Sell Me This Pen

I had an interview yesterday. My third interview for one company. (Still hoping I get that job!!! Wish me the best of luck!) It was your average interview filled with the expected questions, except for one.

She reached the end of the interview and said "I don't know if the owner asked you this question in your interview with him, but sell me this pen."

Then she placed your average blue ink BIC clicky pen on the desk in front of me.

I was thrown completely off guard! I was prepared for every question under the sun pertaining to the business. I studied and worked hard to be sure I was informed, but when it came to selling this pen, I was stumped! I had actually heard on one occasion of someone being asked that question in an interview, but I never thought that someone would ask me.

I wiped the suprised look off of my face and started rambling off random facts about the pen:

1. It has a clicky top, which is convenient.
2. BIC is a well known brand.
3. Blue ink is legal.
4. It has the company's name on it.
5. It has the convenient extra flap for pocket storage.

Nothing I said had anything to do with selling the pen, nor did it have anything to do with selling it to her.

On the spot, I was lacking in creativity to say the least.

Of course, as luck would have it, I started thinking of better ways to sell the pen on my way home.

I also looked up some ways to answer the question on the internet.

Hopefully when people read this, they won't sport the "deer in headlights" look if ever faced with this question.

Here is a video that I find humerous, yet it would be helpful in answering the question:

In this video the man shows sales talent and he advertises the product well. Even making up random facts, he shows that there are different benefits (even though he sounds like a silly infomercial) to owning a pen. With a little creativity and flair, you can sell the pen (and yourself) to the interviewer.

This next video answers a little as to why the prospective employer would ask you to sell them a pen:

This man explains a fundamental mistake that many people make in selling: They don't ask questions. Some people get so focused on the product that they forget their audience. Don't "Show up and throw up." What does the customer want? How can you meet their needs?

I also asked my mother in law. Being in retail management, she had a great perspective.

Think about the emotion behind what you're selling. The manager I was interviewing had just had a baby.

She said something along the lines of "When you see this pen, think about the moment you had your child, writing his/her name and signing the birth certificate. This pen is the pen you will use to write about the moments you captured in your scrapbook."

When you add sentimental value to an item, you are selling to meet the specific customer's needs. That is what she looks for in an interview.

Lastly, I found this website helpful: Dealer Marketing Magazine: Sell Me This Pen

Put yourself into a character.

Don't be an interviewee, be a long time associate of a worldwide pen company. In my case BIC.

Introduce yourself to your interviewer as if you have never met. Shake their hand, ask their name, and begin the sales process by askng questions.

After reading up on the question, the interviewer isn't thinking about the pen at all. What they really want to know is:

1. Are you a quick thinker?
2. Can you negotiate?
3. Can you sell to the customer's individual needs?
4. Are you afraid to ask questions?
5. Are you creative?
6. Can you romance a product into an idea?

So... now that you have been informed, CAN YOU SELL ME THIS PEN?