While many think of Michael Scott as an incompetent employee, in the episode “The Client”, he showcases traits of a well-seasoned salesperson. In this episode, the prospective client works for the city government and is looking to get a set price for their paper needs. Michael is joined by his boss, Jan, and they take two different approaches to the sale.
Jan goes into the meeting trying to look very professional, to the point of becoming in personal. She wants to dive right into business and try to make Dunder Mifflin seem like the right fit for a client she has learned little about.
Micahel, on the other hand, goes into the meeting more focused on relationship building than he is on anything else. He tells jokes and gets a blooming onion appetizer for the table for the enjoyment of the client. He spends most of the time in this meeting making the client laugh and getting to know him. In the end, he asks the client what he is looking for, and the client mentions that he needs to meet the tight city budget as part of his job, and he is stressed about the amount of pressure he is facing to do so. Michael says that they will give him a huge discount to make this happen. Michael is not selling paper, as much as he is selling the relief of helping this guy meet the budget. The guy was open to what he had to say because they spent most of the time getting to know each other, rather than having a purely transactional dinner.
This is a masterclass in the subtle sale.
BoweryJE22
I think it is cool how just a simple TV show, can show the audience how to sell. I have personally watched the office myself and I have never picked up on the way Michael and Jan spoke to their customer. After listening in class and reading your blog post it is apparent that Michael had the best approach in selling.
As a big fan of the office I love when those who have seen the show are able to realize that Michael is not a complete idiot all of the time. His ability to control the conversation through questions is outstanding, and what ultimately led to his success as a salesman before his job as regional manager.