How a Street Marketer Sold Me An Item I Never Wanted To Buy
Last week something unexpected happened. As I was walking out of a grocery store, a North Indian guy approached me, holding what appeared to be a scratch remover kit. Normally I walk right by outbound marketer’s promotions…never stop, never listen to the pitch. But this time, I stopped.
He started with a nice smile and in a confident manner, not in a “pushy salesman” sort of way, just seemed confident that he “believed” in what he was selling. He had great product knowledge–he explained how the scratch remover and body coating kit worked, including the layer of chemical that protects the paint.
What really piqued my interest was how instantly he saw the very small scratch on my Car—a scratch that I had been ignoring. “Well if you leave that, it will rust in a couple of weeks,” he said, instantly triggering the thought that he might be right.
He asked me about how I care for my vehicle, and I didn’t realize I was telling him more than I typically would to strangers. I then thought to myself, “oh, that is customer need analysis in action, holy cow.” He was actively listening, personalizing his pitch as he went and relating the benefits of the product to my lifestyle.
When I shied away from the price, He didn’t freak out. He took my objections in stride. “Sir, you can go to a workshop and pay this alone double the amount. I will show you how to apply it, and give you a 6-month coating. A workshop couldn’t even give you that bonus.” This was negotiation and building value all in one.
He gave me fast demonstration—30 seconds—a did that little scratch really disappear. That little experience was his tool for closing. I felt like I had gained something before I even paid.
I ended up buying the combo kit, which I never thought I would do. He gave me a follow-up card and told me to call him should I have any questions. There was even the after-sale effort.
Reflection:
That young man demonstrated:
Excellent product knowledge
Powerful observation and customer targeting
Persuasive, trust-building communication
Confident handling of objections
Strong closing skills with a quick, live demo
And the most impressive part? He turned a completely disinterested person—me—into a customer in under 5 minutes.