05.27.09
Lessons from a Panhandler
Picture this… a man approaches me in the store parking lot- Red Sox baseball cap, untucked t-shirt, knee-length olive color shorts, black suspenders, tattoos encircling his neck, long white socks, black tennis shoes and holding a tattered box of incense sticks. “Sir, I just walked by and you look like a positive person. I gots these incense sticks that some people say cure headaches, foot odor and all kinds of things. I needs to get to Fresno to check out the business opportunities so I’m just asking people to give what they think their worth.”
Welcome to creative panhandling. We actually had an interesting conversation but what struck me is that this man understood how to create value. Instead of ignoring him, I wanted to see what was in the tattered box. Who would have thought that there is a sales lesson to be learned from the local panhandler? Many salespeople would do well to learn this simple lesson that selling is more than throwing samples down on the floor and seeing if anyone is interested. Creative selling means capturing the interest of the customer from the moment the sales person walks through the door with the right attitude, the right product and the right story for that particular dealer. There is sometimes the tendency to think that selling is just showing up and making sure the call sheet is full for the day. The salespeople that earn the highest commissions are the ones who follow the winning formula of showing up and selling creatively.
By the way, I didn’t buy the incense sticks so my feet still stink but I did learn a lesson.
Regards,
Brian Boek
