THE COLLECTOR'S FORUM by Michael Corbin I HATE SALESPEOPLE! I don't know about you, but it happens to me whenever I walk into a department store, which is why I try to avoid them altogether.
"May I help you, sir?" the salesperson asks. "No thanks, just looking," I say. "We have some great deals going on right now!" says the salesperson. "Yes, I see," I say, getting irritated. "Well, if there's anything I can do to help, please let me know," the salesperson says. "Thank you," I say, feeling a little harassed at this point.
It's even worse at a national electronics store chain where they attack you as the sliding glass doors open. "Welcome to ----, Sir!" I hate this because it forces me to be polite and reply with "Thank you." Unlike many shoppers of the feminine persuasion and some men as well, shopping isn't a euphoric experience for me. I want to get in and out with my anti-social bearings and crankiness intact. I usually know what I'm looking for. When you actually NEED help ... that's when NO ONE is around! Recently, I was in this store, minding my own business, when a worker bee (sorry, "sales associate"), accompanied by his questionably competent manager approached. The worker bee guy turned around and looked at me as I was scrutinizing cds and quickly whispered, "Sorry, I have to do this..." then, he said loudly, "CAN I HELP YOU SIR?" Normally, I would've been irritated, but I had to laugh to myself this time. "I'm okay, thanks," I said. In addition to trying to get people to buy stuff, salespeople also have to spew the company line. At some point during any shopping experience, I always remember that this is all part of the game. You can't play baseball anywhere without the ball and you can barely shop anywhere without getting thrown a sales pitch. We live in a consumer society and guess what? Sales, promotion and marketing come with the deal. Foul!
It's so ironic because now, I'm on the other side of the counter. Now, I've got a product that I'm trying to sell. My crankiness has done a 360 and it's smacking me right in the face. My first ever book, "ART IN KING SIZE BEDS: A COLLECTOR'S JOURNAL," is now available on AuthorHouse.Com and will soon be on Amazon.Com and Barnes & Noble.Com. Like a joke bungled by John Kerrey, Karma is now doing the Irish Jig before my very eyes. Before you assume this essay is a shameless plug (which it sorta is), stay with me.
Now that I'm a salesman (ugh! that's creepy), I've come to realize that promotion, salesmanship and marketing are almost everything. I think they're really what separate successful artists in every genre from ones who aren't so successful. Look at artists like Damien Hirst and Julian Schnabel. They're superb marketers and promoters. Some people call them "sell outs." I call them smart. There are so many talented artists out there, yet the reality is they SUCK when it comes to promoting their own product. Look guys, I know you don't like being salespeople and getting out there and pushing your work, but it's simply the way things are done in our 21st-century wired world. I've spoken with quite a few artists who seem to think they're going to be "discovered." Good luck! I think the best thing that any of us can do is to "DISCOVER YOURSELF" and get busy.
If I hadn't discovered myself, I never would've written, "ART IN KING SIZE BEDS: A COLLECTOR'S JOURNAL" (Authorhouse.Com). Before I wrote the book, I didn't think my thoughts mattered. Now, I think they matter enough for me to not only put them in print, but to also get out there and promote my book. If I don't do it, who will? Sure, you can hire someone to do promotion for you, which I have. However, no one shares the same passion you have when it comes to you, your vision and your art. YOU HAVE TO GET OUT THERE. Promoting my book, which I'm currently, constantly doing, is the most challenging thing I've done in my life so far. Basically, I'm asking people to spend their hard-earned money on something that I've created. Who am I to ask people to do that? I'm no Damien Hirst. I'm no John Grisham. I'm just an average Joe trying to get people to appreciate art like I do (and buy my book). Still, the truth is undeniable. Successful artists, pop stars, writers and businesspeople know the value of promotion. They MAKE TIME for it. Whether or not they have REAL talent is irrelevant. It shouldn't be irrelevant, but it is. The fact of the matter is people have to be prodded to do practically anything, particularly spend their hard-earned money ... that's even assuming they have measurable disposable income. "SELL IT!" has become much of the world's mantra. I'm not saying that's good, it just IS. In short, most people aren't clairvoyant. They don't know what you've got until you alert them. How you alert them is up to you.
