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Sell absolutely everything to anyone? - The secrets of the success of sellers. Tell Jacques Verta and Hal Becker - sellers -veterans, Grisha Andreev - a young successful seller, as well as American buyers. Author and presenter Marina Efimova. Air February 25, 1999.

Marina Efimova : This topic - the seller in America - surfaced in the American press after the new Broadway production of the old play by Arthur Miller "The Death of the Commander -in -law". In addition to discussions of artistic innovations of the performance and the causes of the long -lived play, the play also remembered the profession itself. Is a joke to say - in the USA they operate from 12 to 14 million sellers to date! Are their problems similar to the problems of the unfortunate Willy Loman, whom the company threw to the landfill as soon as luck changed him? In the 1994 documentary, Napropa, journalist David Dorsy, describes the working day of two sellers of copying cars, that is, approximately two modern Analogues of Willy Loman.

Announcer : “The day was rainy and Bruno grumbled that today they should run in turn today. Usually it was his business-he was easier to refuse. They already called twice. The secretary said that Satler was waiting for a minute. They ordered coffee in the corner eatery opposite the office of their potential buyer Satler, the manager of the company Bredfordd Communnye, ”and Fred, looking out the window, began the usual mental preparation for a decisive moment, namely, the injection of panic. It was a kind of superstition.“ In the morning I checked all the fishing rods, ”he said nervously. - Zero. Yesterday on Chiliano spent twentieth, two tape and two beer each. For the information that I provided him, I could get a master's degree. And everything is by. "" Giliano, "Bruno said," his name is Jiliano, not Chiliano. "Fred missed the amendment." You don’t have to explain, "he continued," that "Bredford Communies" is our last hope? It's time to call so that Sandler does not wash off on the lunch. "" Satler! - said Bruno. His name is Satler! "" I know their name! - Freds yelled, - I call them so because I don’t like them. "" Call! "Standing next to Bruno, Fred heard how the secretary said that Satler came and left again. Suddenly she added:" Minute, you are from ZIROKS? Here is an assignment for you. Where is it? "" Lord, - thought Fred, - why didn’t I go to study a computer scientist? "At that time, a truck drove along the street and drowned out sounds. Fred stuck his eyes into Bruno's face, he said something, hung up and a clown smiled. They walked under the pouring rain to the car, sat down, slammed and only started to scream on the shoulders and clap each other and clap each other and clap each other and clap each other. Sing with bad voices. "

Marina Efimova : The seller-veteran Jacques Vert, author of the book “High probability” and a coach at the training courses of sellers, take part in our program today. Mr. Vert, from the documentary passage that we listened, it is clear that the sellers work under terrible stress and, it seems, some regrets that he has chosen such a profession.

Jacques Vert : For many sellers, this is so, because with ordinary methods accepted in the USA, sellers work for wear. That is why we teach people not only in a completely different method, but also to another principle of work. I called it a “high probability method” - not to waste time on all buyers in a row, but only on those who want and can buy your product. So we train not only beginners, but also those experienced sellers who do not enjoy their work. We teach them the method more successful and less nervous.

"The ability to sell is a science, and not just the charm and character of the merchant"

Marina Efimova : Minute! I remember how one day I went mistakenly in a very expensive furniture store. And the seller, barely looking at my coat, said: "I'm afraid our prices are not for you." And went to another buyer. Honestly, I felt a spatched. Is this, is there a "high probability method"? It turns out that this seller has come correctly in terms of trading efficiency?

Jacques Vert : No, he made a big mistake. He could not know anything about you without talking to you. Many years ago I was a manager in a construction and repair company. Once, an ancient rusty truck stopped at our parking lot, a broken out of it, went into the office and asked how much it would be possible to repair an old two-story house in the style of the Cape code. I replied that I had to send a master who should make an estimate.

Juk-Joint and a gas station in the area of cotton fields. Melrose (Louisiana). 1940. Photo Marion Post Wolcott (1910–1990)

The man gave the address of the house and said that he would come in a week. My master did not want to spend time on evaluation, because it was visible - this person does not have money for lunch, not like repairs. But still went. Exactly a week later, this man returned, I informed him that the repair would cost two thousand dollars. The rabble nodded, took out two thousand in cash from his pocket and said: "I will pay ahead, I trust you." It turned out that he owned hundreds of houses, which he gradually rebuilt and sold. Such was an eccentric - he loved to test people for democraticity. By the way, he became our best client.

