The Story of a 'Foolish' Salesman Earning 20,000 Yuan a Month

A client of mine entrusted a salesman with important tasks, and he shuttled between various channels, specializing in tackling tough accounts. He handled slow-moving goods and recalled stock. The client told me, "This salesman doesn't have those little tricks, but I'm willing to pay him 20,000 yuan a month. He's now been promoted from basic sales to professional manager. What I see in him is diligence, persistence, and character."

Let's take a look at how this salesman cracked the hard nuts.

Six Visits to Crack a Tough Account

First Visit: The store was crowded, and the boss ignored me. No problem, we'll get acquainted. I followed the standard customer visit procedure. The focus of this visit was to show new samples and explain the policy. Also, I gave you two small gifts. You don't want me to put up posters? No problem, see you next time. As I left, I said, "Since it's our first meeting, it's normal that you don't order. We're not just here to sell; we come once a week to provide service. After a few more visits, once we get familiar and trust each other, we can cooperate."

Second Visit: The boss still ignored me. No problem, I still followed the standard visit procedure. This time, the store was less crowded, so I had space to do display and inventory management: I tidied your shelves, wiped the dust off the products with a cloth, and did FIFO (first-in, first-out) for your products (even those not from our brand). I told you that two boxes with older dates were placed in front for you to sell first. Also, a surprise: I brought replacements for the two damaged packages from last time.

Third Visit: The boss gave me a lukewarm greeting and said he had no money to order for now. No problem, I still followed the standard visit procedure. This time, the focus was on cleaning the display cabinet. I got a basin of hot water with laundry detergent and cleaned the display cabinet thoroughly. I told the boss that even though the cooling cabinet doesn't need to be plugged in during winter, it still needs maintenance, otherwise it won't work in summer. Oh? Last time I did FIFO and put the older products in front, but they've been pushed to the back again? No problem, I'll rearrange them for you. The storeroom was dark, so I used my phone's flashlight to check production dates and put the older stock in front. In the freezing cold, I was sweating. As I left, the boss offered me a cigarette and said, "Thanks for the hard work." I knew I was making progress; next time I'd make my move.

Fourth Visit: An unexpected turn—the boss's wife flatly refused to order. After the previous efforts, the boss was almost won over, but this time the wife ruined it (I groaned inwardly, thankful there was only one wife). No problem, I still followed the standard visit procedure. The wife loves money, so this time I focused on the profit story. I showed her orders from other stores and even called the driver to deliver wine to the neighboring store in front of her. She was tempted but didn't act, saying, "Let me think about it." I replied, "No problem, whether you order or not, I'll come every week to provide service." Before leaving, I replaced the posters and window stickers with new ones and gave the wife a ballpoint pen.

Fifth Visit: Bad luck—both the boss and his wife were out, and the boss's mother was watching the store. The old lady spoke a dialect and was hard to understand; I couldn't keep up. I wanted to cry. Just then, the weather turned cloudy and it started to drizzle. I quickly helped her move the products from the storefront inside. After all that, my clothes were soaked. The old lady seemed touched and asked me to sit inside. This time, with the boss and his wife away and the old lady being easygoing, I placed our products in the best positions on the shelves, hung ten hanging banners from the ceiling, and put six posters on the wall near the entrance. The store looked like a model store. The old lady insisted on giving me a drink. I couldn't refuse, but as I left, I put the money on the windowsill and ran off—I couldn't take advantage.

Sixth Visit: Great—all three "top executives" were present: the boss, the boss's wife, and the boss's mother. The old lady saw me from afar and called me in for water. The boss offered me a cigarette. Only the wife remained lukewarm, but she managed a smile. Ha, I finally got to sit down. My six months of sales experience told me that few deals are made standing up. When the shopkeeper offers you a stool, you have a chance.

I quickly sat down, drank some water, smoked a cigarette, and chatted with the boss. I said, "I know you haven't decided to order, but don't be unwelcoming. I'm here to serve. Running a small shop isn't easy, so you should be cautious about ordering. But I want to know what your concerns are—maybe I didn't explain something clearly." The wife said the main issue was that customers didn't ask for our new brand. Thanks to the posters I put up last time, a few people asked if they had the product.

