Selling Colombia Japan World Cup Football Group Game

The football World Cup in full swing, I frustratingly caught a national English radio broadcast the day after our Three Lions had beaten Tunisia in the first group game.

The show’s penultimate set piece saw a 2010 squad member urged by the ex-pro host to leave an impression on an attendant one-time cricket superstar (nicknamed Freddie) regarding the next game, Colombia v Japan;

Sell this game to Freddie, [he] doesn’t watch much football…

Here’s the stuttering resultant 15secs;

ooh, it’s a tough sell … but I’ll have a go

I think James Rodriguez, it’s a massive tournament for him

Not been great of late but obviously shot to stardom in the last one, so I think all eyes will be on him.

The incredulous response, accompanied with much laughter;

Is that it?!

The seller tried to excuse himself. Here’s how the hole dug ever deeper;

seller; I told you it was a tough sell.

buyer; I thought you was gonna run me through the Japan side…

seller; Well you obviously got the striker up at Leicester, Okazaki

buyer [witheringly dismissive]; Obviously…

seller; He’s had a really good season there. He’s done very well. I think he’s one to look out for.

Got a really experienced side actually, couple of defenders

Just changed their manager before the tournament, so he’s only had one game in charge, so little bit of a shock there

buyer; What’s he called?

seller; That’s a good question…[even more laughter]

Unable to answer, the host rescued the “pundit” from further punishment and moved the chat along.

Yes, a small chunk of throwaway frolic. Yet a cutting Sales lesson.

The studio sofa talking head should surely have expected something along such lines.

Even if not the precise wording, at least being called upon to trail the upcoming match.

In much the same way we’ll be inevitably required to wax joyously about our key – especially when new – marvel.

The instant response of the ‘seller’ in this case landed upon one particular and half-decent element. But shorn of any context, emotion or hammered-home ‘benefit’ or ‘value’, the humorous derision it earned was merited.

‘He doesn’t watch much football’ is pretty similar to any prospect when first faced with our latest wonder. They too won’t really be in any position of knowledge.

‘Sell it to them’ is a situation we’ll then be in often.

Have you prepared your response? One that won’t mean you to feel an underwhelming, draining, ‘is that it?’