How to sell an item during an interview. How to sell a pen at an interview. Role-playing game technique

Employers are constantly coming up with new sophisticated questions and non-standard tasks for job seekers, a popular example discussed is how to sell a pen at an interview. Representatives of creative professions, in which it is necessary to think creatively, react, and find solutions - marketers, advertisers, analysts, sales and customer service managers - are more “lucky” than others when it comes to interesting questions and tasks.

In this material we will try to collect the largest number of ideas and tips on how to creatively sell a pen at an interview for those who intend to cope with the task, successfully pass the interview and get the desired position.

Test objectives

Understanding your goals will help you pass the test successfully. The employer or HR wants to find out:

• How the applicant will behave in a stressful situation. Will he start to get nervous, wave his arms, stutter and blush, or will he calmly think about the question, react quickly, and offer a solution to the problem? Behavior will tell a lot about a future employee, so stay calm and think.
• Sales skills. During an interview, an applicant is asked to sell a pen to find out whether he has theoretical training or acts intuitively and has come to try to get an unfamiliar job.
• If the applicant fails to convince the interlocutor to make a purchase, the reaction to failure and experience in sales. The specialist knows: one sale out of dozens of attempts is a normal result. He will not be upset or angry, but will end the conversation with dignity.

Studying them will help you understand how to sell a pen at an interview. An example of such a situation is shown in the film “The Wolf of Wall Street”. DiCaprio's character Jordan Belfort takes a test during a lecture, and the listeners, unprepared for such a turn of events, begin to babble unintelligible nonsense and look pitiful.

There is a great example shown earlier in the film. Jordan's colleague used the basic principle of marketing: create a need and offer a product that will satisfy it. In the case of writing instruments, ask the “buyer” to write or draw something, give an autograph or phone number.

Another non-standard example of selling a pen during an interview was told in an interview by Tom Skryma, a member of the American Competitive Trail Horse Association. In the conversation, the employer mentioned that he was looking for a persistent employee who sees deals through to completion, and later offered him this test. Tom began to talk about how good it was, how good it was, and how much it meant to a business person. The employer stopped him, saying that he had heard enough and asked him to return it. Then Tom refused, citing the fact that it cost $5 and he could only buy it back and did not back down, ignoring the persuasion of the employer. He got angry and left the room, slamming the door, and Tom got his first job.

Method based on sales model

1. Establishing contact begins with greetings, self-presentations, company introductions.

2. Identify needs and present the product accordingly, focusing on them in the presentation. Ask clarifying questions: “How often do you use a pen? Every day?". So you will have two options for continuing the dialogue, depending on whether you got a cheap or expensive sample of the product: “Then I offer an option for daily use, it’s light and compact, fits well in the hand and is inexpensive” or “Surely you have a lot of pens for everyday use.” use. Let me suggest Parker for special occasions and important contracts.” Focus not on qualities and characteristics, but on the benefits that the buyer will receive.

3. Dealing with objections. Look for arguments, persuade. Possible objections: “I already have it,” “I don’t need it.”

- Agree, this is not an item that will last forever. At a crucial moment, you may forget it at home or lose it, and then the second one will help you out.

Add additional arguments:

— today it’s half price;

- a pencil and eraser as a gift.

4. Completion of the transaction.

Knowing common mistakes will help you avoid them. Do not use template expressions and cliches:

• quality;
• made of strong material;
• high quality ink;
• innovative technologies.

Don't invent properties that don't exist: smell, super strength, endless ink. The employer will definitely pose a clarifying question to which there is unlikely to be an honest, worthy answer.

Two ways to sell with humor and knowledge of psychology

The theoretical method with the classical scheme is good, but it is difficult to call it creative and original, so let’s consider an example of a dialogue for selling a pen at an interview and a psychological explanation of why the examples work.

Selling an inexpensive pen is very simple. They hand it to you and say:

- Now sell it to me.

Your task is to take it and, without pause, looking into the eyes of your interlocutor, answer:

— Do you want me to sell you this pen?

The interviewer will answer:

- Yes.

Quickly, without looking away, answer:

- No problem. One hundred rubles and it's yours.

There are no sales techniques used, there is no presentation, and you are not looking for arguments. Reaction speed and knowledge of psychology are demonstrated. The interviewer does not have time to switch from the leading role to the role of “buyer” and turn on resistance to persuasion. The dialogue will make you smile; there will be no point in continuing the sales game. If, in response to humor, the employer begins to get angry and be rude to you, this is a signal for you - think about why you need such a manager and how to work with him later.

