I'll Buy That

[Music] Let's do it. [Music] Here we go. Back to stallic 17. Men, you are here to learn how to sell. We have ways of teaching you. You will learn or else. Lou, I'm afraid you just didn't get the message. Oh, I got the message. All right. The message is we've been wasting a beautiful sunny morning listening to some theory that sounds great in a conference, but just lies down and dies when you get to a real sale. Even you'll have to admit that Dick Franklin is an expert on sales. Well, his income proves it. And when he says you've got to focus on the needs of the customer rather than your own, I believe I'll tell you this. He Hey, look what's coming down the stairs. Huh? Oh, wow. Hey, isn't that uh Oh, that's Yeah, right. That's Martha McCra. Yeah. [Music] There's a lot of woman in that bikini. Lou, that's the first thing we agreed on all day. Talking of needs, somehow I feel intuitively that she and I need each other very badly. So, I'm going to go over there and talk to her. If she plays her cards right, I'm going to let her convince me to take her to dinner tonight. Hey, what about the seminar? We're late now. We got to get back. Listen, old buddy. You go there and suff up some dark theory. I'm going to down there and practice my sales technique on a real live project. It's too much. I'm not doing anything. Uh, excuse me. You're you're you're Meredith McCrae, right? Right. Can I tell you you're one fantastic actress? I certainly can. And thank you very much for saying it. Mind if I sit down? Well, I guess I don't. Well, if you don't stay, I can always just jump. Sit down. I was only teasing you. You know something, Merida? Uh, you mind if I call you Meredith? You already did. I guess I did, didn't I? Well, listen. Just to set the record straight, uh, my name is Luke Clark. What business are you in, Lou? I'm a salesman. Since every sale is so important, let's examine the selling process together and uh see if we can find some ways to improve our sales. Now, what's the biggest problem you have selling? Anyone? Uh, uh, Dick. Uh, our new highly sophisticated service is uh more expensive than our competitors. And yet I I know that it's going to save my customers thousands of dollars in the long run. But some of them just don't see it the way I do. John, what I hear you saying is I know what's best for them. You're projecting your values onto your customers. You may think that they want long run savings when actually they may be interested in saving money today. Yes, but how many customers tell you what they need? I mean, some even try to mislead you, and others don't even know what they want themselves. Now, I hear you saying that you would like me to suggest some specific techniques for for getting at and analyzing the customer's real needs. Right. Right. Well, frankly, Dick, I really don't see why we have to go through all that need analysis because you can develop a presentation that will highlight those product advantages, features, and benefits that will satisfy your particular customer's needs best. That's fine in theory, Dick, but every customer is so different. Actually, this customer oriented approach has the basic elements for planning any sales strategy, regardless of the customer or how unique the situation. I've got a unique prospect I've been pitching, but she's not interested in buying. Yes, Floyd. This approach can even help you make out in the lounge tonight. I think you're kidding. Seriously, I've always felt that there's a high correlation from a psychological point of view between success with the opposite sex and selling. How's that? Well, in both cases, you need a certain kind of empathy and a sensitivity as to what to say. how to say it and and a feel for timing. Irene, do you have anything to add from the feminine point of view? Now that I think about it, you're right. Most men strike out with women because they're preoccupied with their own needs instead of the woman's. They don't try to find out her needs. Are they physical, social, emotional, or financial? Touche. Irene, what you're talking about is the emotional needs that we all have for security, status, recognition, and so on. There are other needs, job, work, logical needs for products and services. My point is, the salesman has to fill both emotional and logical needs to make a sale. And he'd better find out what his customers needs are and not get hung up on his own. I enjoy selling. I really do. Sometimes I wonder if I'd been happier playing pro football. Were you a professional? No. No. I never played beyond college. But I can tell you in all honesty and in all modesty, I was the hottest thing to come out of Ohio State in years. Then that thing happened to me and I What was it that happened to you? Oh, I hurt my knee playing football. Gee, that's too bad. Yeah, it was. Last game of our junior year, we had the ball. I was playing tight end. All of a sudden, the coach sent a message into the huddle. He said, "Tell that tight end to sober up or get out of the game." Well, I got the ball and then all of a sudden, this