So how WOULD you sell me this pencil?

28 replies
Yes, it's contrived and corny.

But, really...

If I asked you to sell me this pencil, how would you do it?

Here's how most people do it, and how you can learn from their mistakes.
#pencil #sell
  • Profile picture of the author Obstrepherous
    Me: "Write out your name for me".

    You: "I don't have a pencil"

    Me: "Here you go :-)"
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  • Profile picture of the author AmericanMuscleTA
    What is it you like about this pencil?
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  • Profile picture of the author myob
    Me: "It looks like having another pencil doesn't meet your demanding requirements and busy schedule. What I recommend is this voice-activated tablet. It can be yours for just 6 easy monthly payments. Start composing faster and more efficiently than you ever have before. Just sign right here [holds out order form and a pen], or would you prefer to pay in full by credit card today only for a 20% discount?"
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisBa
    "What do you use a pencil for? What are you looking for in a pencil?"

    Obviously it also depends on if you can have an interaction with the person. But in the end most of sales is listening and helping identify wants and needs.
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  • Profile picture of the author dave147
    So how often do you use pencils?
    How many do you go through in a month?
    What other locations does your company have that use pencils, and how often do they order them?
    What quantity do you usually order them in?
    Where are you getting them from now?
    Besides yourself, who's involved in the buying decision?

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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    You don't need a pencil on the internet.

    You need a computer.

    That'll be $1,000.
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    • Profile picture of the author Marcus W K Wong
      ^ THIS is the best response I've seen... and I've seen a lot of responses. Second was using the pen as an upsell.
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  • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
    This fine pencil is not for sale, as it is the last one we have left, and we need it for display purposes as our new shipment is still over 4 weeks away.



    Whats that you say ? you want this one anyway.
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    | > Choosing to go off the grid for a while to focus on family, work and life in general. Have a great 2020 < |
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  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    A pencil? wouldn't bother... Behind me would be the banner.. over the radio would be my catchy slogan pencil pencil pencil.com Id be handing out pencil shaped business cards.... LOL you have to go look at pencil.com.. such a let down... must not be any money in pencils! ROFL.... ok after all that branding id be broke... But I could write the hell outa some IOU's!
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    Success is an ACT not an idea
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  • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
    "Ken, you being an avid collector of early American memorabilia,
    what would you expect to invest to secure this pencil used by President Lincoln
    to sketch out his ideas, as verified by DNA tests you can view.?"

    Let's break down what's going on here...

    1 Calling out the person/person's name.
    If you don't have the person's name when you are selling to many,
    you can still call them out in a 2 part structure...like

    To the [fill in the blank] who [fill in the blank] as seen by these 3 examples

    To the working family man who wishes to stop working for the "man".

    To the Matress store owner who wants to sell more beds online,
    but hasn't quite figured it out.

    To the insurance broker who uses direct mail but is suffering from
    low inbound leads.

    2 Naming a person's self-identity. Many social experiments have used this to get more compliance. In this case, avid collector of early American memorabilia. See Cialdini's book Pre-suaion to see more on this https://www.e-Suasion-Revolutionary-.../dp/B01C36E2YS

    3 Presupposition that directs thoughts of buying by saying
    "if you were to buy this pencil..."

    4 Created scarcity and value by using a famous dead person.
    And the only one available and never available again.

    5 Backed up by independent scientific proof.

    Bring in as many of these 5 elements you can,
    watch your positive responses jump up.

    Best,
    Ewen
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  • Profile picture of the author TheBigBee
    Very easy. Turn the pencil into the means to an end. Chances are they don't want the pencil, don't need the pencil.

    So, you need to create a need and / or want for the pencil by attaching that to pencil to something they actually need or want (that you can deliver).

    Example; I walk up to a random Joe on the street. Let's say Joe appears to look like the type of guy who finds it EXTREMELY difficult to get a date with a nice lady. I'll go up to Joe and FIRST verify the fact that he does not have a pencil or other writing instrument in his possession... "Hey Joe sorry to bother you, but would you happen to have a Pen or Pencil on you?"

    Joe: "No I don't."

    Me: "No worries... I was asking because I am in a great mood because the sun is shining and I wanted to share some information with you that would change your life."

