How to sell a pen at an interview is a topical issue for novice sales managers in any field. Employers, before recruiting a team to the sales department, arrange an interview in several stages. And very often they ask the candidate to demonstrate the skills and ability to sell - for example, a pen.
Sell me this pen - how to answer?
How not to hesitate and not get confused when you are asked to sell a pen at an interview? Before you choose a quick tactic and method, you must internally gather all your confidence and not be afraid to be creative. Answer, not with the desire to please the employer, but by joining in the process with some excitement, which will help the confidence to be at a high level. The feeling with which a person speaks plays a greater role than what he says.
How to sell a pen in an interview?
How to sell a simple pen at an interview using non-standard methods? Before you go to an organization in which your resume was approved, it is important to practice, try out several options for how to sell a pen, first you can try the classic methods, variations and come up with your own options, no matter how absurd and daring they may seem.
Ways to sell a pen in an interview
You need to prepare thoroughly for the interview, collect all the information about the company so that many questions are not unexpected. If this is a vacancy for a sales manager or a call manager, then most likely at one of the stages they may be asked to sell a pen or something else. How to sell a pen in the top 5 ways:
- Ask for an autograph, arguing that they have long wanted to get to know such a charismatic person, and if there is no pen, offer to buy for a small amount.
- Offer to buy the donated pen for sale to the following applicants.
- To create an artificial scarcity, for example, to say that soon digital devices will replace an ordinary pen and they will no longer be produced, they will become a rare and rare commodity, even expensive, so buying a pen is very profitable.
- Ask the question: "But this pen belongs to you, how can I sell it?". The HR manager replies: “Imagine this is your pen!”, to which you can answer: “Oh, then I give it to you as a bonus for a small cash reward!”.
- When asked to sell a pen, say: "I could (could) get up and leave now, but I'm sorry to rob you."
How to sell a pen in 4 seconds?
How to sell a pen? The most important here is the stage of establishing contact with the client and this happens within 4 seconds. If this does not happen, the sale will not take place, time is lost, which is why these 4 seconds are so important. There should be a confident question (identification of the problem), then, if the contact took place, an active hearing and then an offer to sell.
How to sell a pen at an interview - an example of a sale
How to sell a pen at an interview is an example known to everyone on the Internet when an interviewee was asked to sell a laptop. How to sell a pen to an HR manager at an interview, by analogy with a laptop, especially if you can’t sell? “Well, perhaps I’ll leave this pen to myself,” then you should get up and silently leave. If the employer calls, offer to buy him a pen for a symbolic amount.
How to sell a pen at an interview - an example of a dialogue, step by step:
- Establishing contact. "Good afternoon, I'm Peter, a representative of Super Pen, how can I contact you?".
- Identification of needs. At this stage, questions are asked that require affirmative answers: “Peter, you are a very businesslike person and you have to sign a lot of documents?”, “Do you sign important documents in the process of negotiations with significant partners?”.
- Presentation. "Peter! I have an interesting offer for you…” The emphasis should be on the benefit of the pen, but not on the pen itself (for example, it gives solidity, emphasizes status).
- Work with objections. “I already have a pen and I am completely satisfied with it.” To which you can object: “Yes, great, but you must admit that pens sometimes fail at the wrong time and it’s good to have a second pen on hand, which, in case of an incident, will allow you not to waste precious time and get into an awkward position!”.
- Additional incentive to buy. “Peter Sergeevich, today our promotion ends, all buyers of our pens participate in the i-phone draw” or “When you buy a pen, you become the owner of a platinum card that allows you to buy our exclusive products with a 25% discount.”
- Completion of the sale. You can offer a product for a pen, such as a pencil at a low price (cross-selling).
How to Sell a Pen - The Wolf of Wall Street
The famous American film, based on the memoirs of the famous broker Jordon Belfort, was the start for many salesmen, and although many techniques can be called "pure water" fraud and manipulation, they work very effectively. Jordon, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, sells a pen and teaches with a simple example how to sell anything, even if a person does not need it.
Job interviews are a cause of concern for many people. However, without a preliminary conversation with the future boss, it is unlikely that you will be able to get a good position. Today, the format of a conversation is difficult to predict in advance - most often, no one is limited to some stereotyped questions about education and experience. Especially “lucky” are those who apply for vacancies related to the sale of goods or services. As a rule, applicants are asked to try to sell some ordinary item in order to see what a person is in business, whether he will cope with his job responsibilities.
