I've read quite a number of opinion on various website and I'll like to get opinions of nairalanders who have encountered this question in a sales related interview and how they managed to answer it excellently. I once attend an interview in a real estate firm and they threw this question at me and I was there looking at the pen like which kind wahala be this . This was because I least expected that question and I ended up a flop in that interview.

I've read some articles that pointed out that the best way to answer this question is by asking the interviewer more questions instead of describing the pen.

So I'm asking the sales experts on this forum to give details on how they answered theirs.

lalasticlala mynd44 seun

.

Lolz! Its very simple. Just tell the interviewer "after you sir/ma" throw the same question back to the interviewer! If he or she is able to convince u to buy the pen, then u can try selling it back to them. Shikena

It's very simple, just talk about those qualities that makes the pen stands out. Example. If you use the pen to write on a paper and water pour on the paper, the ink will not look blur and the content will still be readable.

olasclef:
It's very simple, just talk about those qualities that makes the pen stands out. Example. If you use the pen to write on a paper and water pour on the paper, the ink will not look blur and the content will still be readable.

Very simple indeed, I hope this joke.

olasclef:
It's very simple, just talk about those qualities that makes the pen stands out. Example. If you use the pen to write on a paper and water pour on the paper, the ink will not look blur and the content will still be readable.

Have you ever encountered the question and did you actually say this?

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Electrical Engineer


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I'm actively searching for JOB... Can send my CV.

Thanks.

I actually asked someone this exact question for an interview i conducted for my company.
Just tell the interviewer the qualities of the pen, its durability, its unique color n physique wether or not its a refill etc.. Basically y its different from other pens... As a sales man u shld b able to sell just about anything

Laurele:
I actually asked someone this exact question for an interview i conducted for my company.
Just tell the interviewer the qualities of the pen, its durability, its unique color n physique wether or not its a refill etc.. Basically y its different from other pens... As a sales man u shld b able to sell just about anything

I will resist the urge to use harsh words. Sell features of a pen and you call it sales? Utter ridiculousness. I advise you understand truly the meaning of sales.

Nobody pays attenrion if you aint ready to sell benefits, why your product is different relevant. A true sales man knows value is what you need to communicate.

Thanks

As a sales man i bliv you should learn to pay attention to details, read my comment again and see how indifferent n out of point ur reply to it is

charles009:


I will resist the urge to use harsh words. Sell features of a pen and you call it sales? Utter ridiculousness. I advise you understand truly the meaning of sales.

Nobody pays attenrion if you aint ready to sell benefits, why your product is different relevant. A true sales man knows value is what you need to communicate.

Thanks

How can you sell a features of a pen I can't Laff oooooooooo



My own point of view is to sell the benefit of the pen and try to enter the emotional part of the buyer 90 percent of things we buy are as a result of emotional decisions.

lilfreezy:
I've read quite a number of opinion on various website and I'll like to get opinions of nairalanders who have encountered this question in a sales related interview and how they managed to answer it excellently. I once attend an interview in a real estate firm and they threw this question at me and I was there looking at the pen like which kind wahala be this . This was because I least expected that question and I ended up a flop in that interview.

I've read some articles that pointed out that the best way to answer this question is by asking the interviewer more questions instead of describing the pen.

So I'm asking the sales experts on this forum to give details on how they answered theirs.

Lol, this got me laughing, I nearly pee on my body when similar question was asked in my present coy.

When I got there I was asked to introduce myself and other question and how my last experience can profer solution to the organization, I did all that.

But to the main question, one of the interviewer was having a bottled water beside her, and she said please can you market this water for us? And I was like wetin this one dey ask self, not knowing that's what would give me the job.

And it goes thus:

Me (Marketer): Good morning ma, please may I have few minute of your time and she said yes.

Interviewer : For what? Okey go on

Me (marketer): Am really sorry to take few minute of your time, I have a water I want to introduce to you ma.

Interviewer: Am listening

Me (marketer): This water i used my name for the product, is one of the best, it is refreshing, odourless, it quenches taste and makes you ask for more, as a microbiological manufactured water, it has gone through all normal microbiological analysis to make sure it is free from germs and microorganism.

