Making the big sell
Two top corporate honchos recall how they made their debut sales pitch and valuable lessons they learnt from the experience
Rajeev Karwal (53) Founder Director, Milagrow
I was the first MBA graduate to join Onida back in 1984. I was actually taken for their television sales but since that had got delayed, I was given the task of selling video cassettes. Now, these JVC tapes were 35-40 per cent more expensive than others in the market. I was a fresher, 22 years, and when two seasoned sales executives gave me a large bag with the products, I decided to go to one of the biggest video cassette libraries in Janakpuri. I was asked to leave the bag there and come back the following evening. The next morning, I walked into the office and announced to all that I had sold every tape. When evening came, I went to the library and asked for the payment. It was a shock when the owner asked me ‘What tapes?’ I had no money to compensate for the tapes and realised that the only thing I could do was request and cajole. I even went to the owner’s house. I finally got the payment nearing midnight. That is when I realised that as a salesperson, even a single mistake will cost someone financially, be it the employee or the company.
Jessie Paul (44) CEO, Paul Writer Strategic Advisory
In 1995, armed with a MBA degree from IIM-C, I was a fresher working for Oglivy & Mather in Mumbai. I was handling three beverages for Unilever and had to interact with two brand managers there. The first brand manager told me that since the other one was on leave, we should come up with some presentations for the products he handled. The presentation which was made in front of several company officials including D Shivakumar (current CEO of Pepsico) went off very well and I got the budget for the branding. After Christmas holidays, it was time for me to give my first presentation to the second brand manager. There I was told that since the first presentation was so good, they had allocated all the money that was to be spent on the other brands (handled by the second brand manager) to the first brand manager. There was no money left for anything else. I am still amused when I think about it.
I was the first MBA graduate to join Onida back in 1984. I was actually taken for their television sales but since that had got delayed, I was given the task of selling video cassettes. Now, these JVC tapes were 35-40 per cent more expensive than others in the market. I was a fresher, 22 years, and when two seasoned sales executives gave me a large bag with the products, I decided to go to one of the biggest video cassette libraries in Janakpuri. I was asked to leave the bag there and come back the following evening. The next morning, I walked into the office and announced to all that I had sold every tape. When evening came, I went to the library and asked for the payment. It was a shock when the owner asked me ‘What tapes?’ I had no money to compensate for the tapes and realised that the only thing I could do was request and cajole. I even went to the owner’s house. I finally got the payment nearing midnight. That is when I realised that as a salesperson, even a single mistake will cost someone financially, be it the employee or the company.
In 1995, armed with a MBA degree from IIM-C, I was a fresher working for Oglivy & Mather in Mumbai. I was handling three beverages for Unilever and had to interact with two brand managers there. The first brand manager told me that since the other one was on leave, we should come up with some presentations for the products he handled. The presentation which was made in front of several company officials including D Shivakumar (current CEO of Pepsico) went off very well and I got the budget for the branding. After Christmas holidays, it was time for me to give my first presentation to the second brand manager. There I was told that since the first presentation was so good, they had allocated all the money that was to be spent on the other brands (handled by the second brand manager) to the first brand manager. There was no money left for anything else. I am still amused when I think about it.