Marina Efimova : I understand that every seller has such a legend. By the way, if you remember, in the novel by Arthur Haley, the Hotel heroine, an assistant to the manager of a huge hotel, took care of the old man who was stuffed into a tiny room without air conditioning, and then it turned out that this old man was a new hotel owner. But the probability of such a miracle is still very small. How should the seller behave when a really inappropriate, poor buyer approaches him?

Jacques Vert : He should ask: "What are you interested in?" Suppose bookshelves. Here he should say: "We have them at a price of $ 600 and above. Will such a price suit you?" You would say: "No, I had in mind something cheaper." And he must say to this: "It is a pity that I could not help you, but thanks anyway that you turned to us." It often happens that poor people will save money for a long time and then buy some expensive toy-good furniture or car.

And then, today you are poor, and a year later - rich. If the seller had not offended you, you could return to this store. It is good that people are not attached to the profession for life, because most people on the first attempt to fail. In our profession, this is about eighty percent. Unfortunately, the seller’s profession is often the first attempt, so we have many sellers who do not understand what they do, do not know the goods that they sell, do not like their work and only wait for them to turn up something else. But before leaving, they will upset and offend dozens of people and do more or less harm to their employer.

Marina Efimova : That's what another veteran of trade adds, the author of the book “Put me five minutes” Hal Becker.

Hal Becker : If you practice the wrong time all the time, you can bring an error to perfection. Most of the sellers, retail merchants, salesmen always speak themselves instead of asking the buyer and finding out what he needs. Most sellers only praise their goods, instead of being a kind of doctor. The doctor, taking the patient, first of all listens to the patient. The ability to sell is a science, and not just the charm and character of the merchant.

Marina Efimova : Mr. Vert, still often say that the seller needs to be born, you need to have some innate magnetism, cunning, perseverance, so as not to say perseverance.

Jacques Vert : No, I do not agree with this. A big mistake to think that people buy goods from those sellers that they like. There are even serious university research on this subject. They compiled a list of reasons why people buy from one seller and do not buy from another. The list showed that for the most part people buy from those sellers whom they trust. If such, of course, will be able to find. But this is so rare that usually people choose the smallest of all evils. The second incentive reason for the buyer is respect for the seller, his responsibility, obligation, awareness. Third is the reputation of the manufacturer. And finally, a fair price. And sympathy for the seller is in this list in thirteenth place.

"... a mistake to think that people buy goods from those sellers they like"

Marina Efimova : Mr. Becker, is there a certain universally recognized code of merchant’s behavior, ethical norms in the USA?

Hal Becker : Perhaps, there are no more clear criteria for working ethics have doctors, lawyers, accountants. Some standards of working ethics tried to create an Association of Managers in the field of trade and marketing, but so far nothing has happened. There are no norms of behavior, which would be guided by professional merchants, there is not even a criterion by which one could judge who the professional and who is an amateur. You know, every merchant assures that he is an honest person, and in a movie or on television he is usually depicted by a deceiver, a crook. And often it is. But if the merchant represents a large company that values its reputation, then its representative will be punished for deception, up to dismissal.

Marina Efimova : A bright and plausible example of a rather harmless crook is shown in the modern film comedy about America of the 50s "tin people." Two characters of the film, sellers of the company for the manufacture of aluminum walls of the walls, conduct a trick called "Life" "Life". " In the afternoon, when husbands are usually at work, they look closely in the suburbs of a private house without casing, install a camera on the lawn in front of the house and begin to pretend to be chosen for filming. The restless mistress comes out and our funny crooks willingly explain to her:

- Sorry if you were worried! We prepare for the Life magazine an advertisement for houses with aluminum casing. Do you know how to do this? Two photos: one - before, one - after. Your house will demonstrate the view to the skin, and the other house will be with a skin, very similar to yours, but only much more beautiful.

- Yes, you are crazy! - shouts the hostess, - We hold Life magazine on a coffee table! What will the guests say? Listen, can you rent my house for a photo after? I beg you! How much does it cost?

