The Best Way to Answer ‘Sell Me This Pen’ in an Interview

“Sell me this pen, “says the interviewer. Sitting for your sales job interview, the question isn't unexpected. You knew the interview was likely to ask it, but the question is how to tackle it in a way that gets you the job. What's the right approach? “It's a matter of supply and demand” was The Wolf of the Wall Street sell me this pen answer. It's clever, but not perfect. In fact, the real-life Jordan Bellfort (you know, the person on whose life the movie is based off) had a very different answer: “The real answer is, before I'm even going to sell a pen to anybody, I need to know about the person, I want to know what their needs are, what kind of pens do they use, do they use a pen? How often do they use a pen? Do they like to use a pen formally, to sign things, or use it in their everyday life? The first idea is that when you say ‘Sell me this pen,' I want to hear [the salesman] ask me a question. ” So how do you effectively answer a “sell me something”interview question? If you have to answer questions, what kind of questions should you ask? Do you talk about its features? What can you do to make the sale? This Salesman.org guide will cover all the details. How to Tackle the Sell Me This Pen Interview Question The thing is, the statement “sell me this pen” doesn't mean “sell me this pen.” Shocked? Most sales professionals are. Let me explain. Sell me this pen is a ‘blanket term' statement. In addition to the obvious, the interviewer also means: * Can you identify the right person for the product? * Do you know how to understand your client's needs? * Do you have basic sales skills like relationship building? * Can you establish urgency? * How can you close sales effectively? You have to show the interviewer you have all these skills and will make an asset to the company. And the best way to do this is just as Bellfort suggests: asking (relevant) questions. Very few salespeople understand this going into the interview. The best salespeople do their research though and are prepared for when the sell me this pen question comes up. Sales questions help you establish your credibility as a sales professional. For instance, asking what kind of pens the interviewer likes and for what purpose does the interviewer uses the pens can prove you have an essential sales skill—empathy. On the other hand, if you start blabbering about the pen's features, sometimes even lying about it, you show the interviewer that you're a liar. Knowing how long the interviewer has wanted the pen is a good start, but they might just answer they don't want a pen just to watch you squirm. In this case, you'll have to do a quick qualifying session and establish their needs before aiming for a close. To help you hold strong sales conversations with your interviewer, the next section will cover a few sales discussion examples. How to Answer Sell Me This Pen Interview Question Let's examine potential discussions you can have with your interview to showcase your selling skills. 1) To Qualify a Lead Interviewer: Sell me this pen. You: How long have you wanted to buy a pen? Interviewer: I don't want to. You: Okay, but do you ever buy pens? Interviewer: We have an admin to handle that. You: Awesome! What do you think is more important to her: cost or quality? Interviewer: Not sure. You: I'd love to talk to her to learn more. In the past, I have helped my clients save over 20-30% on pens, depending on their quality range. Does it make sense to set up a call? 2) To Establish Need Interviewer: Sell me this pen. You: How long have you wanted to buy a pen? Interviewer: Just a few hours ago.