Let's discuss how to conduct an interview as successfully as possible by selling a pen expensively and quickly. As a practical part, consider real dialogues.
When and what are they asked to sell at the interview?
If you are planning to get a job that involves sales, then it is better to prepare well by paying attention to. For example, such: "Can you sell me this pen?". Of course, you don’t necessarily have to start immediately selling a ballpoint pen, because absolutely anything is suitable for the job - what is on the table (headphones, a laptop, scotch tape, a bottle of water or even a flowering cactus - be prepared for anything).
Advice: don't panic if you are asked to sell something out of the ordinary. For example, air. Today, the ecological situation in many regions does not please residents, which means that the problem of clean air is quite relevant. Show interest - does the interlocutor have allergies or asthma? Does he get sick often? Fresh air will help solve these problems, and some companies are already selling it sealed in a bottle. Of course, it is difficult for a Russian layman to imagine a situation where such a purchase would be a necessity, but in the polluted areas of China, this is a harsh prose of life.
Why do employers resort to such tests? Everything is obvious: any leader seeks to get into his networks a competent and creative employee who can benefit the company. In fact, the applicant's attempt to make a deal here and now allows a good assessment of his personal qualities and professional skills. Practice is very important for those who sell, one theory is not enough, no matter how hard you try.
How to sell a pen in an interview?
It should be understood that the request to sell a pen at an interview is a kind of test that allows you to assess the skills of the applicant, who ideally should:
- quickly and easily collect information about a hypothetical buyer;
- correctly analyze the received data;
- effectively present a product or service, focusing on the needs and requirements of the client;
- arising from the interlocutor;
- conclude a deal, gently pushing the buyer to this if necessary.
Let's take a closer look at the most important points that are best to pay attention to if you are asked to sell a pen at an interview.
Product presentation
Many immediately begin to praise their pen with such frenzied enthusiasm that it seems as if they are selling at least a Harry Potter magic wand, which, with proper skill, will fulfill any desire. Do not overdo it - remember WHAT you want to implement and, most importantly, TO WHOM. It is better to start a dialogue with an acquaintance - introduce yourself and ask how to contact a hypothetical buyer. If he called himself Ivan Ivanovich, then you should not be familiar and say: “Vanya, well, you need this pen, it’s a lamp and a hit of the season!”.
Talented salespeople know that customer focus is key to success, so it's important to figure out what the customer wants and lacks. Carefully examine the pen you plan to sell. What is she? Expensive or cheap? Does he write well? Find out everything you can: imagine that you are Sherlock Holmes, and the pen is evidence at the crime scene. And then... don't be fooled. Needless to say, the pen, the red price of which is ten rubles on a market day, will serve for many years.
Important: the presentation of the goods, as a rule, is done on the basis of the identified consumer needs. No complications - offer what people want to receive. A simple and effective way to close a deal. Suppose you find out that the interlocutor writes a lot, then offer him to buy a spare pen - what if at the most crucial moment his writing tool runs out of ink? So after all, you can not sign an important contract. If a person works all day at a computer, not needing a pen and not having one at all, then tell me that an inexpensive and ordinary pen will be very useful to him, since different situations may arise - what if you need to write a note?
Work with objections
Of course, we are talking about a test sale of a pen at an interview. Consequently, the transaction simply cannot be completed smoothly - you will be objected to. Actively or not, but these will be objections that need to be dealt with competently and effectively. Usually potential buyers say that they already have a good pen, so they simply do not need a new one. What to do?
Agree that a pen is far from an eternal thing, you can forget it at home or drop it in the car, and in the end you simply won’t find it in your pocket at a crucial moment. But there is a way out - the second handle, the third, the fourth ... Try to convince the client by adding heavy artillery - tell us about discounts, promotions, etc. Today only: two pens for the price of one and a free pencil!
Make a deal
Chickens are counted in the fall, which means do not rejoice ahead of time. It is very important not to spoil everything at the last moment, rushing to stamped phrases about quality material and amazing ink. You should not exaggerate, because such a deception is easy to uncover: a couple of leading questions will lead the client to understand that they are fooling him, passing off ash for gold.
