The honesty card

This is the written version from my sales training videos which can be found on my you tube channel. As always, I hope this helps you move one step closer to your goals...

So I started my first job a week after A Levels and I remember on the interview the guy asking me why would I want to start working right after exams. Don't u want to enjoy your summer first. I laughed and almost like dahhhh said, with my face cringed....ammmm if I don't work I won't have money to enjoy my summer. He seemed to appreciate my logic.

I got called back for a second interview and I remember him holding his head almost like he was not sure about the decision he was about the make. Like a scratch my head kinda moment.

"The thing is, the girl before you has experience in Quickbooks. I don't even know if you passed your A Levels. Ah mean u went to a good school so you must have some brain but why should I hire you and not her"?

That was the first time I played the honesty card. It served me well then and it has never failed me since.

Many sales people believe that having a gift of gab is what is needed to succeed in the world of sales.

I beg to differ.  At that interview I said...listen I know I have no experience, but I need this job and I will work hard. I will make sure you never regret hiring me. I meant every word I said and I stuck to my promise.

Had I not laid my cards on the table and went with some tough girl logic do u think I would have gotten the job? Nope, cuz the sensible thing to do was to hire the girl with experience.

Big moment number two came when my boss came to me with a "let's see how good u r" test.

I'd been bugging him to let me go into sales and again, the notion simply did not make sense. No other company had 18 year old girl on a construction site trying to get construction equipment rented.

So he gave me a test to prove that I could not survive the tough manly world of construction.

We had royally screwed a customer. He was mad and not in the mood to hear my mamagisn (according to my boss).  "Get him to rent from us again and he's your customer".

Of course I accepted the challenge. The one thing more important than honestly is confidence. A level of confidence so high it can easily be mistaken for arrogance by the less secure.

I completely ignored the advise of my boss and went over there with nothing but charm, wit and honesty.

When he opened the door I was halfway on my knees and I said we're so sorry. We absolutely messed up. Hi, my name is Marsha, this is my cell number. I have nothing better to do with my time than make sure you get great service from here on in.  Feel free to call at 3am if my equipment breaks down. I will come fix it myself.

I got the account that day and that customer remains one of my best supporters up to today.

All my new customers were "problem accounts."  Customers that rented from friends, customers that only accepted bribes, and customers that only gave my equipment a chance at 1am when my competitors' own broke down.

I never said no. I gave them my word. And I dragged whomever I had to out their house at whatever time to get the sale.

I quickly became the preferred supplier of every big contractor in Trinidad. And this was at a time before the construction boom took place by the way.

So in closing, my first bit of advice to  you is....don't be afraid to be honest, to lay your cards on the table.  Even today. I tell my customers the truth. I cannot afford to stock products. I simply cannot afford it. It's the truth and they appreciate it. They're human just like you and me.

And secondly. When you make a promise. Stick to it. No excuses. Do whatever it takes to see it through.

Here's the link to the you tube video