Thank you for writing this blog. You are so right!!!! I am the slowest sales person because I do take time to know the customer. That isn’t popular with the bosses : )

However, the alternative is what you just discribed here, and it shows that jmany do not read about, follow, or practice proffessional selling.

Selling is an art, and should stick to an agenda especially in the case of the presentation/demo you describe in your story.

I do not mean selling is an art in a bad way, but that it has rules and best practices that must be practiced and internalized individually. Also they must be part of the group culture so a sales team functions as a ‘team’.

This situation you have discribed here is much like a bunch of clowns or keystone cops bumbling around and acting clueless as to why you haven’t already broke out the checkbook. and jumped all over their offer. : )

This reminds me of the story of the old lady that called up a stove salesman because she was cold. He went on and on about the stoves construction, BTUs, ratings, and so on.

After he was done he asked the old lady for the order, and he was stimied when she didn’t jump right up and get her checkbook.

He went over it AGAIN, and asked if she had any questions.
She said, “Just one”. Well what is it? he said. impatiently.

“Will it keep an old woman like me warm in the winter?”

Thanks for the blog John, I’ll send and link to some people who should read this, that may be able to make a difference in the next companies experience with Xerox Corp.

Thank you! : )