Nothing happens until somebody sells something
By Gerald J. Sherman
Let me first give credit to Arthur “Red” Motley for the phrase, “Nothing Happens until Somebody Sells Something” that appeared in Parade Magazine in 1930. It was true then and it is true today; selling is the foundation of any business.
Many businesses have lost sight of the value of ‘personal selling.’ Although we know the importance that advertising, public relations and promotions play in a successful business, sometimes we forget that many sales are lost because the business owner/manager does not understand the mechanics of actually making the appointment and then closing the sale.
A neighbor of mine mentioned that he was able to save a substantial amount on his insurance premiums (we both have similar coverage). Naturally, I called his representative and told him that I was very interested. He asked me to send him copies of my policies.
However, I never had the time to send them to him. He never called to remind me to send copies of the policies. I guess he was waiting for me to make the move. So, nothing happened – I still have the same policies and he never made the sale.
This is an example of something that could have benefited both of us. I am not talking about high pressure tactics. I am not talking about the Willy Lomans of the world (the lead character from “Death of a Salesman”). My concern is with business owners/managers and their salespeople who do not have sufficient knowledge and training in the selling process and who are unable to recognize buying signals.
These business owners and managers may have product knowledge but are lacking in their ability to make the sale. The business world today is losing the personal touch that is needed to close the sale. Too many think that, ‘Selling is a Dirty Word’ (Sherman & Perlman 2007). Nothing could be further from the truth.
Personal selling is a key needed in buyer/seller relationships in both business-to-consumer and business-to-business marketing. Personal selling is and has always been an important part in the mechanics of doing business.
It is interesting to note that conditions and roles may have changed due to present day technology, (Internet, Bloggs, and Social Media) but the basic ingredient for success in the market place — personal selling — has and never will change. ‘Personal Selling’ is developing and maintaining a close business relationship with the customer, where both customer and salesperson trust and respect each other, and where the seller interacts for the purpose of continuing the relationship while obtaining a sale for the mutual benefit of both buyer and seller (Sherman & Perlman 2007).
Excerpts from the book, The Real World Guide to Fashion Selling & Management, Gerald J. Sherman & Sar S. Perlman, Fairchild Publications, Division of Conde Nast, (2007).
Gerald J. Sherman of Sherman & Perlman LLC. is a marketing and public relations person and has written several books and articles on these subjects.
