Throughout my career, it has always been my sincere desire to help aspiring salespeople enter the field and be successful in a sales career. Business depends on sales and sales depends on salespeople. As such, it is vital for us to consistently invest and develop sales talent to grow business. Similar to any other professionals, salespeople are not born but trained and nurtured throughout their careers to excel in selling.
To those beginning their sales career, I want to offer some advice.
1. Take the time and make the effort to LEARN AND PRACTICE the skills of selling. These skills are proven and will lead you to a successful career. Honing these skills will make you a stronger salesperson, close more sales, generate more revenues, and be a true leader in selling.
2. Be SERIOUS about the profession and career path which you have chosen. Professionals pride themselves on their dedication to success. A career is a long and often strenuous journey. Many have given up along the way for many different reasons. Unless you are serious, it will be easy to give up and stray from the path.
3. Be PROUD of being a salesperson. Remember that nothing happens in this world until a sale is made, and no product sells by itself. It is sold by a salesperson. The role of sales is respected and vital to any business. There will be no business without sales. Take pride in the role because the company and all the staff in the company depend on the salesperson’s success.
4. Be AGGRESSIVE AND HUNGRY. Selling is not for the timid. It is aggressive and successful salespeople are tenacious, persistent, uninhibited, and hungry. They are not afraid of the word “NO.” As a matter of fact, they regard “NO” as an indication that the selling is not complete, and they need to continue selling. Salespeople are always hungry for a sale and subsequent sales. Before lunch, your interest in when is lunch. After lunch, it is where can I take a nap? So, when are you more aggressive, before or after lunch? I used to say that our salespeople avoid lunch so that they will always be hungry.
5. While being aggressive and hungry drives a salesperson, be RESPECTFUL, HONEST AND TRUTHFUL, be ETHICAL. The sale is important but getting it ethically is what makes you successful and keeps your customers coming back.
6. EMPATHY is one of the cornerstone traits of a successful salesperson. The more you relate to your prospect, and be in his shoes, the more you will understand his needs. It is impossible to find a solution to a need if you cannot identify the need.
7. Always be ENTHUSIASTIC about your role and the product you sell. Enthusiasm can overcome many obstacles. Enthusiasm is a motivator and can move mountains. Enthusiasm is infectious and passed on from one person to another. If you are enthusiastic, your prospect becomes enthusiastic.
8. PATIENCE is a virtue that is not evident in everyone. Successful salespeople understand how a sale is made and are always patient knowing time and effort yields positive results.
9. Be CONFIDENT but HUMBLE in selling and in personal life. We need to be confident so that we can gain confidence with customers. We need to be humble in all that we do because conceit and arrogance will never be regarded positively. Customers see through conceit and arrogance easily and when that happens, will walk away quickly.
10. Be CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE all the time. It has been said many times that people are always drawn to the next shiny object. As salespeople, we are constantly seeking new ways to tell a story. Customers are always seeking creative and convincing presentations for a solution to their needs. Creativity sets you apart from your competition and is the reason people buy from you.
Keep these in mind as your sales career progresses. Enjoy selling and make your sales career a very successful one.
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