Marketing Tips from “The Suit Guy”

              Every day we are bombarded with advertisements, sales pitches and promises of a better life with the hip new thing. Once in a while I come across someone or something genuine who really wants to make a difference in a life with what they do. Enter in the suit guy.

While helping my brother shop for a suit for his prom, we came across the suit guy. We bought a suit the first day within the first hour in the first place we went to. When I went shopping for my prom, it took me months to find the right suit. Not because I was picky or anything (to be honest my girlfriend picked a difficult color to try and match) but, I was never really sold on anything that I came across. This is because people were trying to sell it. I’ll repeat. I wasn’t sold on anything because people were trying to sell it to me. Confused? Let me explain.

                There is a shift going on in marketing. It about NOT MARKETING and simply starting a conversation, building a relationship and have the sale be a by-product of that relationship. Where I felt like I was being sold by some used car salesman while shopping for my prom, the suit guy wasn’t about the sale but, seemed more about really wanting to help my brother out.

The Right Things

                Right from the get go, he made us feel comfortable. His approach was genuine and he didn’t simply as “need help with anything?” Instead he simply shook are hands and started a conversation. Not just small talk but, a real conversation where both parties are engaged to relevant content. This was the first step, engaging. He built a relationship within the first ten minutes of meeting us and it was solely based on sports and getting to know my brother and I.

                During the conversation, we found out that we both enjoyed Mad Men starring Jon Hamm as Don Draper. This was the suit guys moment to shine. The fashion on the show is 50’s businessman so as you can imagine, from Mad Men the conversation went to suits. We started talking about colors, cuts, ties you name it.  At this point, he still hasn’t pitched anything! I was wondering how long we could talk about suits without him pitching something to me but, he just genuinely liked talking about them. I could see the passion for fashion in him and that alone was making me want to buy a suit from him. BUT, I was there for my brother, not me. Finally sometime during the conversation, my brother mentioned he was shopping for prom and the suit guy was happy to help us select a suit. The dude had already made the sale and he hadn’t pitched us a thing but, we weren’t going to let him know that!

                THIS is what marketing is about. THIS is what selling is. Don’t position yourself or your product to look like the only goal in life is to make you money. This product was created for a reason and more likely than not, was created to solve a problem. People like their problems to be solved and they like it even MORE when the problem solver CARES.

The Wrong Things

                As great and as legendary as the suit guy was I don’t for the life of me remember his name (or if he even said it). There’s always a character in movies that can “get things done” or always “knows a guy”. I’d love to think that I could have had a guy I could have known that I could have referred to. Could have. Could have. Could have. PEOPLE! SAY YOUR NAME! GIVE YOUR BUSINESS CARD! As a salesperson, you are not defined by your product, YOU define you. YOU are the brand. ADVERTISE! It’s amazing how many people fail to realize this. Do not let your product define you.

                The consequences of the suit guys actions may be lost sales. With word of mouth being so important when it comes to brand awareness and building trust in a brand (social media, blogs like this etc.) always remember to tell people who you are and give them the ability to find you and talk to you again. Learn from the suit guy.