THE CRAFT OF SELLING

 "YOURSELF"

Chapter 1:  A 'Loser' Catches the Train

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling 

but in rising every time we fall.” 

CONFUCIUS

After experiencing a major setback in his professional life, he found himself on the crossroads. During the last two years, he’d depleted all his savings. He borrowed Rs.7000 from his childhood crony; took a public bus from his far-flung village of rural Punjab—one of the four provinces of Pakistan; set off to the cosmopolitan city, Karachi, to start his career afresh. He boarded Karachi-bound train from Multan, a smaller city situated at 100 kilometers from his small town. A few minutes after boarding the train, he found that some pick-pocket had stolen away all his money. He was rendered penniless. The rail ticket luckily was in the front pocket of his shirt. The boy had two choices…..either to go back to his home to arrange more bucks or continue his journey despite all odds and odysseys. He opted to move forward, come what may. The train sprinted towards Karachi blowing ominously echoing whistles in the horrifying darkness and chilling cold of December night. 

The boy, lost in varied thoughts, kept lying on wooden berth of economy class with his head perched on a small bag having shriveled clothes and some books inside. The gushes of cold air loaded with sand and dust entering through cracks and crevices of the rail cabin were multiplying the pain of journey. It was morning when he reached Sukkur, a city located on mighty Indus River and still nine to ten hours journey remaining to reach destination. He sold his watch for Rs.50 to one of his fellow-travelers to buy some loaves of bread along with a cup of tea to suppress his pangs of hunger. After eighteen hours of grueling train journey, this 30 years old man landed in Karachi with ruffled hair and messy clothes and carrying the agonizing load of past failures, strenuous setbacks, frustrations and high expectations of his rickety parents; took a taxi from railway station buzzing off straight into the house where his bachelor friends of university days were staying. Stepped into the house and finally managed to stabilize his derailing steps; being conscience of his frail position as a penniless he suppressed his inflated ego and placed a meek request to his friends to pay off the taxi fare on his behalf. 

2 The Craft of Selling “Yourself” 

His friends welcomed him; offered him all sort of moral, material and professional help. Next evening he discussed with friends his possibilities of job. He took résumé from one of his friends and wrote his own résumé copying the style; in a week’s time, he sent out around 50 résumés to HR departments of all major potential employers; flipping through the papers, responded to all job advertisements. One month, two months, three months flew away. All sweating endeavors turned into fiasco and the result was zero. He visited the office of his old friend and sought his help; in a few days he got a trivial job with some marketing research agency. His search for the job remained in full throttle. He was struggling like a fly trapped inside the car that keeps on bouncing her head against the windscreen and never looks around to find other ways to get out of the prison. 

But only Allah Almighty knew that his adversity was subtly taking him to a discovery of ideas which are so priceless and which are so invaluable. As Napoleon Hill says that ‘every adversity carries with it seeds of equivalent benefits’, it was a defining moment of his life when he’d a paradigm shift about an entire process of job hunting. His area of interest was Sales & Marketing and he was looking for a job in Sales & Marketing field. One late night when he was twisting and turning, he put a question to himself that if he couldn’t sell himself in four months’ time how could he sell the inanimate products of a company. With this intriguing question, the ideas started pouring out. 

Thoughts started flashing in his disturbed mind that in order to push any product in the market place, you need to apply the principles of “Sales Management”; and to create pull on your product, you need to exercise the principles of “Marketing Management”. And he realized that so far he’d been violating the principles of Sales as well as Marketing Management. “Enough is enough. Dude, go back and read books on Sales and Marketing. Refresh your knowledge and read with a new perspective. First, try to absorb the principles. Apply those principles in your own life. First sell yourself.” He said to himself. 

What a great question that he raised to himself! 

“If I can’t sell myself in four months’ time 

how can I sell the inanimate products of a company?”

