Episode 16: Sales Expert Thinks Outside the Box to Close the Deal Every so often we're going to shake things up a bit and think outside the box. We'll be talking about techniques the best salespeople have used that might seem a little bit crazy but show an underlying mastery of psychology.Today, we'll discuss a unique story about a Chicago snowstorm and an intrepid salesperson who truly thought outside the box. Don't Miss an Episode - Subscribe Now for Free!Subscribe to this podcast today and stay up-to-date on the latest in sales psychology.More About SalesDrive, LLCAt SalesDrive, LLC, we help companies perfect the salesperson hiring process by offering a variety of tools, like a sales assessment and psychologically-based interview guides, that aid companies in never hiring a bad salesperson again. SalesDrive was founded in 2005 based on the single biggest frustration many companies face, selecting sales candidates who interviewed well, only to flame out when placed on the line. Dr. Croner reviewed more than 80 years of academic research as well as his own work in conducting intensive behavioral interviews and discovered that high-performance salespeople shared three innate personality traits. After identifying a gap in the marketplace, he went on to develop The DriveTest® sales assessment. The only sales assessment to measure the three non-teachable traits necessary for new business acquisition.  If you are hiring salespeople, request a free DriveTest assessment today: https://salesdrive.info/free-trial-request -- Transcript[soft melody theme music]  [00:00]  Katherine Abraham: Hello and Welcome to the Sales Psyched podcast, where we discuss strategies for leveraging psychology within the world of sales. Each episode is hosted by Dr. Chris Croner, who has a PhD in clinical psychology and has spent his career helping companies around the world build stellar sales teams. [00:20]  Let's get started. [deep drum, marching intro music] [00:30]  Chris Croner: Dr. Chris Croner here. Every so often we're going to shake things up a bit and think outside the box. We'll be talking about techniques the best salespeople have used that might seem a little bit crazy but show an underlying mastery of psychology. [00:48]  Today, we'll discuss a unique story about a Chicago snowstorm and an intrepid salesperson who truly thought outside the box.[00:58]  We know a superstar salesperson in Chicago who was selling commercial cleaning services to office building owners and managers. He had generated huge market share, but of course, he was never satisfied. And he desperately wanted to win the John Hancock Center. The 100-story icon on the Chicago skyline. [01:21]  But, he couldn't get a meeting. [01:24]  Then, one day, Chicago experienced a historic snowstorm. Everything shut down. It was impossible to get plows and workers to every building. So, our intrepid salesperson put on his coat with his company's name and logo on the back and went over to the John Hancock Center and started shoveling at the front entrance. [01:45]  Sure enough, the manager came out, noticed the cleaning company's name and asked who he was. He introduced himself and said, "this is what we do, we do whatever it takes for our customers." [02:00]  He got his meeting. And, three months later his company was cleaning the John Hancock Center. [02:06]   Creative? Yep! Out of the box? Sure. A little edgy? Maybe. But great upside and no real downside. [02:18]  This is how the great ones think about selling, and this is why their competitors often never know what hit them. [02:26]  Let us know if you have a crazy story to share. Let's have a little fun out there! See you next time. [soft melody theme music] [02:35]  Chris Croner: Thank you for listening to the Sales Psyched Podcast. If you haven't already, please be sure to click the subscribe button and leave us a five-star review. If you found this information helpful, please consider sharing it. We'd love your help in spreading the word. [02:52]  Until next time, take care!