Johnny One-Note, the salesman with integrity.

One day Johnny One-Note, after a lengthy career, decided he would make a change in his life. He believed so much in a line of great products and the potential of those products that he would knowingly jump into the sales business, though deep down he did not like sales people.

Johnny, our anti-hero, wasn't overly sure why he did not like them. But one day, in his quest for information about sales, he found a book that promised "You don't have to be like all those salesmen, the pushy annoying kind or the slick kind, you can represent a product with integrity, be a decent man, and leave all people with a great impression rather than a poor one."

His last name is One-Note because he knows no other tune. He thinks that because he has run into other sales people who he would not want to be like that all sales people can pretty much be lumped into one boat - the good ship undesirable!

Poor Johnny. He is unaware that this feeling that resonated in him came from before he was even personally experienced with a bad sales person, that it comes from well beyond his own expereinces. Johnny does not realize today that it was actually his programming from his peer group, his parents, his heroes or anti heroes and the media that set him up for a life of mediocrity and worse ....

It is not that Johnny is not intelligent. It is just that Johnny stopped looking back. He lost the lessons of his life. They are still apart of him but he believes in only what is in front, that and a few resonating reference points, like the books he has read. or the movies that also portrayed sales people in a bad light. And, of course, the few poor examples of sales people he has met.

Lost to him is the fact that there are much better trainers and selling techniques than the little he has learned. But let's not go there, this is a story of Johnny, not virtuoso human beings.

But Johnny One-Note revels in his integrity. Certain that he does right, he is without a doubt completely and utterly self righteous.

What Johnny does not know is that he has frustrated prospects. Due to his overboard attitudes, he has acted meaning to be integral but actually became un-connected from people.

Johnny was so concerned with himself he lost touch with his the most important thing in sales - people, his prospects!

Don't misunderstand, this attitude of Johnny's does not mean he did not make sales. He was just so self absorbed with not acting without integrity that he was not truly focused on prospects but on what he thought he had to do. And, as a result, at times, the prospect had to sit through stuff they did not want to hear, being annoyed and frustrated but not showing it, as so many buyers do. The few that showed displeasure where chocked up to being hotheads, or like the sales people he did not like.

Johnny One-Note actually became what he despised, a poorly trained salesperson who, unknowingly, pissed off a percentage of people much greater than the percentage of what the maestros occasionally do not mesh with.

It was not his fault. He was conditioned since birth. And, his perception of sales people, reinforced by the outlandish teachings that preyed on his feelings and values, he went overboard. By trying to act with integrity he was not doing the best job of communicating.

The really sad thing about Johnny was that his core values were so ingrained that, as help came along, he could not accept help. He saw it as an example of what he despised. YES DESPISED!

Deep down he did not like salesman and did not really want to be one. But he was not realizing just how strong this core of values was and why he played One-Note as a result.

Worse, Mr One-Note actually spread his thoughts amongst others. As he resonated more with the values of a book he read, he actually talked in front of his own kids, his spouse, his friends, even what he felt were his peers in selling, justifying that he was "not one of those" and spreading the rumor that sales people are all amateurs or worse, something you don't want to get on you!

Is there hope for Johnny?

As help went skipping by, Johnny kept playing that note. he could not see the help as he would have to stop playing his note, his One-Note.

What could reach Johnny? Everyone close to him agreed that he was "not one of them". They were proud of him. He was reinforced at every turn. So, everyone on the outside was just "one of them".

And the moral of the story was that Johnny One-Note skipped his life lessons, focusing on what was in front of his face and could not see that gold was lost, his calling too, and, worse, he missed out on helping many prospects due to his limited and strangling One-Note philosophy. He, in a sense, became what he despised!

Can you help Johnny?

Most of the people on Johnny's life think so highly of him that he finds no reason why he might be on the wrong track. As a result, unbeknown to Mr One-Note, he is getting all the wrong feedback. Part of this has to due with the only type of industry he has sold in.

Johnny sells a network marketing product line and he occasionally recruits others to do the same. And, the training within the network marketing or MLM industry is such that they have to deal with the perception of sales that is prevalent in enough of a percentage of the population that they simply ... well ... sort of avoid this potential objection, as most presentations are done to groups and someone will have this feeling.

Though this is a minority, the preconceived notion is; "I would not want to be a salesman". In addition, some people just say "I am not a salesman" which is not necessarily the same, they just think "I don't know how to sell" with the inference being; "therefore this is probably not for me!"

Both are usually and wrongly handled the same way - I will get into wrongly in a moment - something like this "No, problem" the objection handling skill begins, which goes on to say; "we don't sell, all we do is share. The people you are sharing with either like the product after being educated or they don't, no pressure. My grandma could do it (and she does!)!"

So, Johnny gets reinforcement. His industry teaches him that "we don't sell" as in "we don't have to be salesman". Even though Johnny believes he is a salesman, he thinks; "I don't do it that way" and gains from his industry teaching enough to reinforce his poor choice of sales schools.

If instead of saying what they teach in MLM training, they instead said to the "I wouldn't want to be one of those" (group #1); "Hey, I understand. Everyone has dealt with poorly trained sales people, it can be upsetting to be pressured. But selling is not really like the example you might have had buying from slick TV salesperson or a high pressure Used car sales person, not at all. It is a very professional process that involves 'simply asking questions' and 'sharing education' only. My grandmother could do it (and she does!)!" Then they would not be adding to the incorrect preconceived notions. And, whats more, they would get the same conversion rate/percentage from this minority but common objection!!!

