Selling a Salesperson
There’s a great scene in Boiler Room where Giovanni Ribisi gets a call during breakfast asking him if he wanted to subscribe to the newspaper. He says no, but as the caller’s about to hang up, he gives him a lesson in sales. He still says no at the end, but at least the guy learned something.
I’m not much for playing. Too much to do, too little time. So the call’s got to be good and it better be quick.
I just a call from someone who received my name from someone connected with my son’s soccer team. They just bought a time share and, what do you know, my wife and I get a free vacation somewhere just by answering three questions. What those questions are, I don’t know — the call never got that far.
I mentioned I have a real estate license and I’ll take a pass. “What does one have to do with the other?” the caller asked. “It means I know about the timeshare racket business and I’m not interested in buying a timeshare.”
“But I’m not asking you to buy a timeshare,” he said. “I’m giving you a free vacation.”
Oh, well … now that you word it that way, now I’ll be more than happy to listen. I had the mistaken idea that you worked on commission, commissions earned for selling something versus simply being the Robin Hood of the vacation world, taking from the corporate rich and giving to the Ramen-eating Realtors of the world.
“Sure, whatever,” I say. “But I’ll still pass.”
End of call.
And here’s the thing … if you’re making a sales call, so be it. I’m in sales. I understand. You gotta do what you gotta do. But when you get called on it, especially by someone who tells you straight out they know there’s a catch, drop the schtick. Get to the real point and quick. Pretending the person on the other end of the line really doesn’t know the game is pretty silly.
Oh, and for the record … I don’t cold call. If I can’t stand being cold called, it would seem more than a little hypocritical to be dialing.
Technorati tags: timeshares, sales, salesmanship
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By the way you answered the call, I can tell you are not a producer or lets say a good salesperson.. any way a waiste of time, juts go and train to be a sales person. In fact I can tell you can close dogs and nothing beyond.
So Steven, are you the one who called or are you discerning how I answer a call from what I wrote? If it’s the latter, I’ll also take the Powerball numbers. If it’s the former, I’ll give the advice of a telemarketer all due consideration.