How Not to Approach Direct Sales
Direct selling is like cold calling except that you have to look the person in the eyes and tell them that you are interrupting their day to sell them the coolest new item. This item is going to change their life and make a lot of things better, or maybe it won’t. You do at least have to tell them that you are interrupting their day to sell them something. That something can be books, like Southwestern Company or it can be make up like Mary Kay. Either way, there are a number of ways that you don’t really want to start the conversation. Here are a couple of opening lines in sales that you might want to avoid and why.
“Hi John, how are you doing? I’m with Gerry and Sons, have you heard of them?”
Don’t waste time with questions that neither of you care about. This is made more true when you are in front of them. It makes you seem insincere and they won’t really care to buy from you. You also used their name, which if it isn’t outside their house on some sort of plaque it can be a little creepy. It’s even a little creepy when it is outside their house on a plaque. Instead of their name, introduce your name. It gives you a little bit of a more personal feel.
“Hi, my name is Greg and I’m a sales rep for Gerry and Sons, do you have a few minutes to let me come in and talk to you about our product line?”
They don’t have a few minutes. They never will have a few minutes to talk to you unless you already know them pretty well. They won’t have interest in your product line unless there has already been a sales rep through and their friends bought some, which means that they might have as well, or if you give them some information about the products. Instead, talk to them about what your product can fix in their life. Never ask to come into their house either. It doesn’t matter how hot it is outside, this has a good chance of creeping people out.
Some direct sales companies will give you training before sending you out, Southwestern Company does. Other sales companies won’t, so you might want to catch some kind of sales training before you go out door to door and pick up some tips on how to talk to people so that they want to buy before you try to sell to them.
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Selling door to door can really be challenging, but by following your suggestions and not “creeping people out” you can definitely be successful.