With the "I don't know how to sell" group (#2), if they asked one more question, they could confirm that this does not mask the issue with group #1 ..,. it goes something like this;

"Well, ________, it is not for everyone, so if it is not for you I will certainly respect that but let me ask you a question, as many have a real misunderstanding of sales. <do not pause here> Is it that you feel selling is a slick profession you wouldn't want to be in or just that you don't have training and therefore feel you would not be effective at it?"

Almost no one in MLM trains this way. Too bad, if they did Johnny wouldn't play One-Note.

By asking this question we find out what they really think. And, even if you are not in MLM, this process of asking questions is the method by which you understand people, it is imperative to master if you are to make sure that you do not blow it for prospects.

If the person answered something like; "Yes, I really don't want to be a sales person" you realize they are really in group # 1 and handle it as above. If, instead, they say; "Yah, I don't think I would be effective" you now know it is not a preconceived idea about sales that is the issue. It is not their VALUES getting in the way but simply a comment about skills.

"Right, __________, I see your concern. In fact, I would be surprised if you did not bring up the issue of HOW TO and your feeling that you might not be able to do this. And, I am glad you did because the truth is very interesting and exciting indeed. You see, selling is not what most people think it is <this is where it begins to parallel the other technique>. It is actually a very professional process that involves 'simply asking questions' and 'sharing education' only. After receiving the education, people either want what we have or they don't. It is so easy my grandmother could do it (and she does!)!"

Clearly, the "and she does" is only used if your grandmother was involved with you. But that is not needed. What is important is; this way, the MLM industry does not have to try and purport themselves as not being in sales .... if the upline of Johnny One-Note was trained like this, Johnny's VALUES would not be supported, he would have to rethink what he believes, then Johnny would perhaps be able to grow as a person and a sales pro. And he could stop playing One-Note!

Alas, Johnny was not that lucky ....

MLM and Traditional Sales, especially B2B Sales are as different as night and day. An MLM Trainer usually knows almost nothing about sales skills and sales psychology. They may have a basic understanding of NEEDS / HOT BUTTONS but they learn their skills more as patent answers and not as part of an overall approach. Thus the great sales training from the days of Dale Carnegie, Earl Nightingale and J. Douglas Edwards are not adopted or (here is that word again) shared. Too bad.

How can we reach Johnny and help him understand that professional selling is not what he perceives it is nor what some of the book authors use as an example, so Johnny can understand, he is not a sales trainer or a good sales person, he is an MLMer with little understanding of our industry ... !?!

Real sales pros master many things, they can think like an accountant, have a basis in psychology, can at time be great actors, are always serious inquisitors and they never, never, never try to sell a product/service that is not needed or desired by their prospects. Furthermore, what Johnny knows would not fit into a proverbial thimbel by comparision. No wonder Johnny is intimidated when a real sales trainer lays it out for him!

Can you help Johnny?

Poor Johnny. What he does not realize is that selling is a performing art. And that means, as it does in the acting profession, that if you do not do a certain discipline, you really cannot comment on what it is like.

Even though Johnny One-Note is a student of sales, using his Academia background and the connected belief that he can master any topic through reading research, he is apparently totally unaware that he must perform what he has read to have the kind of profound understanding mastery requires.

Johnny is lost.

Or perhaps more appropriately put, the art of selling is lost on Johnny. Until he gets up on stage, performs B2B selling, he is like a movie actor that has not been on Broadway. He has no idea ...

This does not mean Johnny does not have the potential to be a the sales professions example of being a Broadway Actor. Not at all. He just does not realize that he cannot interact with any real meaning with those who have been doing this type of 'acting' for decades. And, that is not all that Johnny is missing!

In fact, poor Johnny One-Note thinks that the very use of terms like acting are derogatory. As he does with words like persuasion, influence and even closing.

Why is Johnny acting like he is a Broadway Actor? That is the real question. And, as stated, the answer is above. You see, poor Johnny just does not get it, he is blissfully unaware that he is ... well ... really a phony.

Johnny's background in academia and veracious reading habits have caused him to root out books that fit his core values and his understanding of sales. He vowed never to be "one of those", meaning he rejected the ideas of the true masters. Now he is a champion of the opposite, that group of people who think our profession is not one of the performing arts, really doing nothing more than denying that all the world's a stage.

Is there a road back from where Johnny and many of the trainers that have influenced him have gone? The answer is not known to this great communicator ... all I can say is; do not get influenced by the dark side!

Stretch yourself always, be the first to stand up at sales meetings, read the great masters of selling and do not get hood winked by those who would sell you a simple pain cure. Instead feel that pain, immerse yourself in it, go to its very core until you transition into the person that you always have been able to become, one who is no longer affected by rejection. Only then can you be a true leader in sales and an awesome contributor at this forum.

Not every (if any) industry is going to produce the wanted results merely through referrals. Many accounts cannot be opened by a letter (or any other marketing technique or gimmick). Vast numbers of industries and their sellers will not benefit from the 'Google Society' and 'Sales 2.0', as too few local buyers use search engines to find sellers/dealers and other information about what they want to buy. And, finally, the real masters of sales sell to people who were not planning to buy ... so why would they perform an Internet search?

Thus you need to master all the proven techniques of our great profession to earn what you are really worth. Johnny will probably never do it. You still have time to become a better, vastly more experienced, awesome human being.

It means everything!

Good luck.

Sadly, this ends the tale of Johnny One-Note. After all, what more can we do for him unless he suddenly embraces change? We are better to focus on those who embrace growth/change!

Johnny One-Note, the salesman with integrity.

Off Topic Forum