For the first time in his career, he considered himself a brand, before that he was a commodity. Instantly, he made a fundamental decision of de-commoditizing himself; and it was a strategic marketing decision. In order to evolve as a brand and promote himself like a brand, he started thinking like a Brand Manager. In a month’s time, this broke and unhappy person was literally working as a Brand Manager for one of the largest confectionary companies in Pakistan. Afterward, as a part of branding strategy, he invested so heavily in his Brand Equity that his employers failed to retain him. In five years’ time, he re-positioned himself four times and with each repositioning, he changed his target market. He changed four customers! He increased his price by 1000%!! Changing four jobs in five years broadened his horizon. What a joy of changing  jobs and industries!! In five years:

• He worked for a blue-chip tea company. 

• He worked for five star hotel chains. 

• He worked for telecom giant. 

This story isn’t of someone else; this is my own story….a true story…..a real story……not even a speck of exaggeration…… What a difference eight years can make in one’s life? A ‘loser’ boy of 2000 is unbelievably blessed and incredibly lucky man of today. God has given him what not during this period? 

I’ve been a practicing human being for the last 39 years. I’ve experienced excruciating times in life. My own story is a story of motivation and inspiration for those who face insurmountable challenges but have the burning passion of wriggling out of the morass of abject circumstances and want a transition from mere survival to significance in life. I retired from the position of General Manager from WorldCall Group, one of the largest business conglomerates of Pakistan, to dedicate my rest of life to share with others what I learnt in my 39 years of tumultuous personal expedition and 15 years of turbulent professional voyage. The Craft of Selling “Yourself” is my first attempt to help corporate executives sell their skill-set in the market place at premium.

Every loser will catch the train of life after reading this book. 

“The essence of greatness is the ability to choose personal fulfillment in circumstances 

where others choose madness.” 

WAYNE DYER

Chapter 2: Job Hunting and Selling

“Treat a job hunt like a personal development project 

and be the project manager.” 

PENELOPE TRUNK 

The Brazen Careerist

Majority of the graduates, treading the beaten trail, think that making résumé and sending out to potential employers is all that’s required to be on the job. A little effort is done to even customize the résumé and the Cover Letter. I’ve screened thousands of résumés and Cover Letters in my one and half decade career. It was really very frustrating to see words like ‘Metric, Martial, and Carrier etc’ in résumés and sentences in Cover Letters like ‘ I’ve come to know through reliable sources that a vacancy is lying under your kind control. If I was given a chance, I’ll leave no stone un-turned to satisfy you’. All such résumés and Cover Letters fast track to their true place and that’s the recycle bin. Successful people don’t sit on haunches, waiting for miracles to happen. They make miracles happen. 

Job hunting is nothing but selling 

Job hunting is similar to selling anything. It’s selling of one’s skills, ideas, time, talent, energies and expertise. It’s like being available for value addition as any other product does; and in return you get paid in cash and kind. 

“Throughout your life, no matter what course it takes, you’re going to be called on to convince others to accept a product or a concept.” 

VICTOR KIAM, GOING FOR IT 

Sales force of any organization is like a backbone in the body. Nothing happens in the company unless sales process is set into motion for ultimate conclusion. Things will come to screeching halt if selling activity isn’t on the forward move. The success or failure of any organization depends upon success or failure of its sales activity. 

Sales is the starting point and the ending point of all enterprise and industry. Sales persons are the breadwinners of any organization. They’re the flag carriers; they’re the torch bearers; they’re the trail blazers; they’re the movers and shakers of any company. 

There’s no special breed simply born to be called as sales people. Selling isn’t in the DNA or the genes. Sales people are made. It’s the eternal discrepancy between ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’; something that’s not necessarily innate in you, but can be successfully implanted provided you fervently intend to germinate it in you. Sales is a craft and just like any other craft, it can be taught, learned, practiced and eventually mastered. 

You’re the CEO of YOU, INC. 

“The whole theory of the universe is directed unerringly to one single individual

—namely to You.” 

WALT WHITMAN 

Treat yourself like an enterprise. Your skills are your product and service. And you’re CEO of You, Inc. CEO’s job is to sell all the time. He has to sell change; he has to sell his ideas; he has to sell his vision and he has to sell his image. CEO is the Chief Selling Officer. You need to bring out your entrepreneurial skills to push yourself forward on the course of life. 