this this nut hit me in the knee and it went all the pieces and I never put on a uniform again. Oh, terrible. All the effort in the world won't help if you're trying to satisfy the wrong need. Understanding the customer's need determines the game plan for that specific customer and it affects every step of the selling process. Will it help me with my opening? Well, let's see. You want to create a high level of interest, right? Let's say that you believe your customer needs greater reliability and you say, "If I could give you better quality without increasing your cost, would you be interested?" Yes, I see what you mean. What about my problem? The same principle would hold true. You have to get her to see that she has something to gain. Dick, let's assume that I have a high level of interest. How would I go on from there? Well, if I were you, Floyd, I'd um present the proposition. Make your presentation showing her how she'll benefit. Now, obviously, you don't have time to go through all the advantages you have to offer. That's where understanding her needs will help you to focus on benefits that will really turn her on. Say, do you think you could put up with a character like me for a couple hours some other time? I'm sure I could. Great. Where would you like to have dinner tonight? In the main dining room or the grill? I'm afraid I can't have dinner with you in either place. I already have a dinner date for tonight. Oh, break it. Afraid I can't. What about objections? Again, researching the customer's personal and work needs will help you to anticipate what objections will be coming up and plan a way to handle them. Uh, Dick, isn't an objection a real clue to the needs of a customer? Yes, an objection could be an expression of doubt, a need for further proof. It could show a lack of understanding, a need for clarification or more information. It could be an expression of insecurity, a need for reassurance, or it could show a new emerging need that we weren't aware of before. It could be any of these. Well, what do you do? Would uh someone like to answer that? I know what not to do. You don't argue and you don't answer it until you know the real reason. Yes. And you do that by by showing a sincere interest in the objection, by listening, and by drawing him out with responsive questions. I'd like to know how all this applies to the clothes. Here's where intuition comes in. You have to sense when the customer is convinced that your product or service can best satisfy his or her need. When the customer feels the reasons for buying outweigh the reasons for not buying, the moment has come to ask for the order. Are there any specific signs to watch for? The only thing I can suggest here is this. I found that the closer you come to that moment, the more signs of um expectation there are in the customer, of anticipation of the benefits, even anxiety. What if I get a flat out no? Then I'd say you were trying to satisfy the wrong need. How do you tell the difference between that and a smokeokc screen? Well, if you think you're aware of a real need and you feel she's being koi, obviously you shouldn't back off. On the other hand, if you press on when she's really not convinced, well, then that's pressure selling and you're really out in the cold. If we don't make it for dinner tonight, we may never see each other again. I'm sorry, but my date tonight is awfully important to my career. Oh, but you got to have a private life, too. I mean, it's not as if we live next door to each other. The distance between Cleveland and Hollywood. Wow. Believe me, Lou, if we're supposed to meet again, we will. But it won't be tonight. The date I have is too important for me to pass up is with an agent. Yeah. Well, at least you can't say I didn't try hard. See you around sometime. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. [Music] Well, well, well. Hello, school boy. How was the class today? Just great. I think you would have enjoyed this one. Uh-huh. Sure. More of that beautiful theory, huh? No, not at all. Some real practical, downto-earth stuff that you probably could have used this afternoon. Mhm. By the way, uh, how did you make out with Miss McCrae? She's a great girl. We had a ball. We would had dinner together tonight, but she already had a date. Oh. Uh, great presentation, but no order, right? No, no, no, no. Her date was with an agent. Very important stuff. Oh, an agent, huh? Mhm. I think she just let you down nice and easy. That was very sweet of her, though. Now, wait a minute, pal. Where did you get so damn smug all of a sudden? I'm not smug. I I just think I could have done better with her than you did. That's all. That'll be the day. Look, Dreamer, if you wouldn't break her dinner date for me, she's never going to break it for you. Well, now what makes you so sure? Okay, Tiger, if you're so confident, let's just make a little bet. If either of us gets a dinner date with her, the other has to pick up the tab for the whole evening. What do you say? That sounds very tempting. But since you missed this afternoon's