It is common for celebrities to sell products. They endorse a Brand, they act in the commercials, they take part in promos, whatever, it effectively means, they are selling it. So whenever Shahrukh Khan talks about his job as such a Salesman; almost all the times I can sense Pride in his voice. May be taking Pride in ones work comes easy to a star or a celebrity or may be it requires some effort some place.
I have often wondered if same is the case with every salesman in the field who represents a Brand. Not every one says, with that sort of Pride, "I sell.....". And there lies an opportunity. I keep quizzing the salesmen, wherever and whenever I bump into one. Recently while at a Mall in Indore, I saw some one wearing Coke Logo above the breast pocket of his shirt. I stepped aside and asked him, "Do you Like Coke or do you Sell Coke?" Among the various choices he had as an answer, he chose to say it emphatically, stressing each word by taking a long pause between each of these words: "I SELL COKE!" Some Pride it was!
Next day at a Bank, I came across a person carrying a writing pad which had an advertisement of a famous brand of Hosiery. The advertisement was rather small but their slogan was very prominently printed. I asked the gentleman carrying it if he was a distributor of that Brand of hosiery? He said, 'No!' and went on to add, 'Such pads are available cheaper in the market'. He said further, 'Companies desperate for visibility are using almost any place to make their slogans popular.' he made it sound like a cool arrangement, or may be it isn't all that cool. Such indiscriminate use of Advertising Resources has not only adverse effect on the cost of the product, it has an adverse effect on the moral of the salesmen. The catch lies in thinking. Many business owners think ad spend as Asset (right but not always) and expenditure on salesmen a Liability. Where as in every business, "Salesman is the ONLY ASSET and everything else is LIABILITY!" I can justify this line, any time.
When Salesman makes a call, he carries with him (among other things) an invisible package of information, knowledge, bonds, emotional triggers, attitudes. The emotional triggers and bonds he transfers to prospective customers get communicated to public at large. And consumers and users often reflect the same behaviors originally transmitted by the firm's Salesmen.
Take for example, Sales Training. I am reminded of a recent encounter with the owner of a Retail Chain. He says, I train these boys and girls only to the extent they can follow my instructions. If they get trained to a higher level, some one else will take them away. There are some (500 or more) persons in his employment. Imagine 500 people waiting for instructions, not able to use their own head. Not free to think and act. Remember the expression, "An empty mind is devil's workshop!" What level of Pride it can lead to. The Pride of a man who doesn't go to bed empty stomach. What sort of feelings such people will communicate to their Customers? Customers may talk to such employees but bonds will be weak & flimsy and not deep and friendly. Such customers will be polite to those salesmen because those customers are actually polite in their real life.
When a person takes Pride in his job, he radiates such confidence that really transforms prospect's behavior. This is a confidence that doesn't come from using an expensive car, wearing expensive clothes, carrying chick accessories and operational assets, but it comes from deep understanding of the task and Pride of having done a job well. One can not wish and acquire such Pride, one needs to earn it, and there are no exceptions to this.
I have often wondered if same is the case with every salesman in the field who represents a Brand. Not every one says, with that sort of Pride, "I sell.....". And there lies an opportunity. I keep quizzing the salesmen, wherever and whenever I bump into one. Recently while at a Mall in Indore, I saw some one wearing Coke Logo above the breast pocket of his shirt. I stepped aside and asked him, "Do you Like Coke or do you Sell Coke?" Among the various choices he had as an answer, he chose to say it emphatically, stressing each word by taking a long pause between each of these words: "I SELL COKE!" Some Pride it was!
Next day at a Bank, I came across a person carrying a writing pad which had an advertisement of a famous brand of Hosiery. The advertisement was rather small but their slogan was very prominently printed. I asked the gentleman carrying it if he was a distributor of that Brand of hosiery? He said, 'No!' and went on to add, 'Such pads are available cheaper in the market'. He said further, 'Companies desperate for visibility are using almost any place to make their slogans popular.' he made it sound like a cool arrangement, or may be it isn't all that cool. Such indiscriminate use of Advertising Resources has not only adverse effect on the cost of the product, it has an adverse effect on the moral of the salesmen. The catch lies in thinking. Many business owners think ad spend as Asset (right but not always) and expenditure on salesmen a Liability. Where as in every business, "Salesman is the ONLY ASSET and everything else is LIABILITY!" I can justify this line, any time.
When Salesman makes a call, he carries with him (among other things) an invisible package of information, knowledge, bonds, emotional triggers, attitudes. The emotional triggers and bonds he transfers to prospective customers get communicated to public at large. And consumers and users often reflect the same behaviors originally transmitted by the firm's Salesmen.
Take for example, Sales Training. I am reminded of a recent encounter with the owner of a Retail Chain. He says, I train these boys and girls only to the extent they can follow my instructions. If they get trained to a higher level, some one else will take them away. There are some (500 or more) persons in his employment. Imagine 500 people waiting for instructions, not able to use their own head. Not free to think and act. Remember the expression, "An empty mind is devil's workshop!" What level of Pride it can lead to. The Pride of a man who doesn't go to bed empty stomach. What sort of feelings such people will communicate to their Customers? Customers may talk to such employees but bonds will be weak & flimsy and not deep and friendly. Such customers will be polite to those salesmen because those customers are actually polite in their real life.
When a person takes Pride in his job, he radiates such confidence that really transforms prospect's behavior. This is a confidence that doesn't come from using an expensive car, wearing expensive clothes, carrying chick accessories and operational assets, but it comes from deep understanding of the task and Pride of having done a job well. One can not wish and acquire such Pride, one needs to earn it, and there are no exceptions to this.
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