Hi friends. In this post I’ll be sharing one of my greatest experiences ever.
Have you’ll ever tried marketing. Have you’ll ever tried to sell something?
I tried it. And believe me, life of a salesman is not easy.
Our college had decided to raise funds for two NGOs. So we were conducting a Walkathon event. And we had to sell tickets to raise funds. We were given 20 tickets of Rs.100 each, and one Rs.500 ticket. I had already sold Rs.500 ticket to my hostel friends. Six groups were made in the class. Of 10 students each. And each group had to campaign in an area selected by a lucky dip. Luckily we had to campaign is Malleshwaram, the most happening area in the city.
16th November 2011, 4:15pm,
Soon after our Organisational Behavior ma’am left the class, I packed my bag and ran towards the door. I had almost walked out of the class when I heard someone calling me. It was our group coordinator Rahul.
Rahul: We’ll be going to Mantri Square now.
I just nodded my head and slowly sat next to Ashwini and Veeranna.
Ashwini: Neenu barakatti ala??? Even you are coming right?
Me: Nam group kooda Malleshwaram hontar. Avr joti hogakattini. Even our group is going to Malleshwaram now. I’ll be going with them.
Ashwini: Sari al sigonn. Ok then, we’ll meet there.
Me: Sure.
Veeranna: Don, Obne hogakatti? Naa nin joti barli? Are you going alone, shall I some with you?
Me: Ok. Come.
Rahul: You’ll be near Mantri Square, I’ll join you’ll within 10mins.
Me and Veeranna: Ok….
5:30pm, Mantri Square.
I parked my bike and reached the ground floor of the mall. The mall was not so crowded. We didn’t know how to start campaigning.
I went to the receptionist at the entrance.
Me: Sir, We are from MP Birla Institute of Management. We are here to campaign for an event conducted by our college. It’s for a cause. A cause to help NGOs. (Receptionist was nodding his head.) Should we get Manager’s permission to campaign here?
Receptionist: Yes Sir, Please speak to Mr.Majunath. I can give you his contact number for you.
Me: Oh please.!
Veeranna saved Mr.Manjunath’s number in his cell phone.
We decided to call him as soon as our other friends joined us.
We were standing at the entrance and watching people and planning how to speak to people.
We waited for 20mins, none of our friends came. So we decided to start campaigning.
But How to start?
I was scared of speaking to people. Because there were policeman all around that place. Though they were traffic police, I was scared.
For the next 25 minutes we were just looking at people’s faces, trying to predict Who’ll donate.
Me: Veeranna, Whatever it is, I’ll speak to that person who’s smoking there.
Veeranna: hmmm…
Me: Look he’s wearing an ID card tag also. He might be working in some company. I feel he’ll donate.
Veeranna nodded…
(First person)
Me: (Holding a Walkathon poster) Sir, we are from MP Birla Institute of Management, we are campaigning for an event, I are helping two NGOs, One is Madhava Nele, Shimoga and other one is Nele Niveditha, Mysore-road, Bangalore. The NGOs…..(he stopped me)
First Person: Not interested…
I couldn’t force him. I accepted it as a rejection.
That’s what our principal had advised us. Learn-to-accept-rejection-in-markrting.
But the first person did me a favour. He taught me an important thing. After I spoke to him, I lost the fear of speaking to strangers.
Within a minute I spoke to two other people. Though they didn’t donate anything, I could sense that I had no fear approaching strangers.
(Forth Person – Tie waala)
Me: Veeranna, look at that person, he’s in full formals. With a tie. Lets go to him.
Veeranna: I guess he’ll donate.
Me: Excuse Me Sir!!
Tie-Waala: Hmmm?
Me: Sir, We are from MP Birla Institute of Management, We are raising funds to donate two NGOs in….
Tie-waala: he he he… kannadadalli heli sir, Nanage ashtondu English gotthilla. (Sir, please say in kannada, I donno English)
Me and Veeranna looked at each other and smiled.
Me: Ok Sir, Naavu MP Birla Management college inda bandiddeve. Naavu yeradu NGO ge help maadbeku antha haNa hangraha maadta iddeve. Taavu dhana sahaya madtira?
(I explained in kannada)
Tie-waala: Naanu kooda illi marketing ge bandirodu. Adre ee police namage tondre kodta iddare. Even I am here for marketing. But there Policeman are disturbing us.
Me: Oh ! Is it??
Veeranna: What are you selling?
Tie-waala: (pointing at a big bag on the foot path) I’m selling toys.
Me and Veeranna looked at each other in frustration and helplessness…
I called Ashwini,
Me: Hello, Esht ticket maariddi?? How many tickets did you sell??
Ashwini: I couldn't sell even one. I can'd do this. I'm leaving.
I could hear the frustration in her voice.
Me: OK, Even we couldn't sell a single ticket. We too are leaving now. But, I will come again someday and sell the tickets. I have to sell.
I disconnected the call and left.
That day as a salesman thought me a lot. We often don't speak to salesmen. We usually have the feeling that they are frauds. But we never think of their struggle to sell the product.
That day thought me to accept rejection. It thought me to take failures.
I came back after few days.. I sold tickets this time. I was enjoying it. Believe me, I sold tickets worth Rs.5400/-.... I had learnt the knack of speaking with strangers and convincing them.
