It often baffles me when people trying to sell you are rude to you.
 

I make a post soliciting designers. With my icq being public, you can only imagine the swarm of messages that start coming in. I am talking over 30 plus, and that isn't counting all the day-to-day icqs that I get.

It would be almost impossible for me to look them all over in one day.

Every time I make a designer solicitation, at least a flock of 8 or 9 new ones appear. I have no problem with that, I really try to look at everyone that hits me up, and even if I do not use them, I slide them in my designer icq group.

The best ones are the ones that icq you: I am interested, my portfolio located here blah.com. I have done work for ARS.

Then I can check it all out.

But a lot of them icq me with: You there.

5 minutes later.

:::?

20 minutes later.

:::???

Just par for the course, doesn't bother me. But it still adds to the load of flashing icq icons.


Today, I get this:

:::????????????????

Then, 5 minutes later,

:::you know how to answer people?

I told him I have a certain way of doing things and that I wouldn't be needing his services. Seriously though? Is it just me? I don't think I could chat with all these guys about what they offer. IMO, you should just toss your product and what you can do into the pool. I don't even mind someone reminding me, but certainly don't be rude.

Just seems like basic common sense. Maybe it is just me though?

So, are you going to hire me or what?

Been there done that last week with the same results as you... so many rude people... and when I tell them i'm not interested they start arguing that they can do the style I want... etc etc.

Build a portfolio and then I'l ask you ...

This explains the sobbing coming from your office.

LOL

Or even if you are small, make an impression by being professional and courteous.

Everyone thinks that they can hustle deals when really, 99% of the "reps" out there couldnt sell a lifeboat to a drowning man.

You need to have reasonable follow-up, be polite, respectful and professional at all times ...After all, you want to make a relationship with a customer that has the customer not only buy, but want to refer for the long term to other people.

As a Sales Professional - I prefer to pick up the phone and talk to my suspects, prospects and customers ... as well shoot the breeze over IM at times.....

*IF* you want to really sell effectively - take Dale Carnegie training, its well worth the investment.

It's not so common.

I've done it as well just as you described. Specifically, you start a thread requesting something, and one thing you left out, was when they hit you up and start bashing your current designs or their competitors.

I have actually been told:

Well, fine if you don't want to hire me, but dont hire "XXXXXX", he will rip you off.

Which is why most are just designers, not salespeople. You've talked many times about how great AlienQ is, yet he's alienated (no pun intended) a vast majority of his possible customer base due to the fact that he's not a salesman.

Two of my favorites.


I was at Internext Florida a couple of years ago. I was sitting in the pool and got out to walk back over to our table where my wallet and other personal items was located.

This guy walked up to me and asked me if I had a second to talk about his feeds. I said yes and he did his thing. I said sounds great lets talk when I get back. He ask me for my card but I tell him it isn't on me it is down by my table in my bag.

With a big group standing around, the guys says,

"That is really unprofessional. Word of advice, you should always have business cards on you."

I was just in the pool! They aren't water proof!

And then there was the guy that told me by not giving his product a serious look, I was costing our company money and that he was going to call the owner and tell them how I lost him revenue! Man!

You said it better than me :thumbsup

LOL me too!

We use some of the most reputable people around!

wow attitude!!!!!!

im fucking pissed with people on chat doing that "?" even they can just type WHAT? kinda ridiculous and annoying. :disgust

Hey Cory, I never got that "Sideways" trip you took E-mail...

people like that will not go far in this business, or in life.

I couldn't agree more with you, I had the same problem a couple of times too...

fucking nerve

i wait a day or two at least and then reply back.

man, I'm going to have a hard time talking to guys with feeds.:winkwink:

he should have emailed you if he was that serious lol

This may sound bad as well, but you know, am I that tough to track down?

All you really need to do is take a note, go home and find my GFY username, you don't really need my card to be honest.

