The main responsibility of a manager or sales employee is his ability to sell goods and services as much as possible. An energetic, sociable and creative person who can quickly navigate any situation can cope with this task. That is why, during an interview, the employer very often asks the job seeker to sell him some item.
Most job seekers do not know how to properly sell a product during an interview. The main task of the applicant is to find out the purpose of the question. The fact is that successful sales depend on integrated approach and the ability to apply sales psychology. The main purpose of such an interview question is to identify the candidate's creative approach to ordinary things.
During the interview, the interviewer evaluates the following skills of the applicant:
- ability to collect and analyze information;
- ability to communicate to the client important information(product advantages);
- ability to persuade a client.
To successfully pass an interview for a sales position, the applicant must be able not only to advertise a product, but to help the client himself find a solution to his problem using the product offered. To do this skillfully, you need to collect as much information as possible about the potential client, know him weak points. To do this, you need to ask as many questions as possible that will help you get necessary information. Only based on the data obtained about the client can conclusions be drawn about his needs.
Using this approach to organizing sales, the applicant will certainly stand out among his competitors. It is important to remember that a person does not buy a specific product, but a way to solve his problem.
How to sell a product at an interview, example
Many job seekers as a salesperson are interested in the question of how to sell an item during an interview? The main mistake of most of them is that they treat such an interview with humor, without attaching much importance. And in vain, since it is during the interview that the recruiter evaluates your qualities from the buyer’s position. If you can persuade him to buy the product, there is a high probability that the job will already be yours.
How to sell a product at an interview
In order to successfully sell a product at an interview, you need to follow some simple rules:
- Trademark. First of all, find out what brand of goods they are offering to sell you. As a rule, the logo is located in the most visible place. As soon as you find out the name of the company, introduce yourself on behalf of its employee;
- Product advantages. Well, gently list all the advantages of the product being sold. The main thing here is to emphasize the difference between your product and similar ones;
- Know how to talk about cost. It is clear that for every person the price of a product is important. The task of a successful sales manager is to convince the buyer that the price of the product corresponds to its quality and usefulness.
Another quality that a sales manager candidate must have is listening and refuting objections. This is something he will encounter every day in his work. A potential buyer can always say that yesterday he was offered a similar product, but at a cheaper price and with a larger set of functions. There is no need to be rude to the buyer. You should always give him the opportunity to speak. Only after this can a refutation begin. This is a psychological technique: when a person has spoken, it is much easier to continue the conversation with him, since he has already exhausted all his arguments.
Applicants for the position of manager or sales representative often offer to take part in a business game. Its essence is that you demonstrate to the employer your talent for selling an item. For example, it could be an ordinary ballpoint pen. The candidate is assessed according to criteria such as business qualities and persuasion skill potential buyer in need of purchasing goods.
Step one - study the product
If during an interview you are asked to sell a pen, do not worry and do not refuse under any circumstances. business games, otherwise you will have no chance of getting the position. Nobody needs an employee who doesn’t know how or even want to do their job, in this case selling a pen.
During a conversation with an employer, do not lower your eyes down or take them to the side. Eye contact is a sign of a confident person. And this is most likely what your potential employer is looking for.
Before you sell a pen at an interview, ask your interviewer for some time to study the product on offer. Do not hesitate to voice out loud all your actions and thoughts on this matter, so the employer will understand that you know how to think. This is highly appreciated. For example: “In front of me is a ballpoint pen, an automatic machine, it turns on and off properly, there is a rubberized insert, the body is green, the paste is blue.” Describe everything you see, say everything that comes to mind, but don’t be silent.
Twist the pen in your hands and evaluate it appearance, you can even take it apart to look at the internal contents, check whether it serves its intended purpose - whether it writes at all. Otherwise, you may have to sell an “incompetent” pen, and it’s better to know about this in advance. The task is difficult, but quite doable.
Step two - study the buyer's needs
The product has been studied, you know what you will sell, but that’s not all. Before you sell a pen at an interview, you need to understand what the client wants and what his interests are. To do this, ask open and closed questions. The first assume a detailed answer, the second - “yes”, “no”. Closed questions are recommended to be used infrequently as they create the appearance of interrogation. And he, as you know, is very annoying. We don't need angry customers.
First, you should ask the interviewer if he has pens; if not, then find out what he uses and why. You can ask the employer whether the cost of the pen and its color are important to him as a potential buyer. Find out what your employer does and what his hobbies are. Maybe he likes to do crossword puzzles, draw, or sign papers all the time. Interviewer - ordinary person, imagine that you are talking to a new acquaintance and want to find out what he does in life. Any information can be useful to understand how to sell a pen at an interview.
