My Val’s day was spent talking to Youth Corpers (University and Polytechnic graduates serving a one-year compulsory military program) at Umuahia – the capital city of Abia State (an eastern state in Nigeria). It was a three and the half hour talk on entrepreneurship and I focused on “selling†as the most vital element to entrepreneurial success. Every successful venture involves selling and it is the most despised and challenging skill amongst youths.
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I realized that this challenge stems from the rejection associated with selling; nobody wants to be put down by his fellow men. It is this challenge that can set them apart from their contemporaries. The best way to win in life is to venture into perceived difficult arena and all arenas come with its own share of challenges so why not face the one that people run from because that is what would keep your legacy years after you live this earth.
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You may be aware that Sales Department is one of the riskiest departments in most companies in terms of job security but it is the fastest way to get promoted and sales staffs are highly compensated. Companies recognize this perceived difficulty associated with sales and the importance of selling to the overall well being of the company; if a company is not selling; it is just a matter of time before the company goes under.
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For Christians, it is important to note that authority in life is achieved by solving problems that most people run from. David achieved limelight and later became king when he killed Goliath; Daniel interpreted a dream that was not revealed by the king to become the second in command; Jesus drew crowds and gained their reverence by proffering perceived impossible tasks; Jacob became far wealthier than his employer when he proffered a genetic solution that has not been discovered in contemporary times and the lists goes on.
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For you to be the head and not the tail; the city on the hill that cannot be hidden; the salt of the earth and the light of the world; the Jew that ten men are holding his skirt and literarily begging to know their God, you must be proffering solutions that other people are running from. This is the only way that wealth transfer can be accomplished and you can gain authority to influence people to follow the right path.
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I did something that kept the crowd in a pensive mood; I took out a Five Euro note from my wallet, raised it above my head and asked the crowd; “who wants this Five Euro?†There were hands raised from every corner. I asked the question again and more hands were raised up. A guy who obviously understood what I meant ran to the stage and requested for the Five Euro. I graciously gave it to him. The quietness in the hall was deafening. I waited about two minutes and said; “if you want anything in life especially selling, you have to go all out to get it, having your competition in mind.â€
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How do we then start selling? This involves going through the process of learning it. Please, read my first write-up this year to understand more on process; click HERE. When the word selling is mentioned, the obvious picture that comes to mind is someone holding a product and convincing others to buy; this is definitely the greatest error about selling that most people make. In order to sell effectively, you must first market. Marketing is the strategy while selling is the tactics.
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Marketing (strategy) involves looking for the best way and the most cost effective way to win; sales (tactics) involve the actions you need to take after the thought-process has been accomplished. I shared with the Youth Corpers an anecdote in my yet to be published book – 5 Essentials of Kingdom Selling; a married lady complained bitterly about her deployment to the sales department in her company; “I have never sold before; this is definitely a conspiracy amongst my enemies; they want me out of this company; I would resign before they sack me!â€
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The Sales Manager walked up to her; “I am the one that requested for you.â€She was obviously shocked at the revelation; “I am your husband’s best friend; I have known him since we were teenagers; your husband is the most shrewdest accountant I know and his salary is not as much as mine but yet you were able to get him to change your car every year for the past six years and your recent “tear-rubber†car – Toyota Sequoia – is off the hook; any lady that can get her accountant husband to change her car every year is sure a winning sales womanâ€.
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I can’t finish this story because of time but the moral of this story is very simple; getting people to do what you want is simply selling. For you to get people to do what you want, you need to understand what drives people. People are driven by two important key elements; Significance and Contribution. Some human beings crave significance; you want to be appreciated, noticed and somehow extolled; if you wear a five thousand USD suit and nobody passes a comment about it, the money you bought the suit doesn’t cut it. Some that are not significant-conscious crave contribution; whatever they do, they think of a greater good.
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This gives you a psychological framework of people but it would take you undergoing the process of selling to fully understand this. There is also a very important rule that you must arm yourself with before selling; always focus on the segment of people that want what you are selling because only a percentage of those that want what you are selling will eventually buy it and only a percentage of those that buy it would be your evangelist. Always develop personal relationships with your evangelist.
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I also discussed three reasons why people don’t make sale;
1. You don’t know what people want
2. People don’t have money
3.  People don’t trust you
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People go all out for what they want NOT what they need; discover what people want using the two psychological framework. People have money; they just don’t want what you are selling which leads back to number one. I am sure we all know people who borrow money on huge interest to buy a car and I am sure you know people who sell all they have to travel abroad. The third reason leads me to the number one essential of kingdom selling; you must give to earn trust by branding, sacrificing, etc.
