#247: Make sales, not mistakes

Making sales during a recession is no reason to make sales mistakes.

Many years ago my second client taught me these two lessons. As a young man he sold software in England. The product was not selling very well, even after steep discounts and so he became desperate. Once while pitching to a CEO he felt relieved that the sales pitch was going well. But then the CEO said, ‘are you trying to buy it back?’

He had missed the cue that the CEO had bought. Instead, he kept on selling.

Poor sales led to his company being sold instead. One of the first decisions enforced by the new owner was a price increase of ten times. Yes, ten times. The sales force was ready to riot, but then a strange thing happened. Sales took off.

Two lessons: Value what you are selling and others will as well. And stop selling as soon as they have bought it.



I’m JamesMcIntosh@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2008 James Henry McIntosh

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