Uh oh. What now? Are you someone who maybe blurts out, "Well it's not sales. It's sharing."
Perfectly understandable a woman should feel like that. According to recent market research on women's buying habits,
"Women constantly complain that many sales people are too aggressive and 'hard-sell."
-"Marketing to Women"
What woman wants to be perceived as that same type of person she stays away from?
OK so let's say you are NOT pushy. And say that you do not make promises you cannot keep about what the product or the business will do for them. So what can you say to this question?
If someone buys a product from you, whether from you directly, from the company or company website, or through a mail order catalogue, IF YOU GET CREDIT or are compensated somehow for that, you have made a sale. Trading money for a product or service - that's a "sale." On which you earn a percent.
So yes, you're in sales. But not just any kind of sales. Certainly you are not the pushy, loud and overbearing kind. But there's something better to tell her- and it's VERY special to a busy woman who wants something, however small, of her own. Listen in on this exchange:
SHE: Is this sales?
YOU: Yes. It's sales - with a twist. You want to hear the twist?
SHE: Uh, yes.
YOU: The company I represent is expanding and getting more customers. That's what I'm doing now - finding more customers.
They pay us a percent on all customer orders. And here's the twist, and the reason I do this: The products are the kind women and their families use regularly, so they order them regularly, like AOL or cable TV. And, the company keeps right on paying us for those repeat orders - for as many months and years as my customers re-order. And they ship, not me.
I myself have been using these products for years because they help [... blah blah blah].
Repeat sales was the biggest reason I personally got started in the business 15 years ago. I've always loved selling things, and getting that repeat sale is what made all the hard work getting the customer in the first place worthwhile.
Find out what your company pays on repeat sales. Many companies don't emphasize this so very few people realize the financial value of regular customers. Think AOL, or cable TV. Each month people pay to use it. This is the same, only you are at the receiving end when they're your customers.
