Sell me this pen - Job Interview

First off, I'd ask him to tell me what he thought the pen was worth. Then, no matter what he replied, I'd close the deal by saying......"SOLD!"

Gary Boye

Would that strategy work with a Mont Blanc?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masteri5

Gary Boye

Would that strategy work with a Mont Blanc?

I'll take as many of those Mont Blancs as you can rustle up Gary for a $.01 each.

I may just go into the business of selling mont blancs if you can get them to me for $.01.

Mont Blanc's are overrated - Retro Shiek is in, gimme a Bic Click!!

BTW, Speed Racer, do you feel your question was adequetly addressed?.. (Pardon my spelling pleeeze)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyMac5

BTW, Speed Racer, do you feel your question was adequetly addressed?.. (Pardon my spelling pleeeze)

Yes. Thank you for asking.

SpeedRacer
I would slow down the whole thing and start to ask questions to find out if there was a need. Then once you have established a need you should have something to sell
I was recently asked a similar question by a Company Executive at a recruitment day and he kind of asked me to sell myself to him. Not really understanding what the job role was I had to ask questions before responding. I got some real good dialogue going and was able to match what I could do with the job.
NO I didn't get offered a position. I wanted part time they wanted full time
Can't win them all.

Speed,

Any time something like that is thrown at you in an interview it is a tactic to see how you respond. I think the best way to answer the question is "it depends".

I would hope leading up to the interview you researched the company and the job description and had a solid idea of what their expectations were.

I was always very successful as a sales interviewee because (a) I researched the company prior to the interview and (b) I would always turn the interview on it's ear by requesting that they let me ask a few questions before we get started - I then turned on my sales cap and they became the prospect - once you can validate what they are looking for and their expectations and hot buttons, answering the sell the pen question gets much easier - you map the answer to what you uncovered in your initial interview questions - then you own them.

Eric
Sales Force Readiness

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Boye

First off, I'd ask him to tell me what he thought the pen was worth. Then, no matter what he replied, I'd close the deal by saying......"SOLD!"

Mike Douglas (The Mike Douglas Show) once asked J. Douglas Edwards, Tom Hopkins' mentor, to sell him the ashtray on his desk.

J. Douglas started off by asking Mike what he liked most about the ashtray.

After Mike had verbalized what he liked most about the ashtray
J. Douglas asked him what he would pay for the ashtray.

After Mike responded with a number J. Douglas said, "Sold".

In automotive sales, the "sell me the pen" trick is common. It's usually used in open interviews to see how the applicant responds...Ie: can they think on their feet? Can they present a quick pitch using the pen they're handed without detailed product knowledge? Can they sell themselves at that point using a common, everyday item?

I've heard some good attempts and some really poor ones. Usually those people who can go immediately into a sales effort with the pen make good salespeople on the front lines.

Sell me this pen - Job Interview

Sales Presentation Forum