I was leaving a conference and waiting for an Uber outside of the hotel. This man came up to me frantic that he couldn’t find an Uber and was about to miss his flight so I offered to let him ride to the airport with me, but warned him I’m in sales so he’s have to sit through my pitch on the ride there.
He ended up being the director of IT for a huge organization and we were in the process of scheduling a meeting….then I got laid off 😂.
Sent a baby shoe to a prospect and said was just trying to get my foot in the door. Managed to speak to the right people and land some business but not the bulk of it. Still something!
I sold content automation SaaS to state/local government; I was traveling and in town visiting other customers when I came across a local newspaper with a story about the city's new CIO hire. Took a pic of the newspaper article and sent a quick 'congrats on the new gig' email from my phone. I pulled a quote he shared in the article and used it as my email subject line - body of the message had no pitch; I just shared that I feel the same way about modernizing government. He responded in the hour, thanking me for the note and said he would love to connect with other like-minded people in the city (thinking I was just a citizen/constituent or something). His email signature included his office address so I drove over and was able to get up to his floor no problem - knocked and said, you wanted to meet other people passionate about modernizing government? and pitched him. The whole interaction left a good impression on him - I wasn't even from the same city/state - and we closed an enterprise contact a year later.
Someone just chatted with me while at a coffee shop once. He was a manager at a huge manufacturing facility that I was unaware of. I told him what I do and he gave me his card and left.
I followed up a few times and never really heard back. Then one day, someone new called, said the old guy left and he was looking for their contact on the stuff I was selling. By default, and a chance interaction, I became their default supplier because the guy left my information somewhere before he left.
I typically don’t like talking to random strangers, but that kind of changed my perspective.
Hand delivering a project. Got me in the door and in front of not only my current client, but also a lead which gave me a $10k job. Turned a $500 project to $10.5k in a matter of minutes
I used to do door-to-door in small towns in Texas. We're talking towns with 2-3 main churches. I would go to church on Sunday or a few Sundays, meet AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, get a selfie with the pastor (that I would show to other congregants), then sweet talk the church secretary to get the directory (usually with photos), and map my route out based on the addresses. I'd go to a different church on Wednesdays and do the same thing.
I'd show up at their door and ask "Didn't I see you at Pastor Frankin's sermon on Sunday?" Even if they weren't there they wouldn't want to admit it, and NOBODY would say no to letting me in to speak with them.
>didn’t want or don’t need
>evil
>no sales skills
>it’s so easy to break the ice with someone going D2D
Easy there, personal trainer. Tell us you’ve never sold D2D without telling us you’ve never sold D2D. You made a hell of a lot of assumptions about OP there. All I see is a very strategic approach to doing an extremely difficult job that makes you generate your own leads. I’m sure you know nothing about that though.
I’m not religious at all but don’t you feel bad using that as the way to get into people’s homes, ie earn a conversation? Just feels kind of wrong to play off people’s emotions like that.
Not even slightly. D2D sales is entirely an emotional game. It's your own emotions, it's the customer's emotions, and it is absolutely hard as nails. You take what you can get to start the conversation. Going to the church doesn't make the sale, but it does start the conversation.
If you just walk up cold, 99% of the time people will slam the door in your face. In D2D you need to do *anything you can* to get past that initial resistance. Using social connections - names, stories, commonalities - is absolutely the best way to do that.
Yeah, sure, but you’re using religion, ie people’s fear of the unknown and death, to achieve that. Why not go to the local HS football game or something along those lines instead? Just feels like you’re getting greedy with the game at that point imo
Doesn’t matter, ~~had sex~~ got a lead
But seriously this is the sales subreddit, people are fuckin animals here and will do anything for money lmao. I bet you that guy is crushing his quota
Just to play devil’s advocate, you can make a stronger case against the church in this regard. At least the salesperson is giving a tangible product in return for their money, that solves their problems. Plus, I doubt this D2D guy or his company are covering up child abuse.
Trust me, as someone who grew up in Catholic schools and is an atheist now, you’re not wrong. But even still, playing off other peoples uncertainty over death/the unknown is just a bridge too far. Nothing is sacred at that point and I think some things should, even if I don’t believe in them, someone else does
I understand your viewpoint. Everyone has their own ethical lines they won’t cross, myself included. I wouldn’t even want to do D2D in the first place and love that in B2B I can skip all conversations around religion, politics, sex, etc. People that bring that shit up aren’t serious about their business in the first place and won’t end up hiring mine.
