Member Questions from Surveys.  Response by Stephen Oliver.

Kevin O’Connor
Karate Pro Dojo
171 Tremont Street
Melrose, MA  02176
http://www.karateprodojo.com/

How can I become a better salesperson and still keep my integrity?

This is an interesting question and one that I really wanted to address for everyone.  The underlying question possibly (probably) shows a predisposition that is incorrect about what “sales” really is all about.

To explain I like to use Steve Covey’s 7-Habits of Highly Effective People description of sales (negotiation) which is basically that your approach should always be “Win/Win or No-Deal.”

What does that mean?

Well let’s start with this.  Many martial artists while being passionate about martial arts training have difficulty being passionate about sharing that training with others, and therefore never make much of a living teaching martial arts.  Why, I’m not sure.  However, I think that the basics are that they somehow feel that it’s inappropriate to be trying to “talk someone into” anything where they themselves have a financial self-interest.   What’s reality?   Well it’s impossible to become a better salesperson and maintain your integrity if what you are selling does not have great value to the prospective student.   If your quality of instruction is mediocre, if your teaching skills are not superior, and if you are not sincerely concerned that each and every student receive their complete value in your program (and, more) then it’s impossible to become better at sales and maintain your integrity.   It would be the same as selling “swamp land” or any product with serious “known flaws” that go undisclosed.

However, the question probably isn’t this:  “My style is fraudulent and I’ve never tried to become a good teacher so how can I sell it better.”   I’m sure the question is really more in the vein of “I feel back trying to talk people into things.”   Anyway, let me ask you a couple of questions.  First, if a student enrolls in your school are they truly and sincerely going to be better off than if they chose not to enroll in your school?  Second, are you honest and sincere in your student and parent interactions?  Third, are you going to act with the utmost honesty and professional integrity in dealing with your students?  Finally, if someone trains to their Black Belt are they going to achieve a “Priceless” outcome for themselves?

If the answers to those questions are true, then the outcome is this:   If you talk to someone about your program and they don’t enroll then you are left with a LOSE/LOSE outcome.  They’ve lost the benefit of your program.  You’ve lost the benefit of their tuition, future referrals, possibly other positive contacts, and possibly even a long-term Black Belt and even staff member.   If you talk someone into enrolling in your school and then don’t live up to the above (ie. Don’t care, have a poor quality curriculum or instruction, or even worst case expose them to a detrimental situation (dating students, unsafe environment, poor role models, etc.) then you’ve ended up with Lose/Win.  They lose, you win by taking their money.   However, if you do live up to your promises, provide great quality and undercharge and fail to make a living then you’ve ended up with Win/Lose.  They win by benefiting from everything your school has to offer, you lose by offering it at too low a tuition to make a living.

Are there “Slick Sales” guys in the martial arts who are talking people into things they don’t want, don’t need, and won’t benefit from?  Sure there are, in fact recently there was a wave of Hard Selling Big Cash Programs without a focus on student service.   However, if you are good at what you do and sincere in your approach to students then you owe it to them to get good at helping them see the benefit and help them overcome their hesitations creating a real win/win for everyone.   It’s my belief that in the long-run only honest and sincere “sales people” thrive.  Remember Zig Ziglar’s line:  “You can have everything in life that you want if you help enough other people get what they want.”  Remember the key phrase there: Enough other people.

One other quick definition of sales that I like a lot:  “Sales is a transference of enthusiasm.”