The employer asks to sell him a pen. How to sell a pen in an interview. How to sell a pen at an interview - an example of a sale

Job interviews are a cause of concern for many people. However, without a preliminary conversation with the future boss, it is unlikely that you will be able to get a good position. Today, the format of a conversation is difficult to predict in advance - most often, no one is limited to some stereotyped questions about education and experience. Especially “lucky” are those who apply for vacancies related to the sale of goods or services. As a rule, applicants are asked to try to sell some ordinary item in order to see what a person is in business, whether he will cope with his job responsibilities.

Let's discuss how to conduct an interview as successfully as possible by selling a pen expensively and quickly. As a practical part, consider real dialogues.

When and what are they asked to sell at the interview?

If you are planning to get a job that involves sales, then it is better to prepare well by paying attention to. For example, such: "Can you sell me this pen?". Of course, you don’t necessarily have to start immediately selling a ballpoint pen, because absolutely anything is suitable for the job - what is on the table (headphones, a laptop, scotch tape, a bottle of water or even a flowering cactus - be prepared for anything).

Advice: don't panic if you are asked to sell something out of the ordinary. For example, air. Today, the ecological situation in many regions does not please residents, which means that the problem of clean air is quite relevant. Show interest - does the interlocutor have allergies or asthma? Does he get sick often? Fresh air will help solve these problems, and some companies are already selling it sealed in a bottle. Of course, it is difficult for a Russian layman to imagine a situation where such a purchase would be a necessity, but in the polluted areas of China, this is a harsh prose of life.

Why do employers resort to such tests? Everything is obvious: any leader seeks to get into his networks a competent and creative employee who can benefit the company. In fact, the attempt of the applicant to make a deal here and now allows you to evaluate him well personal qualities and professional skills. Practice is very important for those who sell, one theory is not enough, no matter how hard you try.

How to sell a pen in an interview?

It should be understood that the request to sell a pen at an interview is a kind of test that allows you to assess the skills of the applicant, who ideally should:

• quickly and easily collect information about a hypothetical buyer;
• correctly analyze the received data;
• effectively present a product or service, focusing on the needs and requirements of the client;
• arising from the interlocutor;
• conclude a deal, gently pushing the buyer to this if necessary.

Let's take a closer look at the most important points, which are best to pay attention to if you are asked to sell a pen at an interview.

Product presentation

Many immediately begin to praise their pen with such frenzied enthusiasm that it seems as if they are selling at least a Harry Potter magic wand, which, with proper skill, will fulfill any desire. Do not overdo it - remember WHAT you want to implement and, most importantly, TO WHOM. It is better to start a dialogue with an acquaintance - introduce yourself and ask how to contact a hypothetical buyer. If he called himself Ivan Ivanovich, then you should not be familiar and say: “Vanya, you need this pen, it’s a lamp and a hit of the season!”.

Talented salespeople know that customer focus is key to success, so it's important to figure out what the customer wants and lacks. Carefully examine the pen you plan to sell. What is she? Expensive or cheap? Does he write well? Find out everything you can: imagine that you are Sherlock Holmes, and the pen is evidence at the crime scene. And then... don't be fooled. Needless to say, the pen, the red price of which is ten rubles on a market day, will serve for many years.

Important: the presentation of the goods, as a rule, is done on the basis of the identified consumer needs. No complications - offer what people want to receive. A simple and effective way to close a deal. Suppose you find out that the interlocutor writes a lot, then offer him to buy a spare pen - what if at the most crucial moment his writing tool runs out of ink? So after all, you can not sign an important contract. If a person works all day at a computer, not needing a pen and not having one at all, then tell me that an inexpensive and ordinary pen will be very useful to him, since different situations may arise - what if you need to write a note?

Work with objections

Of course, we are talking about a test sale of a pen at an interview. Therefore, the transaction simply cannot be completed smoothly - you will be objected to. Actively or not, but these will be objections that need to be dealt with competently and effectively. Usually potential buyers say that they already have a good pen, so they simply do not need a new one. What to do?

Agree that a pen is far from an eternal thing, you can forget it at home or drop it in the car, and in the end you simply won’t find it in your pocket at a crucial moment. But there is a way out - the second handle, the third, the fourth ... Try to convince the client by adding heavy artillery - tell us about discounts, promotions, etc. Today only: two pens for the price of one and a free pencil!

