The Best Salesperson In The World

The best salesperson in the world is a two year old child.  The child instinctively knows that if he sees something he wants he has to get somebody to do something to get it for him/her.  Usually the hard sell falls on mom or dad, but it could be anyone.  The two year old child sees candy while mom is in line at the grocery store.  The line is moving slowly.  The two year old points to what he wants and starts asking.  He is told no, mommy will get him something later.  He is smart, he knows already, at two, that later means never.  (Just as a good salesperson knows that once the opportunity to make a sale is missed it is gone forever).  The child thrashes in the shopping basket, and he goes spastic, stretching toward the candy and pointing.  The mom tries to block his view.  The child screams and keeps screaming.  The child’s voice grows louder and louder,  there is more and more thrashing with the body.  After a while the mom begins negotiating.  How about a carrot?  How about a banana?  I’ll take you to MacDonald’s?  What will it take to make you stop?  The child senses his customer is yielding.

Now the child knows he is beginning to wear down his customer.   His mom is negotiating.  Can he pull the candy?  He starts to scream as loud as he can and thrashes again toward the candy.  The weak mom, or easy sale, gives in right there.  The other folks in line are looking, junior is making a scene, mom gives in because it is easier than not giving in.  For the weak mom the break down is inevitable and she hands the child his candy.  He has won.  He made the sale and from this day forward he will do whatever it takes to make his customer/mom bend to his will.  The thrashing will become words, the screaming will become price discounts or an insurmountable sales pitch, and the pointing finger will become a pen to be used to have his client sign the paperwork and consummate the sale.  The candy has become a sale.  The victory over mom or grandpa has become a victory over whoever crosses your path while you are selling to get whatever it is you want from making the sale.

Thus the great salesperson is both made and born the way he or she is.  Have you ever thought what it is that makes you a great sales goat?  How far back does it go, the depth of your self understanding?  When did you start winning by selling?  What did you force your parents to do by selling them?  Pay your phone bill?  Drive you everywhere?  Help you beat down your teachers?  Buy your cloths?  Help you get out of trouble?  Give you money?  Let you drive the car?  When did it start?  How did your real sales career begin?  Who were you bending to your sales will?

Write Uncle Billy and tell me what you see when you look back.  Remember you are good because you learned something long ago, when you were a child.  You learned that,  “Later means never”, and you learned to close for the candy now, while it is in front of you!