Starting a job hunting process is similar to launching a product or service. The only difference is: here you’re a product; you’re a brand; you’re a product manager; you’re a brand manager; you’re a sales manager. You’ve to position yourself. You’ve to bring out your Unique Selling Propositions. You’ve to craft your own marketing strategy. You’ve to open your own channels of distribution to make yourself ‘on-the-shelf’. You’ll press the launch buttons. For more elaboration, let me draw the comparison between job hunting and product launch. 

Comparison between job hunting and product launch 

• Job Hunting 
• Product Launch 
• Big Bang Letter
• Advertisement 
• Résumé 
• Brochure 
• Cover Letter 
• Sales Letter 
• Response Pull 
• Unsolicited letters/calls
• Cold Calling 
• Interview 
• Sales Call 
• References 
• Celebrity endorsements 
• Maneuvering/approaching 
• Hard Sell 
• Networking 
• References 
• Salary negotiation 
• Price negotiation 
• Follow up 
• Push 
• Offer Letter 
• Purchase Order 
• Internship Free 
• Sampling 
• Probation 
• Product trial 
• Job advertisements by employers 
• Tender notices by companies 
• Professional degrees 
• Certifications (Like ISO)

Navigating the turbulence 

Today’s job market is very uncertain and unsteady. Times are really challenging. You’ll face turbulence down the course. It’s buyers’ market. Buyers or employers have balance of the market tilted in their favor. But same is the case of so many other products that you consume from dawn to dusk. Here come your skills, your ingenuity, your finesse and your craftsmanship. How you plan your flight in the midst of turbulence will determine your success or failure. 

When asked why Sony Corporation had been so successful, Chairman Akio Morita said, "We never follow. We do what others don't." That’s the essence of marketing: going where others aren't! 

Most job-hunters confine themselves to traditional approaches like answering wanted ads and working with recruiters. That’s fine, but that’s where your competition goes too. Anyone who tries something fresh and different—but not idiotic—will have a big edge. 

The idea of personal branding 

The idea of writing this book popped up in my mind four years ago when I was employed with Hashoo Group Hotels of Pakistan as Corporate Manager Marketing & Communications for the five star chains of Pearl-Continental and Marriott Hotels. I started relating the marketing stuff of Philip Kotler of MBA days to the concepts of personal branding. I’ve been thinking non-stop to conceive, gather and organize the material to make it meaty and meaningful. The reading and applying the concepts will save the young graduates from countless hours of labor and wrenching frustration in the course of job hunting. 

Just as large companies cultivate their corporate brands, professionals can and should do the same for themselves. In fact, personal branding is becoming increasingly essential to professional success. Today, people want to buy brands—unique promises of value. Personal branding helps you put yourself ahead of the pack. And each of us has what it takes to be strong brand. 

Personal branding is a way of clarifying and communicating what makes you different and special—and using those qualities to guide your career. It’s about understanding your unique attributes—your strengths, skills, values and passions—and using them to separate yourself from your competitors or peers.

“What makes us unique makes us successful.”
William Arruda 

SWOT analysis 

SWOT, which stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, is a useful model MBA students use to analyze the strategic positions of companies, brands or business units. Before launching yourself in the job market, you need to SWOTify yourself in a rigorous way, as this exercise will help you to position yourself in creative ways. 

How to undertake SWOT analysis

The model is a basic two-by-two table, with strengths and weaknesses laid out in the top two boxes and opportunities and threats in the bottom two. You've probably considered your strengths and weaknesses already, but the SWOT model takes it a step further by making you think about the external factors that bear heavily on the health and direction of your career. These factors -- mainly physical location, industry, company and profession -- signal potential opportunities and threats. Looking at the quadrants together can be a creative way to think about where you’re in your career and the directions you could take. 

