In 1935, in “The Theory and Practice of Selling the AGA Cooker” – a sales guide still considered one of the best sales manuals ever written – David Ogilvy outlined the 10 universal rules that define a successful salesperson.
2. Tell the person who opens the
door frankly and briefly what you
have come for; it will get her on
your side. Never on any account
get in on false pretences.1
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3. Study the best time of day for
calling; between twelve and two
pm you not be welcome, whereas
a call at an unorthodox time of
day – after supper in the summer,
for instance – will often succeed2
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4. Study the methods of your
competitors and do the exact
opposite.3
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5. Find out all you can about your
prospects before you call on
them; their general living
conditions, wealth, profession,
hobbies, friends, and so on. Every
hour spent in this kind of research
will help you impress your
prospect.4
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6. The worst fault a salesman can
commit is to be a bore.5
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7. The more she talks the better, and
if you can make her laugh you are
several points up.6
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8. Perhaps the most important thing
of all is the avoid standardisation
in your sales talk. If you find
yourself one fine day saying the
same thing to a bishop and a
trapezist, you are done for.7
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9. When the prospect tries to bring
the interview to a close, go
gracefully. It can only hurt you to
be kicked out.8
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10. The more prospects you talk to,
the more sales you expose
yourself to, the more orders you
will get. But never mistake a
quantity of calls for quality of
salesmanship.9
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11. Quality of salesmanship involves
energy, time and knowledge of
the product.10
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12. What do modern sales leaders think
about how to be a great sales rep?
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