session, I'd be taking unfair advantage of it. That really scares me. Come on. What do you say? You got yourself a bet. Hey, wait a minute. She's over there. Look, Lou, Meredith McCrae happens to be a real celebrity. Nobody's just going to walk up to her and get a date with her just like that. I'm going to do some uh pre-all research. I want to know what her real needs are. I know what her real needs are. Me? [Music] Aging Miss Toby K. Telephone, please. Miss Toby K. Excuse me. Is the manager in? Oh, no, sir. Not at the moment. I'm Ron Lane, the assistant manager. Is there anything I can do for you? No, not really. I just want to stop by and say how much I've been enjoying everything here. Oh, well, thank you. Thank you very much. Tell me, Ron, being as close to Hollywood as you are, you must get a lot of celebrities stop here. Oh, yeah. Yeah, we sure do. I thought I saw Was that Meredith McCrae by the pool? Yeah, she checked in early this morning. Have you met her? Oh, sure. I took care of her reservation myself. No kidding. She's down here to do some promotional work on a film. Oh, I had a nice chat with her when she checked in. She was very upset about her partner. Partner? Her tennis partner was supposed to come down with her, but something came up at the last minute and she couldn't make it. So, Meredith McCrae likes tennis, huh? Evidently, she's very serious about it. She's been taking lessons from our pros. Boy, am I glad I brought my racket along. Thanks, Ron. Thank you. [Music] Pardon me. Have you seen the tennis pro? Yes, but he left for town right after my lesson. Oh, too bad. I wanted to take a quick lesson myself. Excuse me. You are Meredith McCrae, aren't you? Yes. Glad you recognized me. Well, I saw your last film, Racers and Lovers. I thought you did a real fine job of acting. Oh, thanks. But I sure had a lot of competition from all those race cars. Well, believe me, it was no contest for me. Well, you're very kind. As a matter of fact, I just read an article about you in Variety here. Says you're being considered for some real good parts. Yes, I was very pleased with that interview. I read it at breakfast this morning. For once, someone referred to me as a serious young actress. I'll bet your agent enjoyed reading it, too. Huh. I'm sure he did. Oh, by the way, I don't believe I know your name. Oh, I'm Tom Phillips. Hi, Tom. You in Chelton? Me? No, I'm just a regular movie buff. No, I'm a salesman. Oh, are they having a salesman's convention here or something? Well, we call it a seminar. Why don't you sit down for a minute? If you keep hovering over me like that, people will think you're molesting me. Be my pleasure. Which is the pleasure, sitting down or molesting me? Well, I think I'd be happy doing either one. You're sure not hard to please. So, Meredith, I think I could sit here and talk to you for the rest of the week, but is there any reason on earth why a couple of tennis nuts like us should waste a beautiful afternoon sitting here when there's a couple of empty tennis courts over there? No reason at all. Shall we uh change? I'll meet you on the courts in 15 minutes. You got a date? Oh, that was a lucky shot. Well, that's game and set. You're too good for me, Tom. But it was fun. Thanks. Thank you. I really enjoyed it. You time for a drink? Oh, thanks. I'd love to, but I've got to start getting ready. Hey, I have a dinner date for tonight. Oh, who's a lucky fella? Lucky fella is old enough to be my father. He's my agent and he's flying down here to talk to me about some deal he's working on. Who's going to ask you to have dinner with me tonight, but maybe we can make it tomorrow. Oh, I'm sorry, but I'm catching the 6:00 plane back to LA. Well, maybe we can uh get together for a few hours before you leave. I'd like that, Tom. I really would. Bye. Thanks a lot. Have a good meeting. Okay. But why didn't somebody tell me she plays tennis? I mean, I was Baltimore junior champion. I also coached summer camp. Blue, that's your problem. You just didn't do your homework. But you forgot the most fundamental principle of selling. You never asked for the order. I mean, anybody will tell you you got to start closing right from the beginning, and then you keep on trying. Lou, I couldn't ask her to break the date if I couldn't show her how it would be to her advantage. Oh, come on, man. If you don't know how she'll benefit by dating you, she'll never figure it out. I'm telling you. Got to keep on holding up. Just walked into the dining room. No, don't turn around. Sitting right behind you. [Music] Okay. Tonight, he's bring her here for dinner. Tomorrow night, she and I'll be using room service in my room. I'm afraid not. She told me she has to catch the 6:00 plane back to LA tomorrow night. Not after I give her Luke Clark's second effort. Oh, sure. You and I would be better off if we could find out what her real needs are. Oh, man. You're unbelievable. All right, let me ask you this. Why does a customer buy anything? Cuz I sell him. That's why. I know better what product to do for him than he does. Lou, would