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More things were discussed on selling but I am sure you know that I can’t capture a three and the half hour talk on this blog. I got an SMS from one of the Youth Corpers the next day about the importance of my teaching that actually made me glad;
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“Gud morning sir, I believe God brought you to the conference bcos of me. B4 yesterday, I hated marketing with passion. But right after u spoke, I put what u said into practice & it worked, I even got u to buy a bed sheet and sticker from me though you didn’t need it. Thank you.†– Beryl, NCCF Publicity Secretary.
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The greatest surprise of the day was the sale of the JOBFinder Manual. The books we brought finished and people started putting money down to order the book in absence of the physical book. I was bothered and scared about carrying such huge amount of money interstate and sleeping with it in my house but I am happy the money resides in my account as I write. The sale of this book further confirms my teaching on selling; I would now go all out to finish my book…
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8 comments
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February 17, 2009 at 4:23 am (UTC 1)
I use to hate marketing because of the way some firms use difficult models to push their product. Marketing is very interesting and it is one job that really grant you personal skills and you should know that “everybody lives by selling something”
February 17, 2009 at 4:04 pm (UTC 1)
This is timely, as it has further strengthened my resolve to venture into this arena.
I spoke with our DMD recently convincing her that I can add marketing to my job functions.
It all started after our pro marketers left the company over a year now and the ones employed as replacements couldn’t deliver (one of them left on his own while the other was fired). “Instead of employing new guys with little or no knowledge of our products, why not redeploy Prince” one of our colleagues who has her ears counselled her. She refused but while narating this to me to seek my views, i convinced her i could do it. She accepted, pending the MD’s approval though.
I discovered that life itself is all about marketing and selling! Though most guys do it unknowingly.
“If u don’t market, you will be masked and if you dont sell, you will be sealed”-Prince
Let me xplain: when u fail to market and sell ur goods or services, you will be masked by those who do. i.e. u won’t be heard or seen. And will eventually be sealed. i.e. whatever u have or offer will remain with u as though there is an invisible doors looked against u so that nobody comes in to ask or inquire about them. Sealed from access and patronage.
There are companies who are readily indentified with certain products even though there are other companies who produce similar goods. The later have been masked by the former and may eventually be sealed.
Cheers with luv!
February 17, 2009 at 10:12 pm (UTC 1)
How people fail interviews because they cannot adequately market themselves. Thanks for this insightful note.
February 18, 2009 at 12:12 pm (UTC 1)
I sent you something via email I think you might like to look through.
February 20, 2009 at 10:53 am (UTC 1)
@ royal_prince
hi brova.how are you?its been quite some time.please whats that your blog again?i cant agrree with you more.
@ all
at every point in time you sell/market subconsciously or consciously either every time you make a decision or you are suggesting and idea.for example when you give reasons why something cant be done or why you cant do it,you just sold to yourself/marketed that which you believe to yourself.remember that we are walking ads-we are constantly sending out signals sub or consciously.until we understand that whatever u are selling needs to appeal to the buyer’s emotions.u need to understand what he wants.refusal to buy goes beyond just that you need to understand why which could be a past experience from using something similar.remember people buy based on the intangible feeling the product gives them and not just the product itself.i cant just agree with dipo more that People are driven by two important key elements; Significance and Contribution.that gives you an insight on how to sell to them.and you need to realize that when you sell you have to target your niche because you cant sell to everybody.
nice one dipo
February 25, 2009 at 9:39 am (UTC 1)
Great job and that was indeed a good valentine present for the corpers and because you sowed that seed, your books sold out….na only Madam and our baby girl…pls they deserve to be treated to a terrific outing for allowing you to spend your val outside…well for being a blessing…forgive you sha!lol
The story of that lady is so funny but true…if she can sell to her husband, then she can convince others too!
If we all can really know, we are selling something per time..then we will step up our games and repackage ourselves…people dont want to know how much you know until they know how much you care!..the greatest sells people are those that connect with their buyers first on a personal level..see their need and meet it..until we do this..it will be hard to sell…be you a preacher selling the gospel..market woman etc..your style of greeting and getting personal will determine your sells! life gives you what you demand..like the corper that got the money from you! so keep demanding until you close the deal!
February 27, 2009 at 7:09 pm (UTC 1)
thanks dipo and many thanks also to emeka and royalprince forthe analysis. nothing more to add but wish u all a great experience in marketing and sales.
balogun
March 19, 2009 at 11:14 am (UTC 1)
….it took a while before i garnered strength to write this;men ! i’m sure soonest you’ll make the world rotate ‘anti’ by your wealth of entrepreneurial wisdom! your write ups are off the hook, deep and simple….
Marketing is much ease if and only if its passion driven; nothing pries a challenge so long as u make it a lifestyle!-viewing it not only as a responsibility but infusing it in the genes-at this juncture i want to add that the laboratory of marketing will always be yourself and the right people, irrespective of gender and race; as product stipulates!
……The roots of marketing is persuasion!