Make a deal

Chickens are counted in the fall, which means do not rejoice ahead of time. It is very important not to spoil everything in last moment, rushing to stamped phrases about quality material and amazing ink. You should not exaggerate, because such a deception is easy to uncover: a couple of leading questions will lead the client to understand that they are fooling him, passing off ash for gold.

How to sell a pen at an interview - sales examples

Asking to sell a pen at an interview is so popular today that it's hard to imagine those employers who have not used such a test. And this "subject" excitement arose after the release of the film "The Wolf of Wall Street", where a similar dialogue was presented. The hero suggests the most obvious way - to create a need and satisfy it. The meaning is the following:

You have won a trip to Paris! Fill in the form.

But I don't have a pen...

- Selling.

That is, the solution to the problem is being sold. Let's look at a few examples of dialogues where enterprising applicants will try to find a new owner for a ballpoint pen.

Example #1

A standard dialogue based on the sales stages listed above:

– Hello! My name is Lyubov Vasilyeva, I am a representative of the Pens in Pocket company. Tell me how can I contact you?

– Good afternoon, I’m Ekaterina.

- Ekaterina, are you a business person? Perhaps, in the process of work and negotiations, you often have to take notes?

- Yes, but I gave up pens a long time ago, I write down everything in notes on the phone.

– Of course, it is very convenient. However, what will you do if your phone suddenly runs out of battery? Technique can fail at any moment, and suddenly there is a need to sign important documents?

- Yes, somehow I didn’t think about it ... Well, there simply haven’t been such cases so far.

But such a situation can arise at any moment. You've been lucky so far, but as a business person, you just can't rely on your phone alone. I suggest you buy a regular and inexpensive pen that will help you out at a crucial moment if the phone sits down or you simply forget it at home.

- How much it costs? Maybe the game is not worth the candle?

– The pen is absolutely standard, comfortable and writes well. It costs mere pennies - only 100 rubles.

- Oh, come on, let it be ...

- Fine. You will not regret it. Would you like to buy a diary in addition to the pen? They are currently 20% off.

- Yes, it would be logical, not to write on the knee. Let's have him too.

Once you have agreed in principle to buy a pen, try to sell related products. Without a doubt, this will significantly increase your rating in the eyes of the future leader.

Example #2

When selling a pen at an interview, you can go the opposite way - lead a person to the need to sign something. But a similar option is suitable in the case when the only pen was given to the applicant for the test:

- Yuri, do you often use ordinary ballpoint pens?

No, I'm a photographer. All I need, I just take pictures.

- Perhaps a pen will be useful to you to write down the phone of a cute model? I can offer you a beautiful pen - elegant and with bright ink.

“I’ll need a notepad for it too.”

- We have a huge selection of notebooks for every taste and budget. Would you like to see?

- No, no, I already have a lot of things needed for work. I just have nowhere to stick a notepad.

- Yuri, you are such a famous photographer ... I have been dreaming of getting to your photo session for a long time.

- This can be easily arranged. Here's your business card. I just have the opportunity to shoot next weekend at three in the afternoon.

- Wonderful, thank you. Just could you write me the time on the back of the business card? And then the memory fails.

- I don't have a pen.

So I sell pens.

- Okay, sell me one.

Example #3

Sometimes everything is easier than it seems, especially if you approach the issue with humor and minimal knowledge of psychology. An employer can be trapped if you correctly place accents in a conversation. For example, a potential boss hands you his expensive pen and asks you to sell it:

– Ivan Ivanovich, are you sure you don’t need this pen?

“You just didn’t understand the purpose of the task. You need to sell it to me, make a deal.

“So I can keep the pen for myself?”

“Of course not, it’s just a test.

“Ah… You want me to sell it to you?”

- Yes, yes, that's right!

- Excellent. I sell. A thousand rubles and your pen!

The interlocutor himself says “yes”, expressing a desire to buy a pen, which means that further persuasion is simply not needed. What for? If a person is already ready to buy. Just keep in mind that this method is suitable when you are given a really worthwhile pen - nominal or branded.

Example #4

A good option when selling a pen in an interview is to offer something unique that suits the client's needs. For instance:

- Good afternoon, Nikolai Petrovich. My name is Vasily Lokhankin, I am a representative of the company "We write beautifully."

