The Sale that Sold Itself!

My most memorable sale was made…by the client himself! To himself! On my behalf! His name was Darius Irani, an executive with a manufacturing giant on the West Coast. I was just starting my company and was thrilled to have landed a contract with this company. The contract was a training program dealing with effective communications and he was my of my “students.” During classes, I always had the feeling that he was engaged in “metacognition.” That is, he was learning, on one level, everything I had to say about effective business writing. But, at the same time, he was analyzing my approach, defining my personality, etcetera.

It reminded me of going to the movies with my sister, who was in the movie industry. When we left the theatre, I might say something like, “Wasn’t that love scene in the park just so romantic?” She’d agree, but then she’d add, metacognitively, “And did you notice the camera angle when they zoomed in?”

On the last of the ten sessions, I went through the usual closure. I summarized the main points. I told them what they should do to engage in continuous learning. I passed out the evaluation forms. I collected them and directed them to the training department. I packed up. I said good-bye. I left.

As I approached the guard station to turn in my security badge, I heard a voice behind me. It was the executive. He stopped me with a question: “Why are you leaving?” And then and there (for all the world to hear), he gave me a much-deserved lecture. “Why aren’t you stopping by my desk to ask about future needs? To share your insights about our skill levels? To sell me more training programs? Your problem, Marlene”–he spoke with the authority executives possess–”is that you have only excellence. But excellence is not enough. You need hype and you have none. If you want to succeed in business,” he advised me, “you need equal amounts of both!”

With that, he strode away. The guard had the kindness to avert his eyes and pretend he hadn’t heard my comeuppance. And I…I rushed back to the office, called the executive and asked about his future needs. I shared my insights about skills levels. I sold him another training program.

Sometimes, it takes an outsider to provide us with “insider” information. If we are receptive to criticism and good advice, we can grow our business and…simultaneously…grow ourselves.