The Accidental Sales-Person

I don't particularly enjoy selling things. Nevermind the fact that I went to University and studied Marketing. Don't believe the endless pages of search results you see on Career Builder; sales is just one small part of Marketing, not the lifeline. Regardless of the fact that I hate selling, in the past two days I've discovered that I'm pretty darn good at it. Without even trying!

Yesterday I had a volunteer group of corporate executives working with the kids. They came, they ate lunch, they toured, they glued, they made scarecrows.

My organization also just happened to have a matinee performance for our cultural arts program. We stopped in to listen to a song, and afterward I mentioned that we had a new BOGO (buy one get one, for those of you who've been living under a Payless ad-free rock) ticket special. Guests could buy two - two tickets for the price of one!

We continued on the tour, and then to the project. As the group is leaving Exec 1 comes to me and wants to buy tickets to the evening performance. (Great job Me!)

I head to the office and return with tickets; the exchange is made. Exec 2 then comes to me and wants to purchase a season membership. (Awesome!) The transaction is made and customer leaves happy and excited for great music.

Today I arrive to work and another matinee performance is on the docket. I head downstairs to usher the kids to their seats when Teacher calls me over and says she would like to buy tickets to the evening performance. (Deja vu?)

I go to my office and return with the tickets (remember: two - two tickets for one!). She then asks about student prices. Yes, students get a half-price ticket so she decides to bring the whole family to the show tonight. (Wahoo!)

I am now diligently stationed in the lobby with the express purpose of cajoling passers-by into purchasing tickets for tonight's performance. Actually I'm not, but it was threatened to be so.

So, while I never enjoyed sales and never purposefully meant to do it, I have become the Accidental Sales-Person. Money seems to flock wherever I go; however, rather than that money landing on my paycheck, it is given for whatever I happen to be selling at that moment. And get your mind out of the gutter.