“Good afternoon, am I speaking with Michiel Verstraten?”
That was the starting signal for an afternoon full of sales role-playing with students from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (Hogeschool van Amsterdam), at our office, Tribes Inspiring Workplaces, led by Claudio Perotti. Thanks to Alexis van Dam, we were once again in full conversation with up-and-coming sales talent. And how!
In total, 12 students came by to give their sales pitch. They all represented a fictional company in the coffee industry. Think of machines, beans, syrups… it almost smelled like real espresso here 😉
It was also extremely educational for me. I kept thinking of our client Luca Wijnsma from MKB Coffee, such a recognizable business that everyone has an opinion about. Whether you’re on team coffee or nowadays are all about a matcha latte: it remains a product with an experience.
What I especially want to pass on to the students:
- Don’t start by sending, but by asking
- Be genuinely curious about the other person
- And practice. Practice. Practice.
A sales pitch sounds simple, but it’s often more nerve-wracking than you think. The students had to call me beforehand to schedule their appointment, and that was also part of the experience. It’s really good that the HvA organizes this. Compliments!
