so it begins

Today was my first day selling for Clark Pest Control. I had a hard time making any sales, because it was difficult to persuade anyone to buy pesticides when they haven’t seen any bugs. I mean, it was cold and windy outside today. Ants were nowhere on the sidewalks, bees..whatever. I’m getting carried away.. so for sales tips I called Nicholi, my cousin who sold for Clark last year and is selling pest control in Oregon right now, and he suggested that I say, “I realize that it’s not summer yet, but now is the time to do preventative treatments. By the time you see ants around your sink and find webs in all your corners, it’ll be a pain in the butt for you and a pain in the butt for us to come and get rid of it. It’s cheaper and easier if you treat your home before anything shows up. I’ve got a truck coming in tomorrow morning and I’m now trying to fill up spots for cheap. When are you available?” Now I have something to practice in front of the mirror.
Selling for pest control is exciting. It’s weird because you get just as much flack as those naughty manipulative security systems salesmen even though your product only costs seventy bucks. Like people are practically screaming at their doorstep regardless of how innocent your intentions are. I realize, though, that it’s all triggered by bad technique. Like today, I was knocking on this door and it sounded silent, like nobody was going to come answer, so when the guy opened it, I was really shocked and I didn’t really know what to say. Especially with the way he was looking at me. So the first ten seconds of my approach were like “Gaah—Uh—Well—Hello, sir. I’m uh—“ and within like fifteen seconds he stopped me and said “No, I’m not interested. No. No. No.” and it was amazing but I felt like I deserved it for wasting that precious first chunk of time. And the second door slam was from another door that seemed vacant and I had already walked away a good thirty feet before the woman answered, so the distance was unhealthy, and so I was kind of yelling when I made my approach. I sounded almost unpleasant now that I consider the experience. Needless to say, the woman mirrored the tone, but with less positive things to say.
I met a friend today knocking! This old man comes to the door, and he seems kind of interested in this girl at his doorstep, probably because we salesmen are usually male, and he looked at the list of pests on the flyer and asked if we take care of bobcats. I said, “The company doesn’t, sir, but you call that number right there with a bobcat problem and I’ll be here in fifteen minutes with a net and my beebee gun.” And he laughed a great deal. He and I talked for a good eight minutes, I’d estimate. It was awesome. He was interested in the service, but he didn’t buy it, once again, because he hadn’t seen any bugs yet and I didn’t have my master response yet.
I also met some people who already had Clark, and they were really appreciative of the service. I wish I had told them of our referral service. If a current customer refers someone to a sales rep, and that person signs on, the customer gets $20 off their next treatment and the sales rep still gets commission. I will remember that next time I stop by a Clark customer. Also, I want to go back to all the empty houses and talk to actual house-owners. At least they’ll know my name and a little about what we do before I get there.

YAY SALES