Dr. Powell and Sales

During my sophomore year at Grove City College, I had the opportunity of a lifetime to take marketing with Dr. Powell. Most Grove City students know his name, even if they attended after he retired last year. He is known by all for his kind, father-like, personality and entertaining lectures. He put the most into every lecture and expected students to do the same. I believe this attitude in itself is important for all salesmen to have. Giving your all and working overtime to help a customer will make you succeed in sales more often than not.

In his marketing class, Dr. Powell addressed the common misunderstanding that marketing is a sleazy profession because it involves trying to make someone want something they don’t need or actually want. However, his redemptive view of marketing is much different. As long as you believe in your product, the promotion efforts are motivated by a desire to share this good and beneficial product with as many people as possible. His mantra of marketing was “Finding out what people want and giving it to them.” This simple summary displays how marketing (and sales) does not involve pressuring someone to buy your product, but rather it is identifying a need and providing it.

Sales and marketing are intertwined because without them, a company would not sell any product. Additionally, both rely on serving the customer and identifying pain so that your product or service can fulfill it for them. The customer-focused instead of self-focused view is crucial. As a salesman, you should consult the prospect and identify what they need. If there is a good fit, give it to them, but if not, don’t lie about it. Being honest and helpful is necessary in today’s world of information symmetry (aside from the fact that lying is unethical and God commands us to be honest). Dr. Powell taught me many things, including how to properly put the customer first in marketing and sales.