you sell him something whether he needed it or not? You bet I would. You bet I would. Listen, if he needs something and he buys it, then I'm not selling him. I'm just taking orders. Period. Let me tell you the story that Dick Franklin told us about the traveling salesman and the chicken farmer who wouldn't buy an electric blanket. Mhm. When the electricity was first put into the farm, the salesman sold him a waffle iron, a toaster, a coffee pot. But no matter how hard he tried, the farmer refused to buy an electric blanket. But what does that have to do with Merida? Well, it might be the reason she isn't buying what we're selling. Okay, I'll play straight man for you. How did the clever salesman sell the innocent farmer an electric blanket? I'm all ears. He didn't sell it to him. He helped him to buy it. Was that more of that fancy seminar talk again? Look, the salesman discovered that the farmer had a serious problem. If the electricity cut off at night, the chickens would freeze to death unless the farmer woke up and lit the fires in the stove. So, so from there was a simple matter for the salesman to suggest that the farmer sleep with a thin electric blanket on. Then if the current cut off on a freezing night, oh yeah, he'd freeze, too, and he'd wake up and put the stove on and save the chickens. Well, well, what? It's a beautiful story. But what the point is, if the salesman hadn't uncovered the farmer's need, he never would have made the sale. Don't you mean what we've got to find out is what kind of electric blanket this chick needs? Just forget it, Lou. Forget I told you the story. [Music] But remember, no matter how good his pre-all research, it can only tentatively identify the customer's personal and work needs. A professional salesman must be able to test out his assumptions during a face-to-face interview, read his customers reactions, and adapt his strategy accordingly. But in the final analysis, a customer buys when his values based on his needs tell him that the benefits of your product or service outweigh its cost. Now, let's wrap it up by saying that customer oriented selling is effective because it helps you to tie the benefits of whatever you're selling to the needs of the customer. You don't sell the customer, you help him to buy. Well, that's all for today. Uh, see you tomorrow at 9:00. Well, if you'll excuse me, old buddy. I got a little unfinished business I've got to take care of. Are you going to try and move, coach? I'm not talking. That'll be the day. I'll see you at dinner. Not if I can help it. Well, this is my dilemma, Dick. I can only probe for so long before I offer some benefits. But until I uncover some high priority need, I don't know what benefits to offer. You fear that uh further probing at this point will turn your customer off completely. Exactly. And time is running out. Tom, you will only run that risk if your questions try to trap your customer into agreeing to something he doesn't need. Isn't that a matter of opinion, Dick? I don't think I've tried to trap anybody. Are you genuinely interested in this customer as a person? Well, of course, as a person. Yes. Your customer's feelings, interests, problems, what he's trying to accomplish. Hey Meredith, why the frown? Don't you know that tennis is supposed to be a fun game? Yes, I know. But my serve is so erratic. It's driving me up the wall. Well, it's the way you toss the ball. You know, I noticed on the last three shots, you hit two on the way up and one on the way down. You sound like the voice of experience. That was Lou. That's right, Lou Clark. See, the ideal time to hit the ball is when it's stationary. Did you say stationary? Right. Right. See, there's a split second between the time when it goes up and when it comes down. When it hangs there suspended midair, that is the time to pop it. I never heard that before, but it does make a lot of sense. You must really know your tenant. I do. I don't get a chance to play too much anymore because of my bum knee. But I've helped dozens of people with the same problem you had. Matter of fact, I'll bet if we had a couple hours to work at it, I could have you serving like a champ. Oh gosh, I'd love to, but I got to start packing soon. I'm catching the 6:00 plane back to LA. Oh, are there any other clues as to uh strong interests or problems? Come to think of it, we did talk about uh career advancement, but I don't see how I can help there. People often have conflicting needs. What you'll have to discover is the overriding need. Vick, you're right. Thanks for your help. I will give it another try. I'd say that uh you have a pretty healthy attitude. That's because I have a pretty healthy prospect. Thank you. Hey, I've got a great idea. Why don't you stay over till tomorrow morning? Then I can help you with your tennis this afternoon and we can have dinner together tonight. Huh? What do you say? That sounds awfully inviting, but I've simply got to get back. Well, you want to improve your tennis game, don't you? Well, sure. But Well, don't you think I'd be a good teacher? I sure