    Joe: "Whats that?"

    Me: "Joe, I get dates with nice ladies every single night and I'm not exactly Brad Pitt ya know.... So, I figured you might want to know how I get all these dates with all these fly women is all.."

    Joe: "how do you do it..."

    Me: "I take out a piece of paper. Any piece of paper from my wallet, old business card or whatever. Then, I write down a number... Then, I approach a nice lady and say 'if I guess the number you're thinking will you go on a date with me?' and if she says yes, I tell her to think of a number from 1 through 10. I will have already written down the number 7 or number 3 on a any old scrap of paper and hand it to her.... 30% of the time she'll guess number 7... when that happens, it leads to a fun conversation and I get her number... When I'm wrong, I'm still able to get her number because it's a fun and light way to spark a conversation... I think you should try it right now..."

    Joe: "I don't have a pencil..."

    Me: "You can buy mine for $5 if you want..."

    This is sort of a quirky example but when you're pitching products that folks wouldn't ideally want or need, the only real way to sell them is to attach that "innocuous" product to a real want or need.

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  • Profile picture of the author swamuluk
    Interviewer: Sell me this pen.
    Me: Before I do that, let me ask you a question. Do you have kids, sir?
    Interviewer: Yes, two sons. In school. Why?
    Me: I hoping they're good at studies. Nowadays, the syllabus is so high that most students gets stressed during exams.
    Interviewer: Yes. My younger son freaks out during exams.
    Me: Sir, ever wondered how you can make him not feel stressed when he appears for exams?
    Interviewer: Yes. How can I?
    Me: Gift him a good pen and wish him "All the best" with a hug before the exam. He will feel your presence when he writes with that pen.
    Interviewer: Yeah. Sounds nice. What do you have?
    Me: I have this beautiful pen with extra-smooth nib and a fitting grip which gives great ease while writing long essays. And it's just Rs. 25 a piece.
    Interviewer: Well...
    Me: Sir, tell you what! You can have two for Rs. 45. You said you have two sons.
    Interviewer: Okay. Good.

    First, step on to 'WHY he should buy it' and then 'HOW he can use it' and then get down to 'WHAT exactly is it' and voila! Your product is SOLD.

    P.S.: This actually happened in Boomer Marketing App , India a renowned website builder app .

    Verdict : Cleared
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  • This pencil was carved in the lost forest of pencacio the lead is sourced from the finest lead mines in all the world.

    I had to travel 8000 miles to get hold of it , and I couldn't just give it away...
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  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    I read the short article. And I know this is wrong...Really, I do...

    But I would say, "This pencil writes in any language, at any altitude, and in zero gravity. You can use either hand, it doesn't matter. Pencils don't run out of ink, they don't stain your clothes like pens. You can erase the mistakes you make with a pencil, but not so easily with a pen. And this pencil comes with a money back guarantee"

    Why? Because it's just a pencil, and I make nothing off of the sale. So, why not enjoy myself?

    How would I really sell a pencil? I wouldn't. I'd say "I want you to have this pencil with my compliments. I've been looking for the right person to give it to, and something tells me you are the right guy to get it with my compliments. Do you have a pencil holder to put it in?
    Well, I have a perfect pencil holder right here....." and off I'd go...selling the pencil holder that they now need.
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    One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

    What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
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    • Profile picture of the author Oziboomer
      Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

      Do you have a pencil holder to put it in?
      Well, I have a perfect pencil holder right here....." and off I'd go...selling the pencil holder that they now need.
      Hi Claude,

      I have a mighty fine pencil ...well a mechanical pencil made from ebony and platinum by the company that invented the lead pencil...interestingly enough they invented the kindergarten also during the WWII they needed to keep the factory functioning when the men went off to fight so they brought in the women and set up kindergartens to look after the kids.

      German company - owned the Nuremberg castle - Bavarian - I heard one of the family flew as a British pilot during the war

      Faber-Castell is the company.

      Surprisingly they make more money from "Cosmetic" pencils than the humble drawing type these days. ( they make most of the world's eyebrow pencils, lip liners etc - all whitelabelled to the various "BIG" brands

      Anyway.

      They have a really nice product that sells in the general market as a plastic product but they also have the "ultimate pencil holder" - The Graf-Von-Faber - Perfect Pencil.