I was overjoyed—finally talking about the product. I started using various sales techniques: "If you only sell what customers ask for, you won't make money. You need to sell what you want to sell to make a profit." "Last time, the posters got people asking. This time, I'll not only put up posters but also give you an empty-box display reward to boost consumption." "Start with half a box to try. I'll give you the freshest stock with 12 months of shelf life. Also, I'll apply for the new-store display reward promotion for you (though the promotion ended the day before yesterday)." "Out of the five supermarkets in this neighborhood, you're the only one that hasn't ordered yet..." The wife was still hesitant, but the boss got angry: "This young man has been so sincere and come so many times. Stop dawdling. I'll decide—we'll take two boxes." In the end, I only wrote an order for one box to save face for the wife, after all, she's also a "top executive" in the store.

As I walked out, I breathed a sigh of relief. This holdout was finally cracked. It took six visits to sell one box of new product. But most importantly, this store started ordering from me. If they buy one new product today, I can get them to sell the full range in the future. As long as I keep up the service, this store is "my dish."

The Salesman's Inner Thoughts

I'm filled with emotion. When I first entered the industry, I thought sales required being "smooth, clever, and sharp." But later, an experience taught me otherwise. About two months into the job, there was a hotel where I used every trick in the book, but they were as stubborn as a mule. I had no choice but to go to the store every day during the lunch rush. I didn't sell or talk about profits; I just helped wipe tables, serve dishes, and sweep the floor. I'd work for an hour and leave, then come back the next day. I did this for nearly half a month. The boss couldn't take it anymore. One day, he asked me to stay for a meal and said, "I'm afraid of you. You come every day, say nothing, and just work. You're giving me insomnia. Look at what I can sell in my store and send me a little of each. I'm not doing this for anything else, but because you're a genuine person."

From then on, I understood what kind of person can do well in sales. It doesn't matter if you're eloquent; what matters is persistence and hard work, like embroidering the market stitch by stitch. Sometimes I push myself—if I can't win over even the smallest customer, I feel uncomfortable. It's not about selling that one box, but about giving myself confidence and achieving another success. I've even had customers who wouldn't let me in and chased me out.

My secret is that there are no good or bad customers, only different ones. Be persistent and visit often: If you won't let me sell, can I at least give you my business card? Can I leave two small gifts and go? Can I put up a poster? Can I help handle a customer complaint? Can I wipe your shelves? If you're washing vegetables, can I help? If it's raining, can I help move your goods inside? If you can't make change, can I help exchange some coins? If your child is crying, can I comfort them? If all else fails, can I come to your store for lunch and buy a pack of cigarettes or a rag to strike up a conversation?...

Summary

"Don't expect to close a deal on the first visit," "Sales start when the customer says no," "Sales are achieved through probability," "Never believe customers will come to you on their own"—these are the martial arts mantras passed down among veteran salespeople. Translated into action, it means first, you must be clear in your mind that there's a reason for the customer's rejection, and then be persistent and visit multiple times.

What do you do during those visits? Professionally, follow the standard visit procedure. In terms of details, record customer information, give small gifts, put up customer contact cards, manage inventory, handle defective products, resolve complaints, do visual merchandising with posters to boost sales, and even help with odd jobs in the store. If the boss isn't there, find a way to get his phone number, or use acquaintances or insiders to help arrange a meeting. There are so many things you can do. In short, "a smiling face never invites a beating." Providing service can't be wrong, right? If once doesn't work, try a hundred times. I'm not trying to demolish your house; I'm trying to sell you a product that makes money (product plus profit story). I don't believe you're impervious. One day, you'll give me a smile, offer me a seat, and discuss ordering. As long as you're willing to talk, I'll find a way. I'll address your concerns, or you can start with a small order to try... Sincerity can move mountains. As Xiao Shenyang said, "You can not love me, but you can't stop me from loving you. Flowers are innocent."

People say sales is "hard work." I often joke, "It's not the heart that's bitter, but fate." In this line of work, that's the fate. Without the hard labor of crawling through ice and snow and walking the streets as a salesman, you won't become a manager who commands and leads. The sales industry is fiercely competitive. If you don't fight for your life, life will fight you.

-END-

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