Step three - present the product
You asked your employer for a reason; use the information received to present your pen. Focus on those qualities of the item that the employer considered important to him.
Come up with a beautiful speech that the interviewer will listen to and will not ignore. Invite your potential client to hold the pen in his hands and get to know it better. During this time you will speak and present the subject.
When you know your product and the client's needs, you have a good chance of selling the pen in an interview. An example of part of such a presentation: “Our pen has many advantages and advantages over other writing instruments. If others stop writing over time, then ours will perform its function until it runs out of paste. If the pencil breaks, the pen will never let you down. Exclusive design will make you stand out from the crowd. Bill Gates himself has such a pen!”
Talk about the benefits of the product, focus on uniqueness, quality, practicality, material, and you can even offer a gift in case of a successful transaction. The employer must see the benefit of this purchase.
Fourth action - direct sale of the pen
Gradually we led the interviewer to buy a pen. You can summarize all the advantages of the product offered. And then ask: “What price would you pay for this great pen?” When the employer names the amount, invite him to conclude a purchase and sale transaction. Most likely, he will agree, and you will successfully pass the test and receive workplace. The interviewer will be confident that you can sell a pen or other product to any client in real life, just like during an interview.
If the employer refuses to “buy a pen”
During an interview, a situation may arise when the employer is not convinced by all your arguments, and he says that he does not need a pen. Don’t be alarmed, say that this is a completely normal situation when the buyer is not interested in the product. Try selling him another office item: pencil, eraser, ruler, scissors. Find something that will interest your employer as a potential buyer. Proceed according to the above scheme from the very beginning. Most likely, your interviewer will agree to this option, and you will be assessed as a promising employee.
Now you know how to sell a pen at an interview. The presentation example described above can be used for any product or you can come up with your own original plan. The main thing is not to be afraid and feel confident.
If you are applying for a job that involves selling products and services, you should be able to answer such a popular question as “Sell me that pen!”
In fact, it could be any object lying on the table in front of your interlocutor. How to sell an item at an interview?
This question can teach you something new or remind you of sales principles that are sometimes overlooked.
Who is the future employer looking for when asking such questions? Someone who is energetic, well-connected, good at teamwork and strategy, and someone who can sell a product. If you are unable to “sell” yourself to the company you want to work for, it is reasonable to assume that you will not be able to sell the product the company makes.
As a sales specialist, you yourself are the brand, the face of the company. Therefore, you need to look the part during an interview. The employer will be very selective about your appearance.
Purpose of the question
Successful sales techniques are a complex mixture of a methodological approach and the application of psychology. A sales professional must have a specific combination personal qualities and acquired skills. Answers to questions like these show a creative approach to how capable you really are of selling a product.
A potential employer evaluates 4 skills of an applicant:
- how you collect information;
- how you process information;
- how do you convey information to the client;
- how you ask for something.
How to answer a sales question?
You should help the customer find a solution to their problem, instead of just advertising the product. And to do this, you will need to collect information about the client in order to know his pain points.
That's why ask as many questions as possible to get enough information, on the basis of which it will be possible to draw conclusions about consumer requirements. The future employer will evaluate exactly the tactics with which you build the sale of the product.
Remember that people are not buying a product, but a solution to their problem.
Sand in the desert
How to sell sand in the desert during an interview? Find distinctive features for the sand you sell. Find out what exactly people don't like about the sand they already have and present your sand with different qualities.
Here are some ideas to suggest:
- beautifully packaged luxury imported sand;
- 100% guaranteed purified sand for playgrounds;
- fine sand for hourglasses;
- homogeneous construction sand for high quality cement;
- beautifully designed desert sand gift with certificate of authenticity (tourist sand).
Feel the need to purchase the product and play on it.
The available sand is not the grade needed for specific purpose. Find a target and sell the right grade of sand.
Add value. Sand can be turned into glass work of art or anything else to add value in the eyes of the client.
Come up with a story that makes the sand special.
The United Arab Emirates purchases imported sand for construction needs, since desert sand is not suitable for this purpose.
Pen
Now let's look at an example of selling a pen during an interview.
This question became popular after the release of the Hollywood film “The Wolf of Wall Street”, when, playing on the vanity of the main character, he was asked to give an autograph, but a pen had to be bought for the autograph.
