Entrepreneurial Lessons I learned from My Late Dad

January 8th 2013 is the day I will never forget - It is the day I will never forget because my dad passed away because of Cancer. Every single second, every single minute, every single passing day i think of my DAD. I reflect about the things he had taught me, the time we spend together and lessons he taught me about Entrepreneurial journey. Here are the few lessons i learned from my dad over the years.

1. Love What You Do

My dad had a business about manufacturing Electrical Panel Boards with a small factory situated in Mumbai. The truth is I never continued the family business. It was an easy start for me to continue working in my dad's factory, but that was not the carrier I choose. Instead i choose a carrier of what i loved, which is called sales.

One day, I went and told my dad I had no interest in his business as I was not enjoying the scope of work. All he did was smiled at me and said " Son, choose something what you love to do "  that day he smiled and said, " You are a born sales person " that's when i found out that's what I love to do.

2. Failure is the first step to success

The day I found out I loved sales, I decided to start a business of selling websites for small scale business in India. Initially me and my partner did not have an office, we started our business from home. We went door to door knocking and pitching the great idea of having a website for a small scale company. But the result was we were turned down every time we pitched in for the idea of having a great website.  Result was we Failed in our business, but we never failed with our idea at age of 21.

3. Believe in the idea

After We failed, I still didn't loose hope. When my partner pitched me the idea of Investment Advising Firm for the real estate brands in India. We believed in the idea. We started the firm by looking backwards of the mistakes that we made in the past. I remember when my dad started his factory, all he told me was he started because he failed in his first and second business. 

We started the firm in our bedroom with our personal laptops and mobile phones. We started the firm with a Rs 60,000 investment and within a year we did a business of 85 lacs with almost 72 satisfied clients around Mumbai.

4. In Search Of Happiness.

I always asked my dad, why are you always happy and smiling ? Answer to my question was he found happiness not just by being rich. But happiness for him is defined as small joy's. My Dad's factory main client was the Indian Army, where he manufactured machinery parts for the Indian Navy Research. Years later my dad had received his first appreciation award from the Indian Defence Army. I remember my dad's words on the stage " This award has bought happiness to my life, which money could never buy "

I kept reflecting on the words he said. I regret because my dad was not able to see me graduate and I failed in my studies as I was not a bright student. But after my failure in studies, when me and my partner had started our second firm at age of 24, Our company was awarded as one of the top 10 Investment Advising Firms in Mumbai. That evening when I went on the stage to receive my first Entrepreneurial award, my dad's words came back to me like a star. I felt so happy within my heart, saying this is called " Happiness" as I knew my dad was watching me from heaven . Later we had also won top 10 startup awards for 2014 and Appreciation Award by Lifestyle Group for 2015.

When we think of the word "entrepreneur," images of iconic business leaders typically pop into our heads, such as Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg, Mark Cuban or Elon Musk, just to name a few. But When I think of the word Entrepreneur the only person that comes to my mind is my " Dad" who i always miss a lot.

Our Motto for Sales " We Don't Sell, We Advice "

We do understand with the help of technology and other helpful resources our customers have become smarter than we sales people. With easy access to internet, customers are aware with the product information and access, well in advance. So hence I always tell my sales team not to be those pushy sales man, who don't give customers to think. So hence, I advice my team that sales should not be pushy to you or the customer. So hence the team at shop4prop.com put hands together for consultative selling approach.

Consultative Selling is a method by which the salesman behaves more like a consultant, giving genuine advice to the customers, rather than pushing the customers towards a sale.

But how can we sell in a consultative and effective way

1. Be Knowledgeable

Consultative salespeople can only make the experience useful and genuine if they are experts on the products and services being promoted and the market in which they are being promoted. They need to know about competitors and how their products differ from competitive offerings. Without this knowledge, the customer will soon see that they are better off going to the internet for answers, than talking with an ignorant sales person.

2. Be relaxed

To master this approach, salespeople need to understand that you can only sell something to someone who genuinely needs it. So relax and understand that you are not in mortal combat with the customer. Rather, you are trying to help the customer achieve his objective of buying the product.

