sell me this pen

"sell me this pen."

every sales interview in india asks this question.

most people fail it immediately.

they start pitching. "it writes smoothly, has a premium finish, comes with two free refills."

that's wrong.

here's why: i don't need a pen. i use notion, keep notes, voice messages. the closest thing to a pen i use is a whiteboard marker.

no feature list will make me buy something i don't need.

the right answer to "sell me this pen" is asking questions, not listing benefits.

jordan belfort said it: when someone asks you to sell them a pen, the first thing you do is ask them questions.

discover need before pitching anything.

here are the questions that close deals:

"when's the last time you used a pen?"

this tells you if they're even in the market. if they say "i don't use pens," you just saved both of you time. if they say "this morning," keep going.

"what did you use it for?"

this reveals their use case. signing documents? taking notes? sketching ideas? each needs a different pitch.

"what pen did you use?"

this shows their current solution and price point. cheap ballpoint? expensive fountain pen? no comparison without knowing their baseline.

"what frustrated you about it?"

this uncovers pain points. ran out of ink? uncomfortable grip? stopped working? now you know what to emphasize.

"what would make a pen perfect for you?"

this makes them tell you exactly how to sell to them. they'll describe the ideal solution. now you just connect your pen to their answer.

notice what happened? by question five, they're selling themselves.

this works in real sales calls too.

spend the first half of every first conversation asking questions. about their background, their goals, what's stopping them, what they've tried before.

this does three things:

builds rapport. you're a guide trying to help, not a salesperson trying to close.

gathers intelligence. you now know how to position value accurately.

eliminates bad fits. you only sell to people with real needs.

in sales interviews, most candidates fail "sell me this pen" because they think it tests product knowledge.

it doesn't. it tests discovery skills.

the interviewer wants to see if you'll rush to pitch or take time to understand.

next time someone asks you to sell them a pen, smile and say: "before i do, can i ask you a few questions?"

that's how you pass the test.

and that's how you actually sell.