The Power of Carbonation

Sales Man Up

The Power of Carbonation 

One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say. - Bryant H. McGill 

Carbonation is a powerful force in life. I know this first-hand as I worked several months during a hot Florida summer, as a Route Sales Delivery person for a popular bottling/beverage company. In addition to our “NR” - non returnable plastic bottles of drinks, we also provided a fair amount of drinks in glass bottles. I recall one sweltering day in Winter Haven, FL, at a mini mart; as I loaded my four wheel dolly with about 16 cases of drinks and pushed my way up a concrete embankment towards the store. I had clearly overloaded my cart, but I was too lazy ( or efficient ?) to make two trips. Trouble came rather suddenly when I reached the glass entry door of the store , and unbeknownst to me, hit their raised threshold a little too fast. Several cases of drinks decided they didn’t want to stay on the dolly, and jumped ship, rolling down hill towards the gas pumps. It looked like an exploding Star Wars Death Star as carbonated drinks began exploding and spewing everywhere. Customers pumping gas started ducking behind their cars, and workers behind counters. I discovered that day, the power of carbonation. ( and not trying to stack too many drinks on your cart at one time )

Salespeople are carbonated also. We build up all of this information, knowledge, and energy. We get all shaken up and feel like we are about to burst as we anticipate the sale. In our nervousness, we finally get in front of the customer for a presentation and we verbally throw up ! I'm sure you've either done this or witnessed it before, and it is not a pretty sight. It sort of looks like my carbonated drink debacle in Winter Haven - facts shooting there, numbers and illustrations spewing here, all at the speed of a Cat 5 hurricane. It's sort of like blowing up a balloon and letting it go, watching it flutter back and forth across the room without direction; until all the air is gone.

I think our hope, deep down, is that we may somehow impress our prospect with our vast array of product knowledge. Unfortunately, we become like a wild shootist, firing our sales gun wildly in numerous directions, expecting somehow to hit the target. Our intent is to give the prospect something of value that will stick. Without really listening to what the client’s needs are, we can come across as someone who is simply there to razzle dazzle and close the deal. Most savvy clients see right through this tactic, and move into “shut down” mode. The force field is up, and we are locked out !

Maybe a better approach would be to show up and ask questions ? Build our case. Find out where the pain points are. Where are the problems that need to be resolved, and how could our product or service accomplish this ? What are our prospects greatest challenges , and how can we help solve them ? We need to be a problem solver not a problem causer, showing ourselves to be a consultant, not a sales mugger or assaulter. When I was young home renter, I had to use a pair of plyers to drive a nail in, but I can assure you that a hammer works much better ! If we ask and listen, the client will actually hand us the hammer and tell us where to strike. Show up, but don’t throw up. 

I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.- Ernest Hemingway