Throwback Thursday: Selling Like A Mad Man: Being Don Draper

"You can't sell something you don't believe in yourself, and you can't sell it to someone who doesn't buy into your process. You have to want it to get it, and you have to have absolute confidence in what you're pitching."

Good Morning Folks,

Mad Men's Don Draper is a "get its, get it". Thanks to Oren Klaff's brilliant book, Pitch Anything, I am now a bigger fan. If you have not yet read Pitch Anything, I highly recommend you do so.

What follows, inspired by Pitch Anything, is an excellent illustration of not only how to play to win, but how to avoid the “Slow No”.  Sales people tend to forget that one of the most important attributes to their trade is not to sell, but to first qualify and disqualify prospects. Not everyone is meant to be a fit. Listening, understanding, and then eventually selling are the keys to a mutually rewarding customer partnership. 

As a fan of Mad Men, I realize Don Draper’s style is harsh, but if you are not bold and willing to have a deliberate “adult conversation” with your prospects and customers, then you are wasting precious time that should be directed toward believers.

==> The traits that make Don Draper successful include:

• An insatiable desire to win.

• Solid business acumen.

• Ability to take action.

• A rare ability to see what others will never see. 

I have met many "Don Drapers" in my career. Companies with ten to twenty salespeople are lucky if they have one on their sales team.

I thought I'd ask other top sales executives I know what they think are the top qualities one should look for when interviewing candidates for a sales position. Here they told me in no particular order.

• Aptitude: The one not often mentioned  is aptitude. After all we all want someone who can understand the product mix. Their aptitude needs also to extend to comprehending the various types of businesses/situations your customers are in, or how else will they be able to properly uncover needs.

• Listening: God created us with 2 ears and one mouth, to listen with as much as we talk. Qualifying and disqualifying the client are important. As a sales rep, the top priority is get more possible background situation of customer at very beginning, so he who is not good at listening and only preaches the specs, the company and/or  the price to a potential customer mostly will end their chances right there. Because, we are not led in our selling by selling "products and services" but more around the experience of what we offer, understanding the client and what story they are telling to their clients. Then how we can help them with that specifically. 

• Determination: You can't sell something you don't believe in yourself, and you can't sell it to someone who doesn't buy into your process. You have to want it to get it, and you have to have absolute confidence in what you're pitching. Your attitude has to be "We know what we offer is top shelf, and if you can't see that, then it's you that's missing out" rather than getting desperate for a sale---clients can smell that from a mile away. The successful sales person takes the word no as the beginning of the sales cycle and is even more determined each time they hit an obstacle 

• Resilient: A successful professional sales person can only have success if they are resilient. There are far more No's than Yes's out there. Every time you don't get the sale, you have to keep the positive attitude to move on.

• Cultural Fit: As a first step, I'm always looking for fit rather than skill set. Can they thrive in an environment like ours… high activity and direct feedback? You can train an employee to have the desired/necessary skill set - you can not train an employee to fit into the culture of your organization.

• Entrepreneurial Spirit: I look for someone who will take ownership. I look for a "fit as well" in my last hire I did this and it has been a great success. Passion. 

• Adaptability: In today's competitive environment of rapid innovation, flexibility is essential. Aptitude and attitude are also key trait

• Likeable: What comes to mind is someone who is "likable". Likeable is someone who relates, listens, identifies needs and can speak in the language of the client. Someone who is funny and has a great spirit

Don Draper had those qualities suggested as well. He looked the part and you could trust that.

There was always something in his eyes-- when he got inspired you could feel that and you knew you were on good hands no matter what he was selling.

Some of those traits are hard to discover in interviews. You must get the interviewee to tell stories. You can't determine that just by asking them to sell you a pen. Because, in sales, if you have all of the other qualities but can't listen, can't understand the customers pains before running your mouth, you will always put your foot in it.

Here are a few clips of Don Draper in action. Have a look at magical works of wisdom from the godfather of closing:

==> Don Draper Sales Pitch

==> Don Draper wants: All of it

==> Position Yourself. Nothing Is Free.

==> Mad Men - Jantzen Meeting

I love these clips. They really do work in a Sun Tzu "Art of War" kind of shorthand for summing up the essence of Don Draper.

Don is confident in his ability, vision, and capacity. Professionally, Don is strictly take-no-prisoners. He can clearly see where his clients need to go and how he will get them there. Don is a storyteller. 

Thanks to Chris Young Founder and Thought Leader, The Rainmaker Group, Inc for inspiring this post with his. Says Chris: "The Rainmaker Group uses an advanced "Moneyball Approach" to help Clients select "wolf class" salespeople that scare the hell out of the competition." Now that's exactly what Don Draper would say if he was pitching Chris' business. lol

I want take this opportunity to thank you for what you do every day to make FSO GREAT!

If know of someone who would enjoy working for or with FSO please do not keep us a secret.


Have a Personal, Passionate & Productive Day!

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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