’re semi-talented but perennially “unlucky”. Usually trading on a curated public image or “likability” backed by nothing but positive sounding words and shifting excuses. Unable to build anything sustainable because they piss off every person with the ability to make them rich. Walk away. Remember them as they were…
> elite salespeople Syntax error.
Occasionally my wife still falls for it, and for the sake of my marriage i tend to tag along sometimes.
> I know a good salesman when I see one. I was, briefly, the No. 1 telemarketer in the United States. Oh neat, how? > Unlike many of my less successful colleagues, I quickly learned to take yes for an answer; though we were legally required to read a long list of mandatory disclosures to all our sales, I noticed that this often broke the spell and gave people an opening to back out or “wait and ask the wife about it.…
That’s why you don’t answer phone calls with „yes” as sometimes they would say your name and you would be inclined replying „yes, speaking”. Just heard stories some shitty companies/sales would push you over they have your „yes” on recording. I don’t believe it would hold in any court if they would have to play the whole thing. But it would work on people who are not so tough. Sattelite TV sellers were awful they alm…
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/can-you-hear-me-scam/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Can_you_hear_me%3F_(alleged_te...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
How does a salesperson deliver exceptional work? In every place I’ve worked, outside of independent contracting, the sales person didn’t do the trench work.
By finding people who will actually benefit from the product and setting their expectations appropriately.
I aced it but at the time it didn't seem like elite sales, not to anyone, not even to me. I just felt this is how it should be done.
Then I ran into a manager 3 years after I quit. He said, I don't know how you've done it but we still get clients from your work, a lot of them.
Apparently, when people [actually] need something they look at some business directory. If they then see a name they know and remember having an enjoyable conversation where they've learned all the ins and outs from someone who didn't even try to sell them anything... who do you think they are going to call?
I was able to do thousands of calls per day because I wasn't trying to force anything and the process was enjoyable.
If there is one trick to share here: Make people talk, listen to them, pay close attention to the speed at which they talk and the duration of their pauses then gradually try to match it. If someone is super energetic and talks really fast I unload the material on them slightly faster, make a joke and thank them for their time. If they talk slow feed them one sentence at a time and have them confirm they got it.
I'm pretty sure people were quite confused by my not trying to sell them anything. this is what we do, this is what we offer, thanks for listening, enjoy your day I already know they aren't buying. I could definitely add a 3 minute grind to the end but why? Waste energy annoying people? Better get to the next customer.
> it doesn’t matter what you’re selling—it matters how you make people feel. If you make them feel good, they’ll say yes. If you don’t, you could be selling a pill that reverses male-pattern baldness and makes you lose weight without exercise, and they’ll still turn you down flat. The old adage is as true as ever. People do not remember what you did or what you said. People remember how you made them feel.
If someone offered to sell me that pill, I wouldn't say, "Ah, but you were kind of brusque, I don't think I'll buy it." I would say (well, think, actually), "I don't think I trust you that it's this easy and safe, so I won't buy it."
The key is trust. The insight the author missed is that we more easily trust people who make us feel good, among other things (attraction, social standing, etc.).
> Shelly in Wichita is not going to buy what you’re selling, no matter how good the deal is, if she can clearly hear in your voice how much you hate your job and, by extension, her.
I think this again misses the point. Shelly doesn't necessarily think you hate her, but she has no reason to trust you. If your product was good, and people were better off for buying it, you probably wouldn't hate selling it so much.