Selling the impossible

Sometimes, inspiration finds you when you least expect it. Listening to this man share how he became a sales legend, I knew I had to share his story with our readers.

A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled upon a fascinating interview with Suk-Geum Yoon, the founder of Woongjin Group, on YouTube. Founded in 1980, Woongjin Group is today one of South Korea’s solid conglomerates, employing over 15,000 people.

But Yoon's life wasn't always a silk road. He grew up as one of nine children in an underprivileged family from a small town in South Korea, my native country. In the early 1970s, South Korea was still underdeveloped, striving to industrialize and move away from being labeled as impoverished and old-fashioned. In this context, Yoon, at the age of 27, began his sales career in 1971, selling Britannica encyclopedias.

These encyclopedias were extremely expensive, costing 270,000 Won. That was equivalent to the price of 9 luxury tailored suits. To make matters worse, the encyclopedias were entirely in English—a language most South Koreans couldn’t read at all.

It wasn’t just a hard sell. It seemed impossible. Other Korean salespeople from this British publisher were barely managing to sell 1 set a month.

(Britannica encyclopedias from the 1970s - image source: eBay.com)

Yet, in his first month, Yoon sold 50 sets. 

And within a few months, he became the top salesman worldwide, outshining all Britannica employees across 54 countries at the time.

What was his secret to achieving such magical results?  

He shares the pitch he made to the people he identified as his target—successful businessmen who, in 1971, had the financial means but couldn’t read English themselves.

“These aren’t information pieces—they’re culture and value pieces. Imagine your children growing up in a home where these encyclopedias are proudly displayed in the living room. Think about them seeing these books every day and saying to themselves, 'Our father bought these for us because he believes in our future.' It'll also motivate them to study English hard. Plus, when guests visit, they won’t just see books—they’ll see a symbol of your vision as forward-thinking parents who invest in education and ambition.”

Indeed, it was an era when the nation was pouring all its efforts into economic development, and those who had achieved the financial success were dreaming of something greater for their children: cultural enrichment, intellectual growth, and the ability to learn better from other countries. The encyclopedias weren’t just books—Yoon positioned them as a symbol of pride. A symbol of aspiration. A testament to the belief that education and knowledge could elevate the country’s future. I think it was this promise, full of possibility and hope, that inspired those businessmen to open their wallets with excitement.

He didn't sell the encyclopedias’ features—their content, academic rigor, or the quality of printing. Instead, he sold a vision. He moved the hearts of his specific target audience by highlighting the deeper, hidden benefits the product could bring to their lives.

This approach reminded me of a pitch we made at Making You Smile, one that embraced the same philosophy of selling an ideal, beyond a product.

Several months ago, we proposed the concept “Own freedom, not the item” to a prospective company that offers an end-to-end rental solution for retailers. This fintech provider eliminates all the barriers for retailers to introduce rental products under their own brands. They achieve this by purchasing the retailers’ stock and taking over all operational aspects, including IT, on their behalf. 

What message were we trying to deliver via “Own freedom, not the item"?

Instead of focusing on operational features like financial flow management or user interface solutions, we wanted to tell a story about the true benefit behind it all: liberation.

For end customers, it offers a liberating lifestyle through pay-per-use solutions. It gives them the freedom to own experiences, not things, and embrace a more sustainable way of living.

For retailers, it represents freedom from the burden of rental-related stock as well as risks and challenges of adding a completely new business model—pay-per-use rentals—on top of their existing buy-to-own offerings.

By emphasizing freedom, assurance, and shared value, we crafted a narrative that would resonate with both B2B and B2C users on a deeper level.

They didn't sign with us, though. And they stayed with more product-oriented messaging, which we respect. :)

Still, I’d like to leave you with this simple truth:

Features may intrigue. Benefits convince.

Features appeal to minds. Benefits win hearts.

Are you selling the what, or the why it truly matters?

Because in the end, that’s how you'll sell. Even the unsellable.