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?