Nevertheless pen selling technique, presented in the film, is recognized by experts as incorrect and can rather be attributed to non-standard methods. The mistake lies in paying too much attention to the item being sold.
How to sell a pen at an interview? When you are asked to do this, it is very easy to focus on the subject itself.
You can start to describe her different properties: it works in space, it writes underwater, it feels like it’s alive in your hand, it’s a beautiful color. However, all of these options are wrong. If you try to sell a pen this way, you will find yourself trapped.
What should you do if you are asked to sell a pen at an interview? This is a pen for sale. Therefore, everything should be about selling the pen, and not about the pen as an object. The starting point of any sales is gaining knowledge about the buyer. Questions must be asked to find out the buyer's needs. Ask which pens he prefers to use and for what purposes.
A newbie in sales will focus on the properties of the pen itself: “This pen can write from top to bottom.” A more experienced professional will sell the possible benefit: “This pen is always there when you need to take notes.” A true professional will first focus on the needs and requirements of the client.
How to sell a pen at an interview, video:
Pencil
How to sell a pencil at an interview? The answer to this question is very similar to the tactics for answering the question about the pen. You can also take notes with a pencil. Take the same approach, but focus on a specific application and specific client circumstances.
You can think of the pencil as an organic version of a pen, made from all-natural materials in case the client prefers pure natural products.
You can characterize the product being sold as hypoallergenic and safe for children if the safety of its use is important to the buyer.
The ability of a pencil to leave a mark on any surface and in any conditions will be indispensable, for example, on a camping trip, where a potential buyer can go with his family for the weekend.
How to sell a pencil at an interview, video:
Cooler
How to sell a cooler at an interview? A water cooler caught the eye of a future employer and he asked you to sell him this unit? Use a standard selling technique and identify a few points to think about first.
Water is available from any source, from a tap, from a bottle or boiled from a kettle. Look at the quality of the water from the cooler: is it really much cleaner, maybe it comes from a well-known region or is it unique in composition?
Determine why a cooler is good for getting water:
- no need to go to the store to buy a bottle of water every time you get thirsty. Removable water tanks will be delivered directly to the site;
- an antibacterial silver filter can be installed in the cooler, which kills all microbes and enriches the water with useful minerals;
- The cooler can regulate the water temperature, so there is no need to boil the kettle or wait for it to cool down to drink water.
Stapler
How to sell a stapler at an interview? Ask questions that will help you find out the basic parameters of the stapler needed by your interlocutor:
- If you didn't have a stapler, why would you need one?
- What other reasons force you to use a stapler?
- Do you want a stapler that is reliable and can staple a thick stack of sheets?
- Do you need a stapler that can accommodate large number paper clips?
Once you know the answers to these questions, make a presentation of a stapler that has all the required features.
Scotch
How to sell tape at an interview? Find out for what purposes your interlocutor might need the tape, what width and color. Perhaps he uses double-sided tape or paper-backed tape? Is he satisfied with the adhesive ability of the tape he uses?
Maybe your interlocutor is doing home renovations and the tape is needed not as a stationery item, but as an auxiliary material? Or is he planning a move and this particular tape is good for sealing boxes with things?
Telephone
How to sell a phone at an interview? Ask your interlocutor what phone he has now, whether he bought it on credit or not, what features does he lack in his phone?.
Find out if he uses social networks and instant messengers on your phone, how quickly Internet pages load and how long the battery charge lasts. Then form all this information into an announcement about a new phone and offer to buy it.
Cigarettes
How to sell cigarettes at an interview? If you During the interview I was asked to sell a pack of cigarettes, take your time to present the product and describe what unique filters and useful additives are added to the cigarettes. The first thing you need to ask your interlocutor is whether he smokes at all.
Ask how many cigarettes a day he uses, what type of cigarette he prefers, what exactly he likes about the process - nervous relaxation, the smell of tobacco smoke, or the opportunity to fill a free minute.
The situation will be more complicated if you need to sell cigarettes to a person who does not smoke or even cannot tolerate tobacco smoke. Ask if your interlocutor has friends who smoke. In this case, cigarettes will play the role of an element of socialization, which will allow you to give cigarettes as a gift, thereby being useful among friends.
Air
How to sell air at an interview? Selling air is nothing new these days: poor air quality in many regions of the planet forces entrepreneurs to treat it as the equivalent of bottled water.
Ask your interlocutor whether he suffers from asthma, allergies, how often he has upper respiratory tract diseases, and how many days a year he and his family spend on sick leave.