The second example of selling an expensive pen at an interview for a branded, personalized or personal one, with a cheap handout pen, this method will not work.

Suppose the interviewer took it out of his own pocket and hands it to you with a request to sell it.

“Are you sure you don’t need it?”

“You don’t understand, the task is to sell it to me.”

-Can I keep it for myself?

- No, this is a test.

- So you want me to sell it to you?

- Then 1000 rubles and it’s yours.

The person answers “yes,” thereby showing that he is ready to make a deal and no persuasion is needed. Conduct the conversation calmly, with a smile, so that the employer understands that you are not serious about taking his Parker.

The article contains methods and techniques for passing the test, practical tips, the use of which will help you pass the test discussed and similar ones. We wish you good luck, creativity and perseverance!

Today it is incredibly difficult to find a job, there is a crisis, the general economic situation in the country, massive layoffs, closure of enterprises and businesses. However, scrolling through the advertisement, a person notices an excellent vacancy: “Sales Manager.” And everything seems to be great: work in a comfortable office, excellent salary, even career growth.

But, having come to the job, a person understands that getting all this is not so easy, because the most hardened bosses do a standard test: selling a pen to an employer. To pass this test correctly, you need to prepare for it in advance, otherwise all your dreams will be shattered because of some pen.

What is the essence of this test?

If you think that your bosses are simply testing you to see if you are capable of selling in principle, then most likely you are wrong. Selling goods is not such a difficult matter, you are simply given a template and using it you call a number of clients, somewhere they agreed to your offer, somewhere they refused.

“Pen test” is a test of how you will behave in a non-standard situation, whether you can put pressure on the client so that he himself wants to buy this thing. Clients are different. That's the essence of the test.

What can't you do?

And now you are standing in front of the big boss in a large company. He offers a seemingly simple idea: “There’s a pen on the table, sell it to me.” What to do in this situation, where to start?

First of all, do not refuse under any circumstances. As soon as you say that you won’t be able to sell it, that’s it, ruin, you won’t see any great work. Say at least something - it will increase your chances.

Also try to avoid platitudes. Most likely, you are not the first candidate for this position. All these techniques like: “this pen is made of high-strength plastic, you can write with it for months, it’s imported quality” - it’s all very boring, monotonous and dull, and when the manager is bored, he may not hire you.

But still: how to sell a pen at an interview? Are there any options? Of course there are, we’ll take a look at them now.

Option 1 – sell the intrigue!

A very excellent method used by many sellers. “Buy a product and receive an incredible gift,” here a person already has a sense of curiosity, and he wants to know what kind of gift is being offered.

But selling a pen as an add-on to a gift is not our method. You can go another way.

Say the following: “you know, I graduated from a psychologist’s course and I perfectly see 2 of your bad traits, which absolutely prevent you from working, because of them you are often lazy, do not complete things, which negatively affects your business.”

And you simply come up with 2 psychological traits of a person (absent-mindedness, depression, forgetfulness, in general, everything that comes to mind), but you say one “for free”, and offer to buy a pen for the second.

This method plays perfectly on a person’s curiosity. Unfortunately, this is a rather arrogant method, and if you are not ready for this, then it is better not to use it, otherwise you will falter and “lose the client.”

Option 2: factor of surprise

Here's another example of how to sell a pen at an interview. This is where the leader's confidence is destroyed. When you come to an interview, you are incredibly worried, but the boss is also a little afraid, after all, he hires the employee.

And this same boss creates the most relaxed environment for himself: he has 20 pens on his desk, he gives you one and says: “Son, sell me a pen.” That is, he understands that he has 19 pens, all of which write, and essentially offers you to sell an unnecessary product.

And at the moment when he hands you a pen, you meaningfully take yours out of your inner pocket and start selling it (it is important that the pen is more expensive and looks respectable). All! The boss is a little shocked, he is completely at a loss, he will even appreciate your ingenuity.

Here's the secret: sell your pen, it will make your audit much easier.

Option 3: non-standard approach

Are you familiar with the science of graphology? She studies handwriting; handwriting can say a lot about a person.

The moment will work perfectly here if there is not a boss, but a meeting, that is, where there are several people.

Include a little humor (this always helps in interviews), say that I got this pen from a hereditary Buddhist shaman, and according to legend, it brings incredible luck in life.

And so the main boss wrote his name with your pen, and you sell the treasured item for a modest fee.