- What? Ah, sheathing? Yes, I don't even know. It seems within the available. But will we have time? We have no time at all. Is there a free seller tonight. How much does your husband come back?

And in the evening, when the husband in horror repeats the number of $ 3700 called the seller, his wife shouts at him: "Honey, but we will be on the cover of Life magazine!"

In the song from the musical "Suini Todd", which we chose for our transfer, the seller of the hair elixir tells the crowd Zevak as a whole ballad about how all his hair once got out and he would have to hide the rest of his days with a miserable, hairless freak if the Savior named Pirellley had not appeared and did not give him a magical dedication, from which he had for a month from him. The head of new curly hair grew up to the head.

This pastoral folklore crook -combination - a typical, classic sample of the seller - has gone the past. Who replaced him in popular opinion? About this - the report of Rai Weil.

Raya Vail : In the Ikea store, selling European furniture and all sorts of things for the home, everything is adapted for the convenience of buyers - there is a cafe, and a dining room, and even special halls for games with children. You won’t have time to look around how the day goes. Then I talked with a married couple. What sellers they like and which ones - no?

Husband : I do not like too aggressive, too annoying. All that I need from the seller is courtesy and knowledge of my work, so that in which case it can give a consultation. For this, by the way, I pay money.

"Here, too, everything depends on a person. One is conscientious, he will not say what is not, but the other does not give a damn ..."

Raya Vail : Did it happen that they were deceived when buying? The husband laughs: they say, you won’t deceive him, the main thing is to know exactly what and how much you want to buy for.

Wife : In reality, a lot depends on where and what you buy. In the supermarket, for example, sellers are sitting on a salary, there can be a computer at the cash desk there, but sellers of houses, car dealers who receive salaries and commission, these, of course, climb out of the skin to sell more. They earn well on us.

Raya Vile : The husband tried to object, but his wife reminded how he overpaid a lot of years ago for a used car.

Husband : Well, everyone has car stories. Here, too, everything depends on a person. One is conscientious, he will not say what is not, but the other does not give a damn about you, for him this is a game, and if he won, he feels at a height.

Raya Vail : Yuri Volkogonov - a former sailor, and now - the curator of the Museum of Modern Russian Art in Jersey City - spends six months in Russia, and six months in America.

Yuri Volkogonov : There were probably cases with everyone. And by the way, one interesting mise-en-scene was connected with New York. When I almost had no money left in one of the visits two years ago, I, wandering, went to the Italian store selling electronics. Seeing that my video camera was hanging, they began to impose some attributes to her.

- I have everything.

- But is there a wide -angle lens?

- But there is no lens.

- But there is a good lens for 750 bucks.

- Guys, I have much less left, I fly away the day after tomorrow.

- Okay, then especially for you for 350 bucks.

- No, I don’t even have this amount. And to such an extent, the lens is not needed. - Well, come on for 300? For 250? For 150? For 100?

I have already begun to fluctuate internally. Then the bar reached 80, and when I said that it was not necessary for 80, the seller says to his colleague:

- Listen, he doesn’t need it for 80! Why did he come here? Well, come on for 80? And two more video cassettes as a gift.

What, as a rule, does not have enough sellers working in Russia is attention to the client. Often you feel like some kind of petitioner come to the store, not a respected person, as here, to whom they rush or at least from afar catch some signs for help.

Raya Vile : In the center of Manhattan, on the 34th street, a woman with a huge number of packages is waiting for a bus at the store. The name is Selina Livingston, 32 years old.

Selina Livingston : I am the seller myself. This is a good, respected profession, I personally would not exchange it for any other. And the earnings are decent. That sellers sometimes resort to tricks, this is normal. Sometimes they do it consciously, and sometimes ... Well, what to demand from them? They are the same people as everyone, and people make mistakes.

"... it's nice when people recommend you. It cannot be advertising better"

Marina Efimova : Let's get back to a conversation with Jacques Vert. I understand that sellers earn very differently, but to what extent? Say, car sellers.

Jacques Vert : The average car seller earns from 20 to 30 thousand dollars a year.

Marina Efimova : This is a little.

