Selling experience

BirdieChao
Apr 9, 2017
4 min read

This is Bird's 4th learning journal

Selling does not only occur in the business world. It occurs everywhere, anytime.

Can you recall a time where you persuade your friend to eat chicken rice with you? Or asking your friends to go out shopping with you? Or maybe just doing a presentation to your lecturer? All of these are a form of selling.

One of the definitions of selling on dictionary.com other than those related to business is: to win acceptance, approval, or adoption.

So actually selling is a skillset that we are all born with. We are selling ourselves by the second we are born, when we cry to get fed, get diapers changed and etc. For example now, when I’m writing this article. I’m actually trying to sell to you this article where I have learned how to sell in a business context.

Since I’ve said selling is a skillset we are born with, have you find out that we only sell best to people who are close to us. The closer to us, the easier that they will buy the deal. Personally, I think the main reason is because that people that know us, they are much more forgiving to us. Thus, selling to strangers is the part where we are naturally weak at and needs to be trained and improved on.

On 7th April 2017, I went for my first ever selling competition. It’s not anything big, just a mini competition within a community I’m in. However, the purpose of this competition is not really to compete for the number of sales we’ve made, but it’s more about the learning of the skills of selling (persuading the customers). Which in that short one hour that I attend, I handled 6-7 groups of customer(s) and from which,I concluded 3 learning points for myself.

Although it’s my first time selling to stranger, I was very excited about the competition as I had been wanting to train my selling skills for the longest time you can ever imagine. However, I don’t have any prior experiences so I thought like if one shows interest, I must persuade them to buy our product.

Even though the thought of converting people who showed interest is right, I might not be in the best attitude to sell. For all I know I was too enthusiastic during the competition.

For the 6 groups of customer(s), 4 of them showed high interest in buying ( I believe ). However, I literally talked them out of the sale. I think the best example will be during PE lesson. When PE teacher is teaching a brand new game you are really excited about playing the game, but he just keeps emphasizing on the rules and skills. And never let you try the game. That’s right, I’m the teacher and you are the customer.

Learning point: Shut up and it sells.

While attracting customers is important, I can’t just approach every customer that walk past my booth and start introducing my products to every single one of them. Not only it will waste your time, your energy but also the possibility of actually losing some good deals with other people. I learnt this through the hard way.

During my competition, there is a lady who was actually looking at my products. I thought she might be interested in my products and therefore, I went up to her and be a “teacher”.

In just 30 seconds of introducing my products and brand, she slowly walked away and avoided eye contacts with me. I realise that she wants to leave already, so I tried even harder to keep her.

Eventually after 3 minutes of “lecturing”, she told me : “Thankyou so much, I just want to take a look.” And walked away. All of my efforts had gone to waste, it was a heart-breaking experience but also a good lesson learned.

Learning point: Less is more, choose who you put your effort into.

When the time are good, there might be more customers showing interest to your booth. However, it might not be a good thing if you don't know how to handle it well. Because I dont.

Around the ending of my 1 hr session, 2 ladies coming to my booth at different timing. Lady A came early, express interest and I started introducing to her about my products. She was genuinely interested and had already told me which few designs she likes.

However, while Lady A is still listening to me, Lady B came. She picked up one of the design and express and extreme amount of interest for the product and asked me for details. So I asked permission for Lady A to continue choosing her ideal product while I "lecture" to Lady B. And of course, she said yes so I went to “lecture” Lady B.

Something unfortunate then happened. Because Lady B shows a lot of interest in my products so I took a slightly longer time to chit chat with her, and I suppose that Lady A felt she’s left out and nobody to consult to, therefore she left. With a slight hesitant. ( she’s actually looked at me and the products when she left). And the stupid me don't know how to follow up her and just let her leave.

But luckily, I managed to persuade Lady B to buy the product which in the end. Although there might be a chance for both.

Learning point: Shows care and respect to every customer that you handle

In conclusion, the overall selling experience is very good, really enjoyed the process of persuading people to buy my products and having the customers to smile together with me. And the of course the sense of achivement if you made a sale is the best feeling in the world! Just remember that if you ever became a salesperson, follow this 3 points and you will most likely not go wrong.

Its your choice

To live in your dreams or to be living your dreams

- BirdieChao