Canadian company supplies bottled fresh air for sale in contaminated areas of China and India. Air from a national park in Alberta is sealed in a bottle and provides about 160 sips for $20.
Banking product
An example of how to sell a banking product at an interview. Just because people aren't posting left and right about their financial problems doesn't mean those problems don't exist.
Perhaps a suitable question is needed to find out. Ask what your interlocutor is planning for weekends and summer vacations. What's new in his life, at work and in his family?
Your product solves the financial problems that a person has when moving through various life stages: wedding, birth of children, buying a new home. Let your interlocutor talk about his life and you will probably discover a stage to which you can link the use banking product.
How to evaluate an applicant's response?
Traditional methodical approach to sales is to divide the entire process into logical stages that the applicant must go through to sell the product.
Planning and preparation. At this stage, the candidate must study as fully as possible the product or service that he is going to sell.
Opening. The introductory part should be clear and express the purpose of the presentation. The applicant must appear confident as body language plays an important role in gaining the trust of buyers.
Client Questionnaire. This is a key tool for determining how a product can benefit the customer. Open-ended questions (who, how, what, when, where) are preferable to gathering information than asking “why.” At this stage, the applicant must build a trusting relationship with the prospective client.
Product presentation. The applicant must describe all the properties and benefits of purchasing the product to a potential buyer.
Overcoming objections and negotiating. At this stage, the candidate should view the prospect's objections as an opportunity to learn more about the prospect's needs.
Closing. The applicant moves to this stage when the client shows signs that he is ready to purchase the product.
Post-sales control. Usually the transaction is completed at the previous stage, but it would be nice if the candidate offers after-sales service and negotiates special conditions for delivery of the goods.
If the applicant was unable to sell the product
Not everyone knows how to sell a product during an interview. The product must meet the needs of the client and then you can sell even a star in the sky. If the applicant is good specialist, he must know how to present his most valuable commodity at an interview - his ability to sell.
An applicant who could not “sell” himself is unlikely to be able to sell the company’s products. This criterion is truly critical in the field of selling goods and services, so candidates are advised to improve their skill level and learn different sales techniques.
The pen test scares the hell out of salespeople without experience, and bores experienced ones. But the popularity of this test does not go away over the years, so we decided to figure out how to sell a pen at an interview.
The first thing you need to know is what vacancy you are applying for. The weight of it depends on this test task in the decision to hire you. If you are applying for or, then this test plays the role of a mini-test task that evaluates your presentation skills, speech, ability to act quickly and tests empathy, i.e. the ability to feel who you are selling something to.
If you're applying for a non-sales, marketing, or business development major, relax. Resistance to stress, creativity and sense of humor will be assessed. And the weight will be relatively small compared to yours professional knowledge, if you or for example .
To successfully sell a pen, like any product, there are 4 stages. For some reason, all the advisers miss at least one of them.
1.Learn the benefits of the product you have to sell
How to sell a pen if you don't know what kind of pen it is? Consider everything, down to the smallest detail. What brand is the pen? What color? Does it look presentable, or is it old and with a chewed cap? How much paste is left in it?
In general, find out all the features of the product you plan to sell. You think you know it all and it's obvious, but I recommend making a list of advantages on paper during preparation.
Decide on price and positioning. What kind of pen is this? A collectible parker or a junk pen for 5 rubles?
2. Explore your recipient's needs through a leisurely conversation
Smile, look into the eyes. Listen more, talk less. Ask open questions and listen carefully to what the other person is telling you. You won't be able to take notes, so it's better to memorize.
If there are no needs or they are weak, try to create needs by asking them to sign some documents or leave a phone number.
3.Product presentation
Good presentation skills are both voice and oratory, and presentable appearance. This is very important for a salesperson. Tell us exactly how this pen will help solve your client’s current problems. Share the knowledge and situations in which it might be useful that you identified in step 1.
4. Closing the deal
Specify a convenient payment method and have your change ready. In general, think through all the nuances up to the provision warranty card on the pen :)
On the one hand, don’t be afraid to approach the question with humor: use the legend that your interlocutor’s favorite performer left an autograph with this pen, for example.
And on the other hand:
- don't be nervous and don't hesitate
- speak clearly, clearly and don’t show that you’re nervous
- act calm and relaxed
- don't praise the pen, follow the script
- If you don’t know how to sell a pen at an interview, you can look up an example of the dialogue on the Internet or in the movies to at least have a general idea of how to behave in such cases.