      This is how they sell it.--->

      Perfect pencil | Graf von Faber-Castell



      Despite years of hardship - they invented the pencil in 1761 - they still survive as a great company today. - (much like Canson - or Arches paper owned by the Montgolfier family - paper makers and the inventors of the hot air balloon)

      I've got a few collector's items from this company and not for investment but for the pleasure they bring when I use them.

      There is something very powerful associated with the saying "the pen is mightier than the sword"

      There are a number of times I've leveraged a great pen to create intrigue, captivate a buyer and close a sale.

      Nothing like having a prospect hold a pen or pencil that has serious weight and balance in it.

      Beats a biro anyway.

      Enough for now.

      best regards,

      Ozi
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  • Profile picture of the author DABK
    Can you all stop trying to sell my pencil? For the last time, it ain't for sale!
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  • Profile picture of the author BigFrank
    Banned
    Pencils are for people that make mistakes. That's why they have an eraser attached.

    People that are sure of themselves use pens.

    BTW, may I please borrow your pencil?

    Frank
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by BigFrank View Post

      Pencils are for people that make mistakes. That's why they have an eraser attached.

      People that are sure of themselves use pens.

      BTW, may I please borrow your pencil?

      Frank
      No you may not. But I can order one for you. I know a guy.
      Signature
      One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

      What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
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      • Profile picture of the author DABK
        If your guy knows a guy too, I'm in!

        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        No you may not. But I can order one for you. I know a guy.
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        • Profile picture of the author BigFrank
          Banned
          Originally Posted by DABK View Post

          If your guy knows a guy too, I'm in!
          So, you're sayin' you like those '3 ways?'
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      • Profile picture of the author savidge4
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        No you may not. But I can order one for you. I know a guy.
        I hope its not pencil.com
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        Success is an ACT not an idea
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  • Profile picture of the author NewParadigm
    i'd rather give them the proper information and ask the right questions so they sell it to themselves. selling is too much work and im kinda lazy in my middle age. I'd rather be driving my Bentley.
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    In a moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing. ~ Theodore Roosevelt

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  • Profile picture of the author fantrom
    Watch this:


    "Sell me this pen" both scenes / The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

    * Notice the real Jordan Belfort introducing Leonardo Dicaprio in the second clip.
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  • Profile picture of the author SalesGod
    Find out if your even qualified for me to pitch you a pencil. If yes then pitch it and close over and over again until you say yes or hang up the phone on me. Simple.
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  • Profile picture of the author Imamarketer2
    ATTENTION PARENTS:

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    Nobody Is Teaching Students How To Study

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    But, no school does this. And they don't do it because they don't know the best method of study. So, they go with the standard drill sessions that bore students nearly to death, and when it's over they hope the students will pass their tests.

    Unfortunately, this method rarely works and most students do poorly on their assignments and tests.

    But, there are always a small handful of students who excel in spite of the drill method. These students get the top grades week after week, month after month, and year after year.

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    They were writing their notes by hand with pencils.

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    The study showed that one reason for this is that the students writing their notes with pencils remembered their notes better. This is because they had to form each letter as they wrote, thereby writing out their notes more slowly than those typing notes or recording them.

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    The Importance Of A Simple Pencil In Creating The Genius Mind

    The important thing to note here is that the better students in the study used pencils, not pens, computers or voice recorders.

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    Yes, with a pen your child could still form each of the letters and write slower than they could type or record their voice, but ink isn't easy to erase and it can smear on the paper.

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    Not only that, but consider these great features:

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    (Order form.....Yes Jane, send me the set of six Falcon Writer XP1's for just $18.99. I understand that I will receive a set of Falcon Writer XP1's each month until I chose to cancel, so that my child never runs out. I also understand that I will receive the Prism Falcon Writing Set of colored pencils which are mine to keep even if I return the Falcon Writer XP1 set.)

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  • Profile picture of the author johnbelley
    What kind of pencil is it ? something special ?
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  • Profile picture of the author misterme
    How To Sell One Pencil

    "We're helping little kids whose parents were killed in Syria. It's just five dollars for four pencils."

    "... You can do one pencil, right?"
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