What should i do to acquire the selling skills i need?

Question

Top management had retained a consultant to assist in developing some internal venturing enterprises. the supreme court decision forcing the telphone companies into competition had freed management to pursue non-telephone economic ventures. the consultants found my operation. they said if i could make so much money on Universal's scrap, why not process other companies' scrap. So i was put through a short training course on how to be an enterpreneur and told me to go make some money for the company. i was able to make an incentive deal with top management in which i was to share in the operation's profits. eagerly i ventured into the market. i contacted the executives in charge of scrap disposal at three other regional utilities, including another telephone company. No sale! I struck out! even though i offered them a deal that seemed to be unassailable, they were not interested. Im offering to pay them more for their scrap than they were getting. It was a no-lose proposition. I am quite upset. help!

Answer 1

Selling and closing the deal are both a skill and an art.  You have to be 1/3 technical answer-man, 1/3 best friend and 1/3 psychologist.

Even if you have a better deal, people will not automatically buy from you.  Ever wonder why salespeople have not been replaced with computers that simply search for the best price?  It's because of the human element involved in spending large amounts of money.  They need reassurance, comfort, a lot of stroking.  If the deal goes bad, it's their butt, not yours that's caught in a sling.

There are a million books, tapes and seminars on how to sell.  Some are baloney, but some are very helpfull.

Those of us in the profession know that anybody can become a decent salesperson, but the great ones are born that way.