Albert's story-truly inspirational
7 Mar 2010
Over the last thirty plus years, I have had the pleasure and privilege of working with people at every level within organisations. The one thing I have observed is that the most successful people have four key attributes which often overcome a lack of selling skills to some degree. Combine these attributes with superb selling skills and anyone can easily get to the very top of the sales profession. These attributes are vision, commitment, determination and persistence. Here is a true story about a gentleman called Albert Weinstock.
I was first introduced to Albert when I was asked to present a series of Sales Master Classes to twenty-five of the top salespeople working with a large financial services organisation. These were the top twenty-five of three thousand financial services salespeople, so you can imagine they were very successful people already. Albert, however, stood out like a sore thumb. Whilst the other twenty-four salespeople were extremely well dressed, looked very fit and were very articulate, the politest thing I can say about Albert was that he was the complete opposite of that. Nevertheless, based on his sales production, Albert had earned his place in the top twenty-five.
When I asked the twenty-four how they would explain in fifteen seconds what they did for their clients, they had some very interesting and sophisticated ways of describing themselves. One example was: “I help people minimise the effects of taxation during their lifetimes and ensure that as much of their estate as possible is passed on to their families on their death rather than into the government coffers.” Another was “I help people to plan their financial affairs so that they are able to retire ten years earlier than they would otherwise be able to do so.” In total contrast was Albert’s. He said: “I sell life insurance, pensions and savings plans”.
I was fascinated by Albert and in one of the coffee breaks I sat down with him to find out more. It transpired that Albert had worked in the postal services, delivering mail for many years, until his mother became widowed and quite ill and he was unable to care for her properly on his postman’s salary. He had applied for several other jobs without success when he heard that very good incomes could be made in financial services, and as it was commission only based, they were not too fussy who they took on. He told me that after the interview when he was offered a position, and found out what he could earn if he was successful, he became absolutely committed and determined to succeed in his new career. He had a vision of what he could achieve. He sold his car and everything else he thought he could do without and raised enough money to be able to keep himself and his mother for six months whilst he was learning his new trade.
Albert tried many of the sophisticated approaches used by the top salespeople in his company but was not comfortable with them, and he failed dismally. Then he decided to try a totally different approach; one that he himself invented. This approach quickly earned him the nickname ‘Tower Block Albert’. This is what he did.
Albert took a bus or train to the nearest tower block of apartments. He would take the elevator to the top floor and then walk down and ring the bell on every front door. If it was answered he would say “Good afternoon Sir (or Madam). My name is Albert Weinstock, representing the (XYZ) Company. I sell life insurance, pensions and investment plans. I am here today introducing myself and making appointments for next Wednesday with people who would like to buy one or other of those. Would you like to make an appointment with me too?”
I have to say that I cringed at this approach, but the fact is that by the time Albert had reached the ground floor he had always made at least four appointments, and when he went back, he sold to every single one of them. He had, after all, pre-closed them. That was Albert’s sole method of prospecting for new customers. He did this day after day, week after week and month after month. I consider that to be one of the most extraordinary examples of vision, commitment, determination and persistence, and a lesson for us all.
Think back to any time in your life when you had a vision and were absolutely, totally committed to achieve something. I know you achieved it because a vision and an absolute commitment to achieve it is incompatible with failure.
Think back to any time in your life when you were absolutely determined to achieve something. I know you achieved it because absolute determination is incompatible with failure.
Think back to any time in your life when you persistently worked towards achieving something. I know you achieved it because persistence is absolutely incompatible with failure.
Note: Albert’s story comes from the introduction to my latest book published by Financial Times Publishing titled How To Double Your Sales – The Ultimate Master Class In How To Sell Anything To Anyone.