How to Be a Wheeler Dealer
Becoming a better deal-maker just might be easier than it sounds: getting things done in a sales environment takes a certain kind of work that is part moving, part communicating, and part grit and determination. Different kinds of skills and talents make different people successful: part of winning out is finding your niche and making your skill set work for you. In aid of this mission is the kind of mentality often talked about as a "wheeler dealer" nature, which, combined with integrity, can be a very positive kind of attitude to have in any kind of business.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Get yourself jazzed up. Like David Brent (Ricky Gervais character on "The Office" BBC) said of sales jobs, "a struggling salesman doesn't show up in an old car, he buys a new Cadillac." This principle, though a little flawed, is often true. Get all of the newness and stylish image you can afford. You will find your target audience responds to things like a new car, haircut or suit.
-
2
Be comfortable with role playing. No, not like the fellows in David Mamet's "Glen Garry, Glen Ross," pulling bait and switch techniques and pretending to be CEOs. Being a wheeler dealer doesn't mean being a crook. On the other hand, some creative sales strategies do require a little "acting," with attention to legality and compassion for consumers. Be comfortable in your own skin and in creative communications.
-
-
3
Know your audience. What flies with traditional suit-and-tie types is not what flies with younger, more jaded consumers. Reach out to the specific group of people you want to deal with, contract with, or impress. Know their tastes, their ideologies, and their methods of character judgment, to come off as a genuine, competent player and not a lying, inept blowhard.
-
4
Cultivate a culture of confidence. The key to being adroit at personal communications is to be confident without being cocky. The specifics of this balance can be pretty involved, but, for example, imagining yourself as a millionaire can help you achieve the kind of personal culture you want, with moderation in mind. The key is being seen as successful and talented, but not greedy, conceited or opportunistic.
-
5
Wheel and deal wisely. This means keeping an eye on your personal finances, being analytical about market trends and practicing frugality where it counts. One great example is the story of a "millionaire" told by blogger Paul Michael on "Wise Bread": the tale of a nearly free parking space in New York City illustrates the exact kind of thinking that makes a great wheeler dealer, a person who can accurately pool their resources for greater leverage and bet the right way almost all of the time.
-
1
