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By Request! Why not?... Salesmanship is important! {Contains potentially offensive material!}

By
Real Estate Agent with The Maher Team, LLC & Realty Executives

Salesmanship

A young fellow from Oklahoma moves to California and goes to a big "everything under one roof" department store looking for a job.

The manager says, "Do you have any sales experience?"

The kid says, "Yeah, I was a salesman back home in Oklahoma."

Well, the boss liked the kid so he gave him the job.

"You start tomorrow. I'll come down after we close and see how you did. "

His first day on the job was rough but he got through it. After the store was locked up, the boss came down.
 
  "How many sales did you make today?"
 
  The kid says, "One."
 
  The boss says, "Just one? Our sales people average 20 or 30 sales a day.  You're going to have to improve considerably or look for another job!  How much was the sale for?"
 
  The kid says, "$112,237.64."
  The boss nearly falls backward. "$112,237.64! What the heck did you sell?"
 
  Kid says, "First I sold him a small fish hook. Then I sold him a medium fish hook. Then I sold him a larger fish hook. Then I sold him a new fishing rod. Then I asked him where he was going fishing and he said down at the lake, so I told him he was gonna need a boat, so we went down to the boat department and I sold him a new bass boat. Then he said he didn't think his Honda Civic would pull it, so I took him down to the automotive department and sold him that new Ford pick-up. I asked him how long he was going to be out at the lake and after he said 5 or 6 days I took him down to the RV department and sold him a slide-in camper for the truck."
 
  The boss said, "A guy came in here to buy a fish hook and you sold him a boat, a truck and a camper?"
 
  Kid says, "No, he came in here to buy a box of tampons for his wife and I said, 'Well, your weekend's shot, you might as well go fishing."

............................................................................................................................................................

Hope that made you laugh! :)

Besides being funny, there are a couple of good lessons to be learned here:

One) Focusing, truly focusing, on one person at a time can pay dividends.  We have the stories of the client who came to us to buy a $60,000 home. His parents needed to buy and they bought a $600,000 home. At his housewarming party we held for him, 4 other friends of his decided to get a home as well. Two of them bought together and the other two bought their first homes.  The original guy then met a girl and got married.  They sold the $60,000 home and bought one for $130,000. Within two years, total commissions from the relationship with one person? $43,000. And this was a first time home buyer. 

Two) People don't always buy what they say they want to buy or are going to buy. It all boils down to what is important to that individual.  Appeal to their interests, wants, desires, needs, etc. and you will win a client for life and a more profitable client at that.  Remember, the Platinum Rule: Treat them as they want to be treated. Find out what is important to them and make it happen.

Good story!  Hope you enjoyed today's lesson.

Michael

Comments (7)

Craig Schiller
Trempealeau, WI

Ok... I chuckeled.  But I am going to sit back and watch to see how this goes over.  (See my blog above regarding AUDIENCE.)

HOWEVER the point you make is a very good one.

Aug 21, 2006 10:59 PM
Jay LaGace
RE/MAX Realty Team - Cape Coral, FL
Cape Coral / Lee County Real Estate - 239-443-8795
Outstanding and Oh so True!!!
Aug 22, 2006 01:23 AM
Teri Isner
Keller Williams Realty at the Lakes - Orlando, FL
GRI, CRS, CIPS
Enjoyed this and smiled.  Can't wait to meet you at our next CS event.
Aug 22, 2006 07:37 AM
Alexander Harb
Knights Investing - Mesquite, TX
Dallas, Texas Real Estate Investing
That was so neat...nice story......I was chuckling at the end....and thoughtful....
Aug 22, 2006 01:19 PM
Karen Villa Schweinfurth
RE/MAX Northwest Realtors, Inc. 425-308-3669 - Everett, WA
ABR, CRS, SRES, CyberStar
Great story, see you at Summit. Please make me an associate of yours!
Aug 30, 2006 02:13 PM
Evelyn Johnston
Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
The People You Know, Like and Trust!

It was a great story.  I laughed and it made me think I need to delve deeper into the conversations!

Dec 27, 2010 11:11 AM
Michael J. Maher
The Maher Team, LLC & Realty Executives - Overland Park, KS
#1 National Best-Selling Author

Thank you Evelyn! Can't wait to see what you do with your Zi8!

Michael

Dec 27, 2010 11:48 AM