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SAVVY
SELLING - NOVEMBER
2, 2006
You're
Never Too Young to Sell
By Michelle Nichols
EXECUTIVE
OVERVIEW
Here
are 12 ways to develop your
skills and overcome prospective
customers' concerns when you're
starting out in sales
A young rep for a well-known
investment firm rang my doorbell
recently, trying to drum up
a new customer in the age-old
tradition of door-to-door salesmen.
I wasn't surprised he had come
to my door—I was taken
aback that he was only in his
early 20s and asking me to entrust
my finances to him.
Ignore my initial reaction—if
you're young and in sales, congratulations!
I remember when I started selling
in my early 20s. People used
to suggest I wait 10 years and
then start my sales career so
I would have more credibility.
I didn't listen to their well-meaning
advice and kept selling. You
should, too.
To get some fresh perspectives
on overcoming a customer's concern
about a salesperson's youthfulness,
I spoke with Cassie Pruett,
a 22-year-old employee of Reach
Group Consulting, a marketing
firm based in Eugene, Ore. She
graduated from the University
of Oregon this past June, started
working for the Reach Group
in July, and scored her first
big client project with Nike
in October, so listen up. Our
12 suggestions are organized
in the order of the sales cycle.
1. Find a mentor. Seek
out someone you connect with
who's experienced in your field
and is willing to invest in
you. Many successful people
had mentors who aided in their
achievement, and now they may
want to return the favor.
Don't assume your mentor has
to be your gender. A young woman
could learn a lot from a mature
woman mentor and she could also
learn a lot from a mature man.
Remember that your mentor will
probably learn some new ideas
from you, too.
2. Dress to impress.
Make sure your clothes, accessories,
and sales tools are high-quality
and conservative, but do have
a touch of youthfulness. For
example, this could mean a navy
suit with a conservatively cut
lime-green shirt or eye-catching
shoes. You don't want to look
dowdy, but you don't want to
look risky either.
And unless you sell body piercings,
leave this type of jewelry at
home, except for a maximum of
two earrings per ear for women.
If you ignore this advice, success
will be difficult.
3. Invest in well-designed
sales materials. Quality
business cards, letterhead,
Web sites, and other materials
have a significant impact on
the client's initial perceived
value of you and your offerings.
Good design gives you a chance
to stand out and breeds confidence
for both you and your clients.
4. Remember who the
customer is. You have
probably been a customer your
whole life. Your college valued
your happiness because it wanted
your continued patronage. Now
the tables have turned. The
people you call on these days
are the customers, and they
don't care about how you feel.
All they care about is how you
can make them better off, so
that's where to keep your focus.
5. Make your youthfulness
beneficial. No matter
what you sell, find a benefit
for customers to buy from someone
your age. For example, if you
sell investments, your edge
could be that you understand
the latest technologies and
can advise your clients on stocks
in a way that many 50-plus-year-old
advisers might not be able to.
6. Be authentic.
Find one unique aspect or interest
of yours to share with your
potential clients. Perhaps you're
from New York City, love Irish
dancing, or raise chinchillas
for a hobby. Share this with
your clients, perhaps through
a funny pin you wear or a small
gift you give them. You will
stand out from the generic,
cookie-cutter masses.
7. Perfect your patter.
Practice your presentation
and stories so you sound confident
and don't stumble when you speak
(see BusinessWeek.com, 1/5/06,
"Proving Your Worth as
a Speaker"). Share examples
and information that show your
guidance is thoughtful and valuable.
8. Develop a client
portfolio. Get practical
experience to build your skills
and a portfolio of clients,
even if you initially work at
a greatly reduced cost to them.
Those initial clients can also
refer you to their friends for
more experience—and sales.
9. Connect with your
connections. The young
man at my door had been a leader
in his fraternity and contacted
its alumni. That way, he knew
he wasn't calling complete strangers—after
all, they both know the same
secret handshake—and could
find willing buyers or get leads
on prospects.
10. Ask smart questions.
Good questions put
the focus on the client's needs,
demonstrate competence, and
clarify understanding. Questioning
is an undervalued skill that
may hide some of your knowledge
gaps and help you better understand
your client's needs and desires,
too. Example questions to start
the conversation: How will you
be measuring success? What will
a good outcome look like for
you?
11. Create and offer
free information. Give
materials—both printed
and online—that provide
information of value to your
potential and existing clients.
This will help position you
as a resource and a legitimate
expert in your field.
These materials also give you
a reason to follow up. You can
ask if customers and prospects
had a chance to review them
and if you could answer any
questions or provide them with
any further information—then
find out if they're ready to
buy.
12. Listen and learn.
Even though your formal education
has ended, your informal education
has just begun. See the world
as your university. Read, observe,
research—and learn. Pay
attention to what clients, other
professionals, and trusted resources
are saying. Look for common
complaints, compliments, fears,
and areas of confusion to focus
on. You may also uncover new
niches to serve, materials to
develop, and jargon to familiarize
yourself with.
Let's face it—selling
when you're young is tough work.
However, the only way 45-year-old
salespeople gain 20 years of
experience is by starting when
they're in their early 20s—just
like this young man on my doorstep.
So if you're a young salesperson,
don't get discouraged. Apply
these ideas and get going. Happy
selling!
Michelle Nichols is a
professional sales speaker and
consultant based in Reno, Nevada.
She welcomes your questions
and comments. You can visit
her web site at www.savvyselling.com
or contact her at michelle.nichols@savvyselling.com.
Her toll-free number is (877)
352-9684.
Copyright 2000-2006. All rights
reserved.
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