How to sell a pen at an interview - sales examples
Asking to sell a pen at an interview is so popular today that it's hard to imagine those employers who have not used such a test. And this "subject" excitement arose after the release of the film "The Wolf of Wall Street", where a similar dialogue was presented. The hero suggests the most obvious way - to create a need and satisfy it. The meaning is the following:
You have won a trip to Paris! Fill in the form.
But I don't have a pen...
- Selling.
That is, the solution to the problem is being sold. Let's look at a few examples of dialogues where enterprising applicants will try to find a new owner for a ballpoint pen.
Example #1
A standard dialogue based on the sales stages listed above:
– Hello! My name is Lyubov Vasilyeva, I am a representative of the Pens in Pocket company. Tell me how can I contact you?
– Good afternoon, I’m Ekaterina.
- Ekaterina, are you a business person? Perhaps, in the process of work and negotiations, you often have to take notes?
- Yes, but I gave up pens a long time ago, I write down everything in notes on the phone.
– Of course, it is very convenient. However, what will you do if your phone suddenly runs out of battery? Technique can fail at any moment, and what if there is a need to sign important documents?
- Yes, somehow I didn’t think about it ... Well, there simply haven’t been such cases so far.
But such a situation can arise at any moment. You've been lucky so far, but as a business person, you just can't rely on your phone alone. I suggest you buy a regular and inexpensive pen that will help you out at a crucial moment if the phone sits down or you simply forget it at home.
- How much it costs? Maybe the game is not worth the candle?
– The pen is absolutely standard, comfortable and writes well. It costs mere pennies - only 100 rubles.
- Oh, come on, let it be ...
- Fine. You will not regret it. Would you like to buy a diary in addition to the pen? They are currently 20% off.
- Yes, it would be logical, not to write on the knee. Let's have him too.
Once you have agreed in principle to buy a pen, try to sell related products. Without a doubt, this will significantly increase your rating in the eyes of the future leader.
Example #2
When selling a pen at an interview, you can go the opposite way - lead a person to the need to sign something. But a similar option is suitable in the case when the only pen was given to the applicant for the test:
- Yuri, do you often use ordinary ballpoint pens?
No, I'm a photographer. All I need, I just take pictures.
- Perhaps a pen will be useful to you to write down the phone of a pretty model? I can offer you a beautiful pen - elegant and with bright ink.
“I’ll need a notepad for it too.”
- We have a huge selection of notebooks for every taste and budget. Would you like to see?
- No, no, I already have a lot of things needed for work. I just have nowhere to stick a notepad.
- Yuri, you are such a famous photographer ... I have been dreaming of getting to your photo session for a long time.
- This can be easily arranged. Here's your business card. I just have the opportunity to shoot next weekend at three in the afternoon.
- Wonderful, thank you. Just could you write me the time on the back of the business card? And then the memory fails.
- I don't have a pen.
So I sell pens.
- Okay, sell me one.
Example #3
Sometimes everything is easier than it seems, especially if you approach the issue with humor and minimal knowledge of psychology. An employer can be trapped if you correctly place accents in a conversation. For example, a potential boss hands you his expensive pen and asks you to sell it:
– Ivan Ivanovich, are you sure you don’t need this pen?
“You just didn’t understand the purpose of the task. You need to sell it to me, make a deal.
“So I can keep the pen for myself?”
“Of course not, it’s just a test.
“Ah… You want me to sell it to you?”
- Yes, yes, that's right!
- Excellent. I sell. A thousand rubles and your pen!
The interlocutor himself says “yes”, expressing a desire to buy a pen, which means that further persuasion is simply not needed. What for? If a person is already ready to buy. Just keep in mind that this method is suitable when you are given a really worthwhile pen - nominal or branded.
Example #4
A good option when selling a pen in an interview is to offer something unique that suits the client's needs. For instance:
- Good afternoon, Nikolai Petrovich. My name is Vasily Lokhankin, I am a representative of the company "We write beautifully."
- Hello.
– You are a businessman, do you often have to use ordinary pens?
Yes, I sign contracts.
Are you satisfied with the quality of the pens you write with?
- Oh sure.
Perhaps you are missing something? Our pens will definitely not disappoint you.
- Things are good. Your pens are probably expensive ... We have a front yard at work, everyone goes back and forth all the time, pens are carried away. Sometimes a dozen disappear in a day.
