I remember when I first started in sales in Tokyo for my previous company …. without any training and support, I sold several weeks in a row without a pitch in front of me. I had no clue of what I was doing … but I was an American male in Tokyo that could speak Japanese so I completely charmed my way to deals.
Everytime I picked up the phone….to be honest, I was dead scared of what to say. I “ummmmed” a lot. I “chatted” and tried to make friends…. I wasted a lot of people’s time.
In Sydney….I sold a big contract just because I had an american voice … this big sale had nothing to do with “ability” whatsoever.
Even though I had sold a lot and made good money my first couple months … I wanted to quit badly, and I was actively searching for another job. I wanted to quit because I had no idea what I was doing.
As mentioned several times — it was not until I witnessed Paul Northover sell beautifully and skillfully with a sales pitch in front of him that I started to see the light. The truth is ….. it was not until after being absolutey hammered over and over by Paul to “stick to the pitch” … did it finally click.
I got my pitch, interactive questions, objections, and benefits down so well … that my personal sales completely exploded. Basically, I incorporated my positive agressiveness into the pitch … and stuck to it…. and sold consistently — but more importantly, fully understood what I was doing.
A couple years ago, I hired an american who is potentially one of the most talented sales people I have ever met — super sales talent. Great talker. The guy had no fear - which is one of the secrets to sales.
However, this super talent did not believe in the sales pitch … and he fought his managers, including me not to use a pitch.
This ultra sales talent felt that using a standard pitch was “demeaning” to him … and he told me over and over that a real salesman does not need a pitch.
Guys - I went through the exact same feeling. I am very proud, and maybe… a little bit arrogant and in the beginning at my previous company, I often thought to myself …. “damn….I went to one of america’s top universities, I speak Japanese fluently…I am american living in Japan … and I am using a written pitch…..shhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit I am too good for this.”
After witnessing Paul’s amazing pitch -and then turning my job into a chess game, I became very good and made a lot of money.
However, it was not until I had a face to face meeting with one of my clients, a british man who was a successful trader in Tokyo …. and I saw that even he and his team were using a written pitch… it was not until witnessing this that I finally got over this feeling of being “too good” for the pitch.
(This is not to boast - but guys/gals remember that I was once in the exact same position as you…I started as a sales executive - no one gave me anything) — seriousy look and reflect at what using and sticking to a written sales pitch has gotten me….
Because I sold a lot and led by example…. I was promoted to GM of an office in Tokyo; I opened an office in Shanghai and lived and worked in China for 13 months– during the time in China, I took over managing an office in Hong Kong; I worked in Sydney for 6 months; moved to the south of france and opened an office for my previous boss which became the 2nd best congress division in his company; moved to Barcelona as a GM of an office; moved to London and worked as a GM……..ultimately, started naseba….took it public 4 years later made a lot of money……all of this I have achieved with nothing but a beautifully written, and well practiced sales pitch.
Not to mention all the success that has been achieved by using/sticking to a sales pitch by Adam, Breandon, Chris, Fabien, Nic, G, Jassim, LP, Ackash, Gigi, Chuck, Saleem, Barbara, Terry…..just to name a few.
If I had never gotten over the feeling “I am a salesman … I am too good for the pitch…” there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I would have achieved close to what I have today. NO WAY.
Unfortunately, that exceptional talent refered to above … did not make it at naseba because he could never get over his feeling of being too good for the pitch…many many great sales talents have failed (not just at naseba) because they think they are too good for the pitch…
The truth is … maybe if I had never witnessed that trader and his team using a pitch …. I would not have gotten over this feeling either.
Everything I have achieved today is because of “sticking to the pitch.”
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