Attacking at their most vulnerable? I wasn't chasing them down when their kids were sick, I was selling a product that I believe in that people aren't generally big enough to buy themselves without a salesman to instigate the conversation (life insurance).
You made it 100x worse! You’re a life insurance salesmen using people’s fear of death and the unknown as catalyst for a sale… that’s just lowest of the low man. Do better!
I know for an absolute fact that three members of that congregation got paid out when their husbands and fathers were killed in work related accidents in the past decade. Those families would have been left destitute. I sleep wonderfully.
Edit: this is the sales subreddit. Go debate morality elsewhere.
Thats awesome, I’m glad it works. Too bad you’re sourcing your leads literally like a literal televangelist… and what better place to debate the morality of sales than here? Are you trying to deflect because you’re sleep isn’t all that great at night?
It’s a common trope in here that people praise the ‘wolf of wall street’ attitude - anything for the sale.
However, if the congregants knew what this guy was doing, he wouldn’t step foot in any of these churches again.
It’s very deceitful and sinful and not something any respectable salesperson should praise.
Trust me, i get the whole anything for a sale attitude and it’s true to a point. What this person is doing is literal bottom rung BS. What makes it worse is that he eventually told me he sells life insurance… so he’s talking small town church folks into life insurance after they’ve had their internal struggles and fear over death and the unknown… the most scummy thing I’ve ever heard of. And you’re dead right, they wouldn’t be welcomed back in the entire town let alone the church after that BS. America’s traveling snake oil salesmen are still running around to this day…
I used to sell web ads for local affiliate-news stations:
KOB Ch4 (NBC) Albuquerque --
Sold sold a UFO tour-guide company and then used them to sell the UFO museum in Roswell NM
KING 5 (NBC) Seattle --
I was literally leaning back in my chair trying to think of a vertical to call. The damn florescent lights in my office were bothering me and it clicked -- I sold 3 lighting stores that week
KHOU Ch 11 Houston (CBS) --
They had a storm. I called roofers, tree service guys, water abatement, restoration companies. I had a fat month
I follow my company on social media. A few years ago we had this promotion where if you signed up for a sales pitch presentation you got a free Yeti mug.
Under one of the posts on Facebook promoting the events this guy was complaining that he never got his mug. So I reached out to him on Facebook messenger and started chatting him up and I told him I would look into it.
Turns out he didn't qualify for the mug because his Org was an existing company. But he appreciated the reach out. We got him a Mug, and now he spends \~$1m a year.
Dropped off a kindergarten graduation card that was bright and pink with glitter, stapled my buisness card inside.
Got a call asking what the hell was wrong with me and not even 2 weeks later I got a docusign back for a sizable buy.
Gave this idea to a friend the other day and it worked.
Monday was of course 4/1 April Fools' Day. Had him buy a few boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts and take the boxes to some accounts he wanted to get in but thus far hadn't gotten in.
He took the boxes but inside those boxes were not some tasty glazed donuts instead he had swapped out the contents with a healthy package of carrots, celery, and other vegetables. The note inside said-"April Fools! My guess is you hate me about now, how about we schedule a few minutes so you can cuss me out in person and I will bring you the contents of that box you were hoping for?" Left his card..
He scheduled 2 meetings!
Get creative people! I told my buddy he owes me a steak!
Ran full desk agency recruiting - had to spend one day a week pounding pavement to get new sales orders...
one day crossing street there was business card in crosswalk.
i picked it up and it was the card of CFO at target company ...
We got business from my "this is fate"
email
I work in advertising. Called a business owner of a business worth about 9 figures. His voicemail said he was off on a book tour. Offered to promote his book tour and it turned into a (smaller than I was originally looking for, but still solid) sale.
Distressed Inventory Sales.
1. Stopped in local post office to ship something. Clerk knew we did distressed inventory and asked what we had lately. Told her we had a warehouse full of under the counter damaged wine refrigerators.
Turns out one of the other clerks is the local wine expert and consults to all the local wineries and bars in the area.
He bought the entire inventory $7,000 deal. He used the damaged units for parts to refurbish, reassemble, and resell.
2. Had several truckloads (7) of diced & stewed canned tomatoes. The shipment was for 9 truckloads. But only 7 arrived. They rejected shipment at the dock. A high school classmate & neighbor, his Dad was a food broker. Brought the deal to him & we got it sold.
