Tips for a Starving Salesperson: Part 3

Credit: Bill Gillespie

In 2018 a new rep asked me to make a call with her. We would be seeing an international brand that was opening offices in Massachusetts. Our company was doing business with one of their other locations and I was the rep.

It was a group presentation. There was a marketing manager, events lead, creative director, data analyst and a few others. The most senior person at the table was charged with opening new locations.

We were prepared. We had printed copies of our company power point, hand picked samples, collateral on the company and a great track record with their sister location. We also had examples of new technology we were still learning ourselves.

So the dialogue started. We told who we were, what we did and how we were heroes with their peers. We pointed to pieces in our PPT book and shared specs.

I could see the people going to sleep. Our talk track was no different from anyone/everyone else that earned a meeting. We were talking about how impressed we were with ourselves...not them.

A guy at the table was fidgeting with a zipper sheet. It was part of a new technology we owned. It demonstrated several examples of envelope or packaging closures on one page.

I interrupted the meeting and asked, "isn't that thing habit forming?" He responded with a chuckle and said, "I can't quit pulling these things." He went on to ask, "has anyone used this?"

I pointed to an example in the PPT book. I explained that the art director liked the zippers because it kept his enclosure intact after it had been opened. A creative pet peeve was how opening direct mail ruined the envelope they had worked hard to design.

The meeting turned on a dime. We stuck with the PPT book, shared creative objectives and how each featured example evolved. We talked about the story, not the piece. This interested everyone at the table.

You could tell they were hearing things for the first time. The senior manager started texting her boss in
Las Vegas and wrote, "you have to meet these guys. Our minds are being blown. Nobody we know is doing what these guys are doing."

Now what changed? We were the same two reps. We were showing the same PPT book we had already shared. They were the same examples.

What changed is we talked about objectives, not specs. We talked about answers, not technology. We shared stories from their perspective, not ours.

This is an ongoing rant of mine. I have successful pals and not so successful pals that love to talk about
their presses or inserting equipment. They talk about speeds.

I want to respond, "is that fast? It sounds fast. Does it matter to clients?"

Remember this. Communication occurs in the mind of the listener. They have interests and problems to solve. Invest your energy in understanding them, not your equipment. Then you can make a difference.

Gotta go. Spencer is about to sling another sample on the table. He's about to show up and throw up. So many reps are.