A puny bus driver pulled up at the bus stop and a giant of a salesman climbed on board.
"Big John doesn't pay," said the giant salesman and he marched straight to his seat.
Given the difference in build between the two men, the bus driver was not about to argue.
The next day the same thing happened. The mountain of a salesman got on the bus, glared at the driver and said, "Big John doesn't pay." And then he went and took his seat.
This went on for several days, by the end of which the driver was starting to resent Big John, the salesman's attitude. Why should he not pay when everyone else had to? So the driver went to the gym and began an intensive course of body-building so that he could stand up and face Big John, the giant salesman, like a man.
Two months later and with rippling muscles where there was once skin and bone, the bus driver looked forward to his daily encounter. At his usual stop, the colossal sales giant got on and announced, "Big John doesn't pay."
But this time the driver wasn't going to take it lying down. He rose to his feet and asked, "Oh yeah! And why doesn't Big John pay?"
The salesman reached into the inside of his suit jacket while he said, "Big John doesn't pay." The driver momentarily feared the worst. And then the gigantic salesman said, "Because Big John got bus pass."
Moral of the story. True sales professionals know that in order to be successful at sales you often need to look the part. While being green, and taking public transit is great for the environment; it won't be putting to much green in your commission pocket, if you are in field sales. Like it or not, prospects and customers will judge how successful you are by the make and model year of the car you drive. So if you do have to take public transit; don't make a spectacle of yourself, or your customers and prospects just might take a pass on what you have to offer.
"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." -Oprah Winfrey
"Big John doesn't pay," said the giant salesman and he marched straight to his seat.
Given the difference in build between the two men, the bus driver was not about to argue.
The next day the same thing happened. The mountain of a salesman got on the bus, glared at the driver and said, "Big John doesn't pay." And then he went and took his seat.
This went on for several days, by the end of which the driver was starting to resent Big John, the salesman's attitude. Why should he not pay when everyone else had to? So the driver went to the gym and began an intensive course of body-building so that he could stand up and face Big John, the giant salesman, like a man.
Two months later and with rippling muscles where there was once skin and bone, the bus driver looked forward to his daily encounter. At his usual stop, the colossal sales giant got on and announced, "Big John doesn't pay."
But this time the driver wasn't going to take it lying down. He rose to his feet and asked, "Oh yeah! And why doesn't Big John pay?"
The salesman reached into the inside of his suit jacket while he said, "Big John doesn't pay." The driver momentarily feared the worst. And then the gigantic salesman said, "Because Big John got bus pass."
Moral of the story. True sales professionals know that in order to be successful at sales you often need to look the part. While being green, and taking public transit is great for the environment; it won't be putting to much green in your commission pocket, if you are in field sales. Like it or not, prospects and customers will judge how successful you are by the make and model year of the car you drive. So if you do have to take public transit; don't make a spectacle of yourself, or your customers and prospects just might take a pass on what you have to offer.
"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." -Oprah Winfrey
