Frank Furness’ humorous motivational talk for sales people (positing two Indian con-girls as the world’s greatest salespeople) advises six basic concepts for making a winning sale:

• Greet
• Develop Rapport
• Present The Product
• Deliver Emotional Connection
• Upsell
• Close The Deal

So let’s flip the script. Next time you find yourself in accosted by a sales agent on the retail floor, observe as they move through these steps. Laugh. You’ll find their persuasive powers diminished if you can identify which part of the sequence they’re in.

Though, if you’re a Consumerist reader, you’re probably already fairly adept at dodging sales staff. A polite but firm, “no thanks,” always does the trick for us. — BEN POPKEN

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