“It is, of course, an unfortunate situation. But there is a solution. We can offer a special innovative pen with an electronic label - if it disappears from your table at a distance of more than 10 meters, then after 5 minutes it will start beeping and will continue until it is returned to its place.
- Oh, wow! For a long time I wanted to play a trick on my colleagues. I'll take two.
Features of selling a pencil and phone at an interview
Of course, not always at the interview, the candidate is offered to sell a pen. It can be anything - a phone, a pencil, a laptop ... However, it does not matter for the employer what they will try to present, because the test is necessary to assess the professional qualities of the applicant. Someone is lost immediately and does not even want to try, perceiving the situation as absurd. However, Russian sayings remind that "to be afraid of wolves - do not go into the forest." Do you want a new and high paying job? Show yourself.
By selling a phone or a pencil, show that you are a stress-resistant, creative and competent employee who understands the stages of selling goods and services. It should be understood that a deal is not always concluded, your interlocutor may refuse to purchase, but this does not mean at all that you have not completed the task.
Summing up
Selling a pen at an interview is easy if you understand the main rule of marketing - you need to focus on the needs of the client, offer a specific solution to the problem. People want to make their life easier, buy a dream, not some product.
Listen to the interlocutor, ask him. After analyzing the information received, it is not difficult to come up with an effective strategy that allows you to make a deal. Don't hide your sense of humor if you have one, because recruiters have already heard a lot of formulaic phrases about how durable the material of the pen they sell is and how its blue color matches their eyes or trousers. Originality and respect will help you get a position, and then ... everything is in your hands - you will have to get to know your colleagues and start “selling pens”.
Sell me that pen—that’s the kind of question that new applicants get to interview. This is a standard technique that is very effective. Within a minute or two, a recruiting agent (well, or who conducts interviews there?) will be able to understand whether the candidate is suitable. People's reactions to this question are as follows:
- The first category of people are lost and do not understand what to do. They were caught off guard and have no idea what to say or how to sell this fucking pen (sorry for the jargon).
- The second category of candidates is using type template expressions: this is a very good pen that will never let you down. The ink is of high quality, the pen itself is of high quality and reliable! Buy it and you won't regret it for sure.
- The third category is creative and creative individuals who eventually get a job. Their answers to questions like “sell me a pen” are unconventional and original. They make even the most experienced recruiting agents who have heard a variety of versions admire.
A simple example?
Understand the essence: in order to sell a pen to a person, first of all, he must be motivated to buy, i.e. you should be willing to buy it. Here is a simple example:
- sell me this pen (a recruitment agent will tell you and at the same time he will definitely offer his pen - you will have to sell it);
(here you need to motivate him to buy)
- Okay. Will you give me your autograph? (tell you)
- Yes, but I don’t have a pen (the interlocutor will answer. He gave it to you, after all).
- then buy mine (you will answer and offer the subject of trade).
Your interlocutor will have no choice but to buy a pen, because he promised to give you an autograph.
Here is a simple example - a video from the wonderful film "The Wolf of Wall Street" (I recommend watching it):
It is this method that is very effective at the moment, but in reality, sooner or later it will become hackneyed.
Another example of selling a pen at an interview
The big boss was recruiting a young man. As expected, he asked to sell him a pen. This was a very cool pen (most likely a valuable gift), expensive and with a gold lining.
The candidate naturally agreed. He tried to praise her and offer her in various ways to the boss, but he refused, explaining his position by the fact that he already had a pen.
- well, if you don’t want to buy, you don’t need to, - the young man answered;
- you quickly gave up, - the chief answered;
- then it's time for me to leave (gets up and leaves), - the candidate answers;
- wait!, - the chief shouts - you have to give me my pen;
Yeah, I see you've changed your mind. You're in luck, I already agree to sell the pen at half price;
Stop joking, I need my pen! Get her back now. Otherwise, I'll call the guards;
- take it. But keep in mind: I was able to motivate you - the young man answered, gave the pen and left.
The boss thought for a while and realized that this was the best candidate he had ever interviewed. Later, it was he who got the job.
Instead of conclusions
In order to sell a pen at an interview, you need to motivate the interlocutor to buy. The easiest way to do this is to ask for an autograph or do as the young man did. There is no point in praising her corny - this is not what recruiting agents are waiting for. Preference is given to people who were able to show creativity and ingenuity.