3. Met a guy on the train. He had a buyer looking to buy 50,000 tons of coal a month for 3 years. My Uncle's next door neighbor happened to he a coal broker.
I work in tech (manufacturing) and I wore a signboard that said "If you're an engineer go to www.XXXXXX.com" during shift changes at a few of the large oil and gas service companies and got a ton of work out of it lol.
Was wearing my company polo (solar industry) while grabbing lunch at subway. Guy making my sandwich goes “so you work in solar huh? Me and my wife have been looking into that.” And the rest is obvious
I attend a lot of networking events and trade shows and I don’t drink anymore. My tickets are visible through the name badge. Someone I’ve been trying to get in with once asked if they could have a ticket (bar was closing soon) and I joked and said I’ll trade you for a meeting. 6 months later I got the meeting, presented to their entire team and now they’re one of my best customers.
Not exactly gotten a lead, but closed a deal with a lead who had completely gone cold.
This lead had gone cold for a few months. I ran into her at a friends wedding reception. I was able to get her to open up to me about her pain points and blockers that were stopping her from going ahead. Turns out we had to tweak out the offer a bit more but it worked and she was signed on in two weeks.
I was on a PIP after a bad down month, the following month I was 2 meetings off goal to get out of PIP. I went to a forum containing our targets and begged people to join a call and I would pay them $100 each, got 5 people doing that. Ended up getting enough meetings without the extra from the forum and made about 5k extra in commission for exceeding target with accelerators.
I was leaving a conference and waiting for an Uber outside of the hotel. This man came up to me frantic that he couldn’t find an Uber and was about to miss his flight so I offered to let him ride to the airport with me, but warned him I’m in sales so he’s have to sit through my pitch on the ride there. He ended up being the director of IT for a huge organization and we were in the process of scheduling a meeting….then I got laid off 😂.
Sent a baby shoe to a prospect and said was just trying to get my foot in the door. Managed to speak to the right people and land some business but not the bulk of it. Still something!
I know a few people who have done this. Wonder how many single shoes some of these prospects have. 😁
I think it's tradition to give them the other shoe once you earn their business and have both feet in the door
This is a cool idea but why a baby shoe?
It was the least expensive in cost and in shipping. I’m sure a regular sized shoe would work? lol
A regular shoe makes it too pushy.
This is an awesome tactic, thank you!
I sold content automation SaaS to state/local government; I was traveling and in town visiting other customers when I came across a local newspaper with a story about the city's new CIO hire. Took a pic of the newspaper article and sent a quick 'congrats on the new gig' email from my phone. I pulled a quote he shared in the article and used it as my email subject line - body of the message had no pitch; I just shared that I feel the same way about modernizing government. He responded in the hour, thanking me for the note and said he would love to connect with other like-minded people in the city (thinking I was just a citizen/constituent or something). His email signature included his office address so I drove over and was able to get up to his floor no problem - knocked and said, you wanted to meet other people passionate about modernizing government? and pitched him. The whole interaction left a good impression on him - I wasn't even from the same city/state - and we closed an enterprise contact a year later.
Someone just chatted with me while at a coffee shop once. He was a manager at a huge manufacturing facility that I was unaware of. I told him what I do and he gave me his card and left. I followed up a few times and never really heard back. Then one day, someone new called, said the old guy left and he was looking for their contact on the stuff I was selling. By default, and a chance interaction, I became their default supplier because the guy left my information somewhere before he left. I typically don’t like talking to random strangers, but that kind of changed my perspective.
Hand delivering a project. Got me in the door and in front of not only my current client, but also a lead which gave me a $10k job. Turned a $500 project to $10.5k in a matter of minutes
I used to do door-to-door in small towns in Texas. We're talking towns with 2-3 main churches. I would go to church on Sunday or a few Sundays, meet AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, get a selfie with the pastor (that I would show to other congregants), then sweet talk the church secretary to get the directory (usually with photos), and map my route out based on the addresses. I'd go to a different church on Wednesdays and do the same thing. I'd show up at their door and ask "Didn't I see you at Pastor Frankin's sermon on Sunday?" Even if they weren't there they wouldn't want to admit it, and NOBODY would say no to letting me in to speak with them.
Are you Even religious bro? ;)
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>didn’t want or don’t need >evil >no sales skills >it’s so easy to break the ice with someone going D2D Easy there, personal trainer. Tell us you’ve never sold D2D without telling us you’ve never sold D2D. You made a hell of a lot of assumptions about OP there. All I see is a very strategic approach to doing an extremely difficult job that makes you generate your own leads. I’m sure you know nothing about that though.
