Selling vs. Delivering (BS & Lying)

[Andrew Plato <gilliankitty -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

I am jumping in on this thread a bit late. It seems to me some people are
confusing selling vs. delivering.

In the decade or so I have run a business, I've learned lots of lessons. One
that I learned a long time ago, thanks to a former boss, was the tremendous
difference between selling something and delivering something. 

People like to think that they make smart decisions. This is especially true in
large organizations. There is intense pressure to pick the right tool, use the
right methods, and hire the right people. Therefore, they dream up all sorts of
entertaining little dances and diversions to make the process of picking tools,
methods, or people seem very scientific and objective. 

In reality, selecting people, tools, or methods is rarely done scientifically.
The decision is made by a single person who arrives at that decision almost
exclusively based on comfort and familiarity. People will almost always pick a
person or technology that is most comforting to them. Hence, if the interviewer
likes you as a person, they will more likely hire you. You could be the
stupidest writer on the face of the planet, if they think you're a cool guy (or
gal) you'll land the job. 

Sales people know this fact, and as such they work to make themselves or their
products seem like the best there ever was. Emphasizing the positives and
diplomatically handling objections. Sometimes this demands a certain layer of
"exaggeration" or "omission of details." 

The funny thing is, people LIKE being sold to. Most, people are extremely easy
to manipulate. Car dealerships are a perfect (and obvious) example of how sales
people carefully manipulate the situation to get the best deal for themselves.

When you're on the other side of the table, its easy to say "all sales people
are scum, they just want to rip me off."  But, before you call Mitch and Murray
for the Glengarry leads, you should sit on the salesman's side. BS'ing is part
of the equation. Its how you get your foot in the door. 

Furthermore, lying is a relative concept. One person's lie is another person's
reality. Lies have a way of becoming reality to people. And if you say a lie
enough times, it can take on a truth all of its own. 

The largest difference between a liar and a genus is what happens AFTER you've
landed the job or sold the product. BSing your way in the door is really only
the first step. Once you're in the door, you have to start delivering. This is
where most sales people collapse. They lie too much. They lie themselves into a
corner and then can't deliver. 

The important thing is YOU. You want a job?  Well, coffee is for closers. First
prize is - you get a job. Second prize is - you're a volunteer at the STC ice
cream Social debating FrameMaker templates with other hopeful nobodies handing
out those inkjet printed cards and talking about their philosophy of
communication. 

BSing is art, more than philosophy. The only way to really learn it is to watch
and learn from somebody who is good at it. BSing is at the center of all sales.
And when you are looking for a job you are selling yourself. 

Now, it may deeply offend you that people out there lie to get ahead. But like
I said, what is important to you? You want a job, then you have to do what it
takes to get it. If you tell an interviewer you can do X, Y, and Z then you had
damn well figure out how to do X, Y, and Z before you start work. 

Therefore, know the keys to good sales:

- Understand your products intimately (yourself). Know the capabilities,
strengths, and weaknesses. 
- Know your competition
- Have diplomatic and positive ways to respond to objections.
- Emphasize the benefits, downplay the negatives
- Listen to the customer, learn their wants and needs
- Respond directly to the customers wants and needs
- Ask for the sale
- Negotiate aggressively

Mostly - don't ever think that people should just "accept you for who you are."
 Who you are isn't anywhere nearly as interesting as who you COULD be. It's the
essence of selling something. If everybody accepted their car for what it was -
then we would all drive Geo Metros and Kia Rios. Sales people encourage you to
see something that COULD be. You in a brand new Mercedes! Hanging out with hot
babes (or dudes), eating at fancy restaurants, meeting the queen - whatever. 

Sell what you COULD be and then become that. This is the way you advance. This
is the way you acheive your dreams. This is the way to make things happen.
Nobody ever got ahead for being accepted for what they are. They got a head for
being admired for what they became. 

ABC: Always be closing. 

Andrew Plato 




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