If you were asked at an interview to sell a pen, and you don’t know what to do, it doesn’t matter. There have been times when experienced managers who have worked in VIP category car dealerships, just like you, were lost in their task to sell such a small and insignificant stationery item. Below is information that will help you gain courage and tell you how to sell a pen in an interview. After all, it is the composure and confident behavior that the employer expects from you when he asks for this unexpected favor.
Sales is a complex technique that must combine a complex of technical and psychological methods. If you are applying for the position of a manager or other employee whose duties include selling, you must certainly combine the appropriate personal qualities and special skills. When selling a pen at an interview, the employer looks at how creative and able you are to carry out your direct duties.
When an employer tells you “sell me a pen”, this is a specific test that helps to tell about the 4 skills of an applicant that are needed for a vacant position: the ability to collect and analyze information, convey an offer to a client and make requests.
A pen as a way to pass an interview
Criteria for evaluating an applicant for a position
- Knowledge of persuasion techniques. Each sale is divided into logical stages, when such a good applicant for the position will smoothly and confidently go through the entire chain of this cycle.
- The accuracy of the study of the goods and the tactics of preparing for the sale. At this stage, the product should be studied in detail.
- Conduct. The job seeker must be clear and confident when conducting a fake sale. Additionally, the ability to use body language is considered.
- Ability to collect the necessary information from the client. To do this, the employer looks at how the applicant asks open-ended questions (how, who, what, where and when).
- Ability to build trusting relationships with clients.
- Good product presentation. When evaluating this item, it is important to describe the properties of the item necessary for the customer to make a purchase and the benefits that your buyer can receive. The ability to respond to objections, as well as a clear definition by the applicant of the needs of the intended buyer. Evaluation of the work with objections should be carried out by the applicant as an additional opportunity to learn more about the needs of the client.
- The ability to bring the sale to the stage of its completion, as well as the proposal of additional conditions.
- In some cases, the originality and creativity of the applicant's actions are evaluated. Especially if the vacancy for a sales manager is open in a large company or in an organization that sells non-standard goods.
Let's figure out what needs to be done and how to act correctly if suddenly you were given the task to sell nothing more than a pen.
- Before you start selling, pay attention to some details, such as how the product looks, how expensive it is, possible brand, etc. Don't be afraid to speak your thoughts out loud. For example: “in front of me is a ballpoint pen, quite heavy in weight, which opens and closes at the touch of a button, the name of the Parker company is written on one of the sides.” Such an approach will allow you to be assessed by the employer as a person who knows how to think competently.
- If you are overwhelmed with excitement, ask for 2-3 minutes to think. This will help you calm down and make the right sales arguments.
- In 90% of cases, the situation with the sale of stationery will be a win-win if you follow the classic sales scheme (more on this can be read below). The employer will always appreciate the knowledge of technology.
- Be sure to study the needs of the client and ask him the appropriate questions, on the basis of which you can build a personally advantageous offer.
- When selling, try not to give false information. If the price of a pen is only 5 rubles, you should not impose information about its brand. And in case you have a chance to sell a more expensive copy, you should not underestimate its price.
- When talking with a client, do not forget about non-verbal communication. Make eye contact, smile if the situation requires it.
- Let your opponent hold the product and try it out.
How to impress in an interview
Stages of selling a pen
There are two ways to sell a pen in an interview: using traditional sales methods or using more creative techniques. The sales style chosen depends on the personality of the employee tasked with hiring the manager. If you see a conservative and strict person in front of you, it is better to demonstrate to him knowledge of classical methods and possession of them. For this case, a step-by-step algorithm for selling such a small and insignificant, but important when checking the ability to evaluate a candidate for a position by his selling qualities, is described below in detail and with examples.
Acquaintance first
Before proceeding with the sale, introduce yourself to the employer and ask for his name. It doesn't matter if you've already met at the beginning of the interview. In the future, it is recommended to address the interlocutor exactly as he called himself (if by name and patronymic - call him by his first and patronymic, if only by name - it is recommended to call him by his full name).
Example: Hello. My name is Andrey. I am a representative of the Pen Production company. How can you be contacted?
Find out the needs of the interlocutor. Determine the client's preferences through a chain of questions that encourage dialogue or those that can be answered in the affirmative.
Dialogue example:
Anton Alexandrovich, I want to make you a tempting offer, but first I need to ask you something:
- If you pay attention to your business appearance, is it possible to conclude that you work a lot with documentation?