- Hello.

– You are a businessman, do you often have to use ordinary pens?

Yes, I sign contracts.

Are you satisfied with the quality of the pens you write with?

- Oh sure.

Perhaps you are missing something? Our pens will definitely not disappoint you.

- Things are good. Your pens are probably expensive ... We have a front yard at work, everyone goes back and forth all the time, pens are carried away. Sometimes a dozen disappear in a day.

“It is, of course, an unfortunate situation. But there is a solution. We can offer a special innovative pen with an electronic label - if it disappears from your table at a distance of more than 10 meters, then after 5 minutes it will start beeping and will continue until it is returned to its place.

- Oh, wow! For a long time I wanted to play a trick on my colleagues. I'll take two.

Features of selling a pencil and phone at an interview

Of course, not always at the interview, the candidate is offered to sell a pen. It can be anything - a phone, a pencil, a laptop ... However, it does not matter for the employer what they will try to present, because the test is necessary for evaluation professional qualities applicant. Someone is lost immediately and does not even want to try, perceiving the situation as absurd. However, Russian sayings remind that "to be afraid of wolves - do not go into the forest." Do you want a new and high paying job? Show yourself.

By selling a phone or a pencil, show that you are a stress-resistant, creative and competent employee who understands the stages of selling goods and services. It should be understood that a deal is not always concluded, your interlocutor may refuse to purchase, but this does not mean at all that you have not completed the task.

Summing up

Selling a pen at an interview is easy if you understand the main rule of marketing - you need to focus on the needs of the client, offer a specific solution to the problem. People want to make their life easier, buy a dream, not some product.

Listen to the interlocutor, ask him. After analyzing the information received, it is not difficult to come up with an effective strategy that allows you to make a deal. Don't hide your sense of humor if you have one, because recruiters have already heard a lot of formulaic phrases about how durable the material of the pen they sell is and how its blue color matches their eyes or trousers. Originality and respect will help you get a position, and then ... everything is in your hands - you will have to get to know your colleagues and start “selling pens”.

"Sell me that pen!" - said the manager of the company and pushed his pen towards you, which he had just turned in his hand. Is the situation familiar? Probably yes. Many of us have heard an offer to sell something at an interview. This is already a traditional stage of the interview for positions related to sales. But if the applicant does not prepare for it in advance, there is a big risk of getting confused and not being able to “sell” the pen. Today we will analyze how to properly sell a pen at an interview, and at the end of the article you will find a video that can serve as a good example.

Why sell a pen in an interview?

When this, now a typical task, just appeared and began to gain popularity, for many people it raised a completely logical question: why does the employer need this? The answer to it is just as logical - to assess the candidate's ability to sell. Why a pen? Yes, it's just something that is always at hand. Sometimes, instead of a pen, they ask to sell a pencil, a piece of paper, a paper clip, a folder, and so on.

But the goals of an interviewer who asks to sell him something may be different. We can talk about a position that does not require the candidate to have experience and sales skills. For example, call centers often hire students who have never worked anywhere before. By phone, they will need to sell the product to the client or persuade him to use the service. In this case, by selling a pen, you can evaluate the candidate according to the following criteria: stress resistance, perseverance, sociability and desire to achieve the goal. If the candidate has all these qualities at a high level, then most likely he will be able to sell a pen, even if he has never done this before. A person who is frightened of the question, refuses to even try to sell a pen, or gives up after the first refusal, is clearly not suitable for this position, because in the same way he will behave with potential buyers.

If the position implies that the applicant has extensive experience in sales and knowledge of all the nuances in this matter, then such a dialogue will reveal how well the candidate knows the art of sales. Here, not just perseverance and determination will be evaluated, but the ability to properly build a dialogue with the client and apply various sales techniques.

How to sell a pen in an interview

The biggest mistake that applicants make in this situation is the fear of appearing ridiculous or stupid. It’s also not worth taking all this as a state exam, but you must understand that whether you get a position will depend on your remarks. It's usually embarrassing just to start a dialogue about selling a pen, and then everything starts to go like clockwork. Therefore, try to be confident in yourself from the very first second. So what do you need?

Determine buyer needs

One of the main laws of sales says: "Sell not a product, but an opportunity to get rid of the problems that it solves." In other words, the emphasis should not be on the material object itself, but on the benefits of using it. First you need to determine what needs and needs the buyer may have associated with the product being sold.

