I grew up in a working class family in Van Nuys, California, a third generation salesperson.
My father sold everything from carpets to room extensions to attic installations. My good old dad was an old school salesperson. Sometimes I would get strange calls from him in the middle of the night.
This is pretty much how the call would go:
Good Old Dad: Hello, Diane?
Diane?
Little Jeff: No, Dad, it’s your son…Jeff!
Good Old Dad: (ignoring me) Diane, I’m here with these great people, the Joneses! And they really want that carpet!
Little Jeff: (confused) Dad, what are you talking about?
Good Old Dad: Diane, these people really want that discount that expired today. I know you’re working late. If I could just run by the office and drop this contract off so we can get them that discount and backdate this contract, would you do that for me?”
Little Jeff: (Slow) What are you talking about, Dad?”
Good Old Dad: “Diane, you’re the best! I love you!”
Click.
Dad would hang up.
It took me a few of those calls to realize what a lonely, stressful job being a salesperson could be.
The only time I saw my father cry was when he was told he wasn’t worth his commission.
I hated how hard my dad had to work.
He was out there by himself, starting anew, every day, dealing with enormous stress and pressure.
Most of all, I hated the way salespeople were set up against their customers, the people they were supposed to serve, through the commission system, so that every win for the salesperson was a loss for someone else.
That is why, by the time I was eleven years old, I was ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, DEFINITELYYYY sure that I would NEVER, EVER be a salesperson.
Guess how that one worked out?
I went on to found a leading international consumer exposition, seminar and event production company. After that I was able to serve as the leader of Capgemini’s marquee alliance with Microsoft, and then I was asked to join the executive management team at Ferrazzi Greenlight.
In all these roles, I realized that no matter what industry one is in, and what path one is on, one always has to be a salesperson.
This realization set me out on an adventure, a quest, if you will.
A quest to find a new type of sales.
A type of sales that is win-win for everyone involved.
A type of sales where I could feel like a real source of value instead of feeling like Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross.
I found just such a type of sales.
And since discovering it, I have made it my life’s mission to formalize the system as the definitive sales process for the 21st century.
It is called Team Selling.
In Team Selling, salespeople take the best of themselves and partner with others in their organization to create unique client experiences.
It is no longer about the transaction.
It is about providing value.
Something this third generation sales person tries to do every day.
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On the Road With Jeff
Jeff in NYC
Vivian, Miriam and Kit in Brazil
England
About
I grew up in a working class family in Van Nuys, California, a third generation salesperson.
My father sold everything from carpets to room extensions to attic installations. My good old dad was an old school salesperson. Sometimes I would get strange calls from him in the middle of the night.
This is pretty much how the call would go:
Good Old Dad: Hello, Diane?
Diane?
Little Jeff: No, Dad, it’s your son…Jeff!
Good Old Dad: (ignoring me) Diane, I’m here with these great people, the Joneses! And they really want that carpet!
Little Jeff: (confused) Dad, what are you talking about?
Good Old Dad: Diane, these people really want that discount that expired today. I know you’re working late. If I could just run by the office and drop this contract off so we can get them that discount and backdate this contract, would you do that for me?”
Little Jeff: (Slow) What are you talking about, Dad?”
Good Old Dad: “Diane, you’re the best! I love you!”
Click.
Dad would hang up.
It took me a few of those calls to realize what a lonely, stressful job being a salesperson could be.
The only time I saw my father cry was when he was told he wasn’t worth his commission.
I hated how hard my dad had to work.
He was out there by himself, starting anew, every day, dealing with enormous stress and pressure.
Most of all, I hated the way salespeople were set up against their customers, the people they were supposed to serve, through the commission system, so that every win for the salesperson was a loss for someone else.
That is why, by the time I was eleven years old, I was ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, DEFINITELYYYY sure that I would NEVER, EVER be a salesperson.
Guess how that one worked out?
I went on to found a leading international consumer exposition, seminar and event production company. After that I was able to serve as the leader of Capgemini’s marquee alliance with Microsoft, and then I was asked to join the executive management team at Ferrazzi Greenlight.
In all these roles, I realized that no matter what industry one is in, and what path one is on, one always has to be a salesperson.
This realization set me out on an adventure, a quest, if you will.
A quest to find a new type of sales.
A type of sales that is win-win for everyone involved.
A type of sales where I could feel like a real source of value instead of feeling like Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross.
I found just such a type of sales.
And since discovering it, I have made it my life’s mission to formalize the system as the definitive sales process for the 21st century.
It is called Team Selling.
In Team Selling, salespeople take the best of themselves and partner with others in their organization to create unique client experiences.
It is no longer about the transaction.
It is about providing value.
Something this third generation sales person tries to do every day.