3. Frame

How you start the interaction with the customer will determine the next few minutes. It will affect whether the buyer avoids you, sees you as a necessary evil or, alternatively, draws on your help. Most people know how to frame a conversation, and in sales it generally follows this process:

Succinctly describe your intention.

Ask permission to find out what’s important to the customer.

If permission is granted, the salesperson can go to the next stage (asking questions). If not, the salesperson offers support that will be available in the future.

If the framing is executed calmly, professionally and with sincerity, a customer will usually be open enough to accept the offer of help.

4. Ask questions

It’s useful to do some more framing before launching into questions (something along the lines of, “I’m going to ask you a few questions so that I can try and help you find what you’re most interested in, if that’s alright?”).

Once the framing is done, your questions could typically include:

Do you have any initial ideas of what you’d like and why?

Who will be the users?

How often will you use the products or services?

What’s most important to you?

It’s also useful to discover what the budget is, perhaps by saying:

If you’re working towards a certain budget, and are happy to tell me broadly what it is, I can try and point you to the most relevant options.

The point of the questions is to find out enough to be able to advise the customer well.

5. Offer suggestions

Armed with the answers, it’s time to offer your thoughts. Frame your suggestions with phrases like “I think I understand that X, Y and Z are most important to you. With that in mind, you may want to explore products 1, 4 and 7 as they most closely meet your requirements.” You can then identify what the differences are between each product so that customers can prioritize what’s most important to them.

6. Stay calm

At this stage, a salesperson can sometimes get over-excited about closing a deal. It’s very important, though, to remain calm, and not apply any pressure, just offers of genuine help. And, when the time’s right, a simple statement such as, “If you decide this product/service is right for you, just let me know,” will do the trick.

Consultative selling can be an enjoyable experience for all involved. If you’re knowledgeable about your products and the market and are comfortable giving advice, it could be the sales tactic for you. But, like anything in sales, you need to be positive to ensure your best chance of success. Take the advice of influential university reformer, Benjamin Jowett: “You've got to be success minded. You've got to feel that things are coming your way when you're out selling; otherwise, you won't be able to sell anything.” It’s hard to argue with that!

So hence the moto for our team is " We don't Sell, We Advice "

• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Google Plus
• Share on Twitter

Our Motto For Sales " We Don't Sell, We Advice "

We do understand with the help of technology and other helpful resources our customers have become smarter than we sales people. With easy access to internet, customers are aware with the product information and access, well in advance. So hence I always tell my sales team not to be those pushy sales man, who don't give customers to think. So hence, I advice my team that sales should not be pushy to you or the customer. So hence the team at shop4prop.com put hands together for consultative selling approach.

Consultative Selling is a method by which the salesman behaves more like a consultant, giving genuine advice to the customers, rather than pushing the customers towards a sale.

But how can we sell in a consultative and effective way

1. Be Knowledgeable

Consultative salespeople can only make the experience useful and genuine if they are experts on the products and services being promoted and the market in which they are being promoted. They need to know about competitors and how their products differ from competitive offerings. Without this knowledge, the customer will soon see that they are better off going to the internet for answers, than talking with an ignorant sales person.

2. Be relaxed

To master this approach, salespeople need to understand that you can only sell something to someone who genuinely needs it. So relax and understand that you are not in mortal combat with the customer. Rather, you are trying to help the customer achieve his objective of buying the product.

3. Frame

How you start the interaction with the customer will determine the next few minutes. It will affect whether the buyer avoids you, sees you as a necessary evil or, alternatively, draws on your help. Most people know how to frame a conversation, and in sales it generally follows this process:

Succinctly describe your intention.

Ask permission to find out what’s important to the customer.

If permission is granted, the salesperson can go to the next stage (asking questions). If not, the salesperson offers support that will be available in the future.

If the framing is executed calmly, professionally and with sincerity, a customer will usually be open enough to accept the offer of help.

4. Ask questions

It’s useful to do some more framing before launching into questions (something along the lines of, “I’m going to ask you a few questions so that I can try and help you find what you’re most interested in, if that’s alright?”).