In this case, the buyer is your interviewer. Take a look at it workplace and watch his behavior. If you notice a stack of papers with statements or other documents on his desk, most likely he often has to put his signature on them. If during your conversation the interviewer’s phone rang several times (it doesn’t matter if he answered or not), it means that a lot of new information comes to him during the day. And in order not to forget it, it is better to write it down. You can use all the similar moments you have noticed during your dialogue. If you find several benefits of using a pen, great. If there is only one, it’s also not bad, and so it’s quite possible to cope with the task.

To find out the needs of the buyer in more detail, ask him questions. For example, do you often have to sign documents and fill out various forms? Have you ever had a pen at hand when you really needed it? Do you often write by hand instead of typing on a computer? Do you like using expensive high-quality stationery? And everything in this spirit.

Remember the rule of three yeses. Your questions must be asked in such a way that at least the first three of them receive a positive answer. By answering “yes” three times in a row, your interlocutor will feel an inner disposition towards you and the dialogue will go easier. This rule, by the way, applies not only to interviews, but also in everyday life.

Submit a product

Once you've identified the customer's needs, it's time to present the product to them. This must be done, of course, taking into account the results of the previous stage. If at the beginning of the dialogue you find out that the client would like to buy your pen, but believes that it is too expensive, offer him a profitable discount or promotion. If it was said that the buyer only uses pens from expensive brands, focus on the uniqueness and exclusivity of your product. If the buyer often has to sign documents or just write something, tell us about how practical and durable your pen is. If the client has problems with the constant loss of pens, offer him an option with a handle on a cord that is attached to the table.

You should use all the information received from the buyer in the first part of the conversation at the stage of product presentation. And he may not answer your questions exactly as you planned, so it is also important to quickly change from one tactic to another.

Complete the deal

When you finally put the squeeze on the buyer, and he agreed to buy a pen from you, it is important to end the conversation correctly. No need at this moment to throw a pen on the table and shout “hooray, I did it!”. End the conversation the way you would if you were talking to a real customer, not the interviewer. Say that you are very pleased with the successful transaction and are grateful to the client for the attention shown to your product. Here you can come up with many options for ending the conversation: “I will be glad to see you among my clients again”, “I will definitely give you a discount on your next purchase”, “thank you for your purchase, be sure that it will not disappoint you” and so on. It is important to show the employer that you will always go to the end.

If it so happened that the interviewer does not want to buy a pen from you, then you should not freak out and be nervous. Such behavior will only play to your disadvantage. You may feel that there is no point in continuing any further. This may be indicated by the general attitude of the employer. If he has already decided that you are not suitable for this position, this often affects his behavior - he loses interest in what is happening and does his best to show his desire to quickly end the conversation. In this case, no matter how upset you are, it is better to end the conversation with dignity. Say that you are very sorry that this pen did not suit the buyer, but your pen manufacturing company will definitely start working on producing exactly such pens that will satisfy the needs of absolutely all customers. Perhaps, after such words, the employer will understand that you know how to competently conduct a conversation with a client and will think about your candidacy :)

A couple more important points. When you talk about selling a pen, do it with moderate enthusiasm, a slight smile, and courtesy. Even the right words, spoken in a quiet voice, sullenly or indifferently, can produce a completely different effect than they could with the right intonation and facial expressions.

Top mistakes when selling a pen in an interview

You have every chance not to sell the pen if you will:

• use too formulaic language. The phrases "this product is made of quality material", "the manufacturer is a worldwide famous brand" etc. better to forget altogether;
• describe only the qualities of the product itself, and not the benefits of the purchase;
• do not let the interlocutor insert a word in the flow of your praise of the product;
• start to get nervous and show dissatisfaction if the buyer does not agree to buy your product for a long time. This, too, can be one of the tests for how long you can last;
• refuse to display originality and artistry during the dialogue. Take this situation as a “serious joke” (or playful seriousness, if you like), that is, somewhere you can joke, but your general attitude should indicate that this is all serious for you.

How to sell a pen in a video interview

In our opinion, one of best examples This fragment can serve as a successful sale of a pen at an interview. Although this is not a specially filmed lesson on this topic, the "seller's" tactics are just great :)

Employers are constantly coming up with new sophisticated questions and non-standard tasks for job seekers, a popular discussed example is How to sell a pen in an interview. More than others are “lucky” for interesting questions and tasks for representatives creative professions in which it is necessary to think creatively, respond, find solutions - marketers, advertisers, analysts, sales and customer service managers.

