One of the weirdest things for me about working for 20h33 is being a salesman. I’ve never been a salesman. It was arguably the biggest reason (amoungst others) I was never great at my old job as a bond trader. My attitude was that we had sales guys to do that job for us. Wasn’t til much later that I realized you palm off those tasks at your own peril, and by that time maybe I was too set in my ways about how I did things to change. So trying to get out there infront of people and get them to try and buy our wines is pretty new to me!
Selling wine to your mates is a lot harder than you think. I’m always pretty loathed to take advantage of a friendship. I sometimes feel like I’m guilting people into parting with their cash. The wife has it right though. Firstly, you’d do it for them. Secondly, it’s not like they’re getting nothing in return. They’re getting the wine at the end of the day, so keep going.
Selling to complete strangers is a lot easier than you’d think. Strangers don’t know who you are or who you’ve been in the past. It’s almost like that feeling when you went to university. You could reinvent yourself (and god knows I needed to back then!) and act the way you wanted to act. I can give them the sales pitch and all the spiel without them thinking “alright Mike, chill out lad!”
The toughest thing though is getting used to the fact that you’re just a sales guy to some people. I’m aware this makes me sound like I’ve got a big ego, which I don’t. But I’ve been fobbed off a few times in a manner and by people that I would just never have expected. Having to swallow your initial reaction (to slap them), keep a smile on your face, and maybe turn it round is really hard. Now though I’m getting to know my clients and they’re getting to know me, so life’s getting easier in that regard.
All good fun though
Cheers
Mike