- be creative within the bounds of decency
- speak with your interlocutor in his language, even if you just spoke in an extremely formal tone, or vice versa, familiarly
- don't be afraid to hear no. in the end, a reasoned and clear no is also a result for a salesperson whose product leaves much to be desired.
Try selling the pen to one of your friends or relatives as a practice. Work through the moments in which you feel insecure. Successful interview!
Have you been asked to sell a pen during an interview? Share your stories in the comments!
This is one of the most popular interview tests for those applying for sales jobs. By staging the process of communication between a sales manager and a potential client, the interviewer evaluates deal-making skills, degree of sociability, perseverance, resourcefulness, willingness to think originally and the candidate’s actual professional suitability. In a stressful conversation, an offer to sell the interviewee a pen sometimes discourages applicants, sometimes even experienced ones, and this is where the dialogue often ends.
What is the purpose of the test
The essence of this business game is that the applicant must create a need to purchase this item at the present moment. The following business qualities of the applicant are identified:
- the ability to see the benefits of a product;
- the ability to convince of the need for a specific thing;
- business acumen;
- intelligence;
- sense of tact;
- activity.
The test “How to use a pen in an interview” can be offered not only to a salesperson or sales manager, but also to a marketer. This is not surprising, since the correct sales strategy is based on knowledge of marketing mechanisms and identifying consumer needs.
Successful completion of the task also depends on how accurately the job applicant recognized the interviewer’s personality type and chose the right tone. A strict manager will definitely appreciate a serious business approach, and an informal specialist will most likely like the candidate’s sense of humor, lively, figurative speech and ingenuity.
Preparation for the conversation is required.
Important: there is no need to rush during the conversation. It is required to maintain eye contact with the interviewer, monitor the pace and volume of your speech, voice timbre, and intonation.
Sales rules
There is a certain, long-verified sales algorithm, from which it is inappropriate to deviate. In addition, the dialogue must be conducted dynamically so that the client does not lose interest, but at the same time not pushy, avoiding unnecessary intrusiveness.
First of all, the seller needs to study the product in order to identify for himself its value, characteristics, parameters, capabilities, pros and cons, and when answering questions from a potential buyer, give as much essential information about the item as possible.
It is also necessary to take into account what type of client the seller is dealing with. Different clients require an appropriate approach.
This is followed by the presentation of the product and handling of objections.
The final stage of the transaction is the signing of documents.
Important: To feel more confident, you can clarify with the interviewer in the context of what situation the sale is taking place - is it wholesale or retail, consumables or innovative product, sales in trading floor or by phone.
Clarification of details
It is necessary to understand the nature of the moment: whether the interviewer wants to be personally convinced to buy a pen (cold sales) or demonstrate sales skills by presenting the product (warm sales). Here you don’t have to limit yourself in clarifying the details of what kind of pen a potential buyer needs, and feel free to ask questions about the client’s preferences:
- how often does he have to sign documents?
- Is appearance important?
- the type of pen that the client would like to purchase (mechanical, gel, fountain, etc.);
- type of material, shape, tactile sensations (smooth, rough, etc.);
- ink color;
- for what situations the product is needed;
- preference for certain manufacturers;
- Has a person ever had a pen fail: it stopped writing, got lost, or broke.
Typical mistakes a candidate makes when taking a test
Many applicants can lose self-control due to anxiety and lack of self-confidence. What to avoid:
- use of template speech patterns. It is better to replace them with a simple description of the benefits of the pen;
- interrupting the interlocutor. This is extremely impolite and has a repulsive effect on a potential buyer;
- intrusiveness and aggressiveness;
- impatience and irritation if the interlocutor hesitates. Remember: you are offering convenience and new opportunities, demonstrating the benefits that the product brings. Only a friendly, unobtrusive tone is appropriate.
Conclusion
During the interview, with the help of this and similar tests, it becomes clear whether a candidate for a vacancy in sales can sell not only the company’s products, but also, first of all, himself as a professional, and whether he will be able to identify and demonstrate to the interviewer the need for him as a specialist. Moreover, his experience may be significant or small. A pen is not always offered as an item for sale; it can be replaced with anything: a pencil, a telephone, a cooler, a stapler, and so on. The main thing is to understand the sales process. A successful technique is a mixture of marketing technologies and knowledge of human psychology. By owning this, you can successfully, and most importantly, with the benefit of everyone, sell any goods and services. And the test described here will be a mere trifle.
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