Story Selling

Sage Advice and Common Sense About Sales and Success

Harry Maziar

• Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781683504115
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Sales
• Index: Business

Story Selling is a series of fun stories and selling lessons that are entertaining and effective. It is a valuable handbook for sales managers and representatives. It is a teaching (not a preaching) tool that is humorous, instructive and memorable. The repeatable stories impart self-assurance and confidence.

1

There’s a Mighty Big Difference Between Good, Sound Reasons and Reasons That Sound Good

One day years ago as my day was ending, I called my wife and asked, “What’s for dinner?”

“What would you like?” she responded.

As it was already 7 p.m., I astutely concluded that I was bringing dinner home that night. We settled on fried chicken, and off I headed to one of the local chains.

At the restaurant, I ordered my chicken, drove to the pickup window and paid. Just as I was about to drive out, I noticed a sign advertising hot biscuits for 35 cents each or $1.50 for half a dozen. Not able to resist a bargain, I decided to order half a dozen.

No one was behind me, so I backed up to the window and gave the young lady my order. A minute or two later, she returned to inform me that the biscuits were in the oven cooking and that it would be about 10 minutes before they were ready. A glance at my watch told me it was getting late, so I told her I’d better pass and head on home.

She then mentioned that they had five biscuits available, but not the half dozen. Happy that I would get some biscuits after all, I said I’d take the five. She returned with a sack of biscuits and said, “That will be $1.75.”

“There must be some mistake,” I said. “If they are $1.50 for half a dozen, surely five couldn’t cost $1.75.”

With a somewhat perplexed look on her face, she responded, “Yes, the price is $1.75, because if you don’t buy six, they are 35 cents each.”

“I do want to buy six, but you don’t have them ready,” I said. “You can’t charge me more for five than you would for six.”

Not to be deterred, she said, “Yes, sir, it will be $1.75.”

I bit my lip, said a few choice words under my breath and asked if I could speak to the manager. When the manager appeared in the window, I explained that I had wanted six biscuits, that they only had five ready, and that his employee wanted me to pay more for the five than for the six I originally ordered.

He heard me out, thought for a moment, and said, “Yes, sir, it will be $1.75. If you don’t buy half a dozen, then they are 35 cents each.”

I knew I was in trouble with a capital T (for either Temper or Trauma). I thought for a moment and then said, mustering my best salesmanship, “Sell me six biscuits for $1.50, and you can owe me one. I’ll pick up the other one tomorrow.”

He agreed, I assume thinking he had won the battle. Needless to say, I didn’t go back for my biscuit, and I’ve never been back for any more chicken.

Is the customer always right? Not necessarily. But there is an ever-growing group of failed salespeople who make a habit of winning the battle and losing the war.

There is an old adage that says, “The boss may not always be right, but he or she is always the boss.” Likewise, the customer may not always be right, but he or she is always the customer… if respected, treated right, cared for and helped.

The primary responsibility of a business is to give customers what they want, not what we want. Successful salespeople have learned this valuable lesson. They impart confidence, comfort and, most importantly, confirmation that the choices their customers make are the correct ones.

Good selling consists of selling goods that won’t come back to customers who will.

Many have said that there is a thin line between comedy and tragedy, and in my mind, this biscuit story crosses that line. Always remember that there is a big difference between good, sound reasons and reasons that just sound good.

Harry’s
int

Don’t let what you are doing get to you before you get to it.

2

An Investment in Knowledge Always Pays Interest

One of my favorite stories is about a father who, on a cloudy and threatening afternoon, took his young son out for a walk. As they strolled along, the youngster, with typical childlike curiosity, asked his father, “How does the electricity go through those wires stretched between the power poles?”

“I don’t know,” his father replied. “I never knew much about electricity.”

A few blocks farther on, observing the darkening sky, the boy asked another question. “What causes lightning and thunder?”

“To tell the truth,” said the father, “I never exactly understood that myself.”

The boy continued to ask questions throughout the walk, none of which his father could answer. With the rain now imminent, they hurried home. As they started up the front steps, the son turned and said, “Pop, I hope you don’t mind me asking so many questions.”

“Of course not,” replied the father. “How else are you going to learn?”

As a professional salesperson, you can say too much, but you can’t know too much. Knowledge is part and parcel of your “inventory,” and it needs to be constantly updated.

The best way to become an old dog is to stop learning new tricks.

Successful salespeople keep learning. But for how long? The Roman philosopher Seneca (4BC to 65AD) said, “You should keep on learning as long as there is something you do not know.” What great advice for every salesperson.

Keep your eyes and ears open. Be inquisitive…ask questions. Don’t assume…find out.

What you don’t know won’t help you.

3

Just Because It’s Common Sense Doesn’t Make It Common Practice

It’s a challenge to remember – and even more importantly, to practice – the basics of selling every day. We start with good intentions, but too often complacency finds its way into our daily efforts. Inevitably, we begin to coast and then there’s only one place to go…downhill.

Here’s a story about a salesperson who forgot the basics and the resulting consequences.

An elderly couple hadn’t bought a new refrigerator in 30 years, and the appliance salesman was extolling the features of his deluxe model. The couple seemed impressed, but they told him they had promised his competitor across the street that they would stop by and see what he had to offer. This didn’t worry the salesman because he knew that his competitor carried the same brand but at a higher price. The couple left, promising to return if the other store had nothing they liked better.

