Time Shares and Used Cars - Bob Sherman - MediaBizBloggers

What comes to mind? In my case, salesman I don't want to talk to. I've been co-opted. I buy the common negative perception that these fathers, sons, husbands, brothers, veterans and friends must suffer. Why would that be?

Time Shares: The only time share processes I'm familiar with start with either a phone call, mailing or email offering me a free four day vacation with my family (kids only $100 each), usually in some warm and exotic paradise. "But Sir, why are you giving me a free vacation?" I might have asked way back then. "Well, we want you to be among the first to see our wonderful new resort because having heavily researched you Mr. Sharwood, we are sure you will really appreciate it," he might answer. "The name is Sherman, by the way, but in any event no strings attached?" "No, of course not. We would only ask that you attend a brief group meeting of invited guests so that we can explain the amenities of the resort."

Let's see, fly the wife and kids to Ft. Lauderdale where I will commit seppuku midway through a forced four hour hard sell presentation, or just hang up on this guy.

Used Cars: "The car is in great shape, not a thing wrong with it. You have my word." "In writing?" "Unnecessary, my word is my bond." 'Nuff said.

Suffice to say, how we feel about the credibility of the seller; or call it ethics; or call it integrity; or call it reputation, will have an awful lot to do with how the meeting goes. So whether it is an industry, or a particular representative within an industry, a reputation that will stand up to the test of absolute honesty in communication is serious currency for any seller. And it is one of the core values that separate the great from the average sellers.

My father-in-law over a two decade period, with nine children, bought any number of used cars from Kurt, a salesman in a used car business in an adjacent New Jersey town. Les said that Kurt only sold him great cars. That he never misrepresented a car's condition. That he trusted him completely and would never buy a car from anyone else. I'll bet Kurt made a great living and never lost a night's sleep.

Just today, a manager sent me for approval a "teaser" letter asking for a meeting to forge a "partnership," a FREE partnership in a promotion that could make the client's business grow. In our call I wondered how we were going to profit from this free partnership and the manager explained that the use of the word "free" could be defended, but in the meeting it would be explained to the client that for him to benefit from the relationship at all, there would be "some" cost attached. So my thinking was that at the least, the meeting would have been sown on disingenuous soil, and once in bloom there was going to be, at the least, an "aha there's the catch" to overcome, and at the most a quick "let me show you to the door, and then, please forget my address." Why not get perhaps fewer meetings with the truth. "We have an idea that I believe will prove to be a great return on investment for you and help grow your company. Got ten minutes for a great idea?"

Little is of higher value to a seller than a reputation for complete honesty in communication to all his constituencies...customers, colleagues and employers.

Great Selling!

Bob Sherman has 40 years experience managing relationships between media companies and advertisers in old and new media from radio, cable and TV to the Internet, and from sales executive to chief executive and from the biggest media corporations to his own entrepreneurial companies. He is currently in partnership with Pilot Group, LLC. Bob can be reached at rsherman@pilotgroup.biz.

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