In my starting days of real-life learning, I took up a job in direct sales & marketing firm as a door-to-door marketer. I liked this job more than selling on the phone in a call centre. I was given a variety of products to sell including computer education packages, Ice cream discount coupons, Pizza coupons & various others. I got up every day at 6:30 AM to make sure I am attending the first meeting at 8:00 AM after travelling for 90 minutes. I did this religiously every day including Saturdays. The hunger inside me pushed me to become best at this door to door sales.
I used to be right in the field knocking on the first door by as early as 9:30 AM and pushing myself to achieve the target of 10 sales a day. I was rejected, slammed, abused and everything in between this Job but still, I call this job the biggest learning lessons of my life. The Mantra given to us by our VP of "Granton Marketing", Mr Saurabh (If I remember correctly) was simple, meet 200 people and pitch all of them and then you will achieve 10 sales. Those were truly magical words. I practised this every day. It took me some time to make sure I meet 200 people. Most of the days, I just couldn't meet 200 people & the result left short of my target. Whenever I did, 80% time I achieved the target.
Now there were so many doors who called me "Salesman" (low life salesman) & slammed their door on my face. The kids opened the door shouting "Mom / Dad another salesman is here ". Building secretaries & chairman asked their security guards to throw me out of the building. Some scared me with their dogs running behind me. Some threatened to call the police & some called me a thief. However, there were a minority of people who gave me the strength to carry on hour after hour, day after day. Whenever the insults & bad language pushed me to quit, a door of hope opened by positive customer changed my mind. The good doors offered me water, juice, lunch, dinner, snacks, references, personal phone calls & even dating. The good doors broke their piggy bank, forced their dad to buy, called their neighbours to buy, called several other people in the building to buy, millionaire 83-year-old diabetic patient bought 2 ice cream coupon books despite knowing she won't eat that cheap brand and referred me to several others. Some other Multi-Millionaire didn't buy but said I will be a successful person one day.
The good doors always came at the end. After 20-30 doors maybe one good door but that's what pushed me to keep ringing the several other doors to find the good one. The positivity pushed me to chase my target to such extent that I found myself working on Sunday at railway platform after 10:00 PM but I managed to sell to two positive prospects, one of them even went to ATM to remove cash for me during rain. When I asked him no to take the trouble, his reply made me even stronger. He said," When you can sell at a railway platform on Sunday night then I can miss my train and walk in the rain to get the money out of ATM to help me."
Someone opened their door at 11:15 PM in the night when they were all sleeping, entertained me and bought from me with lots of respect. These experiences in my life made me a very strong person & made me realize," no matter what happens in life, I can never give up trying." And that's how I have been able to achieve little success from being nowhere to being somewhere. Although my journey is still on the lessons learnt from door to door sales is what made me stronger & successful.
Lesson learnt: Good Doors are always there, we have to open several bad ones to reach the good one. Never Give up. Keep going & you will reach your target.
If someone would like to share their experiences with me then I will love to share it with all my friends here on Linkedin.
A big shout out to Granton Advertising & Marketing, Mumbai & their heads in 2002, My team leader, Musician Mr Roy, My senior Ms Ritu & Ms Shetty. God bless you guys wherever you are.
Be Healthy & Live Long.
Doors are always open, we have to open several bad ones to find the right one.