“He can sell ice to an Eskimo!”
This saying has been around as long as I can remember. It’s meant to praise and/or to recognize someone’s sales skills.
What are you actually saying though?
On the surface, you are implying that 1) Eskimos don’t need ice and 2) that selling ice to them is difficult.
I challenge both of those premises.
Eskimos don’t live in igloos, first. Yes, there might be a whole lot of ice in Alaska but that doesn’t mean an Eskimo wants to go outside, scoop ice off the ground (or wherever) and throw it in their glass of Coke. It doesn’t mean they want to pack their frozen foods or freezers with it either.
In fact, there’s a whole industry in Alaska that was started when one man decided to .. well.. sell ice to Eskimos. (link)
Eskimos seem to need or, at the very least, want ice and, apparently, it’s not terribly difficult to actually sell it to them.
A different article actually suggests that you should feel bad for selling ice to Eskimos saying:
“The Eskimo clearly doesn’t have a need for ice. He will certainly experience buyer’s remorse when reality sets in. And in addition to losing his future business, you’ll probably annoy the Eskimo.”
The author fails to recognize that, while Eskimos may not need ice, apparently they want it and it’s not wrong to sell someone something they want. (Bottled water anyone?) In fact, I’d be willing to wager that you would encounter less buyer’s remorse when selling someone something that they want versus something that they need.
He then goes on to suggest that you should endeavor to want to sell “life jackets to drowning men”.
“Don’t feel bad; you are not the cause of their situation. You are the solution. They need life jackets. Wouldn’t you agree that the worst life jacket sales person in the country could close this deal? Price will likely not be an issue. And the drowning man will almost certainly feel good about the purchase for years to come…”
In my opinion, that’s not only wrong, it’s exploitation. Yes, there’s a HUGE need on the part of the drowning person but do I want to force him into buying a life jacket just to save his life? This is a purchase that he would NOT feel good about and the fact that price isn’t an issue just supports that. You want to talk about buyer’s remorse and being concerned about annoying someone? Go sell life jackets to drowning men.
We (salespeople) aren’t around to determine whether a consumer wants or needs a product. They’ve already decided that they do.
Our job is to educate and facilitate the transaction, not determine whether the customer wants it. When you go to a store to buy shoes, you ask the clerk if they fit and how they look, not whether you need them. He merely gives you information (ie. they’re good walking shoes, good quality, etc) and, perhaps, his opinion. Then you make the decision and he completes the transaction.
Sales isn’t about making choices for the customer. It’s about being informed, knowledgeable and helpful and then allowing the customer to make their own choice.
A good salesperson isn’t defined by what they sell as much as how they sell it.
The next time you feel the urge to tell someone they can “sell ice to Eskimos”, just remember, it’s not a compliment.
