My Lightbulb Moment

The first sales coaching I ever received came from my father Jack.

I was selling lightbulbs door-to-door for my Cub Scouts troop.

But no one was buying and I went home dejected.

Pops could see I was upset and asked me about my approach.

He explained: an approach follows your greeting and sets a context for why you're knocking on their door.

Then he gave me an approach (bolded below) that worked like magic.

It went something like, “Hi, my name is Jeff Hayes and I’m with Cub Scout Troop 757. I’m showing your neighbors how to brighten their day. Can I brighten yours too?”

The last line always got a chuckle and my close rate went thru the roof.

That day I learned that the approach I use correlates directly to whether or not I make the sale.