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Hooked On Selling

Written by: Jim Meisenheimer

Article Overview: Discover why it’s so easy to get hooked on selling.

Hooked On Selling

I’m hooked on selling, how about you?

Ever since I was a kid selling subscriptions for my Newsday paper route on Long Island, I knew I was meant to sell.

Don’t get me wrong, it hasn’t always been easy. Even with my paper route, I had to deal with a sinister looking Mr. Kuhl.

With those two missing front teeth and the glassy eyed look he had, he was always pushing me to get more orders. Sure I enjoyed selling and delivering the papers. And I really liked winning the prizes for winning the contests.

I didn’t realize this until many years later - but selling really isn’t selling.

Selling today is not about convincing and persuasion. It’s about helping buyers make good buying decisions. In fact, the more you try to convince and persuade, the more pushback you get – at least that’s been my experience.

I’m still hooked on selling!

The road to selling success is loaded with bumps, curves and potholes and you have to deal with all of them.

In one of my first sales positions, working for Baxter Healthcare and selling laboratory supplies, I remember calling on General Food’s Research Facility in Tarrytown New York.

I was young, cocky, and full of myself and determined to be successful. So, when I walked into the General Food’s main lobby, I asked Felicia, the receptionist, if I could speak to Brian N. – the purchasing agent.

She called him. He came out. He was a big guy. He was a really big guy and kinda walked real slow because of the weight he was carrying.

He motioned me over to a sofa. I enthusiastically reached out to shake his hand as I was introducing myself.

He then proceeded to burst my bubble.

He said, “So you’re with Scientific Products.”

I said, “Yes sir!”

He said without any hesitation, “We don’t buy anything from your company. As a matter of fact the only time would we even consider buying something from your company, is if we desperately needed it and there was no place else on the planet earth to get it.”

I was in shock.

Before I could say anything, he stood up and turned away from me and walked through the swinging doors back to his office.

What an experience. Felicia looked at me with what had to be an “I’m so sorry you had to experience that look.”

Well just remember this. Sometimes you have to be patient.

We had zero business when I inherited the account. Brian stuck to his guns and we had zero business during the first year I called on the General Foods.

Sometimes you have to wait until someone retires. Sometimes you have to wait until someone dies to get your foot in the door.

Well about a year after Brian met with me, for the one and only time, he retired. A year later he died.

And another year later, General Foods was my second largest account.

That’s why I’m hooked on selling.

What other job pays you according to your productivity – your sales?

What other job pays you what your worth – yup, in sales you’re paid what your worth?

What other job literally let’s you run your own business – for the most part?

That’s why I’m hooked on selling.

Selling is easy when you work hard at it.

Obviously selling isn’t the right cup of tea for everybody.

If you’re determined to achieve success for you and your family . . .

If you aspire to bigger and better things . . .

If you like to set and achieve goals . . .

And if you love the adrenalin rush you get when closing the sale . . .

And if you can accept the fact, “You can’t win them all . . .”

You can get hooked on selling too!

Finally, to be hooked on selling you gotta be hooked on learning.

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Article Tags: baxter healthcare, curves, front teeth, general food, hesitation, kuhl, laboratory supplies, matter of fact, newsday, paper route, persuasion, planet earth, potholes, purchasing agent, pushback, receptionist, sales positions, selling success, selling today, tarrytown new york



Related Forum Posts
Re: Kevin's Case Study #10 - When to become an entrepreneur? - When the bug bite you. A lot of successful entrepreneurs started in their teens or at school. Selling sweets to fellow students or lemonade to firends in the neighbourhood.
Re: This is Marketing Warfare! - Hey GT, I guess this was from a while back, and it'll test your memory a bit but could you possibly elaborate on Unique Selling Proposition? Can you give us some examples of good USPs?
Blog pinging - Thanks Martin - yes, I do ping and it has been very effective. I'm currently on the first page of Google for Mastermind Group and on the second page for Selling to Small Business.
Business magazines - Fast Company is pretty good if you're into technology although it can be very on the edge. Entrepreneur has become one giant advertisement and I cancelled my subscription. Selling Power also has some useful content if you're looking at improving your sales skills / presentations.
New Guy Here - Automobile Industry - Hi Everyone, My name is Ray and I work as a sales trainer in the automobile industry. I have just completed a new training curriculum for automobile salespeople in the industry. It is called The Baby Steps of Selling Automobiles. I am beginning my marketing efforts through press releases and seminar formats. I joined the community due to my continued desire to work independently creating my own happiness and growth. Thank you for having me and I look forward to more correspondence in the future.


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