Want to sell more? Think you know your stuff? Let’s just raise the bar a little. This “street vendor”in Manhattan, Greg, caught my attention and taught me a thing or two.
The sales territory was simply brutal. Way too many things fought for his prospects’ attention. They were in Manhattan! A block or two from Times Square, surrounded by HUGE (like sky-scrapper sized) billboards, motion graphics, flashing lights, glaring music, taxi horns, and probably a few pick-pockets, too.
The sales territory was not at all conducive for commercial conversations. (Have I mentioned NYC is LOUD?) Not only was it loud, people experiencing it were relishing in the experience of the grand city; they were not expecting a salesman to meet them.
There was no chance for the salesman to build rapport in advance. No matter how many people followed him on Twitter, or were fans on Facebook, or feedburner subscribers to his blog—none of the hot, cool, impressive, hyped sales technology mattered at all! Facebook is totally irrelevant in this experience.
Imagine if your sales force had the courage, determination, persona and stamina to do for eight years what Greg has done. He has to stop people on the sidewalk, who were doing something ELSE, who weren’t expecting a salesman, who had never heard of Greg. Then he had to get their attention and minds focused on what he was saying (after, I’m sure, reassuring them they weren’t in danger!), and then connect his offering to their experience.
Greg was ten feet away from me while I ate my lunch. I watched him for nearly an hour. Most people (like, nearly all) ignored Greg. Some politely ignored him; others, not so politely. He always smiled; he never paused from his pursuit of attention. And, yes, he did indeed make sales.
I encourage a sales process like the one David Sandler outlines, where the salesman establishes rapport, asks questions, seeks to uncover and understand his prospect’s pain, and then crafts a solution to specifically address those pains. Greg didn’t have that luxury. He took what he had, added a massive amount of enthusiasm, determination, and personality to do the impossible, sell strangers stuff on the streets in NYC.
Could your sales force do that?
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When I was with Greg in New York, we used the handy Bump iPhone app to exchange data. Before I could sync my iPhone (wasn't using the cloud then), my iPhone exchanged owners (without my permission). So, I lost Greg's contact information.
If you know Greg, would you please reconnect us? He's a remarkable individual and I'd love to see him again the next time I'm in his neighborhood.
Thank you very much.