- What, in your opinion, related items of a business person can affect his prestige?
- In what way do you prefer to note down the main points and contact information for important conversations?
- Do you use your notebook regularly?
- How many people come to you daily?
present the goods
By asking questions at the previous stage, you need to draw the appropriate conclusions and present the product in accordance with the answers received by the prospective client. Focus not on the pen itself, but on the opportunities and conveniences that it will give to your opponent when buying.
Thank you, Anton Alexandrovich. Especially for you I would like to offer:
- A handy pen that will help you capture the necessary information.
- A fallback option that will help out if your main pen suddenly runs out of ink.
- A brand copy that will emphasize your high status in business negotiations with partners
- Another standard pen, one of those that other employees always accidentally take with them, etc.
Work through the objections of the prospective client. Of course, the opponent just will not give up and will interfere. At this moment, it is necessary to correctly refute all his doubts and direct the lack of desire to conclude a deal in a positive direction.
How to convince a recruiter
Typical example: I already use the pen and it meets all my requirements and expectations.
The above statement can be answered as follows:
This is natural, because you would not keep a pen that did not suit you. However, if your valuable copy stops writing at the most crucial moment, it will be at least as inconvenient, to say nothing of the impossibility of fixing information that will be useful to you in further solving important matters. Therefore, I recommend buying from me another, inexpensive pen. She will help you out in such an unpleasant moment. I also always have more than one pen with me and it helps me a lot.
Give supporting arguments that motivate your opponent to sell. These may be additional favorable conditions for the purchase.
Examples:
- If you buy a pen during this day, I can give you a 25% discount.
- Each of my buyers becomes a contender for owning a car.
- When you purchase this pen, you will receive a discount card that will help you in the future to purchase the goods you need in our company at a bargain price.
- I only have 2 pens left at the lowest price. The rest I will have to sell more expensive.
Cross-selling at the end of a deal
When the customer is mature, close the sale and be sure to offer them a related product.
Examples:
- Each pen buyer today has a unique opportunity to get a stapler and a set of paper clips at a 15% discount;
- You buy one pen, or take 2 more remaining ones, you can give the extra one to a colleague for a holiday that is very close.
Interview
Say goodbye to the buyer
Express your gratitude to him for the purchase and try to keep in touch with him for future sales:
Anton Alexandrovich, thanks for the purchase. When I have new and interesting offers for you, I will, of course, contact you. Goodbye.
With a more creative employer (which can be identified by the way you smile and joke), it's better to resort to unexpected and creative sales methods.
- Ask your employer if they need a pen. And if the answer is no, take it, say goodbye and you can leave. When you are stopped and asked to return a valuable item. Offer to sell it for a certain amount of money.
- Tell the employee that you are a devoted fan and ask for an autograph. The method works if there are no more pens on the employer's desk. Only in this case, you can offer to make a purchase so that the opponent can sign.
- If you feel that the sale is not going well, ask the interlocutor if he was able to sell the pen himself. Of course, you will be answered yes to this question, and then you can offer a good deal: buy a pen from you at a wholesale price and resell it to another person at a more solid one.
If the purchase is categorically refused: what to do
It happens that not a single argument affects your prospective client and he is firmly convinced that he does not need a pen. How to respond in this situation? Don't get lost. Offer another eraser or pencil. Most importantly, keep being confident. Follow the above scheme and you will definitely succeed. After all, perseverance and confidence are valued in sales.
Successfully selling a pen in a job interview isn't just about passing a background check. Such an insignificant victory first of all speaks of you as a good specialist. If you managed to cope with the task, then high wages will not keep you waiting long.
Going to an interview, you are preparing to “surprise” a potential boss with trite rants about your rich experience, your best sides, and your desire to grow and develop. The recruiter is well aware that for half of the applicants this is a memorized text that does not say anything, so he can stun you with a sudden task, asking you to sell a pen.
In fact, such a test for those who want to find a job was invented a good half a century ago. Let's take a closer look at how to sell a product at an interview.
Why are they asking you to make a sale?
