I wrote a blog a couple days back to explain why 90% people hate selling
When I hinted at my extensive experience in sales, I am
sure a dozen pair of eyes checked my LinkedIn profile to find out what I sold
because all that is visible there are fancy labels doing training,
transitioning new business or managing operations. Where is the sales profile?
Including my pet projects which I did apart from
regular jobs, I have sold high value products, service and mere ideas.
1.
Selling
a Service
I was leading the customer service team then in a
leading courier company and this product was launched – where you can send
flowers/ chocolates/ cakes to near and dear ones on their birthdays and
anniversaries across India. As I was made to attend the launch of this product/
service I had to own it up to show my team a live demonstration with a real
client how to sell it over phone. It was actually easy, because the concept
then was new and the price was reasonable. The impact on both giver and
receiver was immense. I cant recall having sold anything before that.
2.
Dress
Materials
That was my first pet project with two more friends. I
have soft corner for two things – Textile and Spa. We invested roughly Rs 1500
each, bought dress material, strategically tied up with a tailor close to our
sourcing market and sold the finished product to friends, relatives and couple
of shops.
Reason to exit: The group had to split due to marriage,
job, relocation and family concerns.
3.
Multi-level
marketing
If you know one of them end to end, you know them all. How
can you not be involved with at least one of them when you had so many of your
contacts trying to rope you in? I loved the seminars and still give complete
credit to my mental shift (from income to asset) to those leaders.
Today, after I have achieved almost everything that I
had aspired then, I can reflect and confirm - that was probably the turning
point as far as thinking horizon was concerned.
Reason to exit: Any reason I give here would look like
excuse. I did not understand exponential marketing then perhaps, which I do
now.
4.
Photocopiers:
As Defined Account Manager, I had to manage sixty
accounts end to end – service to sales or make it the other way round. It means
the same. The company had then launched a photocopier that acts as a digital
printer and who do you think made that much needed breakthrough sale in eastern
India, yours sincerely of course. By now I began to enjoy sales as I never
found two sales experience same.
Reason to exit: I moved to Bangalore
5.
Apparels/
Furnishings:
Apart from my regular job, I had a boutique for over 5
years where I sold through retailers to two markets (Bangalore and Kolkata).
The collection included different types of sarees sourced from Chennai, Surat,
Bangalore, Kolkata, Lucknow; dress materials, tops, furnishings and a small
team who did embroidery.
Reason to exit: Relocation to Suburbs
6.
Bid
Management:
My KRA was 20% conversion and 5% win. What I maintained
was 45 % conversion and 20% win. For those of you who think Bid Management is
not sales, try roping in 22 stakeholders including pricing, operations, risk
office, hiring, training, technology, real estate, transition teams for one
proposal, front end with client and then preparing the proposal – If you do not
have sales bent of mind, you will end up just putting boiler plate information
in those documents. Each win/ sale means multi-year service contract in BPO environment or across both BPO and applications.
Reason to exit: Bid Management was Pre sales. I wanted to experience post sales activities - Business Transition
7.
My
Books
Though the book stores did the selling for me but then
what is critical to know here is - as the book I authored and published all by
myself without a literary agent, who do you think took it/ sold to the stores? – Again, yours sincerely!
8.
Selling
an idea
The toughest sale was to sell an idea that I was not
sure of and find seven members to register an NGO with just that idea (nothing
concrete to show, not even a rough plan) with no financial backing and with
half-baked knowledge about even the next step. It took me one full year to source
like-minded people to register Ramosara Foundation.
9.
Selling
Services again
Today, I sell my skills as services to international
clients. Those who want to learn how I do what I do, buy the beginner’s guide. As a startup enthusiast and content
strategies, I sell business plans and social media plans
If you enjoy sales, the product is never a problem.
What drives me to do this repeatedly is the fact that I know I always fill a
gap through a sale.
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