In the material, we will try to collect the largest number of ideas and tips on how to creatively sell a pen at an interview for those who intend to cope with the task, successfully pass the interview and get the desired position.

Test tasks

Understanding the goals will help you pass the test successfully. The employer or HR wants to find out:

• How does a candidate behave in a stressful situation? Will he start to get nervous, wave his arms, stutter and blush, or will he calmly think over the question, quickly respond, offer a solution to the problem? Behavior will tell a lot about the future employee, so keep calm and think.
• Sales skills. An applicant at an interview is asked to sell a pen to find out if he has a theoretical background or acts intuitively and came to try to get an unfamiliar job.
• If the applicant fails to convince the interlocutor to make a purchase, it is evaluated reaction to failure and experience in sales. The specialist knows: one sale out of dozens of attempts is a normal result. He will not be upset, not angry, but will end the conversation with dignity.

Studying them will help you understand how to sell a pen in an interview. An example of such a situation is shown in the movie The Wolf of Wall Street. DiCaprio's hero Jordan Belfort arranges a lecture test, and listeners unprepared for such a turn of events begin to babble incomprehensible nonsense and look pathetic.

An excellent example is shown earlier in the film. Jordan's colleague took advantage of the basic principle of marketing: create a need and offer a product that will satisfy it. In the case of writing instruments - ask the "buyer" to write or draw something, give an autograph or phone number.

Another non-standard example of selling a pen at an interview was told in an interview by Tom Scrima, a member of the American Competitive Trail Horse Association. In a conversation, the employer mentioned that he was looking for a persevering employee who brought deals to the end, and later offered him this test. Tom began to talk about how high quality it is, how good it is and how much it means to a business person. The employer stopped him, saying that he had heard enough, and asked him to return it. Then Tom refused, arguing that it costs $ 5 and he can only buy it out and did not back down, ignoring the persuasion of the employer. He got angry and left the room, slamming the door, and Tom got his first job.

Way based on the sales model

1. Establishing contact begins with greetings, self-presentations, introductions of the company.

2. Identify needs and present the product accordingly, focus on them in the presentation. Ask clarifying questions: “How often do you use a pen? Every day?". So you will have two options for continuing the dialogue, depending on whether you got a cheap or expensive sample of the product: “Then I suggest an option for daily use, light and compact, fits well in the hand and is inexpensive” or “Surely you have a lot of pens for daily use. Let me suggest Parker for special occasions and important contracts." Focus not on quality and features, but on the benefits that the buyer will receive.

3. Work with objections. Look for arguments, persuade. Possible objections are “I already have”, “I don’t need”.

- Agree, this is not an item that will last forever. At a crucial moment, you can forget it at home or lose it, and then the second one will help you out.

Add additional arguments:

- today is half price;

- as a gift a pencil and an eraser.

4. Completion of the deal.

Knowing common mistakes will help you avoid them. Do not use template expressions and stamps:

• quality;
• from strong material;
• quality ink;
• innovative technologies.

Do not invent non-existent properties: smell, super strength, endless ink. The employer will definitely put a clarifying question, to which there is hardly an honest, worthy answer.

Two ways to sell with humor and knowledge of psychology

The method corresponding to the theory with the classical scheme is good, but it is difficult to call it creative and original, so let's consider an example of a pen sale dialogue at an interview and a psychological explanation of why the examples work.

Selling an inexpensive pen is very simple. They hand it to you and say:

Now sell it to me.

Your task is to take it and without pauses, looking into the eyes of the interlocutor, answer:

Do you want me to sell you this pen?

The interviewer will answer:

- Yes.

Quickly, without looking away, answer:

- No problem. One hundred rubles and it's yours.

Sales techniques are not used here, a presentation is not arranged, you are not looking for arguments. Demonstrates the speed of reaction and knowledge of psychology. The interviewer does not have time to switch from the leading role to the role of the "buyer", to turn on the resistance to persuasion. The dialogue will bring a smile, there will be no point in continuing the game of selling. If, in response to humor, the employer starts to get angry, be rude to you, this is a signal for you - think about why you need such a leader and how to work with him later.

