This week… Stella lost her sheen a little. Liz lapped up the sales. Our Mel was crowned Sales Prevention Officer. The teams continued to show just how sharp they are (Jamie, “Science Museum. It’s either going to be something to do with science or museums.” You think?). And the teams both secured impressive sales figures… Yes, really!
The task this week was to pick two products per team and then sell them both on the street and at a handful of sales meetings pre-arranged by Sir Alan. This task had been devised said Sir Alan with the expectation that everybody would sell. There would be no hiding place for anyone.
The two team leaders for the night were elected as Jamie and Chris and the teams set about choosing the best products from…
… a face lift Darth Vader helmet, a bra that beeped whenever you slouch, a sado-masochist’s pilates machine, a male vest to pull in your flab, a spade that relieves back pain, a water and energy saving shower head, a baby grow that changes colour when baby overheats…
In the event, both teams chose the Baby Glow and the fate of the task was probably settled by Stuart before it even started when he was so arrogant that the supplier awarded the Baby Glow to the other team. With this torpedo in their side, Jamie’s team settled for the shower head and the spade. This was a strange decision given that one of their pre-arranged meetings was with Debenhams who stock neither. On the other team, Chris selected the Baby Glow and the t-shirt come vest to pull in the flab for men.
The Sales Pitches…
In Debenhams, Jamie, Our Mel and Christopher presented the shower head. One of the buyers said that they did not stock showers or shower heads. Our Mel, who seemed oblivious to anything except her own voice, said that it might not be the right product but that in terms of market trends… Blah! Blah! Blah! The client thought she was blah too and, for a second time, told her, “We don’t sell shower heads.” Our Mel, who clearly went to the sales school of “repeat it often enough from the cab of a steam roller and they will buy it” told them that they could “always expand”. And continued, “If you were looking to launch yourself into that market…”
They weren’t. The pitch was over.
Listening really is a critical sales skills and one that many salespeople need to work on. The myth of “the gift of the gab” in sales is something that the sales profession really ought to move on from but it’s never going to whilst people like Our Mel are around to talk, talk, talk…
Meanwhile, on the other team Chris was “practising”. As I said the other week, his presentation style is awful. He is sooooo m-o-n-o-t-o-n-o-u-s and soooo boring. In the pitch with Liz and Alex he was equally dire presenting the body sculpting t-shirt. Liz was considerably better presenting the Baby Glow and is looking like something of a dark-horse in this competition after a quiet start (let’s wait and see how she performs when she project manages…). Alex continued to spout nonsense every time his mouth opened and when the client asked about chemical reactions he responded, “We certainly wouldn’t pitch you a product that leads to any sort of safety issues…”
Hmmm, this really would have been a case for some real statistics or research, not just platitudes. An objection like this needs a proper answer not some BS.
As they left, Alex turned to the other two, “I think we did a great job of handling their questions and answers.”
No. I really don’t think you did, Alex.
Next morning…
The teams set off to complete their appointments and to try and set up some more of their own. Joanna hit the phones and secured an appointment with a nationwide plumbers with 500 branches… for that day.
Quick sales training aside… To all those who say cold calling doesn’t work anymore, Joanna picked the phone up in the car, in front of the camera and set up an appointment. Do you think she is super-skilled? No? Do you think she has something that you don’t? No? Do you think she is the best cold caller who ever walked the planet? No? Me neither. She might be good, who knows but the key here is that she picked up the phone. She made the call. She took action. She didn’t just sit on her rear end moaning that there was no business….
On the streets of Soho, Paloma, Sandeesh and Laura were making promises and making sales that they could not fulfil. Paloma boasted, “I guarantee you’re going to sell these.” Look Paloma, it’s not a guarantee just because you say it is. You have to back it up and you can’t. Is it any wonder that salespeople get a bad reputation sometimes when people try to sell through exaggeration and half-truths.
If you want to sell in the complex and competitive markets of today then you need to build trust and a rock-solid reputation and you will not do that by exaggerating and distorting the truth.
Meanwhile, Our Mel, Stuart and Stella were proving to be an awful combination. Stella’s sterling performance of a few weeks ago seemed long forgotten as the tag team of Stuart and Our Mel careered rapidly in the direction of NO SALE. In a classic example of appalling 1980’s objection handling, Mel dealt with a client objection about quality by saying that the product was guaranteed, that they had rushed there from London and that they would like a huge order. Errr, Mel, that was an objection, not a buying signal. Anyone who has been on one of my courses, SHE is exactly what I mean when I talk about pushy desperados…
In Kiddicare, Chris and Alex watched as Liz made a good presentation. From what we saw she looked natural and easy and she dealt with an objection about the packaging well.
In the board room the results were in…
Apollo and Chris had sold £122,625.90 including a £99,000 sale from Liz.
