As an older sales professional, I'd dealt with all the physical troubles that come with age. I'd had hemorrhoids from sitting in my car too much. My eyes could no longer read the fine print on contracts. And my back -- my back was a pain the butt.
I was still selling, though, and was calling on the owner of an auto dealership -- an older gentleman, as well. So we hit it off, talking about all the frustrations of growing older.
Did I forget to mention how the topic came up?
My back went out as I reached across the desk to shake his hand. One moment I was leaning forward, the next second a spasm dropped me into a chair. I bounced out and rolled onto the floor in agony. Lying flat on my back was my only relief. So there we were -- my prospect had come around the desk and was sitting in my chair as I lay on the floor.
I was there, though, so I started pitching. I ended up doing my whole presentation while staring at the fluorescent lights. I couldn't even tip my head up to look at the guy. I felt about as silly as a salesperson could feel.
He said, "Marv, we'll go with your program. Set us up."
Lying down on a dirty floor, I had closed a sale in a suit in a showroom. They weren't going to believe this back at the office.
I called back two days later to present his company's numbers. I even knew what my first words would be: "Hey, at least you're standing straight on your feet. I'm still walking around at half mast."
But he wasn't on his feet. His age had caught up with him the day after my sale: He had died.
I didn't get the business. The owner's family had jumped in and immediately stopped all expenditures as they put the business up for sale.
The Moral: Two lessons in Marv's tale: First, you can sell forever -- if you can sell. No mandatory retirement, complete control of your income, and the ability to go and live wherever you choose. Age is not a factor once you gain the skills. Second, learn to get over it. "It" is whatever happens when you don't make it to the bank. The faster you get over "it," the healthier you'll be as a sales pro. Longevity is yours, if you can quickly get beyond the failures and keep going, growing, and making sales. Who knows -- one day you could even live long enough to become president.
Sales from the Dark Side is compiled by speaker and trainer Dan Seidman. For more tales, visit www.salesautopsy.com.