This only seems funny from the outside, but it is very difficult to do this, you must be mentally prepared, and management must understand that you are a brave person who can get out of the most difficult situation, which is why such non-standard situations often help you pass an interview successfully.

Conclusion

Selling a pen is a fairly standard test that can be passed (as you have seen) in different ways. The only thing that should not be allowed is fear. Many people fail interviews simply because they are afraid, so you should prepare at home before the interview. Go to the mirror, practice with other people and try to approach the interview as responsibly as possible.

Applicants for the position of manager or sales representative are often asked to participate in a business game. Its essence is that you demonstrate to the employer your talent for selling an item. For example, it could be an ordinary ballpoint pen. The candidate is assessed based on criteria such as business skills and the ability to convince a potential buyer of the need to purchase a product.

Step one - study the product

If during an interview you are asked to sell a pen, do not worry and do not under any circumstances give up the business game, otherwise you will not have a chance to get the position. Nobody needs an employee who doesn’t know how or even want to do their job, in this case selling a pen.

During a conversation with the employer, do not lower your eyes down or take them to the side. Eye contact is a sign of a confident person. And this is most likely what your potential employer is looking for.

Before you sell a pen at an interview, ask your interviewer for some time to study the product on offer. Do not hesitate to voice out loud all your actions and thoughts on this matter, so the employer will understand that you know how to think. This is highly appreciated. For example: “In front of me is a ballpoint pen, an automatic machine, it turns on and off properly, there is a rubberized insert, the body is green, the paste is blue.” Describe everything you see, say everything that comes to mind, but don’t be silent.

Twist the pen in your hands, evaluate its appearance, you can even take it apart to look at the internal contents, check whether it serves its intended purpose - whether it writes at all. Otherwise, you may have to sell an “incompetent” pen, and it’s better to know about this in advance. The task is difficult, but quite doable.

Step two - study the buyer's needs

The product has been studied, you know what you will sell, but that’s not all. Before you sell a pen at an interview, you need to understand what the client wants and what his interests are. To do this, ask open and closed questions. The first assume a detailed answer, the second - “yes”, “no”. Closed questions are recommended to be used infrequently as they create the appearance of interrogation. And he, as you know, is very annoying. We don't need angry customers.

First, you should ask the interviewer if he has pens; if not, then find out what he uses and why. You can ask the employer whether the cost of the pen and its color are important to him as a potential buyer. Find out what your employer does and what his hobbies are. Maybe he likes to do crossword puzzles, draw, or sign papers all the time. The interviewer is an ordinary person, imagine that you are talking to a new acquaintance and want to find out what he does in life. Any information can be useful to understand how to sell a pen at an interview.

Step three - present the product

You asked your employer for a reason; use the information received to present your pen. Focus on those qualities of the item that the employer considered important to him.

Come up with a beautiful speech that the interviewer will listen to and will not ignore. Invite your potential client to hold the pen in his hands and get to know it better. During this time you will speak and present the subject.

When you know your product and the client's needs, you have a good chance of selling the pen in an interview. An example of part of such a presentation: “Our pen has many advantages and advantages over other writing instruments. If others stop writing over time, then ours will perform its function until it runs out of paste. If the pencil breaks, the pen will never let you down. Exclusive design will make you stand out from the crowd. Bill Gates himself has such a pen!”

Talk about the benefits of the product, focus on uniqueness, quality, practicality, material, and you can even offer a gift in case of a successful transaction. The employer must see the benefit of this purchase.

Fourth action - direct sale of the pen

Gradually we led the interviewer to buy a pen. You can summarize all the advantages of the product offered. And then ask: “What price would you pay for this great pen?” When the employer names the amount, invite him to conclude a purchase and sale transaction. Most likely, he will agree, and you will successfully pass the test and get a job. The interviewer will be confident that you can sell a pen or other product to any client in real life, just like during an interview.

If the employer refuses to “buy a pen”

During an interview, a situation may arise when the employer is not convinced by all your arguments, and he says that he does not need a pen. Don’t be alarmed, say that this is a completely normal situation when the buyer is not interested in the product. Try selling him another office item: pencil, eraser, ruler, scissors. Find something that will interest your employer as a potential buyer. Proceed according to the above scheme from the very beginning. Most likely, your interviewer will agree to this option, and you will be assessed as a promising employee.

Now you know how to sell a pen at an interview. The presentation example described above can be used for any product or you can come up with your own original plan. The main thing is not to be afraid and feel confident.