And finally ma, if anybody takes this water, it would wash away the person's sins and take them straight to heaven.

Interviewers: Started laughing, and one of them asked if its holy water.

Me (marketer): Just stood there and started laughing.

That's how I got the job.

Thumps up
nice one

wunmi590:


Lol, this got me laughing, I nearly pee on my body when similar question was asked in my present coy.

When I got there I was asked to introduce myself and other question and how my last experience can profer solution to the organization, I did all that.

But to the main question, one of the interviewer was having a bottled water beside her, and she said please can you market this water for us? And I was like wetin this one dey ask self, not knowing that's what would give me the job.

And it goes thus:

Me (Marketer): Good morning ma, please may I have few minute of your time and she said yes.

Interviewer : For what? Okey go on

Me (marketer): Am really sorry to take few minute of your time, I have a water I want to introduce to you ma.

Interviewer: Am listening

Me (marketer): This water i used my name for the product, is one of the best, it is refreshing, odourless, it quenches taste and makes you ask for more, as a microbiological manufactured water, it has gone through all normal microbiological analysis to make sure it is free from germs and microorganism.

And finally ma, if anybody takes this water, it would wash away the person's sins and take them straight to heaven.

Interviewers: Started laughing, and one of them asked if its holy water.

Me (marketer): Just stood there and started laughing.

That's how I got the job.

ylaa:
Thumps up nice one

Thanks ma'am

Davidolives:
How can you sell a features of a pen I can't Laff oooooooooo



My own point of view is to sell the benefit of the pen and try to enter the emotional part of the buyer 90 percent of things we buy are as a result of emotional decisions.

Spot on...

.

wunmi590:


Lol, this got me laughing, I nearly pee on my body when similar question was asked in my present coy.

When I got there I was asked to introduce myself and other question and how my last experience can profer solution to the organization, I did all that.

But to the main question, one of the interviewer was having a bottled water beside her, and she said please can you market this water for us? And I was like wetin this one dey ask self, not knowing that's what would give me the job.

And it goes thus:

Me (Marketer): Good morning ma, please may I have few minute of your time and she said yes.

Interviewer : For what? Okey go on

Me (marketer): Am really sorry to take few minute of your time, I have a water I want to introduce to you ma.

Interviewer: Am listening

Me (marketer): This water i used my name for the product, is one of the best, it is refreshing, odourless, it quenches taste and makes you ask for more, as a microbiological manufactured water, it has gone through all normal microbiological analysis to make sure it is free from germs and microorganism.

Do you know, this table water is the first in Nigeria that contains zinc, let me tell you the health benefits of zinc ma, I treats acne, prevents night blindness, cancer and even helps with diabetes. Whenever you thirsty, think xyz water.

And finally ma, if anybody takes this water, it would wash away the person's sins and take them straight to heaven.

How mary cartons would you want you buy-funny closure.

Interviewers: Started laughing, and one of them asked if its holy water.

Me (marketer): Just stood there and started laughing.

That's how I got the job.

Fair enough, you did very well. In your original response to the question, I will attempt to infuse benefit and sell value proposition also never fail to close a sale..

Laurele:
As a sales man i bliv you should learn to pay attention to details, read my comment again and see how indifferent n out of point ur reply to it is

please pay attention to details recruiter.your original reply says.
Just tell the interviewer the qualities of the pen, its durability, its unique color n physique wether or not its a refill etc.. Basically y its different from other pens.

Points: dont sell qualities, sell value. Though the refill is value. This is supposed to be for a learning purpose, no harshness intended.

charles009:


Fair enough, you did very well. In your original response to the question, I will attempt to infuse benefit and sell value proposition also never fail to close a sale..

Wow, this is nice, you just gave me another concept.

Thanks so much.

Create an urgent need for it and you will sell it.

I was asked the same question in an interview with three sales people.