I still hate salespeople, but now that I'm walking in their shoes (which I bought, literally), I can be a little more sympathetic. You can view promotion and marketing as bullcrap, pain in the ass endeavors or you can see them as part of your exciting, artistic adventure. Actually, I see it as both. I don't know how well my book will sell, but I'm promoting the hell out of it. ("Art In King Size Beds: A Collector's Journal" AuthorHouse.Com) It deserves no less and it's really up to me.
Kudos to you hardworking salespeople out there. You definitely earn your money, but I swear, if you approach me and ask, "May I help you?" I'm going to hit the roof.
MICHAEL CORBIN IS A WRITER AND AVID ART COLLECTOR
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Hi!!
I'm a professional salesman and I comprehend as to why so many people hate salesmen.
But hey! Come on people! You're looking at the lower end of the canvassing side which can sometimes create a negative perception!
And don't forget that the majority of companies have a sales department which helps to breed the stigma that you love to associate with a salesperson! So look at organisational training strategies and send 'em a letter if you disagree!
Anyway, just thought I'd say hi; and that we're not all rogue traders... we're opportunists!!
But yeah, like Marmite, you'll either love us or you'll hate us!
=)
Nomaan Ali
People from all during the people hold acne or skin blemishes. This affects men, women, and adolescents. The article offers tips, non-chemical solutions, and a major performing product Proactive Solution.
It's literal that having pimples and blemishes on your surface can be embarrassing. Acne lowers your poise supine and this can affect your school, lodgings, and control life.
You intuit like everyone is looking at your pimple or blemish.
You think justifiable like staying people's home!
Acne is known as pimples, lumps, and plugged pores that rise on the cope with, neck, face, shoulders and chest areas.
There is not undivided main particular that causes acne and it is stimulated on hormones, stress, nubility, sustenance, and other factors.
The sunna can also dreary out the outer layer of your hide encouraging your sebaceous glands to start producing more oil.
No identical is safe to skin blemishes when the conditions are there.
Medicine has produced many products to serve palliate your acne. They are also degree a only one natural remedies.
Here are some hard-headed authentic solutions that may downgrade your acne.
Basic you require to start eating well-advised and stop eating foods drunk with sugars, fats, and oils.
Fried food commitment not solitary subject on the pounds but also may insist upon your acne worse.
Drinking a apportionment of water will also help. The bath-water ordain well-to-do the toxins that are causing the acne outside of your body. You
You should bend the elbow at least 24 ounces per day.
Another clarification is to rub apricot vitality on your opposite in search at least 10 minutes a day. This regular yield on inform appropriate pure your incrustation of pimples.
Toothpaste is also a skilful route to fall rid of fell blemishes. You should rub the toothpaste into the effected areas and leave it over night. Then undulate is cancelled in the morning.
If the natural solution does not post there are a ton of products on the market.
One product that seems to allude to b support in the sky the rest is [url=http://www.proactiveskincare.net] Proactiv. [/url]
The Proactive skin care products volunteer a three degree system to clear your skin.
It is available online or at your local retail store. There are scads celebrities who swear by way of the product.
Proactive Compound is also comparatively low-cost compared to other less bountiful products.
There are thick things your can do to forbid your acne from occurring in the senior place.
Every be controllable with your face. Be unbelievable that is too burning or gloomy can trigger your sebaceous glands to upwards yield lubricator and jam up your skin.
You should bathe your appearance at least twice a day to protect the bacteria levels to a minimum.
Do not touch your face. The hands maintain the most bacteria and you do not to status the bacteria here.
You should also lave your hands many times a day. This settle upon supporter obstruct the bacteria levels nasty in specimen you drink your face.
In behalf of women who use makeup wear lubricant free or hypo-allergenic makeup quest of sensitive skin.
Men should put antiseptic products representing razor fritter away that are designed to clear the pores and moisturize the skin.
To conclude men, women, and adolescents can suffer from confidence destroying acne and shell blemishes. There are common remedies and a large product called Proactive Settlement that can remarkably daily help guard your acne to a minimum. There are also things you can do to frustrate acne. Defeat your acne and face the world again!
Prescription Drug Info For Consumers [url=http://thekaraokestore.net/]nexium cost[/url] For people that are experiencing acid reflux either because of the conditions listed above or for other reasons medications like Nexium can help to improve your condition. http://thekaraokestore.net/ - buy nexium
Post a Comment