2. An interview with
DataROint's
B
ob Beek is a serious, quietlyele­
gant man. He's well dressed. He
thinks beforehe speaks. He's success­
ful. Hi. W2 for 1982 shows$280,000.
To his clients, Beck is a man
they invest a lot of trust and. lot of
money. His average sale is $300,000.
Beck has been Datapoint's top
phone equipment salesperson for two
years runriing. He sold over·$10 mil­
lion in 1981 and 1982.
ec
We asked Bob for his best sale,
lessons:
t. Bum your polyester suits;
throwaway your vinyl briefcases.
"My client buys me before he buys
the product," says Beck. Image is
the most important tool you have,
for two reasons. First, a simple mat­
ter of first impressions. You repre­
sent your company. In most cases
'you are the only contact with your
your goal. The comfort of riches is a
strong motivator. But ies nice to have
something else pushing you. "I at­
tended one of the .NewtonIFriesen
seminars,)l Beck reminisces, (4and saw
Gerry Friesen's W2 form. Since then
I've been waiting for a chance to
deliver my ownW2 and shove it up
NewtonlFriesen's. collective noses."
company the client makes. Second,Beck is one of those people who 4. Know yo!'r product. You
is so comfortable and confident with you must project an image the client must demand help from your peers.
success, it's hard to imagine him any can place his truSt and confidence in. Success is based on how strongly you
other way. The facts are: Beck, a You play an important role in the want it. You should have an in-depth
former Marine, started in te!ecoin in client's forore. He must depend on knowledge of your product, and a
1961 as • lineman forWestem Union. you for knowledge and experience. good handle on the competition's
He got into sales. after selling ·his Says Beck "Someone once told me product..Beck doesn't expect a per­
bosses T.V.'s and stereo equipment the mOSt important pans of one's son iust out of school to go into
on the side. They liked his style. image are·teeth, tie and shoes. Check manholes. But he insists. salesper­
Early in his career, a client wanted them Ollt.
n
son be on-site at his or her first
several telex machines. He.told them 2. Set goals. A financial goal? installation. Says Beck, "They should
the company line: they would get we asked. "What else is there?" Beck make coffee and hand the pliers to
delivery in six to eight weeks. The asked back. "My goal is always to the installers." They should learn
client asked if a trip to Jamaiea for . make more than the previous year," the difficulties of an installation
him and his wife would speed things he explained. "I don't care if it's a first hand. This teaches them to an­
up. "I had those machines in and doUar more, as long as it's more. I'd ticipate and avoid problems. And
.workingthe next day." he says. That's like to break $300,000 in 1983." mOre ·importantly-this theme runs
3. Find the motivation to reachstyle. (He got the trip.) throughOUt Beck's advice-"It gets
"My goalisalways to make more "The serviceperson in the field is
YO" have. My client buys me be­
"Image is themost importanttool
than the previous year. I don't your best friend. Believe me."
fore he buys the product." C4Te ifit's a dollar more, as long
as it's more..t,
TELEC":ONN1't'-r20

3. -------------------------------------------------------
right
'When do you
you in well with the service person
in the field. He's your best friend.
Believe me." Beck often shows his
appreciation for the service people
with a nice dinner, or by sending
them to a show. That's a good habit
for a new salesperson to form.
5. Qualify your prospects. Your·
time is the most valuable thing you
can give your client. You can't· af­
ford to waste it on uninterested pros­
pects. "Don', be afraid to go for the
throat," advises Beck. "I know within
fifteen minutes with apotential client
whether to pursue him. I ask him,
up front, three questions:
want it? How do
you want to pay for it? How soon
"Qualify.
Don't be afraid
to go for the
throat."
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do you want to .xpand/upgrade it?'
If he can't--or won"t-answer these
questions, I don't consider him a
qualified prospect."
Concluded Beck: "I want to tell
you why i stay a salesman. Selling is
fun. Most of all it is the self-satisfac­
tion I enjoy most. Believe it or not,
I get more pleasure selling a smaller
system to a new dient who'll use it
in a new way, in a new application,
with a new concept. A client like
that, with ·no ba.;kground in commu­
nications, really depends on me. If
he calls me up io six months, or a
year, to tell me the thing has lifred
his company through the roof...well,
that's the greatest."
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