Success Can Be As Simple As Making Lemons Into Lemonade!!

In my early twenties I landed a job with an electronic importer who specialized in low end car radios, speakers, and equalizers etc... I became their exclusive distributor for all of the province of Quebec. I will explain in anther article how this actually happened for me.

I had very little experience in sales or electronics, and at the time wanted to become a psychologist, not a salesman. A few years earlier my Mother had started taking university course at night in the field. I would read her text books, and the human mind fascinated me. I did not have the money or time to attend university unfortunately, but everything happens for a reason.

My first experience in wholesale electronic sales!!!

I went into an initial potential customer. There were five sales people ahead waiting for their turn with the buyer. Each one of the other sales people seemed to be wearing very expensive suits, holding leather engraved brief cases, and then of course there was me, with my $89 sears sucker suit, and $19 leatherette briefcase.

These people were very seasoned in sales, and extremely intimidating with their manner of what I call “polite arrogance�. They tried to come across as being really nice with me, wanting to give the new kid on the block some fatherly advice. One guy actually put his arm around my shoulder and said, Son, it just might be best for you to find anther line of products to sell. According to him, he had been the car stereo wholesale supplier there for years.

he only difference between his products and mine was the packaging. They all came from the same factory in Asia.

Giving up in life was never an option for me, and I always loved a challenge.

That night I thought about the best way to approach this situation. The first item on the agenda was dropping the suit of armor, since mind wasn’t up to spec anyways. I found my oldest pair of jeans; a clean tee shirt, and put my ratty briefcase out of its misery once and for all. This new fashion statement would help me stick out like a sore thumb, and let the buyer take notice. I chose to be myself; honest, sincere, and straight forward. Hoping this would a breath of fresh air for the buyer, who had to deal with cookie cutter sales people all day.

Here is how I approached the buyer the next day…

I was young, had no money, hardworking, and trying to make it in the world of electronic wholesale. My product was no different then the ones he was already selling, except for the packaging…maybe that sales person with the fatherly advice did help me inadvertently. What I lacked in experience could be easily made up in providing him with excellent service. Not being married with a family like the other sales people he dealt with, would allow me to be make weekend calls, and in a pinch delivery products. I would also be willing to help him in his store as part of my service once in awhile, if he happened to be short of staff. I did have five years retail under my belt.

The proposition

I suggested that the buyer try a few of my car stereos to see how they would sell for him. The buyer was so impressed with my approach; he wanted to give me a break and take a hundred car stereos to start, equaling a $2500 order. I said that building a long term relationship means proving myself to him, and that is what I intend to do. That was a very generous starting order, but I suggested he just take ten, to see if they move. I presented him with a proposition, if my all ten didn’t sell in a week, I would pay his bill out of my own pocket. In return, if they did all move, he would allow me to be his sole wholesale supplier for his car radios. He laughed and said I like your style already, you’re on.

My thought was if people only see ten of a product left on shelf ,and a hundred of some others brands, , then the one with ten must be better. Out of the five stores I tried this with, it worked with 3, and with the other two, I for gave their bill. They paid it anyways and became great customers. I honored my commitment, and that gave me a good name through the industry.

I became the exclusive wholesale supplier to many of the electronic stores this other sales person claimed he had solely.

I thought you should know in a very short time I managed to sell over $500,000 in product, never changed, and always wore the raggedy jeans. Even though I could have afforded a decent suit a few months later, I kept my poor boy image.

Conclusion

My point to this story is in sales or business there is always a solution. I took the negative attributes, and made them positive. People do not just by a product or service; they have to like the person they deal with. Being different is okay, as long as you are genuine, honest, and sincere.



By: Arnold Nadler