Got kind of a weird sales tip for you today.
In fact, it may even stink a bit.
But if you sell a product or a service of any kind (especially if you sell in person or over the phone) I think you’ll find it very helpful.
Anyway, here’s the story:
Last week, I was walking Zoe (my dog) down by the beach like I do every night when, a couple hundred feet away we see this big ol’ fatty skunk.
Now usually, this is no big deal. I mean it’s not like it could spray us from that far away.
But there was something different about this skunk.
For one thing, he wasn’t scared of us like most skunks.
In fact, the little stink-bag came TOWARDS us with his tail up — as if he wanted to spray us with his stink-shooter. (Which would actually make my dog happy. After all, one person’s stink is another dog’s perfume…)
Anyway, it totally reminded me of Pepe Le Pew.
Remember him from those old Bugs Bunny cartoons?
Pepe was the skunk who was always speaking charming words to the ladies, wanting to kiss and hug and romance them… but, due to his horrendous odor, would chase them away, despite his charm and loving intentions.
In fact, the MORE he pursued the ladies… the FASTER they’d run.
And we see a lot of that in sales and marketing, too, don’t we?
Where marketers are trying to “romance” people with charm, well-rehearsed scripts and by saying all the “right” things… but one look and we see how they stink to high heaven.
The “stink” can take any number of forms, too.
For example…
It could be neediness (this is often the case).
It could be the arrogance of the salesman or marketer (we have a bit of that in the Internet marketing world, don’t we?)
Or it could even just be the prospect’s fear of the unknown if the marketer’s new to business and doesn’t know how to remove that objection before it becomes an issue. (This plagued me BIG TIME early on.)
Anyway, here’s the point:
If you’re having trouble making sales, and can’t figure out why (since you’re doing everything “right”) you may be spraying some kind of “odor” that’s making people run away.
And you’re #1 job is to figure out what that stink is.
Otherwise, if you don’t find it, then your sales will continue to tank. And when that happens, it’s like what Pepe Le Pew’s pal Porky Pig says…
Th-th-th-that’s all folks!
Ben Settle
P.S. Want to make sure your sales and marketing pitches smell like roses instead of a spray-happy skunk?
Then check out the 101 strategies over at:
