How to sell a raincoat in the desert

“Sell me this pen,” was a quip from the movie ‘The Wolf of Wall Street. The movie is based on a memoir of ultra-successful stockbroker Jordan Belfort. The question was supposed to showcase a salesman’s ingenuity when selling a pen; one of the most undifferentiated, highly replaceable product. When the question was posed by the stockbroker (played by Leonardo Dicaprio) to his friends, they aced it. But to a group of business executives, they were at a loss. 

So can you sell a pen? Does your business depend on direct sales to clients? The answer to the second question is definitely a YES, because every business offers something to its clients.