If you are like me, during the winter days you long to be on a hot island, sipping a tropical punch... And an island resort isn't the same without at some point encountering a persistent vendor.
I have had two neat lessons from island vendors that speak to me during this challenging time in our economy... 1) Be creative and 2) Be thankful. Here they are...
Experience #1 - Creative selling
A couple years ago, Valerie and I enjoyed a little time out of the Southern Ontario weather for the warm sun and sand of Dominican Republic. The resort we stayed at offered a "free" group half-hour horse ride on the beach included. "If you like it sir, you can pay for hour, just you and the lady".
The cowboys of El Ranch Differente took us for our fun ride down the beach. When we got on, one of their team snapped each couples' picture then took off down the beach on a motorbike. I knew he was up to something.
After an easy ride on their docile trail horses, we found ourselves back at the beach side post. Set up in amazing speed was a display of rum bottles and Caribbean CDs, with each couple's picture on the label. How could you resist buying your own personalized bottle of rum and Meringue Music Hits? We paid for both.
The horse ride wasn't the product.
Experience #2 - Sell to eat
A number of years back we had a great holiday in Jamaica. One of the experiences there has stuck with me and I have referred to it many times.
On our last full day relaxing, Valerie stayed in the room for an afternoon nap while I visited the local parking-lot tourist market for some souvenirs. I walked out of the resort, up the street, through a gate and started browsing the aisles of booths.
"Hello sir... sir... Sir! I have something nice for you! Stop in for a moment please!"
"Mister, I have what you are looking for. Look at this! Do you have a wife, mister? I have fine dress!"
I was accosted by booth vendors on both sides who were very vocal about the offerings they had for me.
With a polite Canadian smile, I shook my head and kept walking... and walking. I was a bit turned off stopping in any booth with their aggressiveness. After a few aisles I left the market and headed back toward the resort.
"Gosh," I thought, "Why were they bugging me so much? They just made me want to leave!"
A little wise voice popped into my head and I had an "a-ha" moment, "Because they eat when they sell."
The light went on. These booth vendors most likely live in places like the tin shacks on the hillside we had been amazed about on our tour bus. When they sell they eat. What they lack in sales polish they make up for in boldness. No wonder.
As I walked I thought about how close they must be to the end of their resources each day. I wondered how life would be different for so many of us in Canada if we were that close to no food. We would work harder wouldn't we? We would be more motivated to close a sale, right?
I turned around and ended up buying a few souvenirs from that market. I left with an even better one... thankfulness. (Oh...and an increased appreciation of sales as a career!)
Rodney