Synergy and Jamie had sold £76,518.80.
You know, a lot of people say that this show is not serious business and that the Sales Apprentices are incompetent and, to an extent, I agree BUT you cannot knock these figures. From both teams they are quite impressive particularly given some of the appalling behaviours and the bad decisions.
If nothing else, what it does demonstrate clearly is that sales is not rocket-science and that turning up and taking action will go a long way to helping you to succeed in your business.
Liz had helped Jamie and team to a comfortable win and Jamie was faced with the decision of who to bring back. Mel, Jamie. It’s Mel. Bring back Mel. Oh, okay, and Stuart.
Back in the boardroom…
Sir Alan pointed out that out of the £76,000 the sub-team of Stella, Stuart and Our Mel brought in only £897. Stuart said, “I have always said that I am a really good sales man but the way I see it is it should always be left for someone else to judge.” Then shut up and let us…
Jamie, surprise surprise, elected to bring back Our Mel and Stuart. I’d have happily sacked both with the nod to Our Mel. Sir Alan agreed, “Mel despite everything you say about what you can and you cannot do… you are a bit of a loose cannon that I don’t think I can control you’re fired.”
She was not happy, sniping as she left, “Well done for ganging up on me you horrible people” and then refusing to shake Jamie’s hand. In the cab she was muttering about karmic retribution. No doubt I will get mine if she reads this.
Here are the sales training tips for week 4 of The Sales Apprentice…
- Don’t say, “… to be honest.” It’s what I call a “filler” in that it serves little purpose in your language. Worse, it implies that what you have said up until this point might not have been so honest!
- Real objections need to be dealt with. You cannot just steam roll over them and close for the order.
- Sales rebuttals require facts. If you are going to rebut a client statement then you need facts and stories to illustrate your point. Sales platitudes and vacuous “promises” are not the answer.
- Listen! Listen! Listen! Do you listen to really understand your clients? Do you listen to what they say? Do you listen to what they don’t say? Do you listen to hear what they are really saying?
- Cold calling works. As part of your overall lead generation strategy, cold calling works. Yes, many people fail, and yes, it is not right for some businesses but for many business cold calling can form an effective component of your lead generation strategies.
- Just get out there and sell. If the teams proved anything tonight, it was how out or your depth you can be and yet still make 6-figure sales. Getting up and taking action, consistent action is a huge part of sales success.
Related posts:
- The Sales Apprentice 2010: Sales Training Tips From The Hit TV Show, Week 2
- The Sales Apprentice 2010: Sales Training Tips From The Hit TV Show, Week 1
- The Sales Apprentice 2010: Sales Training Tips From The Hit TV Show, Week 3
- The Sales Apprentice 2009: Sales Training Tips From The Hit TV Show, Week 12, The Final
- The Sales Apprentice 2008: Sales Training Tips From The Hit TV Show, Part XI
About Gavin Ingham
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Was the bra to prevent sloutching a real product and will it come to market. Its the perfect thing for horse riding where posture is so important.
Fred
I don't know the answer to that but I "assume" that the products are real. Interestingly, well for me anyway, I knew the girl who presented it…
Gavin
Hi Fred,
A quick google on 'anti-slouch' reveals all kinds of products out there – not the bra yet though.
For example, this one, which not being a bra would work for blokes as well. Only for about 5 minutes before it broke though, by the look of it: http://technabob.com/blog/2007/08/20/gadget-remin…
Another excellent set of lessons Gavin, and congrats on finding some things that people were doing right in an episode that often reached Fawlty Towers levels of cringeworthiness.
That's a great point about listening. How is it that people like Mel and Stuart can believe they are so good, when all the evidence is pointing the other way? My theory is that they don't have adequate feedback loops in place. In other words, they aren't paying attention to the signs that would tell them when they are going wrong (e.g. lack of buying signals from the customer, people leaning back to get away from them).
A question they (and everyone else who thinks they are good at what they do) could usefully ask themselves is: "OK, you believe you are good at this; how would you know if you weren't?" This question gives you a reality check and identifies the channels by which you get feedback and notice results. I bet they would both have trouble coming up with an answer.
It is extraordinary isn't it. Some of them seem to perform at X-Factor cringe levels and have the same level of ignorance about their inaptitude. I love your question…
Another lesson from this week's show, as in last week's, is the importance of controlling your emotional state, and staying professional no matter how upset you feel. Even if Mel was a sales superstar, I would be very reluctant to employ her after seeing her sulk meltdown when she got fired.
Remember when fired candidates used to say "Thankyou for the opportunity" to Lord Sugar? This was more like how a Big Brother housemate would respond to being kicked out of the house for inappropriate behaviour.
Andy, agreed! Quite telling the way different individuals act when things have gone so badly wrong! Also interesting, who takes responsibility and who doesn't.