Once the framing is done, your questions could typically include:

Do you have any initial ideas of what you’d like and why?

Who will be the users?

How often will you use the products or services?

What’s most important to you?

It’s also useful to discover what the budget is, perhaps by saying:

If you’re working towards a certain budget, and are happy to tell me broadly what it is, I can try and point you to the most relevant options.

The point of the questions is to find out enough to be able to advise the customer well.

5. Offer suggestions

Armed with the answers, it’s time to offer your thoughts. Frame your suggestions with phrases like “I think I understand that X, Y and Z are most important to you. With that in mind, you may want to explore products 1, 4 and 7 as they most closely meet your requirements.” You can then identify what the differences are between each product so that customers can prioritize what’s most important to them.

6. Stay calm

At this stage, a salesperson can sometimes get over-excited about closing a deal. It’s very important, though, to remain calm, and not apply any pressure, just offers of genuine help. And, when the time’s right, a simple statement such as, “If you decide this product/service is right for you, just let me know,” will do the trick.

Consultative selling can be an enjoyable experience for all involved. If you’re knowledgeable about your products and the market and are comfortable giving advice, it could be the sales tactic for you. But, like anything in sales, you need to be positive to ensure your best chance of success. Take the advice of influential university reformer, Benjamin Jowett: “You've got to be success minded. You've got to feel that things are coming your way when you're out selling; otherwise, you won't be able to sell anything.” It’s hard to argue with that!

So hence the moto for our team is " We don't Sell, We Advice "

Language of Sales in Real Estate Industry

                             Language of Sales in Real Estate Industry

The information here we are going to talk about is to give you insight about a new language. It’s not English. Hindi, Italian, French, Japanese or German. Rather it is called “Language of Sales”.

In-fact it’s a language where most people want to listen to. The language of sales is a powerful code, that a salesman could implement, a language that a customer can understand, and to get a positive response which creates a brand impact from powerful tools of marketing.

Every time we speak to a customer, the customer awaits to listen to the language of sales.

Real Estate Industry is a big fat whale industry. If you have chosen your carrier into Property Sales, let me tell you, along with language of sales, your personal attitude also matters a lot.

Attitude Says Customer is the TOP Priority, Your Product, Your Language of Sale and You Yourself!

In Real Estate Sales you can become aware by the words you use as well as the reactions you cause. Are the reactions positive or negative? What facial expressions is reaction to your language? Here we are going to see a few examples.  

Hot Sales Words that you need to implement as a Sales Man

Do Not use the word Contract. Use Agreement or Proposal

Contract is a destructive sales word in the real estate industry. Contract should be replaced with agreement, which means the customer is agreeing with your decision. Proposal is a good alternative word, which implies the customer makes an ultimate decssion.

For Example “Mr Ravi I have a good investment proposal towards a property to be launched in Thane by Lodha Group “

Do Not say “ I need your Signature here” or “sign here”. Use “ Please Okay this here” or “Please okay and date it”

Always make the customer feel, that he has the power. After all the decision to purchase a property is his decision. “Signing is associated with signing away something”. Okaying is associated to “Agreeing”.

For Example “ Mr Ravi Here is the booking form for Tata Housing, ( I use a pen to pin point it) Do u mind if you could okay it here on the flat to be confirmed”

Do Not use the word “Buy”. Use the word Invest

The Buy word in the real estate industry refers to something that will not come back. Investment implies to returns. You can refer to a good investment or getting a good return on Investment.

For Example “ Mr Nikhil you are looking at a 25% ROI on the investment at Godrej Properties. In my honest opinion I would suggest you to make this profitable investment on the property”

Do Not say First Payment. Use Initial Investment.

First Payment sounds very negative in property sales. It’s like we are demanding for payment. Initial Investment is in Real Estate Sales is always positive.

For Example “ Henry Sir, your first initial investment is due on 16^th October 2014”

Do Not say, Our Price or Our Discount. Use Your Savings, Your Payback

Let the money become their money. The inference is entirely different and far more agreeable.