The second example of selling an expensive pen at an interview for a branded, nominal or personal one, this method will not work with a cheap handout.

Let's say the interviewer takes it out of his own pocket and hands it to you asking you to sell it.

Are you sure you don't need it?

— You don't understand, the task is to sell it to me.

- Can I leave it to myself?

No, this is a test.

So you want me to sell it to you?

- Then 1000 rubles and it's yours.

The person answers “yes”, thereby showing that he is ready to make a deal and persuasion is not needed. Keep the conversation calm, with a smile, so that the employer understands that you are not seriously taking away his Parker.

The article contains methods and techniques for passing the test, practical advice, the use of which will help to pass the considered test and the like. We wish you good luck, creativity and perseverance!

You sit at the interview, answer the main ones in such cases. But suddenly an employer or recruiter hands you a pen, a cup, a stapler, or any other item that comes to hand and says: “Sell me this product.”

Offers to understand why such tasks are needed and how to respond to them. What to do so that the employer does not doubt your professionalism.

Why a fictitious sale is needed

In fact, this technique is as old as the tradition of interviewing itself. Most often it is used when hiring employees for a position or. Turning to the applicant with such a request, the employer does not actually wait for the sale of the product.

Sales this test is offered in order to assess his perseverance and desire to sell, how he will get out of a non-standard situation, conduct a dialogue, deal with objections. From an experienced "salesperson" they are expected to demonstrate experience and style, the skill of communicating with the buyer.

How to sell a product in an interview

So that the request “Sell me this product” does not take you by surprise, you need to be prepared for it, estimate in advance possible options presentations. Here are rough rules for how to behave when you are asked to make a fictitious sale.

1. Before the interview, find out how you can more information about the company you are applying for, products, its corporate values.

2. At the interview, after that very question, if you feel nervous, ask for some time to prepare. Take a closer look at the product that you have to sell. Let's say it's a stapler.

3. Follow the steps to sell a product:

• Set up a contact. Introduce yourself, ask how you can contact the employer (we will call him the client). Smile.
• Identify needs. Ask the interlocutor leading questions, determine what exactly he needs, direct the conversation in the direction you need. Find out how often the client uses a stapler, for what purpose - to fasten sheets, unbend staples. Which stapler does he prefer - mechanical, electric. In general, ask as many questions as you can to figure out which aspects to highlight in your presentation.
• Present a product. It is not enough to describe the stapler colorfully and lie with three boxes. The product must be presented in the language of the client, taking into account his needs and the benefits that he will receive from the purchase: exclusivity, prestige, practicality, economy. You can mention how it differs from analogues.

Example:

The body of the stapler is metal, red. Bright color allows you to quickly find the item on the table. The stapler staples up to 20 sheets at a time. Additional convenience is created by the built-in anti-stapler. In addition, this item matches your desktop decor, as if they were from the same set.

• Work with objections. They will definitely arise, and at any stage of the sale. Your task is to anticipate all the objections of the client and ... agree with him. But not with what he specifically says, but with the fact that he has the right to his point of view.

Example:

- I will not buy. I already have a stapler, the client tells you.

- Yes, I understand you perfectly, you use a stapler that you like, but, you see, it's a shame when the staples in it end at the most inopportune moment. And our stapler has a supply of 100 staples, you retort.

Keep in mind that the sale is fictitious, so objections are easier to deal with, you can simply ignore them and divert the conversation in another direction.

• Finish the deal. Gently nudge the customer to what it's time to buy. Summarize what has been said, focus on the benefits and make an offer.

Example:

- Do you need to arrange one stapler or will you take several?

- Today is the last day of the promotion - 20% discount, place an order?

What not to do

An interview is a test. At the most crucial moment, you can get confused, forget prepared theses, get excited. In this case, you can always ask for half a minute to prepare, this time will give you the opportunity to gather. But remember, compliance with which will help you avoid failure:

• no need to praise the product, exalt its quality, lie;
• do not interrupt the client, do not refuse to listen to his opinion;
• do not be too formal, on the contrary, be friendly and open, improvise, win over the client.

Of course, at the interview you may be asked to sell any item. Add originality, imagination, perseverance to the above sales scheme, use all your charm to win over the interlocutor. Exactly, and it is precisely such a candidate that employers prefer. knows for sure!