It is worth immediately understanding that a conditional electrician, teacher or programmer is unlikely to be loaded with such questions. The need to “sell” something right at the interview most often arises for those who plan to work in the field of trade, but this test should not be taken too literally. In fact, it is not in vain that it has been in demand for fifty years - it reveals you as a person from many sides, namely:
- are you able to sell any product at all;
- what are your communication skills, how do you behave with clients;
- do you know how to get out of unexpected situations - after all, you are unlikely to be a seller of pens;
- do you understand psychology - in order for a recruiter to “buy” an item, you need to understand how to make him feel the need for it;
- do you express your thoughts clearly - you are unlikely to have a prepared speech, and this situation will show how you are with improvisation;
- are you creative and able to think abstractly - in many cases, the consumer will agree to buy even a product he does not need if you present it in an interesting or even extravagant way;
- can you control yourself in a potentially exciting situation - any excitement or confusion will interfere with the sale both at the interview and in real life.
Fundamental rules
There is no universal recipe for how to sell a pen or anything else - if your employer has already heard the story that you found somewhere on the Internet, then, of course, you will not make a strong impression. But there is a certain strategy that should theoretically help you achieve success, but it is only a “framework”, and you have to come up with the rest yourself.
Training
The first thing you need to understand is who your potential buyer is and why your product might be useful to them. Remember that your shirt is always closer to your body, so forget about a person as a cog in a large company - trying to interest him, hit his personal interests, not corporate ones.
Roughly speaking, it is not so important for a middle manager to chase the large-scale development of the entire company in which he works, but he will be much more pleased to achieve some success with his small division - this is after all a bonus, or even a promotion. Look at the root - do not focus on too global, look for the private, because it is always more important.
The emotion of a potential buyer in the form of an instant impulse can also be of key importance. If you see that a client can be surprised or hooked with something, try to hit in this particular place.
If the buyer is a group of people (on behalf of a company, for example), it is important not to address everyone at once. There must be a person in the crowd who forms and makes decisions. Sometimes these functions are divided between two representatives - then it is worth starting with the boss or senior officer. In any case, you are addressing one person - only in this way will everyone hear you.
Contact setting
Today, most business people who have the means and the ability to shop simply do not have time for unnecessary chatter, so you'll have to skip the preamble and find a way to get to the point as quickly as possible. Most sales "instructions" suggest first clicking on the problem and then suggesting a solution, for example: "You keep forgetting phone numbers and suffer from it, but if you had a good pen, you would write them down."
However, at the interview you don’t really know your opponent, and in general you can’t be sure that he has the described problem - suddenly the secretary writes down the numbers for him, and his pen is branded and very expensive.
For this reason, experts advise not to focus on the problem, especially since many do not like such introductions. By focusing on something unpleasant, you can subconsciously discourage the desire to listen, so focus more on development and perspective.
An example is a reworking of the above phrase: "Our pen delivers ink under pressure, so it writes in any position, which means you can write down important numbers wherever you are" . The client is not interested in your desire to sell him a pen, all that matters to him is the result that he will receive through the purchase.
Identification of needs
A potential consumer will shell out any amount for a product if you convince him that such a purchase can bring him significant benefits. Globally, there are only five benefits, and you must understand how the item that you sell at the interview is beneficial to your opponent. The options may be:
- money - material values in our world are considered the main means of contributing to existence and prosperity, and if you prove that the current investment pays off headlong, your pen will be bought;
- time is the one that is “money” in a well-known saying, its reserve allows you to grow in every sense or have a brighter and more productive rest, so any item that allows you to significantly save time will be in demand;
- problem solving – most consumer products are designed to solve a potential owner’s problem, and you just need to explain why your specific item will do it better than any alternatives;
- risk reduction - any ambitious person does not like his current position too much and wants to grow, but a possible worsening of the situation seems even less pleasant, so your product will be successfully sold if it becomes clear that after buying it, the risks are reduced;
- new opportunities - the above-described ambition does not always find a way out and opportunities for implementation, so the item you offer should open up new horizons and perspectives for its owner.
Presentation
Finally, with the help of visualization, you eliminate objections from the very beginning - after all, you voice a minimum of statements, allowing the audience to draw their own conclusions. Many people like to argue purely on principle, but here they simply cannot do it.
Work with objections
No matter how persuasive you are, in most cases an adequate consumer will have objections, doubts and questions with which he will try to knock the ground out from under your feet. Distrust of sellers these days is understandable - let's be honest, there are enough offers on the market for goods that are much worse than they are described. However, the presence of criticisms and tricky questions indicates that you have completed half the task - drawing attention to the item you are selling.