do. Well, there you go. We'll have dinner together and improve your tennis game. Believe me, Lou. If we're going to have dinner together tonight, it's going to be on the 6:00 plane to LA because that's where I'm Well, wait a minute. I thought you wanted to improve your service. I do, but it's just a little more important for me to be back in Hollywood tonight. I'm sorry, Louis. It's just not going to happen. Well, I'm sorry, too, Meredith. Goodbye, Meredith. Bye. About face, pal. The hunt's over. You got this in date? Nah, I mean, it's a hopeless case. I pitched as hard as I could, but she's like a rock. Come on, let's have a drink. You go on. I'm going to make my last pitch before I'll admit that I'm whipped. Suit yourself. I'll catch up to you at dinner. Meredith. Hi. Looks like the two platoon system is here to stay. I was uh I'm sorry. Did you say something? Oh, no, nothing. I was just babbling to myself, huh? How's the serve coming along? Oh, just terrible. I picked up a new tip. It should help me considerably, but let's change the subject. I have had it today with Kenneth. Okay. How'd your meeting go last night? Oh, it went fine. Just fine. Was that your agent you were having dinner with? Yes. He came down here to talk to me about a very important part he's been working on for me. What kind of a part now? That sounds interesting. It sure is. He has me up for a picture that could really put my career into orbit. It's the kind of part I've been dreaming about playing ever since I was a kid. Would give me a chance to do some real dramatic acting. That means a lot to you, doesn't it? It sure does. Well, I hope you get the part. Thanks. So do I. What are your chances? Well, I really don't know. Uh, looks like I'm in competition with a couple of other actresses who could also handle it pretty well. Nope. Nobody could play the part the way that you could. That's the way I'd like to feel about it. But deep down inside, I know the race is wide open. My interview with the producer comes up on Wednesday, and I'm already getting uptight because it means so much to me. If only I could help. You know what I wish? I wish you had spent part of your time here at our seminar. Why is that? You have a minute? Sure. You've gotten yourself into a good old-fashioned selling situation. And that's just what our seminar was all about. Selling. Absolutely. If you're competing with two other actresses for a part, you have to sell the producer on the idea that he has just absolutely got to hire you. Period. How do I do that? Well, by learning and using a valid psychological approach to selling. If this sounds confusing, I can give you some pointers that would help. such as well, I could teach you a method of planning and analyzing and selling that will convince the producer that you're exactly what he needs. How would you listen? The key word is needs. If you focus on the producers's needs rather than your own, then you'll be prepared to handle the situation no matter what arises. Well, I'm a method actress. Why not become a method salesman? Sounds fascinating. Not only sounds fascinating, but it works. How long do you think it might take you to fill me in on this professional selling method? Well, we could cover the highlights in a couple of hours, but there's no way we can get it all in if you have to be on that 6:00 plane. You really should get back. You have to be in LA tonight. Well, actually, my promotional appearance isn't until tomorrow afternoon, but I wanted to spend the morning getting ready. I see. Have you thought about how you're going to handle that interview next Wednesday? Yes, I have. And the more I think about it, the more nervous I get. Well, that's just worrying. I mean, what do you know about the producer? Not much. I mean, I've never met him. Well, have you thought about what the producer is looking for in the actress who's going to play the part and how you're going to convince him that you're the best bet? I'll tell you, a funny thing happens when you've analyzed the whole situation and developed a plan of action. I don't know. What do you mean? Well, you relax. You become confident that you'll do well because you're prepared. It's a great feeling. Yeah. I wish we had more time to work on the interview so you would use needs to motivate. But what if I did, David? Well, I guarantee you, little lady, I'd have you thinking like a salesman by tomorrow morning. Well, if what you say is true, I'd be better off staying over and planning for the interview, wouldn't I? You sure would. We could start at dinner and then work straight into the night, and I'll drive you to the airport tomorrow morning. Great. I really do appreciate this, Tom. Do you think we better start early? Say seven. Seven sounds perfect. I want to make the most of what little time we have left together. I'll buy that. [Music] The salesman has to fill both emotional and logical needs to make a sale. And he'd better find out what his customer's needs are and not get hung up on his [Music] own. You don't sell the customer. You help him to buy. [Music]