What Should You Always Say

• Easy
• Results
• Save
• Discover
• Guarantee
• Safety
• Free
• Profit/Return
• Health
• Love
• Investment
• You/Yours
• Gain/ Benefit

If you haven’t yet discovered the significance of these words, you are making enough sales calls to your clients. As a real estate sales advisor, adopt these words.

These words are often used in good marketing and should be implemented in your sales process. Believe me as a Property Sales Advisor, I’ve seen massive difference in response by changing few words.

Words and language lead your customers to draw inferences about your company and your knowledge.

Adopt the Language of Sales in the real estate world. It Sounds Less Harsh and it makes a difference. It adds up to a better, more approachable, less committal tone of language.

Top 5 Inspiration Movies for Sales Motivation !

A Sale is defined as " The act of selling a product or Service in return for money or other compensation ". The truth is I never understood the theoretical language of sales when I was pursuing my Masters in Sales and Marketing. Every time I opened my Principles of Management books before my final exams, I used to be in a blank state of mind during my final papers. The Result in theory for me turned out to be S***T. Hence I failed at my final Exams.   

Well after failing, I was in confused state of mind. The Only one question came to my Mind, am I really suitable to pursue my carrier in Sales !

Then I looked back to my older days to what I did in my life. I realized then at age of 16, I used to sell the old black and white Mobile Phones. My First sale was Nokia 3310, where I made a profit of Rs 100 /-. At age of 18 I was a middle man and sold Foreign Currency with a commission of 0.30 paise. Not big money, but yes I made around Rs 500 per transaction. 

When I failed in a confused state of mind, All I knew is there is one Thing I loved, is to watch movies. But this time i changed my taste for Movies, I watched the movies that inspired me. Sitting in the room all day long and big thanks to YOUTUBE for all the motivational videos to keep my sales motivation going on. 

Here is the list of top 10 Movies that motivated me towards what i loved "Sales"

1. Guru ( Bollywood Movie)

Reason to watch this movie:- The movie is based on the life-story of Mr Dhirubhai Ambani who founded Reliance Industries 

Inspiration Quote for Sales from the movie:-  When Dhirubhai Ambani was questioned at the Inquiry Panel in front of the media and press, the Jury had given him only 5 mins to give his explanations. Mr Ambani had completed his speech in 4.50 mins and said to the Jury I saved time and made 30% Profit on my time savings. " This is Business "


2. Glengarry Glen Ross

Reason to Watch this Movie : The movie is based on the brutal Business World where every sales person has to face it when it comes to Sales.

Inspiration Quoted from the Movie for Sales: " The Sales Leads are Weak, I must Say You Are Weak"

3. Jobs 

Reason To Watch This Movie : The movie is based on the story of Apple Founders Mr Steve Jobs and Steve Woznaik. It has shown how Mr Jobs had a vision for sales and changed Mr Woznaik dream to Reality.

Inspiration Quotes from the Movie : " In Life you only get to do so many things and right now we've chosen to do this, so lets make it great "

4. Thank You For Smoking

Reason to Watch This Movie : The movie is Based on a Sales Person Who Promotes Smoking to the Consumers. I wont encourage Smoking, but yes the Sales Confidence in him selling the product inspires we sales people. 

Inspiration Quotes From The Movie : " I don't have an MBA Or a Law Degree, But Yes I do Get Paid To Talk "

5. The Wolf Of Wall Street 

Reason to Watch This Movie:  The Movie is based on life of Mr Jordan Belfort who trades in Penny Stocks. I know there are lot of critics over Penny Stocks, But it was his sales tactics that is an inspiration to us. 

Inspiration Quotes From The Movie: " The Only Thing Standing Between You and Your Goal is the Bullshit Story You Keep Telling Yourself Why You Can't Achieve It "

So i Say to my readers, Sales is all about your inner passion to do something better. Its not necessary that you have a degree in Sales, but yes I do thank the movies that has inspired me to be a Sales Man. My Company Shop4Prop was inspired by the movie Wolf of Wall Street. As a sales training to my sales team, I make sure they watch one Sales Inspiration Movie. I must say that after our sales team watched the movie, we increased our sales by 50 %.