Be kind, please use JavaScript

13 comments

Igor Kukshin 02.08.2016, 19:07

sell a product? and then why the sales department at the company?) point the recruiter to ... that door if he does not know where they are engaged in sales

Oleg Gavula 02.08.2016, 21:21

:) And if you are going to be hired in the same sales department, or else - the heads of the sales department - which door will you show the recruiter or the person who conducts the interview?

Igor Kukshin 08/02/2016, 22:17

I will show the recruiter the way out if he does not use his intuition in his work and does not see from your face that you are "corrupt" or "corrupt", in the sense of a specialist / pro in your field)

Igor Kukshin 08/02/2016, 22:18

those. "non-saleable" that cannot sell anything, sorry, sell

Roman Garkusha 03.08.2016, 09:52

This description is for lohіv ... it's just smіh that year .... from some old books it was taken ....

Alexander Prokhorenko 08/08/2016, 22:40

If the buyer needs the product, you will always sell it.

Sergey Cherkashin 08/15/2016, 12:14

And in this case, it is NOT needed, and the "buyer" is not a buyer, but a manipulator.

Sergey Cherkashin 08/15/2016, 12:12

Once 2-3 times they tried to impose such performances on me, but I convincingly refused. I don't take it seriously. If only because the situation is not natural and sincere, and therefore there will be no objectivity.
In one of the cases, the conversation abruptly turned into a normal and sane course.
These stupid things have not been practiced for many years. Anyway, with me. Haven't met for a long time. Redeem yourself.

08.10.2015 97 997 16 Reading time: 14 min.

The question is, to put it mildly, unusual. However, it is very popular, so much so that users ask it to search engines several thousand times a month. And all because this "trick" has recently been used by employers hiring. To determine how well a candidate has developed sales skills, they tell him: “sell me a pen!” or some other object lying on the table. This technique became popular after the film The Wolf of Wall Street, where one of the characters, as a demonstration of the sales skills of another, who, according to him, can sell anything, offers him: “Sell me a pen!”. This question baffles many candidates: they get lost, do not know what to do, and fail the interview. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for such tricky questions in advance.

Today I decided to bring to your attention a few examples of how to sell a pen at an interview and, thereby, make a great impression on the employer.

How to sell a pen in an interview? Examples

First of all, I want to say that you can sell a pen at an interview in traditional and non-traditional ways. You should choose a method based on the type of personality and position of the person conducting the interview, based on his preferences for the candidate - you should try to identify all this at the initial stage of the conversation, before you receive this tricky offer: “sell me a pen!”.

If you notice that your interlocutor is a serious person, and he is primarily interested in real sales skills, he looks at you appraisingly, conducts a conversation in a strict style, then it is best to use more traditional methods of selling a pen. That is, to show him that you are familiar with the tactics of sales and negotiation - later I will consider this with an example.

If in front of you is a positive, smiling, creative person who asks a lot of non-standard questions, conducts an interview in a relaxed, friendly manner, then it is quite possible to "take" him with an unconventional approach to selling a pen.

After you were offered "sell me a pen!" or some other subject, take your time, ask for some time to prepare for the dialogue: this is quite normal and natural, rarely does anyone make a sale suddenly, usually this is preceded by a process of reflection and preparation.

Carefully study the subject of sale, consider what it is used for, to whom and how it can be useful. Mentally draw up a sales plan, think over its main stages. And only after that proceed with the task.

How to sell a pen in an interview? An example of a traditional dialogue

When choosing the traditional way of selling, we act in accordance with all the key rules for making contact with a potential client and making a sale. For example, something like this:

Stage 1 . Presentation and introduction. First of all, say hello, introduce yourself and establish contact with the interlocutor. Next, you will address the “client” by name (first name and patronymic), based on how he introduces himself to you.

For example: Good afternoon, my name is Konstantin, I am the manager of the Happy Pen company, tell me how can I contact you?

Stage 2. Identification of customer needs. Next, you need to identify the needs on which your further sale will be based. Ask the interlocutor only such questions, the answers to which will be in the affirmative and will stimulate the continuation of the dialogue.

For example: Sergey, I have a very interesting offer but first I would like to ask you a few questions.