Working in a firm and knowing in advance what you will have to sell, you will have the opportunity to prepare by writing out likely questions in advance and thinking through the answers to them. At the interview, you are unlikely to have such an opportunity, after all, personnel officers are also not stupid - it is quite possible that they will offer you to “sell” not a pen at all. Here you will have to fight off attacks, focusing only on your own ingenuity.
Let's clarify right away that you are a self-confident person who knows exactly why his product is better than others. As soon as you show that you yourself doubt, all potential buyers will be missed.
It is clear that a sudden question can take you by surprise, but try not to show it, do not start to move out into an indistinct bleating. Even more so, do not use aggression, even if your opponent's comments look like an outright mockery of you and your product. Be prepared for tricks at least mentally. By the way, quick wits can help you get out - if you are really cornered by a question, give a compliment to the quick wits of the “enemy”, and don’t forget to think about the answer yourself in the moment won.
It is especially great if, after defeating all doubts, you also take the last trump card out of your sleeve, which will finish off the enemy. This so-called amplification of benefits is the last and most important argument that you have reserved especially for the moment when the potential buyer is already hesitant. Theoretically, it can also be a game on emotions, both positive and negative.
The first option is to indicate an additional valuable advantage that the possession of your product will provide. The second is a hint that your profitable offer is only relevant immediately, and with the slightest delay, for one reason or another, it will no longer be as valuable.
What should not be done?
The first rule of a person who presents something is Don't lose confidence in yourself and your product. You may simply not know the benefits of your product, which are quite real, but this will not be an excuse - your pen or pencil or ruler will no longer be bought if you cannot explain why it is good and why it is better than others.
Another point is peace. It is possible that your potential buyer is not the most polite person, and the personnel officer, of course, will be interested in checking you in a stressful situation, so he will easily create it for you. You can understand that they are purposefully bullying you and trying to piss you off, but you don’t need to fall for it.
Even if the attacks are clearly inadequate, you still have no right to show aggression in response - this is no longer a constructive dialogue, and in this way you will definitely not sell any thing, because even the sufferer will not want to buy a glass of water from the person who was rude to him. Be taller - show that you know the strengths of your product and you will not be offended by unreasonable distrust.
Many beginners, even those who have carefully prepared for an interview in general and such a test in particular, still fail for the simple reason that they pay too much attention to theory and completely forget about form. Communication skill is not just about speaking correctly and beautifully - sometimes your face says more than you say. At the very least, you should practice a confident smile, and you should definitely learn how to hide fear or confusion.
Naturally, even if you tell the most interesting text, they still won’t buy anything from you if the face remains boring.
Ready examples
As mentioned above, a dialogue designed to sell anything needs to be creative and with a claim to originality, but useful examples, of course, do not hurt. Let's look at some striking examples.
- You can't imagine a successful business without a phone- you, as an active person, cannot but know this. Our model has a more powerful antenna, which picks up the signal both in the elevator and in the tunnels. In addition, it is equipped with a large capacity battery - you can answer calls anytime, anywhere.
- You have probably noticed that a sedentary lifestyle is not very good for health. Morning runs are a great way to feel like a real person, but you should buy our bottle so that water is always at hand. Pay attention to the shape of the product and the color of the walls - the bottle is designed to be comfortable to hold, while it does not let in sunlight, which is why the liquid stays cool longer.
- When a person has achieved success, he can afford something unique, this is such an indicator of his own prestige. Football-loving Arab sheikhs buy entire teams for themselves, and on your way to the greatest heights, buy this square ball. None of your friends probably have this, and besides, you can sit comfortably on it.
- In past centuries, an educated person was simply obliged to see the world, otherwise he was not considered quite knowledgeable. Now this rule also works, and our travel package would help to further expand your horizons and find new foreign partners. The tour is designed for wealthy people who want comfort - we will take care of organizing the trip. The highlight of the tour is attending Elon Musk's press conference, where he will talk about how he attracted investments in his business.
- Now there is a lot of sand around you because you are in the desert, but the vacation will end and you will go home. Of course, you can take standard souvenirs as a keepsake, but they are banal and all your friends have them, and the worst thing is that they are made in China, and not here. Only the one under your feet is natural, but do not type it yourself - there are camels here, it is not a fact that it is clean. We specially sift sand from remote parts of the desert and put it into beautiful bottles.
