I spent yesterday driving up 95 and visiting roofing distributors to try to sell them tools. This will be the 18th year I’ve done this. Pre Google Maps days, when my dad and I would do them together, JC would remember the route he took when he did his sales trips in the 80’s and it would be a great day if we arrived at the right store. These days you look up a few places ahead of time, plot them in Google, and then follow the route. I saw 8 different distributors yesterday and it’s funny how I view these visits today vs when I did them as an inexperienced salesman.
The big difference today is I know what I’m selling and I understand the value. Unless the person I’m talking to can understand this as well, there’s no point trying to convince them. Meaning that the people behind the counter are guys making a living at a billion dollar company earning a paycheck. You can’t convince them to care about their job. They have to want to help you, help their customers. This is rare. It creates a more laid back attitude on my approach where it’s a take it or leave it. I know my tool’s good, we got a deal or not?
In White Plains, NY, I went inside an office that had more Giants paraphernalia then I’ve ever seen. Have you seen a Mark Bavaro poster? We’d done business before with this company, so it was hardly a cold call, but this 80 year old man invited me to sit down and we shot the shit for 10 minutes. It never would have happened this way in my 20’s because we talked about the industry as 2 guys who have lived it for a long time. Him far longer. The important part was that I didn’t care if I sold him any product. I don’t need his business. With no pressure, you try to have fun and it tends to work out better.
Which brings me to the Mohegan Sun, a beautiful casino on an Indian Reservation, waiting for a trade show that I thought was today, but is actually tomorrow. Whoops. Either way, I’ll make the most of the day finding a few worthwhile activities around the area. It’s nice to get out every once in a while changing up the routine. Is this even legal?
Did you hit “submit” before you were finished”? I was expecting more.