I was introduced to a fellow training person the other day. He asked what I did.
I tell him, "I help companies and individuals that sell to consumers maximize their sales opportunities; I'm a sales trainer and business consultant."
"Oh, I'm in sales training, too," he says. "But this isn't retail sales; I work in real sales: business-to-business."
I feel my blood pressure rising within my arteries. It's not that I don't respect B2B sales trainers or B2B salespeople. I do... a lot. It's just that I hate it when someone characterizes B2C selling as being less important than B2B selling.
"Why do you call it 'real sales'," I ask.
"We have to accurately position our product in the marketplace, get through the gatekeeper to reach the real decision-maker, and add value throughout the sales cycle," he says, proudly. "You know, real sales."
"That sounds like some really important stuff," I say in all sincereity." My business teaches people how to have a sales appointment in a customer's home and walk out the door three hours later with a contract for a $30,000 sale even though the prospect told the salesperson three times that they want to think about it. Have you ever sold in that kind of environment?" I inquire.
"Umm...no." He answers (not quite so proudly this time).
"Have you ever walked into a store and told the salesperson you were just looking?" I ask.
"Sure," he answers.
If I was the guy you told you were just looking, you would have walked out the door with a bag in your hand and a purchase inside that bag. Do you know what I call that kind of selling?"
"I dunno," he announces
"R-e-a-l s-e-l-l-i-n-g," I say, very deliberately.
"Okay," he says. "I just thought when you said you teach how to sell to consumers that you were talking about retail and that kind of thing."
"I am talking about retail and that kind of thing" I say. "I teach people how to sell to consumers, including retail. Do me a favor. In the future when you're tempted to put-down retail and in-home salespeople, don't."
"Okay" he says.
I handed him my card. "If you ever want to learn how to do real selling, give me a call. I might accept you as a sales coaching client," I say with a sheepish grin.
Here's the deal: I'm a really patient guy. But I don't have much patience for people who think that selling retail or selling in customers' homes is somehow easier or less important than selling to businesses.
Because it isn't.
Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers, a B2C sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Selling to Consumers Sales Tips Newsletter.
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