How I Snagged My First Big Account

I am constantly engaged in setting new goals for myself,
and this morning I was thinking about my first really big
customer. I tried for months to get an appointment to see
this guy, and the answer was always no.

It didn't matter if I tried on the phone, by letter, or personally,
the guy wouldn't see me. One Monday morning I decided that
I would get to see The Cheese. That's how I had him listed
in my book.

I waited till just before lunch and strode in to the office
where I presented my card to the secretary who gave me a
dirty look, and waited. About thirty seconds later she walked
out with a rather puzzled look on her face and said, "Go on in,
he'll see you."

I walked on in to the Cheese's office, which was quite large,
as he was. The Cheese launched into a long diatribe about
the company I worked for. He knew the owner personally, and
didn't like him. He then detailed a number of bad experiences
he had had with the company over about a dozen years. I found
the last story pretty amusing, and started laughing.

"You think that's funny?" he screamed at me.

"You know," I said, "I've heard a lot of stories about Bob,
but that one is absolutely the best. If I never do a dollars worth
of business with you, that was worth the price of admission today.
Do you realize how many salespeople I can tell that story to, and
how funny they're going to think it is?"

This really got his attention, and he detailed off a list of
how he wanted to work. He had a very short attention span,
and he never wanted to have to choose between items. "Just
bring me the best product you have to offer, and a reason I should
buy it."

I followed his instructions to the letter. Every week I would
bring in a very expensive product, and give him a reason to
purchase it. The presentation never lasted more than 60 seconds.
80% of the time he said yes, and he never once asked me what
anything cost.

Within months he became a whale, and I made sure I knew
his business inside and out. I knew more about his business
than his own staff, and he once threatened to fire them all
because of it.

I referred a number of salespeople to him, and told them the
rules they had to follow to make a sale. Sadly, only one of
them followed the advice I gave them. He got a large sale, the
others failed because they couldn't follow simple directions.
One time I took a guy in personally, told him the rules, and
The Cheese walked out in the middle of his presentation. He
was flabbergasted, and wanted to know what he did wrong.

"I told you to keep it to one minute or under."

"Nobody can make a sale in one minute," he said.

I did, and I did it with regularity. After six months I was
awarded an exclusive contract with The Cheese. I held it for
three years, during which time I made a pile of dough. Six
weeks after I left the company, The Cheese threw out the exclusive
contract, and my old company was shown the door. The Cheese
told them I was the best salesperson he ever dealt with,
because I could follow simple instructions. He also told them
that I anticipated what he needed and took care of it without
a hitch.

To make a long story short, I listened to what the client
had to say, and tailored a program around him. He rewarded
me for what I did with a lucrative, exclusive contract.

Listening is a good salespersons number one skill, and
if it ain't, it ought to be. Clients always tell you what they want.

You just have to deliver.

From the big saddle,

Jim Whelan
The Chairman of the Board

P.S> If you have had money on the Lakers I feel bad
or you. Or if you were one of the many folks who thought
Big Brown was a sure thing. Only two things in life are
a sure thing, The Celtics winning another championship,
and you making money by placing your ads with The James R Whelan Agency.

Contact us: thejamesrwhelanagency.com, or call 206 407 3124.