• I see you are a business person, you probably often have to work with documents?
• What status accessories do you think a businessman needs to make a good impression on a potential client or partner?
• How do you prefer to write down important points, contacts, amounts in the course of business negotiations?
• How detailed do you keep your organizer?
• How many people do you take per day?

Stage 3 . Product presentation. After you have identified the needs and found in the answers of the interlocutor those points that you will focus on during the sale, proceed to the presentation of your product, focusing not on the pen itself, but on the benefits that the interlocutor will receive from its use.

For example: Thank you, Sergey. Based on your answers, I would like to suggest to you…

• pen, which will allow you to quickly and conveniently write down any important information wherever you are;
• a spare pen that will help you out if you run out of pasta in the main one;
• a stylish pen that will emphasize your status as a business person when communicating with partners;
• an additional pen that you can offer candidates to fill out the questionnaire;
• etc.

Stage 4 . Work with objections. Your interlocutor, of course, will begin to object to you. And at this stage, you must competently work out all his objections.

For instance :

• I already have a pen that suits me completely!
• Of course, because you would not use a pen that did not suit you in some way. At the same time, you must admit that if the pen stops writing at the most crucial moment, it will be very inconvenient. Therefore, I offer you an inexpensive additional pen, which will save you from such unpleasant incidents. For example, I myself always carry a second pen with me, and it has helped me out more than once!

Stage 5 . Additional incentives to buy. And, finally, in order to finally “finish off” the client, offer him additional conditions that he cannot refuse.

For instance :

• Today, for only one day, we have a special promotion: each buyer of a pen becomes a participant in the drawing of a new i-phone!
• By purchasing this inexpensive pen, you will receive a loyalty card, and in the future you will be able to purchase more expensive products with a good discount!
• There are only 3 pens left at this price, the next batch will already be more expensive;
• Etc.

Stage 6 . End of sale, cross-sell. And finally, when the “customer is ripe”, close the deal nicely and be sure to cross-sell.

For instance :

• Each buyer of a pen with us has the opportunity to purchase a new pencil with an eraser at a special promotional price;
• Will you take one pen, or will you already take the remaining three? You can give them to your colleagues, because the holiday is coming soon.

Stage 7 . Farewell to the client. Once the transaction is complete, thank the customer for the purchase, say goodbye, and establish a business rapport for future sales.

For example: Sergey, thank you, I'm sure you made the right choice. When we have new offers that may be of interest to you, I will definitely contact you. See you!

This is how you can sell a pen at an interview in the traditional way. Now let's look at more specific options.

How to sell a pen in an interview? Alternative examples

These methods can be used either if you have a creative and extraordinary person in front of you, or if the traditional option frankly does not work (you can switch to non-traditional at any suitable moment).

1. Grab your pen and leave. This method will work if you are offered to sell an expensive pen or some more valuable item (smartphone, laptop, etc.). Just say, “well, since you don’t want to buy, I’ll probably keep it for myself,” and silently leave. When you receive a call asking you to return the item, offer to buy it back for a small fee. You can be sure that the sale is made.
2. Emphasis on the skill of the interlocutor. If the sale doesn't add up, ask the person who offered to sell you the pen: "Would you be able to sell it yourself?" Most likely, he will answer that he could. Then offer him to buy a pen from you at a low price and resell it to someone else at a higher price, making money on it. After all, he is a real sales guru, and he will definitely succeed.
3. Ask for an autograph. If you notice that the interlocutor does not have another pen on the table, tell him that he is a great authority for you, and you would like to take his autograph. And when he does not have a pen to give it to - offer him to buy it from you. By the way, this is the technique used by the hero of the film "The Wolf of Wall Street" to the request "sell me a pen."

In addition to all the above tips, you can figure out how to sell a pen at an interview yourself. And it will be much better, because many people can use such advice, and your own development will be individual, and you will have a much better chance of making a successful sale and interview with it.

In addition, you can find a lot of videos “How to sell a pen?” on the Internet, among which there are quite interesting ones - they can also be taken as a basis.

It is important to understand that the successful sale of a pen is not so much important for the interview and the employer, but for yourself. Because a sales specialist should not get lost in non-standard situations, this skill is a big plus for his work.

Anyone who can easily and quickly sell a pen at an interview will have high sales rates while working, and therefore make good money. Remember this.

Now you know how to sell a pen in an interview. Hope this information helps you. Good luck in all your endeavors! See you at!

Estimate: