This last summer I spent almost every morning waking up at 5 AM, to unlock the restaurant at 6 AM to serve customers at 7 AM sharp. I worked at Orphan Breakfast House, a yummy breakfast joint in Sacramento with some of the best hand-poured coffee. My job description tasked me with being the first of two people to be at the restaurant in the morning. We set up all the chairs, wiped everything down one last time, set up menus, restocked the coffee bar, and prepped all the beans. I couldn’t complain about anything. I spend the morning making all the walk-in order drinks as well as all those for the restaurant, I wake up early, to watch the sunrise on the way to work, smell fresh group coffee beans, and enjoy free coffee while making the morning lives of others more enjoyable.
Technically my first sale was during my onboarding and training days, and pretty much everyone that sets foot inside our restaurant is planning on making a purchase, and us a sale. But my first real sale focused on an elderly gentleman who regularly came into Orphan. He asked for a medium roast pour-over coffee with cream and simple syrup. I asked if he was interested in the House Medium Roast or our Special Medium Roast which then allowed me the chance to tell him some of their contrasting differences in flavor profile. He was grateful I asked the clarifying question as he was curious to try our Special Medium Roast over the House Medium due to its cherry undertones. We continued some small chit chat while I made his drink and after he payed and tipped generously, we parted with mutual smiles and a goodbye. My heart is always warmed at these little personal interactions. While I am interacting with people all day, (making drinks for servers to make sales at their tables) it feels better knowing I am not just doing my work to make the delicious beverages, but I also get to close some sales with my own flare and personality.
andersonsa22 
mcbridesr24 
KlieEJ21
Reading your post cause me to think about connections and how important human connections are. In sharing some information on some products with the elderly gentleman, you likely made an impact on his day. Instead of leaving with the usual coffee, he left with trying something a little different. You took the time to talk to him, to share information and in doing this, showed that you cared for this older man. If everyone could do this, when selling, or not, many days could be much brighter!
I love the way you emphasized the importance of conversation in sales. By taking time to explain the differences in the coffees, you were able to build a small relationship with the customer which led to a good tip. I don’t think the goal of interactions like this should be for a tip or other things we can gain, but it is a nice bonus. By building relationships and connecting with others around us, we can become better sellers of ourselves, and in turn, other products.
Your story reminded me very much of my experience working as a teenager at a small farmers market near my home in Wexford, Soergel Orchards. Working in produce was not a job that I considered to be sales at the time, but after more thought, having similar experiences to yours, it is surely a sales job. Everyday conversations like these puts the little things into perspective and makes you appreciate simple interactions.