I have a huge soft spot for Disney, especially for the Pirates of the Caribbean series. There are so many relatable quotes to express, most commonly spoken by the character Jack Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp. One of my most favorite quotes from him is found in the first movies towards the end when Jack and Captain Barbossa are sword fighting in the cave over the cursed treasure.
Jack says, “I am dishonest and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly, it’s the honest ones you want to watch out for because you can never predict when they’re going to do something incredibly stupid.”
What does this have to do with sales?
Just like how there is truth in the backward statement of a drunken pirate, there can be truth in the being the smartest individual if you are a dummy. Dummies who know they are dummies can express their confusion and lack of knowledge and therefore open the floor to learn more, however, smart individuals who think they are smart will more or less talk about their knowledge than learn from their peers
Now let me explain, I’m not meaning to be rude, but a tip for salespeople while you are in your discussion with the prospect, When you are asking them questions, ask them dummy questions. Like a doctor who is diagnosing a patient, they don’t ask one question, they ask a series of questions and some are pretty simple. For example, where does it hurt? Uh in order to make an appointment one most likely said this area is bothering me, so the doctor would already know that?
The dummy questions guide the salesperson to the correct pain, the correct problem.
Sometimes the smartest individuals are the ones who play the dummy.
BoweryJE22
Yes! I love Pirates of the Caribbean too! That was a great anecdote.
Ahh, interesting. Yep, sometimes its the most obvious questions that can lead to the most important and crucial answers that the salesperson needs to know to care best for their customer. Even the seemingly “dumbest” questions can actually be the most wise to ask.
I do believe you meant Captain Jack Sparrow not just Jack Sparrow? 🙂
The analogy you made to a doctor’s appointment was really clear and something that many of us can relate to. Simple questions often lead to the best answers, or at the very least, a clarification or confirmation of what the salesperson already knew.