How to sell a pen

How to sell anything in your job interview

A classic example of a certain sales interview is given to sales people to prepare for any job interview. In that example a recruiter asked the applicant to sell a pen (lying on the table or owned by the recruiter) to the recruiter.

Having seen first hand, how advertising and marketing works, my solution to the dilemma has two versions. First the subtle one: Take the pen and a piece of paper, tell the recruiter to write the directions with that pen on that particular piece of paper. Only thing is that you are holding the pen and the piece of paper and the recruiter would have to pay to get that pen and that piece of paper. You just sold the pen and a piece of paper so I guess the applicant will get a bonus. That is how markets are created by subtly changing the behaviour of masses then selling the solutions that arise out of those ‘comfort zone’ behaviours.

Second solution is not so subtle in nature. Hold the pen, grab the recruiter and put that pen on his throat right at the artery. Tell him to put the money on the table or he/she might get killed. Again, you sold the pen and spared the life of your future boss. This is how corporations in collusion with people who hold powerful positions, sell their products to you these days. A recent pandemic can be taken as an example.

Navdeep Singh Mangat: CEO, Promot Technologies: A marketing division of market research firm Process Prism Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd. We still believe in good old practices of ethical marketing. #marketing #digitalmarketing #technology #sales #promottechnologies. Do visit us on www.promot.co.in