[Jason]

Last night I started to read my newest FSB magazine and found two articles of interest. One was about the underground economy and the other was about the art of selling.

A brief summary for the underground economy:

Illegal immigration and companies that don't abide by current tax laws are sucking many industries and the nation dry. But, new legislation being passed will increase the budget to almost $600 million to begin inforcement of illegal business practices nationwide. They estimate that nearly $400 billion dollars each year are not paid in taxes due to these reasons, the same amount of defiecit our nation aquired in 2004.


A brief summary the art of selling:

The article is not so well written, but does create justification for "lying" when selling. The lying is much less the idea of not telling the truth, but simply creating stories to support your arguments or products. It discusses taking your marketing campaign back to the basics of story telling to sell products, rather than the direct in your face approach used more recently (past 20 years).


Hopefully we can discuss one or the other, if posting these articles is illegal (on the forums) please feel free to remove. I have no affiliation with FSB.

 

[Floorwizard]

creating stories to support your arguments or products.

I knew a salesperson who had every single carpet we showed installed in her house. Everytime a client would come in and say "Is this carpet good?" She would say "of course, that's why I bought it for my home"

I would never sell this way. And there is no need to.
If you cannot prove a point without a little white lie, then you have low self esteem and do not want to admit that you can be more educated and professional.
It's the weak trying to come up with an excuse IMO.

I know some think it's harmless, and in most cases it it. But it's not the most professional way to sell, and that I am firm on.

 

[Floorwizard]

o.k. I read the article. I posted the last comment off the bat...so here are some examples of what I read.

Stories are shortcuts we use because we’re too overwhelmed by data

Actually, I think your too uncapable of trimming up the data to better explain to customers.

The stories we tell ourselves are lies that make it easier to live in a complicated world.

A good example of easier not being better here.
If my wife asks me if she looks fat in an outfit I could say "no honey" and she would be happy.
That's the easy way.
I could tell her "I think she doesn't look fat, and I think she looks perfect" Even though she may be a bit chub around the waist a bit, she still doesnt look fat, and in fact I DO believe she looks perfect. Now she is alot more happy.
If my wife was obese, she wouldn't ask the damn question. and if she did, I would have to reply "the outfit doesn't make you look fat.....your face does " (taken from Tommy boy)

Marketers lie to consumers because consumers demand it

They think they demand it. And if they do, it's because they are used to it.
I hate it when a Nike commercial say not a dang thing about the shoe. It just shows a guy jumping 7 feet in the air a few times. Like I could do that.

While your story will not be the whole truth—you don’t have enough time to tell the whole truth—its core must be authentic.

Again...probably because your babbling and sending out too much info.

Georg Riedel is a fibber—an honest spinner of tales. He tells his customers something that isn’t true—his wineglasses make wine taste better—and then the very act of believing it makes the statement true. Because drinkers believe the wine tastes better, it does taste better.

Theres a theorum that deals with this, and it works.
Again, if this is the best you can do, then your not as good as the best there is. and if you are happy with that....enjoy!
Could it be that if you tell them specific ingredients and processes with the wine make it taste bettter, than it will actually taste better than if you tell them the glass does it?
I would like to see the results of that test if it's possible.

I wish I had more time to pick this apart.....but it just cant happen...

 

[Jason]

I agree with most everything you said.

In regard to the Reidel glasses, I find that the author was very un-educated on the subject. The wine industry is very old and very complex. There are two manufacturers of glasses that stand above and beyond. I own those glasses and they do taste better. His example about the "taste tests" is not relevent because most likely every person that was doing those test had no clue about wine and what to taste for.

One thing I enjoyed about the article is the 'transformation' of the sale. The ability to relate and educate in a way that is worth retelling. I personally am to much to the point with people; stats, legal codes, etc. I think it really turns people off. Where as my partner is the exact opposite. He usually doesn't know those codes, stats, etc, but he can relate and converse with people to get those sales.

 

[Mike Finley]

I guess I stand on the other side of the argument. But first off I thought the article was poorly written, it was an attention getting title that quickly went off topic and never really addressed much of what was promised by the title. It seemed like the author was reaching the entire time and never really made his original point.

I really see no problem with any of the examples that were given. The wine glasses as a point. Ridiculous but fools were made to be parted with their money. Blind tests often prove that we convince ourselves that something we have purchased actually does what it supposed to do even though blind test will show it doesn't. It seems humans have a desire to prove and validate our reasons for purchasing something and we are even able to fool our 5 senses into believing it and validating it for us.

Almost everyone has a pallette that can taste the difference between orange juice and apple juice. Most people can tell the difference between a $3 bottle of wine and a $10 bottle, not many people can tell the difference between a $15 bottle and a $100 bottle and extremely few people on this earth can taste the difference between a $100 bottle of wine and a$10,000 bottle.

If you agree with that, please explain how some body can tell the difference in the taste of wine because of the shape of a glass? simply pathetic, but I don't hold anybody at harm if the guy is able to market his product based on taking advantage of fools with too much money needing to spend it on the shape of a glass. Personally I think a casino is more guilt of unethical behaviour just for existing them somebody like that. At least he is taking money from people who can afford to waste it, but casinos make 90% of their profits from people who live within 10% of the poverty level in the US.

 

[Floorwizard]

I personally am to much to the point with people; stats, legal codes, etc. I think it really turns people off. Where as my partner is the exact opposite. He usually doesn't know those codes, stats, etc, but he can relate and converse with people to get those sales

Incorporating these 2 will give you lots of success.
Jabber a bit about specs to gain trust you are a proffessional, and then dummy some things down to relate on a more personal level.

Sell millions.