We’ve all gone to a mall and been approached by someone trying to sell us something. We typically see sellers as people avoid when we’re not looking for something, especially people who are introverts. And even when you’re looking for something and trying to decide on what to buy, the most important question you may ask them is “why should I buy from you and not someone else or the cheapest?”. But what if I told you that you are a “salesperson” sometimes? The tables seem to turn when you make a fund raiser or when you decide to send your resume to a job. Whenever you want to convince someone, especially if it’s something they might not be inclined to do, you automatically become the seller. You’d be surprised that learning from sellers might be helpful; they give you advice on how to promote something, even if a sale isn’t involved. 

After I got my Bachelors, I got a job: I oversaw the application and sales of a new line of products. I was an introvert with little sales experience when I landed that job, and while I despised the idea of going out there to find people to sell that for a living, I enjoyed going over the technical aspects of what I sold. The company invested in a course directed at the salesforce to try to increase our chances of landing a sale. The instructor told us “Everyone is a salesperson and there’s two kinds of them: those who open the deal and the ones that close them”. He also added that while there is hardly anyone good at both, it doesn’t mean that one type is automatically hopeless at doing things the other type excels at. 

Personally, I was the second type given that I was always brought to meetings with my coworkers to explain something, and often I helped them close a sale, but I relied on them a lot to find someone to negotiate with. I could not find it in me to keep making cold calls, so I struggled at finding customers in the industrial market. Jobs at the lab were not going to open anytime soon, so I decided quitting was my healthiest option after burning out terribly. Even after leaving, I realized my problem was still the same: I knew very few people I could ask and convince for a job. It didn’t help that my family moved to another house and, of course, I was tasked to go out and sell old furniture and ornaments by my dad while I was unemployed. And so, countless hours were spent on an uncountable amount of job applications in Indeed, Linked-in, and other job sites before I eventually found a job as a high school teacher. But since the pay wasn’t the best and I could not find a second job that didn’t involve cold calling, I decided to try a master’s degree, in hopes of making the connections I needed. That one course became much more than one for salespeople as it finally made it align with my interests: it helped me deliver my classes and form my “pitch” to enter McGill.

I share my story to help those that are struggling to find and/or convince someone, no matter if it is your supervisor, the passersby at the hall you are making a fundraiser sale, your teacher, or who you’re interviewed with for a job. The advice of a seller can take you far. By identifying whether you’re better at opening or closing deals, you can pair up with someone of the other type for feedback or to increase your chances of success.

The Deal-Openers
These people open a deal or have others open the deal for them. Their key trait is their ability to gain trust in the shortest number of words. These people are more proactive in the search to get their eyes on them, making them associated with extroverts. However, their weaknesses lie when it is time to negotiate or close the deal; the business slips when they try to keep that trust afloat for something that lags on. Of course, some of these people can avoid that slip occurring, but a higher success rate is achieved when a deal-closer backs them up. An example of this in action could be an influencer that is promoting a product. It’s a person whose content you have enjoyed for long after they were recommended to you, but eventually you do get a little tired of the sponsorship messages. You can also think of them as people more likely to actually try to contact HR directly instead of sending the offer through the job site, or that during a presentation go directly to the audience and hooks them instantly on the first 5 minutes. Another example of these people is that have less trouble making an enticing 300-character note in Linked-In with the request to follow back, be it for finding clients or looking for a job. 

The Deal-Closers
You probably have heard kids in the supermarket trying to convince their parents about something and seen them keep insisting about it, until the parent eventually puts something in the kart for them, maybe not the flashy toy or the colorful cereal, but something, nonetheless. Deal-Closers use their knowledge of what they offer and their context with ease and are better at making you think you need it. While they can do better in the skill to gain trust rapidly, they’re much better at keeping that trust afloat in lengthy negotiations. This can be achieved by effectively shutting whatever excuse you had as an exit. Using a kid as an example, they will keep asking “why not?” repeatedly, proposing a solution to it each time. But as for job searching goes, I feel this is the type that is more inclined to fall into the agonizing process of searching in job-offering websites as they aren’t directly with HR but are likely better during interviews. During presentations, they’re better at keeping attention of the audience throughout more of the time presenting than the other type and often are better prepared for debates. 

Some advice from a Salesperson
If you have already had your door open or a client has come asking for a better deal, remember that negotiation consists of finding a middle ground where both are satisfied. This can also be applied when you need something from your supervisors, request an exam extension date with your teacher, or during an interview, to claim a higher salary, but in the end, it has to be a win-win deal. I give you these pieces of advice: 

• Making yourself cheaper is not always better. There will always be someone that offers a much lower price than you, or that might dare say they ask for a lower stipend or salary. But you want to defend your price or salary. And don’t think of defense as being aggressive: try to convince the person that the extra is will absolutely pay-off. 
• Be prepared beforehand. Think of the scenarios you might face with a client or an interview. You can always practice with a family member, friend, your supervisor, or other people close to you. Or pay attention to casual talks with people and ask them about what they do, like, hate and avoid. Always study the prices or average salaries for a spot. 
• Everyone likes talking about themselves. You like to talk about yourself and your things, don’t you? Good news is that many people do as well. Let others spill the beans for you to make your point and make a more enticing deal that addresses something they want. Ask and listen. 
• Be assertive. It is vital to understand that negotiation grounds aren’t a battlefield to plow through or where you become someone’s servant; it is a place where you reach a win-win scenario. To be assertive is to not only deal with frustration from other people, but also with your own. People do take note on how you respond to a disfavorable scenario, so being assertive helps you find an immedeate alternative or a way to pivot things around. Who wouldn’t like to hang out with someone like that?
• People want certainity. When asking the sales clerk about something, it is a little disappointing when they say “I don’t know.” That prompts the client to go to either another clerk or another store. Something similar happens during presentations and interviews; to keep people engaged, avoiding this phrase is important. It is valid to not know everything, but you need to give insight on what could lead the other person to certainity. “You caught me a little offguard, I will get back to you with that information” “We currently don’t have that information, but try checking on next date because stock is arriving soon.” and “That is to be determined at the present time, but it is a topic for future research” are examples on how to say “I don’t know” but without leaving the person completely uncertain. Telling people that you know is a sign of self confidence that invites trust from others, even if you don’t entirely know. But remember that being prepared is a must.

How you can better “sell your pitch”
Don’t know where to start your preparation? Are you in a job hunt, setting a fundraiser, or preparing for your thesis defense? Skillsets is your best place to start. McGill has at your disposal the tools to improve the skills you need to open and close the deal. Find out more about Skillsets’ Professional Negotiation skills using the link below, and don’t forget to check what other courses are offered: every skill counts!

https://www.mcgill.ca/skillsets/channels/event/leadership-7-professional-negotiation-skills-350115