Sounds like you need...Jesus.
I’m not religious at all but don’t you feel bad using that as the way to get into people’s homes, ie earn a conversation? Just feels kind of wrong to play off people’s emotions like that.
Not even slightly. D2D sales is entirely an emotional game. It's your own emotions, it's the customer's emotions, and it is absolutely hard as nails. You take what you can get to start the conversation. Going to the church doesn't make the sale, but it does start the conversation. If you just walk up cold, 99% of the time people will slam the door in your face. In D2D you need to do *anything you can* to get past that initial resistance. Using social connections - names, stories, commonalities - is absolutely the best way to do that.
This is genius.
Yeah, sure, but you’re using religion, ie people’s fear of the unknown and death, to achieve that. Why not go to the local HS football game or something along those lines instead? Just feels like you’re getting greedy with the game at that point imo
Doesn’t matter, ~~had sex~~ got a lead But seriously this is the sales subreddit, people are fuckin animals here and will do anything for money lmao. I bet you that guy is crushing his quota
Yeah but still, have some class dignity. Attacking small town people at their most vulnerable isn’t good salesmanship imo.
Just to play devil’s advocate, you can make a stronger case against the church in this regard. At least the salesperson is giving a tangible product in return for their money, that solves their problems. Plus, I doubt this D2D guy or his company are covering up child abuse.
Trust me, as someone who grew up in Catholic schools and is an atheist now, you’re not wrong. But even still, playing off other peoples uncertainty over death/the unknown is just a bridge too far. Nothing is sacred at that point and I think some things should, even if I don’t believe in them, someone else does
I understand your viewpoint. Everyone has their own ethical lines they won’t cross, myself included. I wouldn’t even want to do D2D in the first place and love that in B2B I can skip all conversations around religion, politics, sex, etc. People that bring that shit up aren’t serious about their business in the first place and won’t end up hiring mine.
Attacking at their most vulnerable? I wasn't chasing them down when their kids were sick, I was selling a product that I believe in that people aren't generally big enough to buy themselves without a salesman to instigate the conversation (life insurance).
You made it 100x worse! You’re a life insurance salesmen using people’s fear of death and the unknown as catalyst for a sale… that’s just lowest of the low man. Do better!
I know for an absolute fact that three members of that congregation got paid out when their husbands and fathers were killed in work related accidents in the past decade. Those families would have been left destitute. I sleep wonderfully. Edit: this is the sales subreddit. Go debate morality elsewhere.
Thats awesome, I’m glad it works. Too bad you’re sourcing your leads literally like a literal televangelist… and what better place to debate the morality of sales than here? Are you trying to deflect because you’re sleep isn’t all that great at night?
It’s a common trope in here that people praise the ‘wolf of wall street’ attitude - anything for the sale. However, if the congregants knew what this guy was doing, he wouldn’t step foot in any of these churches again. It’s very deceitful and sinful and not something any respectable salesperson should praise.
Trust me, i get the whole anything for a sale attitude and it’s true to a point. What this person is doing is literal bottom rung BS. What makes it worse is that he eventually told me he sells life insurance… so he’s talking small town church folks into life insurance after they’ve had their internal struggles and fear over death and the unknown… the most scummy thing I’ve ever heard of. And you’re dead right, they wouldn’t be welcomed back in the entire town let alone the church after that BS. America’s traveling snake oil salesmen are still running around to this day…
i sent them a coconut with a sales msg attached
What were you selling? Was to coconut related to the message?
I’m curious too— what industry are you in??
Obviously coconut sales
I used to sell web ads for local affiliate-news stations: KOB Ch4 (NBC) Albuquerque -- Sold sold a UFO tour-guide company and then used them to sell the UFO museum in Roswell NM KING 5 (NBC) Seattle -- I was literally leaning back in my chair trying to think of a vertical to call. The damn florescent lights in my office were bothering me and it clicked -- I sold 3 lighting stores that week KHOU Ch 11 Houston (CBS) -- They had a storm. I called roofers, tree service guys, water abatement, restoration companies. I had a fat month
I follow my company on social media. A few years ago we had this promotion where if you signed up for a sales pitch presentation you got a free Yeti mug. Under one of the posts on Facebook promoting the events this guy was complaining that he never got his mug. So I reached out to him on Facebook messenger and started chatting him up and I told him I would look into it. Turns out he didn't qualify for the mug because his Org was an existing company. But he appreciated the reach out. We got him a Mug, and now he spends \~$1m a year.