In this one scene, the lead character played by Leonardo Dicapiro, is on phone selling penny stocks. I am not going to debate on the merit of selling penny stocks, but Yes the way he worked the phones was a sight to behold. He was amazingly dedicated. He spent a ton of making sure he made the sale. Later he also explains the importance of getting over the phone with your customers.

Simple Strategy for first look on sales " If You are not on Phone, You are not Making a Sale, And If You don't Make a Sale, You Don't Make Any Money"

My Sales Team, still sing the humming song from Wolf Of Wall Street, after every sale they make. 

Hence to end it up " You Don't Hang up the Phone till the client either buys or **** Dies ".. Its all up to we sales people, how we close sales at last.

Leander Saz
Managing Director
Shop4prop

My Top 7 Sales Tips and Tactics

Sales has always been my passion from the time I was in my College Days. I have been successful in sales just because of one reason " My Failure". Failures and Rejections in my carrier help me to grow more in sales, and made me more passionate towards sales and carrier. 

If you have an art to do something extra ordinary and challenging in life, then sales is the right job for you. Information Technology, Arts, Creativity was never my cup of tea. It was a difficult situation of my carrier to know, what I Loved. All I knew is I had the art to sell and the knowledge to sell. My inner deep passion within the heart said, I am good with people, If I put the right product information and attitude to sell, then I can be a good Sales Man.  

Sales can be an Ausum job, and is considered to be the backbone of any organisation. It is always said that, if you have dynamic sales people within your company, then its sure that the work for IT, Finance and HR is made easy. Sales is the department where in the revenue is generated for any company, and the revenue of the company keeps growing when the sales is higher. I still remember, when i was selling websites in my initial stage of my carrier, I was rejected almost by 300 people. All it kept me moving was a little word called "HOPE". I never loosed hope to succeed in sales. 

Here is My top 7 sales tips that has come useful to me in my carrier as a Real Estate Sales Executive. I put my personal approach of life towards the professional approach of Sales

1. Sell Only If You Love Selling :- You need to discover the art of selling within yourself. For Instance:- "When you were a kid, and you were good at convincing your parents or family to get a small gift for you. The smile on your face, was the gift saying that you had the art of sales within you".

2. Be Good With Your Customers:-  You will Succeed in Sales, Only if you are good with your clients. The root to succeed in sales is the relation you build with them. For Instance:- "You may be a failure in your life, but all you knew is you had a good heart and were good with the world around you" . 

3. Be Confident in Selling:- Nervousness is a part of the sales game. Its a normal approach to be a bit scared, because you are dealing every day with new clients. But the Game to start well in your sales approach is be confident. For Instance:-" Your college day crush, You were so scared to approach the girl you loved, but you still did it with confidence, coz she was your goal then". Never be scared of rejections from your customers, be confident.

4. Sales Pitch:- Make sure your sales pitch is up to the mark with right attitude. The Right Sale always depends on your sales pitch and approach towards it. For Instance:- " You used the right words during your first job or school interview and guess what the Interviewer Loved It". Your clients and customers will love you, if you use the right words in your sales pitch.

5. Accept Rejections:- Put your 100% effort towards convincing your customer to purchase your product or service. At the same time have courage to accept rejections. All you did is " You gave your best shot" the client was not worth for it. 

6. ABC:- The common and the most basic word in sales is ABC " Always be Closing". One of the most inspiring lines from the movie Boiler Room was " And there is no such thing as a no sale call. A sale is made on every call you make. Either you sell the client some stock or he sells you a reason he can't. Either way a sale is made, the only question is who is gonna close? You or him? Now be relentless.

7. Say No Diplomatically if you don't know the Answer: Always know that your clients are smarter than You. If they ask you a question and you don't know the answer. Don't Just Guess, Coz You may Fumble. In a diplomatic way always say I will get back to you shortly on your question. If You Fumble It adds a negative impact on Your Approach.

Create the passion and art to be good in sales with the courage to accept failures and rejections. But all you have in you is Never loose the Hope to Succeed, if you keep the Hope and Passion in you, You will be an Amazing Sales Person

Leander Saz is the Managing Director of the company Shop4Prop based in Mumbai.