Interviewer: sell us this pen.
Me: scratch head , quickly comoose my self. Asked if any of them has other pens with then. They brought them out. I collected them and put them in my bag. Then I brought out my cheque book, wrote a cheque for 2000 Naira and pointed it to the one I considered junior amongst them. I told him the cheque is his if he can sign his name at the back of the cheque. They were all looking confused while I made a gesture to him to go ahead.
One of them was getting angry
Interviewer: what is the meaning of this? he asked.
Me: give me a few minute I am trying to sell a pen here.
Then faced my guy, do you want this check?
ThinKing I was joking, he said yes can I have the pen? I said yes but you have to buy it .
Interviewer: how much is it ?
Me: 1000 Naira
Interviewer: are you serious? Common pen
Me: wrote down something on what they could not see.
Interviewer: that cheque better not be dude cheque as he brought out a 1000Ngn note. He gave it to me and I signed the check and he signed too. I gave him the check. I said it's real .

Interviewer: another asked how is it profitable for me to to give 2000 in retur for a 1000 note.
Me: i said I sold a pen for way more than you will ordinarily pay for it, because there was an urgentry need for it. You called it ordinary (what I scribbled down when they were talking carelessly) this shows that if your product is ordinary then I will have to work extraordinary to make a sales. I was offered a 6 month contract and I worked there for a year before moving on.

Ordinary pen.... Why not laptop or the interviewers iphone.... Na to carry am go house come drop my phone number...

lilfreezy:
I've read quite a number of opinion on various website and I'll like to get opinions of nairalanders who have encountered this question in a sales related interview and how they managed to answer it excellently. I once attend an interview in a real estate firm and they threw this question at me and I was there looking at the pen like which kind wahala be this . This was because I least expected that question and I ended up a flop in that interview.

I've read some articles that pointed out that the best way to answer this question is by asking the interviewer more questions instead of describing the pen.

So I'm asking the sales experts on this forum to give details on how they answered theirs.

OP its a lie


Its the same thing they quoted in the famous movie "The Wolf of Wall Street"


OP you can lie

wunmi590:


Lol, this got me laughing, I nearly pee on my body when similar question was asked in my present coy.

When I got there I was asked to introduce myself and other question and how my last experience can profer solution to the organization, I did all that.

But to the main question, one of the interviewer was having a bottled water beside her, and she said please can you market this water for us? And I was like wetin this one dey ask self, not knowing that's what would give me the job.

And it goes thus:

Me (Marketer): Good morning ma, please may I have few minute of your time and she said yes.

Interviewer : For what? Okey go on

Me (marketer): Am really sorry to take few minute of your time, I have a water I want to introduce to you ma.

Interviewer: Am listening

Me (marketer): This water i used my name for the product, is one of the best, it is refreshing, odourless, it quenches taste and makes you ask for more, as a microbiological manufactured water, it has gone through all normal microbiological analysis to make sure it is free from germs and microorganism.

And finally ma, if anybody takes this water, it would wash away the person's sins and take them straight to heaven.

Interviewers: Started laughing, and one of them asked if its holy water.

Me (marketer): Just stood there and started laughing.

That's how I got the job.

nice

They are actually expecting you to Show your sales skill by canvassing them to buy the Pen.


one of my friend was asked this question in an Interview...

"Apart from writing, what other thing can you use a pen for"

Abeg who knows the answer? pls. do tell

crackerspub:


OP its a lie


Its the same thing they quoted in the famous movie "The Wolf of Wall Street"


OP you can lie

It's a common sales question. Sales people can relate so shift abeg

Help a sister biko

You simply have to brainwash the interviewer on why the pen should be recommended.

From a graduate, to an experienced person or a professional sales person, this question would be answered differently.
Whats first important is to know that you dont have to respond immediately.
Take 3 minutes to study the pen before shooting off your mouth without thoughts.
A sales person knows his product so you should know what you are selling.

You can read How Best To Answer This Question Here (Very practical):
http://www.hrtechnique.com/2017/05/from-graduate-to-experienced-person-or.html

illitrate:
You simply have to brainwash the interviewer on why the pen should be recommended.

How?

lilfreezy:


It's a common sales question. Sales people can relate so shift abeg

Its a common sales question from the sales guy just as you said but how come you failed the interview since its a common sales question.

Brilliant!!