For over 20 years I worked in high-tech corporate sales, mostly as a National Sales Manager, so I can smell a canned pitch as soon as a salesbot opens their mouth.

While attending various adult industry shows over the years, I've noticed that the adult biz has some truly gifted sales professionals, but that they are vastly outnumbered by two-bit hustlers and hucksters, who obviously have little respect for the people that they wish to do business with. Frankly, I am surprised that the companies they represent would hire some of these folks in the first place.

Since each of my sales reps generally carried at least a million dollar quota, I treated each hiring decision as a million dollar decision. If you think of it that way, then you will focus on hiring a better caliber of salesperson, and you will train them properly, so that when they go out to represent your company, they truly are an extension of you and the company, and not just some frat brat out to party on your dime.

The goal should be to grow your business, not simply maintain it. Sales incentive programs that reward new sales/clients, and sales growth, should be rewarded over pulling the same numbers from the same clients.

Creative and engaged management is the key.

Good thread Cory.

ADG Webmaster

Cory I can completely relate:

When I had only been doing pay-per-view camshows 4 or 5 years ago I was approached by someone about being the personality/main model for a paysite with his company. Being new to computers and the internet in general I had asked questions about terms he used, etc. in our very first chat.

The conversation came to a halt when he asked if I had a husband or boyfriend he could talk to, because "maybe he would understand all this better." I assured him that my husband knew even less about computers than I did. What did he say? Repeated the insult, maybe I should have my husband call him because he might understand this better.

Um, yeah, good way to sell to a woman: insinuate she's inherently stupid because she doesn't have a penis ;) What is this 1950? Pass.

(Oh and, yes, I'm aware many comments re. women being stupid are about to follow - ahhh, GFY, I still love ya :1orglaugh )

yes cory, it is just you.

i personally enjoy the harassment, it keeps me in my place and reminds me that i'm lucky to have them hitting me up.

I do not need to make "sales".
My work sell's itself. If a someone likes my work there is no "Selling" involved.

Selling is just an excuse to be a lame ass and nuisance.

:)

http://www.midgetarmy.com/2006/08/08...t-a-porn-show/

I think you pretty much proved my point and I mean that in a nice way. :winkwink:

It's like programmers - they're programmers, not salesmen. If they're good enough, people don't care if they're rude, but in some industries, you need people skills no matter what you do.

I have friend who owns an industrial engineering firm. He won't hire anyone who didn't play team sports growing up. He said the difference in the guys who did and those who didn't when put in a room of people was like night and day.

I know someone who's VERY successful in this biz but just doesn't socialize with people they don't know well. That's just them :)

If a designer is good enough, they can be as rude as they want and they'll find work. If they are average, they're going to need to learn social skills too.

:1orglaugh Cory, your link is Classic! My favorite: "Remember, you already know everything there is to know, don?t let others talk down to you just because they run a successful business."

A product does not sell itself. A product garners interest, a salesman sells.

Oh...
I can sell...

A little.:1orglaugh

AlienQ invented selling. He taught Dale Carnegie everything he wrote about.

ADG Webmaster

Well, sometimes I have to scroll down my icq list, Cory. Takes effort. :winkwink:

While you're at it, find me a submitter and send me a business card.

Take a look around, this industry is full of amateurs, STILL. Just because someone does business as a company does not mean they really know too much about running it.

Can I please piss in someone's Cheerios and then proceed to sell them hosting? LOL, definitely not..

Brad

I had the same experience a few months back after a GFY post.

A lot of offline question marks, some rude, and others who couldn't handle what I was looking for.

Searching for good programmers is a major annoyance. But you have to do it to find a good one.

:disgust

you have to be amazing to be just recognised on your work. sales are so important

You notice you and Allie have your own pages on the site : ) :thumbsup

Thanks : )

:1orglaugh

should tell the rude motherfuckers to go work for nats., there's some really rude motherfuckers over there,,, Thank fucking christ I'm not going to use nats on my program, just because of the way that cocksucker acted on the phone,,