Fast Talk: Tough Sell

Joseph Abruzzese

President, sales
CBS Television Network
New York, New York
I've been in the network business for 31 years and head of CBS Television's sales for the past 10. In selling commercial time, integrity means everything. About 80% of our business comes from the same people every year, so selling is about the strength of your relationships. In the end, the honest broker really does win.

Consider one of our more difficult sales this year: the documentary "9/11," which aired in March. We made 12 pitches and ended up with one big client, Nextel, which sponsored the show. The challenge was to come up with an appropriate sponsorship message and format. We suggested a few ideas and even brought in the executive producer to help explain the concept.

One of the heads of sales at a rival network was recently quoted as saying that salesmen don't have much of a conscience. That's a total violation of logic. Ask Nancy Smith at American Express, Tony Ponturo at Budweiser, or Mike Browner at General Motors. If one of those clients told me that one of my salespeople has no conscience, I'd fire that person. In a business based on relationships, when our people sell CBS, they are really selling their own integrity and creativity.

Joseph Abruzzese oversees all of CBS Television's network sales, including CBS Entertainment, Sports, News, Late Night, and the UPN Network.

John O'Bryant

Salesman, George Nahas Oldsmobile Inc.
Tavares, Florida
How do you make a sale? By learning how to read your customers. And that's not a skill you learn by reading books. It comes with experience.

We don't pressure people here. We present a good product at a good price, and we let customers make up their minds. If I used that philosophy up the road in Orlando, I'd probably be broke. But we're in a retirement community. Our customers expect a friendly attitude. I greet them in shorts, because our customers tend to dress casual. If it's 100 degrees, and I'm wearing a shirt and tie, I'm going to be sweating. Who wants to buy a car from a guy who's sweating?

I work hard to listen effectively. When a customer arrives, we don't go right out and look at cars. We talk about what they want. It's amazing what you learn if you just listen: The husband and wife have been driving that Lincoln Town Car for five years, she's hated it for five years, and he didn't even know it.

My philosophy: Pay close-enough attention to your customers, and you can sell a car to the world's biggest grouch. I know. He's already bought three cars from me.

John O'Bryant (nahasolds1@aol.com) is the top salesman at George Nahas Oldsmobile, which was named the industry's Quality Dealer this year by Time magazine. He has been Salesman of the Year four times since joining the dealership nearly 10 years ago.

Lesley Blumberg

Senior Girl Scout, Troop 1231
Girl Scout Council of Southeastern Massachusetts
Hanover, Massachusetts
I've been selling Girl Scout cookies since first grade, when I was a Brownie. I've sold about 12,000 boxes over the years. This year, like other girls in my troop, I had three weeks to sell as many cookies as I could. I sold 2,040 boxes.

My customers are so loyal and supportive. It makes a difference when your customers know that you're enthusiastic about what you're doing. In some ways, my success is their success. They want to be on a winning team.

If you make a personal connection, you can sell to just about anyone. That connection starts with how you tell your story. I'm not a cute little Brownie anymore. My story is that I'm a busy teen who has a lot of stuff going on: finals, band concert, science fair, plus my job. I'm the one who sells the cookies, not my parents. And I've stuck with the Girl Scouts for many, many years, because I believe in what we do. One lesson that I've learned, which I didn't understand at first, is how important it is to make the customers feel invested in the sale. I try to make people feel as if they're buying more than just a box of cookies. They're buying a taste of the Girl Scout experience.

Lesley Blumberg outsold all 20,000 girls in the Girl Scout Council of Southeastern Massachusetts and broke a personal record in this year's cookie sale. The high-school senior was the top seller in her council for the eighth year in a row. This year alone, her sales raised enough money to pay for a Girl Scout - sponsored school program in which 625 kids -- both girls and boys -- participate.