Sales Joke of the Day (April 19) The Petty Argument.

One Friday evening, a salesman named Harry and his wife Sarah were having a petty argument. 


After shouting back and forth, Sarah finally suggested, "Let's make a deal.  To end this pointless argument, you admit that I am right and I will admit that I am wrong."


Harry thought for a moment, letting his sales brain work on the matter at hand.  He then agreed to Sarah's proposal as long as she went first.


Sarah, smiled and then said to Harry, "I'm sorry Harry, I am wrong."


In response, Harry shouts happily, "You're right!"


Harry spent the rest of the weekend on the receiving end of a huge silent treatment.   Whether that was a good outcome or bad, depends on Harry's point of view of course.


Moral of the story.   True sales professionals know that in any petty argument that might develop between yourself and a prospect or customer; that it is always best to let them vent first.  The order of your questions, and statements can be very important in the encounter's outcome.  But whatever you do, don't openly declare that you are right or that they are wrong.  Because if you do, as a sales rep, you could be given the silent treatment.   And in business, from a commission standpoint, that's a very bad thing!


"Silence is argument carried out by other means."  -  Che Guevara

Sales Joke of the Day (archives) Arguments.

A salesman walked into a bar and said to the bartender: "Give me a beer before the arguments start."


The bartender poured him a beer.


A couple of minutes later, the salesman said again:  "Give me a beer before the arguments start."


The bartender poured him another beer.


A few minutes later, the salesman said for a third time:  "Give me a beer before the arguments start."


Thoroughly confused, the bartender said: "Excuse me, when are you going to pay for all those beers?"


The salesman said:  "There it is.  Now the arguments start."


Moral of the story.  True sales professionals know that arguments accomplish nothing.  Even when confronted with logic, irrational minds sometimes cling to their initial positions merely to save face in front of their colleagues.  Other times information on new technologies, new ideas or new ways of doing things will be automatically challenged by those clinging to the way things used to be in an attempt to have relevance.   Don't waste your time on these dinosaurs.   The free market will drive them to extinction.  Engage those companies and those individuals who are progressive in thought and deed and who believe in the merits of change.  It is these individuals and organizations, that embrace change, that will grow and become even more successful in the future.   Spend your time focused on such prospects, and your career will grow right along with them.


"People's minds are changed through observation and not through argument."     
                                                              -   Will Rogers