Children singing in the company reception. A window washer writes a message on the window. A lush pot plant is delivered as a surprise. What do these stories have in common? They are creative ways sales people have attracted the attention of prospects.
In the first, the celebrated salesman, Anthony Wainwright got the attention of a children’s products entrepreneur. In the second, Anthony Wainwright had spent two days trying to get a meeting with Chairman Philip K Wrigley of William Wrigley, Jr., Co. He paid a window-washer to write “Wainwright has a good idea” on the window and Wrigley came out to see who he was. The pot plant was accompanied by a note celebrating the growth of the company.
When you reach out with your offer, you will run into one or all of the following:
- Gatekeepers; trained and passionate about keeping you from the decision maker.
- People who can’t say “Yes” but will freely hand-out “No”.
- Decision-makers who don’t know you exist.
Gatekeepers are worthy of the respect you accord the person they are protecting. To have a gatekeeper on your side is a valuable asset in building relationships in the company. Do whatever you can to build these relationships.
Resolve never to take “no” from someone who can’t say yes. Corporate life is full of pretenders who will drain your very life-blood just for the game. So find out, from the office of the CEO if you can (where you will probably deal with the gatekeeper) the name of the person qualified to deal with your offer. Go directly to the person most qualified to make a decision about your offer and persist.
The decision-maker may say “NO”. Remember, “NO” is not a dismissal. In sales we cannot afford to adopt a passive stance. “NO” is a call for more creative persistence William Wrigley Jr, once said “The real salesman sticks until the buyer has used his last No”.
Persistence does not mean “aggression”. A flood of emails and voice mails demanding to know if the prospect is ready to do business will hardly win you a trusting relationship.
The best sales people are assertive. Assertiveness here translates into care, wisdom and creative risk. When the usual channels are exhausted, try something unusual, something outrageous. Patience, persistence and a genuine desire to serve the people you are approaching will guide you to the actions that will open the door.
I have finished this posting with a quote that we have heard before but is nonetheless encouraging:
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”
Calvin Coolidge (American 30th President of the United States, 1872-1933).
** The illustration is from the Saturday Evening Post by Norman Rockwell who said “I showed the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed.”
Next posting:
You have your meeting, Now what? (yes, more persistence)
