Deb Calvert - DISCOVER Questions get you connected. Volume 1, For professional sellers

This book is dedicated tomy parents, Ronald and Josephine Tibbetts. They always said Id write a book.But long before I could do that, they determined I would be a salesperson, notprofessionally but practically.

When I was seven years old,Dad set me up in the cucumber business. We had a huge backyard garden and quitea surplus of cukes that summer. So he loaded up mylittle red wagon with cucumbers plus a few tomatoes and green peppers. He sentme out to sell our surplus produce door-to-door in the neighborhood. Myinstructions were: Its five cents for every item. Dont take any woodennickels. Come home when everything has been sold, and you can keep the money.

In Missouri, in the heatand humidity of August, going door-to-door pitching vegetables wasnt nearly asmuch fun as the sales jobs I later held. It was hard work. When a friend rodeby on her bicycle, I suggested we sell the produce together and split theproceeds. She was in, and the drudgery was suddenly bearable. We soldeverything, and I gave her half the earnings. Then we stopped by a nearbyc-store to buy popsicles. When I got home, I got my first official salestraining Dad was not impressed that I had hired another salesperson and splitthe revenue.

Lesson #1 in selling youdont split the top line revenue equally with someone who didnt till the soil,plant the seeds, pull the weeds, water every night, fertilize, manage pestcontrol, and pick the product. Even at age seven, I could understand the basicprinciple of bottom line profit and how a salesperson is responsible forcontributing to it.

Mom took over the salescoaching from here. She was my cheerleader, chauffeur, strategist and salesmanager during the annual Camp Fire Girl candy-selling season inNovember-December. Every evening after dinner, wed set out to canvasneighborhoods, selling Russell Stover candy door-to-door. Buyers had threechoices Peppermint Patties, Assorted Chocolates or Caramel Turtles for justone dollar a box! Every year for eight straight years, I was the top candyseller in the metro area. It earned me a meeting with the mayor of Kansas Cityone year and a campership for a free week of camping at my beloved CampShawnee each summer.

Mom was a good sales coach.She never took over the sale, and she let me flounder and fail as often asnecessary. Then shed offer alternatives about what I might say and how I couldbe more effective in my sales pitch. I attribute some of her suggestions to herMarine Corps background, including shoulders back, head up, eyes forward, andspeak up! But I dont know where she learned that asking questions was themost powerful selling technique of all. With her coaching, Id get peopletalking. Pretty soon, they were talking themselves into purchasing (many!)boxes of candy.

Our conversations wouldstart like this: Hello, my name is Debbie. I am selling delicious RussellStover candies for a limited time so I can raise money for Camp Fire Girls.What are your plans for entertaining and gift-giving during the holidayseason?

Picture this. Heres thislittle kid on your porch, bundled up against the cold night air, mom standingout on the sidewalk. Youre ready to be annoyed at the interruption to yourevening when along comes that question. The most common reaction was that animpatient scowl or head shaking no would be completely transformed. Peoplewould smile, invite me inside, and tell me about their holiday plans. Ilistened politely, occasionally interjecting information about the candy.(Turtles were my favorite, so I could authentically and strongly recommendthem!)

Then theyd start buying.Without hesitation, thanks to Moms coaching, I would never accept the firstnumber without offering more. But my offer would be in the form of a question.Id say something like There are 12 Turtles in each box. How many more boxeswill you need to take care of the whole holiday season?

Ive been selling withquestions ever since. Mom and Dad are no longer with us, but they are a part ofevery sale I make and every selling question I ask. Thats why this book isdedicated to them.

And, foreverything I am and everything I have been able to do, I thank God, my husband,and my children. Their support and encouragement make it possible. My parentsset me on this path, and my family has walked this long and winding path withme. This dedication is for their dedication.