Welcome back to The Worst Saleswoman’s ramblings, where I normally talk through the ‘do’s’ in sales, but today we’ll actually talk through a big ‘don’t’ encounter I recently had. I may be a tad judgmental as a salesperson, but there’s an undeniable amusement in encountering salespeople who boast about their prowess while simultaneously falling short in the art of selling.

For the sake of this particularly large national gym, I won’t mention the name, but this will be their first location in my city a block from where I live. As someone who long ago worked in a gym, I understand the goal is to sign up as many people as possible, however, there are fundamental sales techniques that will always work better for the masses than others. So let’s jump in!

Transactional Tunnel Vision Intro

To set the scene, picture an empty parking lot, building under construction, a pop up trailer, and a branded a tent. Before we could even exchange pleasantries, our sales representative launched her opening: “Hey! What kind of rate are you looking for?” It was a classic case of tunnel vision, a sales approach that prioritizes the sale over understanding the customer’s needs.

In my previous blog post, we talked through the idea that it’s okay to hear a ‘no.’ However, this introduction not only skipped the niceties but also confined the conversation to a transactional space. Instead of finding out what we needed to know, she was determined to fulfill her goal of signing us up for a membership. A good salesperson, on the other hand, would have taken the time to understand our concerns and tailor their pitch accordingly.

If we dissect this Intro tactic to pro’s and con’s:
– Pro: She can understand if we are price-shopping, as the neighboring gym’s are either equally priced or much more expensive & she can sell us on the price.
– Con: In the mind of the consumer, why might I be looking to learn about a gym that doesn’t exist yet? Regardless if I am paying more or the same I might be looking for convenience to home or work, amenities that my current gym doesn’t have etc. If I were potentially looking to find a cheaper membership there are currently those options open and available.

So, not a deal-breaker opening, but it doesn’t necessarily make the sale go any quicker by jumping to pay.

The Boastful Monologue

As the conversation unfolded, it quickly became apparent that our sales representative was more interested in boasting about her nationwide conquests for the company. While I can appreciate the company’s perspective in hiring someone to maximize sign-ups, it left us in the dark about the unique selling points of this particular gym.

The essence of a successful sale lies in the ability to articulate why a product or service is valuable to the customer. A good salesperson should be a storyteller, weaving the features of the product into a narrative that resonates with the customer’s needs and desires. Instead, her self-aggrandizing pitch missed the mark entirely, leaving us thinking one of two things:
1. We’ll just wait until the gym opens to take a peak at it
2. Even though signing up at this gym would solve two pain points that she never uncovered (it would be cheaper and a mere walk from our house than our current gym), we were not sold

Lazy Follow-Up Tactics

We openly offered our information so she could send us details about a grand opening, rates, etc. and surprisingly, she declined the offer and insisted on giving me her card instead. It felt lazy and reinforced the notion that her approach was centered around her convenience rather than genuine customer engagement.

The missed opportunity here was significant. Opting for a passive card exchange sent a message of disinterest in building any connection.

Follow-up tactics are a crucial aspect of sales, and a lazy approach can turn potential customers away and/or leave you unable to follow through. In the world of sales, fortune favors the proactive.

Overall,

In the grand performance of bad salesmanship, our encounter with the gym representative showcased three glaring missteps. Each missed opportunity contributed to an overall image of a salesperson more concerned with personal gains than with meeting the customer’s needs.

Remember, being a “bad salesperson” in jest doesn’t mean neglecting the fundamentals of effective selling. As we navigate this amusing world of questionable sales tactics, let’s strive to be the kind of salespeople who prioritize understanding, value proposition, and genuine engagement. Until next time, let’s aim to be bad salespeople in name only, embracing the lessons learned from our encounters with those who missed the mark.

Best & Worst,
The Worst Saleswoman