The Art of Selling

Lessons learned from David

Ogilvys The Theory &Practice of
Selling the Aga Cooker
*Fortune Magazine called this the best sales manual ever written

Sales Tips From David Ogilvy

Tell the person who opens the door
(receptionist, secretary, etc.) frankly and
briefly what you are there for.
It will get them on your side.
Never get in the door on false pretenses. No
one likes a liar.

Study the best time to call on folks.

It may be at unorthodox times.
In general, study the methods of your
competitors and do the exact opposite.

Sales Tips From David Ogilvy

The worst fault a salesman can commit is to be a bore.
Be interested in the subjects your prospects are
interested in.
The more they talk, the better off you are.
Pepper your talk with anecdotes and jokes.
Accumulate a repertoire of illustration.
Never forget the most powerful phrase in sales: Let
me tell you a story.
Avoid at all costs any standardization in your sales talk.
If you find yourself one fine day saying the same
things to a bishop and a trapezist, you are done for.

Sales Tips From David Ogilvy

When the prospect tries to bring the interview to
an end, go gracefully.
It can only hurt to be kicked out.

The more prospects you talk to, the more sales

you expose yourself to, the more orders you will
get.
But never mistake a quantity of sales for quality of
salesmanship.
Quality of salesmanship involves energy, time
and knowledge of the product and the
customers needs.

Sales Tips From David Ogilvy

Two ways to sell: Attacking and Defending.
Attacking: For the Aga cooker, Ogilvy
developed 12 arguments to attack prospects.
These ranged from economical arguments
to arguments that appealed to cooks only.
If you cant attack the prospect with
arguments about your product, dont expect
to make the sell.
If you dont believe your prospect actually
needs the product you are selling, dont sell
it to them. No sale is better than a bad sale.

Sales Tips From David Ogilvy

Defending: Preparation is everything.
The ideal aim is to make your attack so
thorough that the enemy is incapable of
counterattack.
This will rarely happen.
Be prepared that your prospect will have a
brain.
Be prepared for any and all objections to
your product.
If you dont know your product better than
anyone, dont expect to make many sales.

Sales Tips From David Ogilvy

Defending Against Competitors
On no account sling mud against your
competitors.
It will carry little weight coming from you, and it
will make the prospect distrust your integrity and
dislike you.
The best way to tackle the problem is to find out all
you possibly can about the merits, faults and sales
arguments of competitors, and then keep quiet
about them.
Your knowledge of your competitors will help you make a
more convincing case for your product.

Sales Tips From David Ogilvy

Defending Against Price
This is the supreme test of your salesmanship.
Your voice, your manner, your expression,
even your smell, must be controlled and
directed to soften the blow.
Be specific about the price.
Be factual about the price.
Be definite about the price.
Dont give your personal opinion about
what is or is not expensive.