“Where’s my husband?” cried Mrs. O'Malley.
“There was an accident down at the Guinness brewery," replied Finnegan.
“Oh, no!” cried Mrs. O'Malley.
“I’m sorry, Seamus is dead and gone.”
Mrs. O’Malley collapses into a chair and cried, “How did it happen?”
“He was giving some prospective customers a tour of the plant, slipped on some stairs, fell into a vat of Guineas and drowned," explained the sales manager.
“Oh my, no! Did he at least go quickly?”
“Well, not exactly Mrs O'Malley. Seamus managed to get himself out of the vat three times to pee. And he did manage to close the sale before going under for the last time.”
Moral of the story. True sales professionals know that in order to succeed at sales you have to be able to give great presentations. For some, a tour of your facilities can go a long way to establish credibility with prospects and closing the deal. But these tours have to be planned and well rehearsed. You want to make these tours quick, crisp and to the point. Remember, don't dive too deep into details, or your sure sale could slip into a sink or swim situation.
"You've got to think lucky. If you fall into a mudhole, check your back pocket - you might have caught a fish." - Darrell Royal
