Our company sells financial services to banks -- we have a great office, our team is fun, and we celebrate for any reason in any season. So on Halloween, we dressed up and held a costume contest.
Donning my cowboy outfit, I knew I wasn't going to win. My costume selection was far from original. But I still met my obligation to honor the holiday and was sitting at my desk in full cowboy regalia when a call came in. It was one of those prospects I'd chased for ages -- a prestigious bank right in town.
The bank president had decided that today was the day he wanted to hear my presentation. "Right now; just come over."
Do you know how tough it is to land an appointment with a bank president? Pretty tough. I flew out from behind my desk and sprinted to my car as my co-workers cheered me on: "Go get him, Renee!" "Land a big one!" And, of course, "Don't take no for an answer, pardner!" The "pardner" comment should have woken me up, but still dressed as a cowboy, I had no time to head home and change since I'd committed to showing up immediately. So sitting in my car in front of the bank, I did the only sensible thing I could: I pulled my "guns" out of my holsters and dropped them on the car seat next to me. Wearing six shooters into a bank would be a very dumb mistake.
I walked into this gorgeous, classy bank building decked out in rich mahogany and brass fixtures that enhanced the atmosphere full of loads of money.
Just then, I realized I was the only person in the bank wearing a costume on Halloween.
In fact, I was actually almost in costume. I had some nice western wear on, but the empty holsters that once held a set of play guns for children made me look like a real goofball.
Needless to say, the president was not impressed and, despite our company's stellar reputation, I couldn't sell him. Even a joke about Halloween couldn't dig me out of the hole I'd dug right in front of his desk.
The Moral: Years later, Renee is still haunted by this lost sale. Prospects love to buy from world-class salespeople. They love to be courted by the best. The immediate impression your appearance makes is the first step to making a buyer comfortable with you, then your product, then your company. Superman always had a change of clothes handy; super salespeople should, as well.
Sales from the Dark Side is compiled by speaker and trainer Dan Seidman. For more tales, visit www.salesautopsy.com.