Jacques Vert : No, but the best sellers earn 4-5 times more than average-200-300 thousand per year, but there are those that earn a million.

Marina Efimova : But what cost! A wonderful and rather terrible film about real estate agents was created by director James Fouley based on David Mamet's play "Glengarry Glen Ross", which received the Pulitzer Prize. The fact is that sellers of expensive goods do not live on a salary, which is really negligible, but for commission from sales. Therefore, as in the documentary passage from which we started the transfer, each transaction is vital for such sellers. But even if such a seller wants to give himself a break, he will not allow him to do this his employer, the company he works for. The film shows such an inspecting visit to the best seller of the company on one of its lagging trading offices.

“Coffee in place! Coffee - for those who conclude transactions! I represent the company Mitch -end -measure and my visit is a mission of mercy. I have good and bad news. Good news - you are all fired. Poor news - the company gives you a week to get out. You call yourself sellers, but you really come to you? сюда на "Хондах", а я на 80-тысячном "БМВ"! И скоро вы будете сидеть в барах без работы и бормотать: "И я когда-то был продавцом, это вам не фунт изюма". Мое имя? Видите эти часы? Они стоят больше, чем машины, на которых вы приехали. Это и есть мое имя! А ваше? Хороший человек? Да плевать я хотел! Хороший отец? Идите играйте со своими детьми! Я заработал For this year 970 thousand dollars!

Seller of lottery tickets. New York, Manhattan. Photo Mike Seger/Reuters

Marina Efimova : Mr. Verta, does this scene look like the truth or is it an exaggeration?

Jacques Vert : this happens. True, in a solid, respected company, managers would not get away with such stiffness and rudeness. But the fact of the matter is that in America, such impudent firms selling some expensive goods constantly arise and disappear. In this film, for example, they sell land in the resort area. Such firms are in a hurry to sell the goods as quickly as possible until complaints began to arrive on them, and when people realize, they have already caught a trace. But we, for example, have no cases with such agencies, our success is based on the honesty and reliability of sellers.

Марина Ефимова : С одним таким продавцом я познакомилась в маленьком пенсильванском городке. Вот уже второй год он является лучшим продавцом в компьютерном отделе огромного магазина "Сирс". Зовут его Гриша Андреев, ему 23 года. Я спросила его, в чем секрет успеха продавца.

Гриша Андреев : Самые удачливые продавцы обычно люди, которые слушают покупателя, потом находят наиболее подходящий продукт, потом предлагают ему этот продукт. Самое главное – все, что нужно сделать, это спросить: "Хотите ли это купить?" Если не спрашивать, то в 90 процентов случаев никто не купит. Все, что нужно сделать в конце презентации, это спросить: "Хотите это купить?" И обычно люди покупают. Очень простая работа.

Марина Ефимова : Гриша, наверное, в маленьком городке есть своя специфика работы продавца?

Гриша Андреев : Самое главное - пытаться превратить покупателей в клиентов, людей, которые не просто покупают, а возвращаются постоянно к тебе, потому что если что-то не так делаешь, то в маленьком городке об этом все узнают.

Марина Ефимова : Наверное, приятно, когда люди тебя узнают на улице?

Гриша Андреев : Особенно приятно, когда люди рекомендуют. Лучше не может быть рекламы.

Марина Ефимова : Но Гриша зарабатывает в год не 900 тысяч, а всего 25. И опять приходит на память Вилли Ломан, герой бессмертной пьесы "Смерть коммивояжёра". В статье, посвященной нынешним продавцам, журналистка Лесли Кауфман пишет, что проблема Ломана все еще злободневна в Америке. "Отношение к успеху, цена, которую мы за него готовы платить, трагическое восприятие неуспеха. Конечно, в образе Вилли Ломана важно не то, что он продавец, а то, что он воплощенное крушение американской мечты об успехе и богатстве. Но то, что он продавец, - пишет Кауфман, - кажется не случайным, потому что именно в этой профессии человек становится лицом к лицу с этим выбором: обмануть, обдурить, задавить и преуспеть - или остаться честным и благородным, даже ценой неудачи". И эта дилемма все еще остаётся одной из самых сложных в культуре, которая ставит успех во главу угла.