Q&A WITH TASHA SARAN SMITH

Q: Tell us a little about how you got started selling Cutco with Vector.

• I went home for summer break between my Junior and Senior year in college, needed a job, and found a flyer that offered a base pay that was more than twice what I was making at my other job, so I came in for my interview.
• I was immediately excited about the job because my roommate had been with Cutco, and we had Cutco in my house, so I knew the product was pretty awesome.

Q: What were some of the early experiences you had selling Cutco and what were some lessons you learned?

• I took a rep, who was 0/20 appointments, field training. My customer ended up not buying, but at the next week’s team meeting, this rep was asked to speak because he had gone on to sell over $3,000 on 13 appointments!  He said that field training with me had changed his life.
• I also learned to stay close to my mentor and leadership.

Q: What were some of the early experiences you had as a Vector Manager, and what were some lessons you learned?

• When I opened my office in May we got off to a terrible start. I had 20 reps in training, only 1 ended up leaving my office to do the job, and he turned in 1 order and quit but the order didn’t end up processing so we did $0 my first month.
• But it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.
• I stayed focused and kept doing what I knew I should be doing, and by the 2nd summer conference, we ended up winning the contest when no one was expecting it.

Q: After your time with Cutco you moved on to a corporate job for 10 years before moving on to start your own company.  Tell us a little about your time in your corporate job.

• I worked as an enrollment manager for University of Phoenix for 11 years but I started to get a little itchy for something more. I made a podcast with the intention of connecting with people like accountants to teach them how to sell.  I was invited to a network marketing meeting and I told the gal that I would go to her event if she listened to my podcast.
• The gal loved the info in the podcast so much that she asked if she could hire me to coach her. She went from making $50 a month for 2 years to earning $450 the month after she implemented what she learned from working with me.  So her mentor asked if she could hire me.
• On a leap-of-faith-decision, I quit my job and decided I was going to start my own business coaching people on sales.

Q: What did you do to help fix this gal’s results?

• Most people in sales do what we call “word vomiting” so what I teach is what I call The 5 Keys to Closing.
  • Set up an appointment
  • Give an agenda — it sets expectations and agreement
  • Gain input – ask questions and listen to the customer
  • Simplify and personalize your presentation
  • Give 2 choices

Q: What are the challenges that you’ve overcome in starting your own company?

• The business comes in waves; you better learn to surf.
• I learned how to create business from scratch, and that has been so valuable in starting my business.
• I learned how to identify my leadership super-power.
• In order to build on strengths, you have to know what your strengths are and find out what was the best in what was, what is, and what can be.

Q: As you look into the future, how do you aspire to change people’s lives through your work or through your influence?

• I think that learning how to sell helps you take control of your future, so I want to help people learn how to sell.
• I’ve started writing my own book but I don’t have a title yet.

Connect with Tasha at:

facebook.com/tashass

facebook.com/emergesalestraining

youtube.com/tashasmith15

Instagram: @tashasmith15 @emergesalestraining

email: tasha@emergesalestraining.com