More Sales Stories from the Naked City
As part of the continuing collection of true stories that I have experienced along the way in my almost 40 years in sales and sales training, what follows is based on actual events.
I have worked with a few people over the years that engaged in what most folks would say was obnoxious behavior and they brought that behavior everywhere including with clients and prospects. I have my experience with two people to share with you.
The first I met many years ago as I walked the halls of the new company that I had just sold my distribution company to. He said to me as he approached me “hey you the new guy…want to see my paycheck?” He proceeded to show me his pay stub while getting so close to me that I knew what he ate for breakfast that day. As I backed up, he followed in up close….”See, see, what I made so far, want to see my W2 for last year?”
That was my introduction to obnoxious sales person number 1. Later, as the Industrial Marketing Manager for this company I rode with this person a few times and witnessed similar behavior with clients and prospects. Up close, in their face, loud, outrageous statements….like “if you aren’t buying from me your paying too much….what are you paying….let me see your bills?” ….mind you he had not even introduced himself.
While this guy did sell over 2 million dollars per year at that time….equivalent of $5 million today, he could have been much more successful if he had the knowledge of how he showed up to most people. Some liked him, I observed and it was uncanny how many of those folks were like him….narcissistic and obnoxious. Others that like him were needy and appreciated his aggressive behavior and let him manage them….they were comfortable giving him total control of their purchasing because they were afraid of life and figured they were safer, no doubt, with him around than without.
He would have sold more people if he knew what his EQ was….his Emotional Quotient. He would have realized that if he managed his behavior in front of quiet confident people or in front of people he had just met, he would have closed sales at many of the doors that were slammed shut on him. 50% or more of the folks he and I met the days we worked together, literally threw him out…..”Out, out you”…I heard more than once.
He, if he cared, could have mirrored those folks instead of working to convince them how special he was and of how much he knew…half of those folks would have opened their doors to him. If he closed sales at half of those…his sales would have been at least 30% higher and his pay as well!
Sales person #2 was a Sales Manager that became a Sales Person because management could not take his management style that included talking badly about the owners and how he was so much better at everything they attempted along with back stabbing, self aggrandizing obnoxious behavior. He also spent time enrolling others, like little minions, with a “threatening style”….. He always hinted that he would leave the company and go after all the others in sales….because of course, “all the competitors wanted him”. And these are just the most egregious behaviors!!
He would go on sales calls and mostly spend the first 10-20 minutes talking about how great he was, his amount of sales and how he sold almost all the customers in the world that counted. Eyes would roll in the prospects and client’s heads and he missed it. While he was successful, he was personally miserable. He could have been happy and successful, if he had even bothered to learn about how he showed up in front of many others.
Both of these men’s behaviors were masking serious character deficiencies. Somewhere they had a need to compensate for a lack of approval perhaps from their fathers. They were so “involved” as I call it, in their heads with how great they were….they missed completely the fact that they turned off at least 50% of the people they met. It did not matter at all to them because it went by them completely.
And for most of you reading this….(you would not bother to read this if you are narcissistic, because you know it all)….the good news is, if you invest some time and money in learning about how to grow your EQ (Emotional Quotient), you will live a happier more productive and profitable life. You will learn the value of silence in relationship, the value of listening and that no one is more than or less than you. We are all equal
There are some great programs out there to help and my program is but one of them.
Investigate stretching your EQ. Remember… EQ, raises your IQ….do it…it’s a smart move. The sales person that is successful understands the value of making a connection in sales today and what it translates into. More referrals, more closed sales, more friends and more profit. It also is more productive because you learn to recognize those folks who will never buy and many mirror the two guys above….they know it all and will tell you about it. You will have the skill to pass them by if you forget IQ….it’s EQ that will serve you best.
Gratefully yours….
Steve