To get an idea of what you could incorporate into your own SWOT chart, look at some of examples in each category: 

Strengths 

Strengths are your internal, positive attributes and selling points. You’ve some control over these factors, examples include: 

• Positive personal traits. 
• Relevant skills, competencies, knowledge and work experience. 
• A solid education. 
• A strong network. 
• Commitment, enthusiasm and passion for your field. 
• USPs/differentiators 

Weaknesses 

Weaknesses are your internal negative attributes. You’ve some control over these as well. Examples include: 

• Negative personal characteristics and poor work habits. 
• A lack of work experience or relevant experience. 
• A lack of education. 
• No network or a small one. 
• A lack of direction or focus. 
• Weak professional or career management skills. 

Opportunities 

Opportunities are uncontrollable external events that you can potentially leverage. Examples include: 

• Favorable industry trends. 
• A booming economy. 
• A specific job opening. 
• An upcoming company project. 
• Emerging demand for a new skill or expertise. 
• Use of a new technology. 
• Referral to a high-powered contact.

Threats 

Threats are uncontrollable external factors that may work against you and require you to take protective action. Examples include: 

• Industry restructuring and consolidation. 
• Changing market requirements and their impact on your employer. 
• Changing professional standards that you don't meet. 
• Reduced demand for one of your skills. 
• Evolving technologies you're unprepared for. 
• The emergence of a competitor, either to your company or to you personally. 
• A company decision maker who doesn’t like or supports you. 

An external factor can sometimes be both a threat and an opportunity. For example, the emergence of a programming language that replaces the one you know is a threat if you do nothing about it; it can be an opportunity if you commit to becoming one of the early experts. 

Do your own SWOT analysis 

1. Draw a two-by-two grid on a sheet of paper. 
2. In each quadrant, write out ideas in bullet-point form. Be as specific as possible. 
3. Stretch your brain to come up with true insights. Take a break if you’ve to, and revisit your analysis when you're fresh. You should discuss your SWOT with your inner circle friends to get their views. 
4. Edit. Delete repetitive ideas and sharpen less specific ones. 
5. Analyze what it all means. Use the tool to: 

• Validate your current position. 
• Understand the skills, attributes and experiences you should emphasize and the ones you should downplay. 
• Brainstorm possible career directions. 
• Highlight opportunities to take advantage of. 
• Flag possible threats. 

Determine possible actions. 

There’re four types of actions you could take:

1. Strengthening a specific skill or adding something to your strengths quadrant. 
2. Minimizing or eliminating a weakness. 
3. Pursuing or exploiting an opportunity. 
4. Protecting yourself from threats. 

Revisit and update your SWOT chart periodically to add a level of sophistication and 

effectiveness to your career planning. 

Selling is the 2nd oldest profession 

To some minds, the very idea of downsizing oneself to the product or brand and selling may seem secular, profane and humiliating. In reality, we admit or not, we’re all products. We add value to families, communities, organizations and nations. I believe Selling is a discipline of divine and prophetic nature. Putting ideas across and persuading the people to think your line isn’t all selling? Selling is the 2nd oldest profession of the world and 1st oldest noblest profession. 

Take it as your flight manual 

This book will take you to the thrilling expedition of discovering your intrinsic strengths and packaging, promoting and placing them in such a palatable and enticing way that your potential customers (i.e.; employers) perceive you as answer to their prayers. This book isn’t about only making your résumés and writing Cover Letters. It’ll guide you on how to manage yourself like a brand. It’s manual of your flight plan. In the words of Brian Tracy, you need a flight plan to succeed. Just like an airplane pilot, you must make course corrections to arrive at your destination...your goals. When you learn to create your flight plan, your life will become a success. Like any good pilot, you need a flight plan that you file before you begin and that you use to guide you on your way. 

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. 

Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” 

CHINESE MAXIM 

This book isn’t just for browsing and pleasure reading. The contents of the book are worthy of digesting, assimilating, absorbing and applying during the tumultuous journey of personal selling in an uncertain job market. 

A lion tamer must always be one move ahead of the lion, because if the time ever comes when the lion is one move ahead that will be end of his days as a lion tamer. Perhaps the secret of success lies in keeping ahead of one’s competitors. 

Having agreed that we all are products and potential brands, now we need to go one step further to brood on the entire spectrum of personal branding and selling.