It's All The Same!

I'll make a simple and bold statement that only an amateur might make - I've only been in direct sales/network marketing and never in any other kind of sales as those who post here - so I don't know the distinctions you make. So I'm stuck with my statement: it's all the same.

By that I mean, I see people in my business attempting to sell someone into a product or business with our company and they spend sometimes endless hours doing what they call "exposing" people to the opporturnity.

I'm not against exposure BUT it has to come after the person has said he/she wants what I offer or wants to know more about it. "So what if you like what you see," is a good question to disquality what you believe is a positive intent but really is just passing the time away.

Time is passing away anyway and I don't need to help it along believing I'm making progress in my business working on delusional thinking. BUT I see it all the time in direct sales/network marketing.

From some of the sales posts I've read here and other places I believe what I've just posted is common which leads me to say: it's all the same.

Is there something small or large or additional I might be missing that's important to my understanding of direct marketing or sales in general?

MitchM

Sorry I didn't quite understand your post. What's all the same?

"By that I mean, I see people in my business attempting to sell someone into a product or business with our company and they spend sometimes endless hours doing what they call "exposing" people to the opporturnity.

I'm not against exposure BUT it has to come after the person has said he/she wants what I offer or wants to know more about it. "So what if you like what you see," is a good question to disqualify what you believe is a positive intent but really is just passing the time away." -- MitchM

There was more but I was vague - I mean it's all the same that so many people in sales attempt to sell something to someone who hasn't made a commitment to wanting it.

"Give me a tactic, give me a hook, give me something I can reel them in with - just give it to me," is what I read many times.

Nah, give me someone who wants what I got and I know it because I ask up front.

That's what I mean.

MitchM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

There was more but I was vague - I mean it's all the same that so many people in sales attempt to sell something to someone who hasn't made a commitment to wanting it.

"Give me a tactic, give me a hook, give me something I can reel them in with - just give it to me," is what I read many times.

Nah, give me someone who wants what I got and I know it because I ask up front.

That's what I mean.

MitchM

I think a lot of salespeople attempt to 'push' or get others interested in what they're selling. I think even more try to sell a product/service to those who says they are or might be interested. I think very few find and sell to those who already know what they want.

When I pushed and pulled I made sales but today none of those sales continue and my business is based on repeat sales. Today I get a commitment up front - nothing is perfect and people still quit. BUT I'm not spinning my wheels all the time and I have more time for the other things in life I enjoy. Also, how I do what I do allows me to sleep soundly and live my life a happy man.

I attribute what I do and how I do it to many factors and one important one is having read "High Probability Selling" four times. I know the course would help me even more but I haven't taken it yet.

The principles in the book reflected what my mentor in my business was telling me which was: "make an offer then disengage from the outcome. Find out if the person wants what you have and don't try to get people to do anything."

MitchM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus

I think a lot of salespeople attempt to 'push' or get others interested in what they're selling. I think even more try to sell a product/service to those who says they are or might be interested. I think very few find and sell to those who already know what they want.

This is why I feel it's important to either work within a niche or know your target market VERY well. Both wouldent hurt either!

However, when you know your targetd the chance of people being disinterested in your product/service is greatly minimized!

Lance Best

My son-in-law works in sales with a major international company - he pushes sales growt, etc., and one of the departments he works with pulls more sales into his pipeline of sales by offering incentives and service to buyers who add new business to their existing business.

I don't have any experience in those kinds of deals, in negotians or in complex buying situations. Still, I believe it gets back to whether or not someone wants something immediately.
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Target market: my buyers believe nutritional supplementation can impact health and health issues OR they want to find out if it can or not. Also, my "buyers" believe or come to believe they can make money in direct sales so they become a distributor.

My challenge is not having a well defined niche - even running radio ads and buying leads I have to qualify/disqualify when the so called leads want what I offer.

If I sold truck transmissions I could at least locate manufactures who buy them and begin my work. But I can't locate such a clear cut market. The guy who sells residential furnaces for a living may be in the same situation and so has to do a lot of calls unless he/she can get a list of people who have old systems.

Regardless of clearly defined niche or not it still looks to me like success comes with direct offers to get an immediate yes or no with repeated calls weeks ahead.

MitchM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

Is there something small or large or additional I might be missing that's important to my understanding of direct marketing or sales in general?

Yes.

Because of the fact you don't have a background in sales, I think you don't realize the vastness of diversified types of selling careers. The idea "Selling is selling" is not accurate.

This forum seems to have a lot of participation by those engaged in some form of direct sales model. I mean direct sales in the broader context---not MLM.

Account management selling, and consulting/partnering roles are two areas that are rarely discussed here. But they make up a significant portion of careers that come under the heading of selling---which is much too broad of a term.

I know you are right about that, Joe - I refer to myself as an amateur here with eleven years experience with a direct selling/network marketing company and twenty-five years as a public school teacher. That's it - okay, for a couple of months I sold drain and septic tank cleaner and I sold myself as a house painter for five years. Now that I recollect those times I realize I used HPS in it's basic premise which was looking for people who just right then wanted what I offered - I was ignorant of all selling systems and I sold.
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My son-in-law has given me insights into the world of more complicated negotiations and sales and some of the things done to get and expand sales. It's a study I'm in now as it's family and fascinating for me - but I have no hands on experience in it.
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Not to condescend to professionals from my amateur status though - but I will, the question still is: when all the dramatics or complex considerations and arrangements - the negotiations and connections and layers and incentives have been made - doesn't selling still begin with: Joe wants what I got and we both know it?

MitchM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

...the question still is: when all the dramatics or complex considerations and arrangements - the negotiations and connections and layers and incentives have been made - doesn't selling still begin with: Joe wants what I got and we both know it?

No.

It begins with preparedness.

It's All The Same!

Sales Forum