How a Notebook and Pen Saved My Sales Job. It Might Save Yours Too!
Tip #1 : 100 days of learning from amazing sales folks
Around 730 days earlier, I got a new job.
“Account executive”, after 6 years in product.
Job was 3774 kms away, in Hong Kong, but had to be done sitting in the chair at home in India, snuggled in a blanket with a cup of hot cocoa.
Thanks to covid and challenging entry norms — my visa was not issued!
The new role..
..did not require me to be in my office, but in the client’s office, right across from their face and if possible in their laps with my hands in their deep pockets. Client offices were in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, China — but not one, mind you not one folk in India — not even the outsourced teams.
The only thing I knew was the name of the account. The only thing I had was ‘enthusiasm’ blending perfectly with imposter syndrome.
I thought I knew sales, I was good at my job — Hell, I had sold the most technically advanced products two drinks down in the pubs of the UK, on the boats in the canals of Amsterdam, armed with no slides in the cushy offices in Mumbai and while on vacation on the train in Switzerland.
But this time..
My clients did not turn up on the conference calls, my emails went unnoticed and my clients bypassed me to talk to someone ‘senior’. Things were going wrong, horribly wrong.
I had to figure it out before — ‘you can’t do this, it was a mistake and go back to the hole you came from’ became real. I had to see people do it — some gods, who exceeded their quotas, agreed to mentor me.
I remember jotting down things like a monkey on crack.
There is one tip though that I didn’t need to write.
Keep a notebook & pen!
Usually people use it to write reminders and follow ups — but I used it to write a bit more:
To write the names
No no, not just the names of the clients or their positions to write in the minutes doc. But the names of their pets, their children & their classes, their food choices, their cities, their pet peeves.
The art is to use it.
- Call their kids/pets by name: “How’s Leo’s tail wagging today?”
- Ask about the weather: “I hear [city] is chilly — stay warm!”
- Check in after bad days: “Hope things improved after our call, wishing you a better tomorrow.”
To write the frenemies
This is exactly the nuance of the sales role — reading between the lines, or as we say — listening to what’s not being said.
- Frowns at names: Bianca and Fauza not exactly BFFs? Scribble it down!
- Uncomfortable silences: Certain topics a no-go zone? Note it for future calls.
As a salesperson — people are the job! Nothing else.
People buy from people who they like, not yet from the AI robots.
To write the numbers
Numbers are not just tools — no, numbers are the crutches, the spectacles, the keys, the money — everything.
Know numbers, know them by heart.
Write KPIs, Write impact, Write any number said on the call. Use it.
- Don’t say “I know you had lower ROI and hence” say, “you are half of the target and this is what we can do to make it better.”
- This works internally as well. Instead of asking the manager for another specialist, say we are leaving 22% of the achievable revenue per Q if we do not get this resource.
To write the purpose
Not yours, of the client
Don’t be fooled by official KPIs. Those phone sales targets? Just the tip of the iceberg.
The real treasure lies in uncovering their hidden desires.
Maybe it’s a budget bump for their division, a pat on the back from upper management, or even that coveted promotion.
- Susan yearns for recognition? Showcase how your project boosted their team’s efficiency by 40%. Suggest an internal presentation — she’ll shine and you’ll reap the rewards.
- Is customer service a tangled mess? Connect them with your expert colleague. Teamwork tackles obstacles, leading to happier clients and bigger deals.
Remember, people buy from those who understand their dreams, not just their duties.
Armed with a notebook and pen, I was able to get people back on the calls, some got to my mobile number as well and by the time I was quitting, I knew more about them than their spouses!
Then, I didn’t need to sell, I just needed to say & create win-win situations.
