I used to do some door to door selling when I was in college, as a Summer job. Sold books in Grundy, Virginia...real hillbilly territory. My products were the Volume Library (a 5000 page, 5 inch thick compilation of encyclopedic information), and the 2 volume Children's Dictionary.
My first two weeks turned out to be a failure. Was assigned to Gallipolis, Ohio and had no mentor. Did things the way the sales school taught, and didn't sell one book. Started hanging out in the town bar drinking Strohs.
Then, I was transfered to Grundy, Virginia under the tutelege of "Mad Dog" Smith. He didn't like that title, and got pissed off when the Boss refered to him that way. But let me tell you, that guy was the most personable sales stylist I've ever seen, and was a very good salesman. He would joke with people and get them to laugh, and he was in like Flint. I started making sales after rookie-ing for a week with him. Eventually "Mad Dog" quit, due to personality conflicts with the Boss.
It was extremely tough work...hitching rides to my territory, walking miles to get to houses in remote areas. Hehe, even had an experience with some guys operating a still back of their trailer. When I walked up to deliver the books, one of the drunkest ones pointed a gun at me.
Some of the folks living there were waiting on the book salesmen, and would buy the books because they had no book stores nearby. My customer at the "still" trailer was a truck driver, 34 years old, who never learned how to read, and had previously ordered and paid up front for the Children's Dictionary. His buddies started razzing him about it, and he put them in their place fast. I woulda been killed if I had no business there. They invited me to dinner at their mother's house down the holler.
I tell this story, so maybe some of you might put yourself in the salesman's position, and have a little compassion and respect, but for the grace of God go I.
I don't become belligerent with any form of sales people, even though they may annoy at times. I think if I was in HB's situation, I would have asked for his card, and said we'd think about it. Then if I wasn't interested when he called back, I'd say so, after giving it consideration and being polite about it...even if it meant saying "We thought about it and we're not in the market for the (product) right now, but we'll let you know if we decide we could use your product." That's all there is to it.
The way HB handled it, no offense to HB, but he still doesn't know what the man's business was there, insulted him, and God knows what could be the result, from the Boss being in the dark, to more serious consequences, a la Ripsnort's reply that it was an IRS agent, or possible the Police. It's always a good idea to be friendly with strangers, especially if you are doing BUSINESS.
Les