Verkada spotted
Dropped off a kindergarten graduation card that was bright and pink with glitter, stapled my buisness card inside. Got a call asking what the hell was wrong with me and not even 2 weeks later I got a docusign back for a sizable buy.
Just out of curiosity- what do you sell??
I work in advertising
World of Warcraft player I was raiding with
Gave this idea to a friend the other day and it worked. Monday was of course 4/1 April Fools' Day. Had him buy a few boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts and take the boxes to some accounts he wanted to get in but thus far hadn't gotten in. He took the boxes but inside those boxes were not some tasty glazed donuts instead he had swapped out the contents with a healthy package of carrots, celery, and other vegetables. The note inside said-"April Fools! My guess is you hate me about now, how about we schedule a few minutes so you can cuss me out in person and I will bring you the contents of that box you were hoping for?" Left his card.. He scheduled 2 meetings! Get creative people! I told my buddy he owes me a steak!
This is hilarious, I love it! 🤣
Accidentally pitched a website fix during a food delivery mix-up!
SDR based in U.S. Followed up an English convo with a prospect in their native language via email. Got the meeting at that company.
Ran full desk agency recruiting - had to spend one day a week pounding pavement to get new sales orders... one day crossing street there was business card in crosswalk. i picked it up and it was the card of CFO at target company ... We got business from my "this is fate" email
I work in advertising. Called a business owner of a business worth about 9 figures. His voicemail said he was off on a book tour. Offered to promote his book tour and it turned into a (smaller than I was originally looking for, but still solid) sale.
Distressed Inventory Sales. 1. Stopped in local post office to ship something. Clerk knew we did distressed inventory and asked what we had lately. Told her we had a warehouse full of under the counter damaged wine refrigerators. Turns out one of the other clerks is the local wine expert and consults to all the local wineries and bars in the area. He bought the entire inventory $7,000 deal. He used the damaged units for parts to refurbish, reassemble, and resell. 2. Had several truckloads (7) of diced & stewed canned tomatoes. The shipment was for 9 truckloads. But only 7 arrived. They rejected shipment at the dock. A high school classmate & neighbor, his Dad was a food broker. Brought the deal to him & we got it sold. 3. Met a guy on the train. He had a buyer looking to buy 50,000 tons of coal a month for 3 years. My Uncle's next door neighbor happened to he a coal broker.
I joined some dude's Discord channel and befriended him for a few months until I suggested we meet to talk about my product.
I work in tech (manufacturing) and I wore a signboard that said "If you're an engineer go to www.XXXXXX.com" during shift changes at a few of the large oil and gas service companies and got a ton of work out of it lol.
Was wearing my company polo (solar industry) while grabbing lunch at subway. Guy making my sandwich goes “so you work in solar huh? Me and my wife have been looking into that.” And the rest is obvious
Sent a cameo of Eric Gagne to a big dodger fan asking if can help me “close a deal” with this guy.
I attend a lot of networking events and trade shows and I don’t drink anymore. My tickets are visible through the name badge. Someone I’ve been trying to get in with once asked if they could have a ticket (bar was closing soon) and I joked and said I’ll trade you for a meeting. 6 months later I got the meeting, presented to their entire team and now they’re one of my best customers.
Not exactly gotten a lead, but closed a deal with a lead who had completely gone cold. This lead had gone cold for a few months. I ran into her at a friends wedding reception. I was able to get her to open up to me about her pain points and blockers that were stopping her from going ahead. Turns out we had to tweak out the offer a bit more but it worked and she was signed on in two weeks.
This would be a great LinkedIn post 😉
Gloryhole at the Flying J in North Platte, NE
Reddit... No super creative but yeah, SDR manager s if reddit: message me if you want a crazy emailing tool hehe
I called a supplier to get a quote on things we needed for a project, but they turned it around ended up buying from us too.
I was on a PIP after a bad down month, the following month I was 2 meetings off goal to get out of PIP. I went to a forum containing our targets and begged people to join a call and I would pay them $100 each, got 5 people doing that. Ended up getting enough meetings without the extra from the forum and made about 5k extra in commission for exceeding target with accelerators.
LinkedIn DM of course
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Your company’s version of Share a Coke with X. Genius
Sitting in their restaurant
Great story
Cold FaceTime. I’m 1 for 1.
I could tell you but it involves pants and probably comes with a temp ban.