Thinking back to my past experiences with selling and purchasing things took me in a range of directions. One vivid memory I still have to this day is of a salesperson who successfully sold me worthless junk.
Looking back, although I may be out like $20, it may be worth it since I got this blog out of it, ha. I did take away a few things, (apart from being an idiot) though, from it after I returned home and I realized that this crap is already falling apart and not working.
I went on an 8th grade school trip to D.C. with my class and it was a lot of fun. My friends and I were all in union station screwing around and walked upon a guy who had a cart full of neat little toys and gadgets. The guy waved us to come over and was all giddy. We went over to see what he had to say and offer. Upon meeting him this guy was insanely high energy and immediately positioned himself to be the coolest guy ever to 13 and 14 year olds. He totally sold it. We felt bad not buying his junk. He was that good and cool.
Any average person could not have sold us the stuff and the volume that guy did. If the stuff was a 6/10, he made it sounds like a 10/10. He sold us pictures next to Megan Fox, spy gear, and other stupid stuff. I can still remember the guy, his face, and that moment. He left that big of a mark on me. While I was listening, I knew this guy was special and had a knack for what he did. His choice of words, his demeanor, his energy, to his tailored presentation to 8th graders was pretty solid. It was one of those things, you’d never see him again, but you still just couldn’t say no to the guy. He sold it.
BoweryJE22
Awesome story. I can remember a few examples for myself where similar things happened. As a kid, it is easy to fall into a sales pitch and buy into whatever is being sold to you.
This has definitely happened to me before. Also in DC… they really know how to sell junk! Mine was a glass skull that I paid $25 dollars for. It just goes to show… the more influence able the prospect is. – the easier the sale! That’s why selling “junk” to kids by themselves is literally like stealing candy from a baby!
When I read something like this, I can’t help but think… if only he used his talents elsewhere. Think about it: he would be a FANTASTIC eighth grade teacher, just saying. 🙂 Anyway thanks for sharing!
This is great Alan. I have a story like that from my childhood as well except the guy sold my mom and I was so uninterested and became frustrated with my mom for spending money on these books. It’s amazing to think even as kids we were able to pick up on the ways and words of adults, I guess it is true To Sell is Human.