A while later, the couple returned and told the salesman they had bought a refrigerator from his competitor. Mustering a smile, the salesman told them he was glad they had found what they wanted.

“By the way, which model did you buy?” the salesman asked.

The elderly gentleman read the model number from his sales slip.

A bit exasperated, the salesman replied, “But that’s the same model I showed you, and mine sells for $50 less!

“It couldn’t be the same model,” the woman said. “The one we bought has a little light inside that turns on when you open the door.”

“All refrigerators have that,” the salesman replied.

“Really?” the woman said. “Then why didn’t you tell us yours had it?”

Ouch!

If you don’t drop the ball, you won’t have to complain about the way it bounces.

Never assume too much. Don’t take anything for granted. Tell the whole story. Remember that features and benefits coupled with passion and professionalism keep your “light” on as you“light up” your customers’ interest.

4

The Most Important Thing About Goals… Is to Have One

Years ago, I read a true story about Florence Chadwick, who set out to swim 26 miles from Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles to the California mainland – something no woman had ever done.

Florence trained for months for the challenge. When the big day came, she slipped into the icy waters and began the slow, rhythmic stroke she had diligently practiced to utilize her energy to the utmost.

At first, she felt extremely confident, but as the hours wore on, she grew weak in the cold water. A fog rolled in, making conditions worse. Eventually the fog became so thick she had to get directions from the crew on board the boat that was following her in case something went wrong.

“A little to the left,” a crew member yelled through a hand-held loudspeaker. “A little to the right,” he shouted again when she veered off course.

This went on for hours. Finally, Florence could take no m...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Table of Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction: Stories Speak Louder Than Words
• 1 There’s a Mighty Big Difference Between Good, Sound Reasons and Reasons That Sound Good
• 2 An Investment in Knowledge Always Pays Interest
• 3 Just Because It’s Common Sense Doesn’t Make It Common Practice
• 4 The Most Important Thing About Goals…Is to Have One
• 5 “I Must Do Something” Will Always Solve More Problems Than “Something Must Be Done”
• 6 The Nice Thing About Teamwork Is That You Always Have Others on Your Side
• 7 Good Enough Never Is
• 8 Don’t Count the Words…Make the Words Count
• 9 If You Are Angling for Success, the Most Important Angle is the Try-Angle
• 10 Many Aspire to Success, but Few Are Willing to Perspire for It
• 11 There Aren’t Enough Crutches in the World for All the Lame Excuses
• 12 When You Get Something for Nothing, You Just Haven’t Been Billed Yet
• 13 You Get More Than You Give, When You Give More Than You Get
• 14 Never Forget That Your Work Is a Self-Portrait
• 5 Waiting for Your Ship to Come in Is a Good Way to Miss the Boat
• 16 When You Put a Limit on What You Will Do, You Put a Limit on What You Can Do
• 17 Self-Discipline Is the Original Do-It-Yourself Job
• 18 Sometimes You Do Have to Sweat the Small Stuff
• 19 Obstacles Are Opportunities in Disguise
• 20 You’ve Gotta Make Mistakes if You’re Gonna Make Good Decisions
• 21 Those Who Mind Their Business Usually Have Good Ones
• 22 Selling Is a Trick, but It Isn’t Trickery
• 23 Failure Is the Path of Least Persistence
• 24 A Problem Well Put Is Half Solved
• 25 A Friend Is a Gift That You Give Yourself
• 26 No One Ever Listened Himself Out of a Sale
• 27 The Safest Gamble of All Is to Take a Chance on Yourself
• 28 You Never Get Rewarded for the Things You Intend to Do
• 29 The Surest Way to Mishandle a Problem Is to Avoid Facing Up to It
• 30 Don’t Bait Your Hook Until You Know What the Fish Will Bite
• 31 Choice, Not Chance, Determines Destiny
• 32 Always Know What You’re Talking About, but Don’t Always Talk About What You Know
• 33 Don’t Wait Until You’re in Trouble to Get Moving
• 34 Salesmanship Is the Art of Letting Someone Else Have Your Way
• 35 The Best Place to Find a Helping Hand Is at the End of Your Own Arm
• 36 Luck Is Always Against Those Who Depend on It
• 37 If You Must Speak Your Mind, Mind How You Speak
• 38 Ingenuity Is the Key That Opens the Door to Opportunity
• 39 Fight Truth Decay
• 40 The Best Time to Plan for Your Future Is Between Yesterday and Tomorrow
• 41 A Story a Day Keeps Failure Away
• 42 If You Want to Be Original, You Have to Be Yourself
• 43 The Password to Success Is “NOW”
• 44 Winning Is a Habit…Unfortunately, so Is Losing
• 45 The Thing to Try When All Else Fails Is… Again
• 46 Knowing Your Weaknesses Is as Important as Knowing Your Strengths
• 47 The Best Way to Get “Ahead” Is to Use Yours
• 48 The Hardest Thing to Get Is Going
• 49 Chance Always Favors the Prepared
• 50 It’s Not Just Who You Know, It’s Who Knows You
• Conclusion: The Best Salespeople Know How to Take a Hint
• Acknowledgments
• About the Author
• End Notes