Archive for January, 2006
At a sales meeting in Detroit, a participant was introduced as The Great Swami. He had a towel wrapped around his head and was said to be capable of mind reading. A member of the audience was called to the front. The Great Swami supposedly read his mind. After heavy concentration the Great Swami stated the first thought lifted from the subject’s mind: “I hope … I hope my wife … I hope my wife really thinks I’m going to see a sick friend tonight.” Then the second thought: “Our sales manager is … Our sales manager is much worse than Simon Legree!”
After a couple of laughs, some constructive “thoughts” were brought out. One was: “I should push the hard-to-sell items instead of being just an order taker for the articles in demand.” Another was: “I can fit our merchandise into the customer’s needs if I take the trouble to learn what needs actually exist.”
Costuming adds a touch of showmanship. It also produces variety. This is a fascinating little stunt: before the meeting starts, five or six salesmen are secretly ushered into an adjacent room. Each is given a false face to wear. During the meeting these people are called in, one at a time. Each is said to represent a common objection, such as not interested, price, I’ll think it over, and others. Then it is proved that objections are false “Just as false as the faces being worn.”
Methods of answering each objection are given and if the meeting is not too large, the audience can supply the answers. After an objection is answered, the participant is unmasked and the audience told, “See what a fine looking prospect he is? He even smiles! He wasn’t really objecting. He merely threw up a false front so you wouldn’t consider him a pushover. He wanted you to work for the sale.” In addition to subject matter, the theme of the meeting offers excellent suggestion for costuming.
Outside speakers can be effective
Outside speakers can be used occasionally. An aggressive sales executive from another firm will sometimes work wonders. He probably will tell the group nothing more than they’ve been hearing, but it’s often more effective when they hear it from someone else. An outsider doesn’t have an “axe to grind.”
There are Sales Executive Clubs in most cities of over 150,000. The Secretary of each Club can usually supply the names of local people who are capable of delivering a bona fide message. To glamorize the event, the visitor could be billed as a mystery guest.
Most people like to see how well they can do a thing, especially if competition is involved. Prior to a meeting, various subjects are written on separate slips of paper. Subjects about which the audience needs more information are the only subjects selected. During the meeting, volunteers are asked to draw a slip. Each reads the subject written on his slip and immediately gives a two minute talk on it.
This results in an unorganized but rapid-fire barrage of useful information. It puts several additional people on the program, which is also desirable. A prize can be given for the best speech. In the case of large meetings, a more professional atmosphere should prevail. A wheel, such as the type used at carnivals, serves the purpose better than drawing the slips of paper. Instead of numbers, the wheel has subjects printed on it. A person spins the wheel and speaks on the subject indicated.
Have you tried the courtroom procedure? There are different ways of using the courtroom plan, but the format is always the same. The basic idea is that something or someone is on trial.
A successful salesman is “tried” for poor selling practices. Although he is found to be “not guilty/’ the questioning which leads to the verdict reveals some excellent sales practices. The audience is more receptive when the information is brought out in this manner instead of through lecture. To show the wrong way of doing a job, or the pitfalls to be avoided, the salesman is found “guilty” of certain undesirable practices.
The courtroom procedure is also good for introducing a new sales tool or merchandising aid. Several “witnesses” testify regarding the need for a certain sales aid. Others then testify regarding the new tool that fills that particular need. They explain how the new tool should be used, they demonstrate it,and they urge others to employ it immediately. Even a new product can be introduced in this manner and to make a real production out of it, there can be a “judge” who swears in a dozen people as the “jury,” seating them apart from the rest of the audience. A “defense counsel” is appointed. By prearrangement he adds color to the questioning of “witnesses” by objecting several times!
A staff of interpreters will provide a change of pace. At the same time, it gets several people “into the act.” To use this idea, four or five persons are asked to sit at a table near the front of the room. They listen to the next speaker (as does the audience) and then interpret the speech to the audience. They give their analyses, their opinions regarding key points, and their summations of the talk. This helps drive home the main points in the speech. Thus, while it’s good showmanship, it’s also sound instruction. By using a different staff of interpreters for each talk, even more variety is created.
Here’s another way of doing it-the areas of major interest are determined. To illustrate, let’s assume that the salespeople are interested in four different subjects-the approach, the presentation, objections, and closes. In this event, several chairs are placed in each corner of the room. A key person is designated, one who excels in the subject concerned, to handle each topic. Persons desiring information on a particular subject then meet with the group discussing it; everyone joins the discussion group of his choice.
This arrangement is a workshop in its simplest form. It’s effective because there’s freedom of decision on the part of the audience and because each salesman receives help in the area where, presumably, he needs it most. Then, too, it’s a departure from nothing but speeches.
