The Process, Part 5
National Historic Landmark for a home and the 100 year old windows are of fitted
stained glass and are quite wonderful. But he has been told this is a “window lead” and
so he will destroy your love for your windows and sell you new ones. Nice new white
framed plastic ones that might not last ten years.
One of the first steps is to get some kind of agreement between you. He’ll say
something like: “I’d like to do four things today. I’d like to tell you about our company
and I’d like to tell you about our products. Then I’d like to have us all decide which of
those products fit with your needs. Finally, I’d like to find a way to help us make those
products affordable for you. If we do those four things together today then I’ll be asking
for your business today. Is that fair? “
And he will then offer his hand to shake hands with you. Don’t do it. Accidentally
sneeze into your hand. Avoid this man.
Usually he will start with a picture presentation about his company. That presentation
will be the same one he has given a thousand times, five thousand times, ten thousand
times.
He has practiced it in front of the mirror / his wife. He has practiced it in front of his dog
if he has one (really, he has practiced it in front of his dog). This is where he builds
value in the product he is selling you. No other company on earth has the honesty and
reputation of his company. Trust him.
Because this is so tough a business, the turnover is quite high.
You will discover that only the truly heartless can survive for
long as a home improvement salesman.
Some of the salesmen you might see are therefore new at the business. In some cases,
these salesman will bring a sales presentation video tape with them. Rather than
making key portions of the initial presentation himself he will use that glossy video to do
it for him. With some companies the host of this video is the company president.
If you ask the salesman if he has a video presentation to show you and he says that it
exists but that he doesn’t use it, then you’ve got an expert and you almost need to call
911 right now to save yourself.
Grand Larceny is in the air and you are about to breathe its very distilled vapors.
The salesman will be kind and generous and easy going. He will
take all the time you need to understand what he is presenting
to you. You will like him and you will trust
him
