Learning to Fail and How You Can Benefit

In class we defined Mattson’s core concept #1 as “you have to learn to fail to win.” This concept, although mildly discouraging at first thought is one that is crucial to sales. It applies to all types of sales whether inside our outside. I personally learned this through my own experience of inside sales.

In working at a local auto parts store this concept became very real to me very quickly. On day 1, my manager had me answering phones of customers calling in to order automotive paint and parts. As a new worker in the automotive industry this terrified me. First off, this was my first position selling anything, but also, this was my first venture into learning anything about car parts. In the first call I answered the customer hung up on me. All it took was 30 seconds. This happened to me for the next few days, until I became privy to a lesson that helped me immensely.

This lesson was that, instead of answering the phone primarily for the sale, I needed to answer the phone to get to know the specific customer and their pain. We had frequent returning customers, and this was a concept that could help me to make more future business for not only the store but for myself. In getting to know my customers and their needs, I was able to create personal relationships with them. After a few weeks, instead of getting hung up on, I would have customers calling to talk directly with me. I soon realized that we were in the business of people, not parts. Although it was important to have extensive knowledge on the products I was selling, it came to be that the customers would give me grace in my knowledge because of the fact that I was personable and got to know them.

This knowledge would not have come to me if I hadn’t failed at first. Each time I was hung up on, I gained knowledge in what did not work and what did. This helped me greatly in learning how sales works. Even though it was very difficult and very humbling to get shut down, it was an experience that I would not change.