Salesmanship... Any one sell for a living?

MVP

I was thinking about the art of sales last night after buying something and feeling like the salesman actually cared about my satisfaction.
He may have just been a good salesman. I don't know.
But after thinking about this purchase that I felt good about, and purchases like it, I was thinking are the salesman as big a part of sale as the price and product itself.
I have also had bad experiences where I have seen right through the salesman and caught them in lies. Bad sales and I have never gone back to their place of business. One of which was over just a $30 promise made by a salesman that he never produced and when the manager tried to make it right I told him its not about the money at all, it was about a saleman I wouldn't trust again.

So is sales a real art. I will pay more for a service or product if I know the company is level with me and actually appreciate my business.

ALL AMERICAN INFIDEL

MIKE WISKEY

sales is both an art and a science, the science part is figuring out what pushes a customers buttons, the art part is pushing those buttons. I was just at a sales class that said there are three main way people relate to ideas 1. sight (65%), 2. hearing (30%), 3. intuition (touch, feel) (5%). the caring an honesty part are up to the salesman, but are very important if you want a repete sale.

shelly

I dont think it has to do with pushing any buttons I think it is all about taking care of the needs of the customer...what does he or she really want and be nice and honest with them. People have changed over the years they dont care about the customer like they should.

shelly

kingjoey

Sold cars for awhile, did really good at it and went out of my way to make the customer happy. Down side with any sale job is that you always have management trying to figure out ways of screwing you when your paycheck gets too big.

Love them Beavers

BOBBYWINS

I've been in the collision repair business for over 30 years.If I've learned anything at all about salemanship in those 30 years,it's to be honest,stand behind your word,take care of the customer and never,EVER promise something that you know you can't deliver.

I do very little advertising.The shop I've managed for the last 29 years has been in business since 1948.I'd say that 98% of my customers are either repeat,or have been refered to me by a repeat.

EG;We warranty our work for as long as that person owns the vehicle,which in some cases will bite me in the butt because there are still those folks that will keep a car for 10-15 years and our paint's normal life expectancy is 7-8 years WITH PROPER CARE.

So,when one of those rare occations arise that a paint job has failed after 10-12 years,we just take care of it.No questions asked.

And ya know what?
I'll get plenty of chances to get that back down the road from their kids,grandkids,neighbors or friends.[;)]

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BW



IT'S WHAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT MAKES THEM AFRAID.

Ronald J. Snow

I have made a living as a salesman. I sold Christmas cards when I was in grammar school, worked on a farm selling fruit and vegetables until after I completed high school. Tied and sold fishing flies on both a retail and wholesale basis all during high school and for many years after. Started working in an insurance agency in 1966 selling and underwriting both personal and commerial lines of insurance as well as bonding. Opened my own retail sporting goods store in 1981 and still operate it.

Customer satisfaction is #1. Give them what they want and they will keep coming back. If there is a problem with the item you sold then stand behind it even if you lose money. Treat every customer in the same manner as you would like to be treated.

mateomasfeo

Everybody sells everyday of their lives. The true salesman is the one who lives on 100% commission. I did for 15 years.





Mateomasfeo

"I am what I am!" - Popeye

shelly

I know this is off the topic, but mr. snow Ive been noticing some trends in our industry of the last couple of years and was wondering if it was just texas or was it wider than that. Where have you seen the the increases and decreases in the last couple of years? Guns, Archery, Fishing, Duck hunters, clothing? If you dont feel like answering you wont offend.. I have just been wondering which ways the industry is going in the next couple of years.

shelly

duckhunter

Shelly, If we knew that we could all own all the guns we wanted.[:D][:D][:D]

I WOULD RATHER BE DUCK HUNTING.

Ronald J. Snow

Shelly: Sorry to have taken so long to reply.

Selling patterns have always varied but recently it has been very unpredictable. Items seem to sell in spurts. First handguns, then long guns. Reloading nearly died out a few years ago and now it is picking up again in the rifle and handgun fields. Shotshell reloading is dead due to the low price of loaded ammo.

The biggest problem is that the manufacturers promise to bring out some new item, advertise it to death and then produce so few of the item that we are unable to obtain enough of the product on a timely basis to keep the customers satisfied. (Ruger Gold Label, Marlin 32H&R Mag. for example.)

Don't know what to tell you. My crystal ball is very cloudy.

bpost

I am in sales. To be good a sales you can never, ever let the customer see you mad or in a tizzy. They lose confidence fast. Deliver on what you promise, admit mistakes, and SMILE.

A big plus is thinking that being escorted to the door and tossed out while being told to never come back is not only fun but it shows that customer is a promising lead and will come to love you on the next visit. [:D]

Colt Super

Started selling soap to earn my way to YMCA camp when I was 7 years old.

Sold stuff for 50 years!

The key is treating the customer the way he thinks is right.

God Bless America and...
NEVER Forget WACO
NEVER Forget RUBY RIDGE
NEVER, EVER Forget 911
Lock and load

bobski

the salesman is always the hero to the customer....until the buyer has a bad day, then he suffers the rest of his life. if only there was a way to get even with customers. bending over for them once too many times gets old........[}:)]
salesman are the middlemen to customer and product.
a sale takes place when both sides think theyre getting one over on each other. more than often, the product wins and the customer loses and the salesmen is the fall guy. just take a trip to the dump someday or look at trash pickup some morning.
common problem...feed the never ending desire to consume, yet do it long enough for the product to feed the consumers need without breaking. once a new product comes along, the focus becomes 'out with the old, (quick! before it breaks!) and in with the new'...'gotta have it!'
strange world in capitalizm. greed is good, but whens enough enough? its all about money flow and deverting it into your hands momentarily before going to someone elses. some live for it, some dread it.
sales........its not a fun game. try setting up a table at a gun show someday.
i sold careers. i hated it.
good luck![;)]

Sirokman

I own a bar, so the selling is a little different that what has been discussed. But the one most important thing you can do is make the customer comfortable and make them feel important. I never run sales or specials just try to make people happy, and of course personal attention doesn't hurt. Some people feel self important when they know the "owner".

GuvamintCheese

Selling is like shaving. If you dont do it everyday your a bum.

Blckhrn

I don't see where anyone mentioned what I found to be the best rule of selling here; believe in the product you are selling.

"No taxation without representation, Join the NRA"

shelly

Selling is the art of trying to make people happy and find out what they are looking for even if they arnt sure what they want themselves. Always sell quality and give a fair price and usually everone is happy. The customer comes first - they pay the bills

shelly