Anyone in Sales

What do you sell?
Any good stories?
Techniques?

I sell Food to restaurants.....I eat to much!!

[Gophernut]

I work for a college here in Minnesota. I sell the programs to potential students... I should read more.

I've got the chance to do sales at my old job.

It's hard, I was dealing with more well off and older elderly people buying furniture. I guess you could say the 101 lesson is take your time, make them feel good about the buy, always use the floor model *if you can* to show and explain things.

It was different and I wasn't bad at all, I wasn't a born sales man I know that much.

[Buena Fortuna]

I sold in the medical field for 25 years until I got cancer and had to take 3 years off. I am not technically in sales currently, I am a consultant. However, I believe that everyone is in sales regardless of your title, and I function under that philospohy at my work everyday. All of my sales skills are transferrable since sales is relationship driven, not $$$ driven. People hate to be sold, but they love to buy, and they will buy from someone they like, know and trust before they buy based on $$ alone.

[GKitty]

I work for a roofing manufacturer and while my title is "sales support", what I do is sales. To the distributors, to the homeowners, to the contractors... And as BF said, it's all about relationships. Make a new friend, make a sale.

[MikeyC]

I'm a Realtor. I sell houses

I've been in a lot of houses some REALLY nice and some DUMPS. I once went in a house that was SO gross that I was picking bugs off of me for the next couple of hours. No one was living there but there was an open window upstairs with a vine growing into the house through it.

Originally Posted by Buena Fortuna

I sold in the medical field for 25 years until I got cancer and had to take 3 years off. I am not technically in sales currently, I am a consultant. However, I believe that everyone is in sales regardless of your title, and I function under that philospohy at my work everyday. All of my sales skills are transferrable since sales is relationship driven, not $$$ driven. People hate to be sold, but they love to buy, and they will buy from someone they like, know and trust before they buy based on $$ alone.

Good points, i have been selling for 8yrs now, love it. People definitely buy from People not $$$, but i have noticed a little bit of a change in my industry due to the economy. People are definitely looking at price as long as they don't compromise quality.

Originally Posted by Buena Fortuna

I believe that everyone is in sales regardless of your title, and I function under that philospohy at my work everyday. All of my sales skills are transferrable since sales is relationship driven, not $$$ driven. People hate to be sold, but they love to buy, and they will buy from someone they like, know and trust before they buy based on $$ alone.

Although some people still buy based on the $$ so I would say 'most' buy from their friends. It's absolutely relationship driven. And I'm friends with all of my clients and it's been a great thing.

So I'm in sales. Started when I was 11 years old going door to door pre-selling Olympic pins in '84 so I could get the money to order in bulk so I could get one pin (from each company from which I ordered). Worked in a movie theater in high school 'selling' popcorn and 'upselling' candy and drinks. Worked as a fundraiser at UCLA during & after college a bit. Worked as an indie film distributor 'selling' our cr@p movies to art theaters across the country during a little break in college. Now I'm in sales as a stock trader and have been trading for almost 6 years now and been at the same firm for 11 years.

I just started in insurance sales. (Personal lines.. Auto/homeowners/renters/etc.)

I come from a wholesale mortgage sales background, but after I was laid off, there was a need to look to a different industry.

[MajorCaptSilly]

I started my sales career as a copier salesman. I had a ton of experience in management so, they made me a major accounts rep. I think having no sales experience helped me a great deal. I never looked at how much money I might make from a certain "deal" but looked at how I could help my customers save money and run their businesses better. I do IT consulting now and have the same approach. If you're completely honest and deliver what you promise, you will do well. A couple books I recommend are:

"High Trust Selling" by Todd Duncan (all his books are good)
"The Trusted Advisor" by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford

Some great cold calling techniques are in "Getting to VITO" by Anthony Parinello

MCS

[floydpink]

15 years in timeshare for me.

I've learned that there are two groups in every sales organization; the negative ones who feel like they're always getting screwed, and the positive ones who make 2-3 times as much as the negative ones.

The attitude you bring to work is the attitude you will convey to your customer and will determine whether you will be successful or not, with no exceptions. Nobody likes a negative person.

If you're gonna talk **** about your company, your company will treat you like **** until you leave. If you aren't happy, do everyone a favor and leave.

Be careful about who you think is your friend. They might use it against you to promote themselves when the opportunity arises. Keep your mouth shut whenever possible.

Start working on your attitude on your way to work and you'll be almost there when you walk in the door. Metallica on full volume and Monster energy drink is good, especially past 40 years of age.

Leave your work problems at work and your home problems home.

Stay humble, grateful and helpful if everything works out and you are kicking ass. Nobody likes a showoff.

Never think you are irreplaceable, you are and probably by someone younger and more hungry than you.

Always remember to reward yourself and your family when you overachieve and don't forget to take needed short breaks and vacations to recharge.

Don't buy crappy cigars when you are having a tough month.

Im a sales manager for a wine distributer. Before that I was a rep on the streets pimping the vino myself.

~Vitis