Are you real sales material or money motivated?
When you think about the profession of sales you have to think are you real sales material or just want to make a lot of money, because the profession is a career that has extreme ups and downs. Why would anyone want a career like that? Money is the reason that comes to mind, however money is just one aspect of choosing a career. Sales is like being a gambler. Most of us usually spend what we make or spend above our means and some of us live within our means. If you are one that does you have a foundation and an expectation with discipline to be frugal with your assets. I made enough money one month to pay our house off. Many months I would have been better off digging ditches.
A sales person can come in all of these flavours and can be successful. It is a matter of articulation. One of the most successful salesman I have ever known is a guy we called “The Hinch”. He could make a sale when no one smarter or better looking than him could not. He couldn’t demonstrate his product. As a young new inexperienced sales rep would see this man in action, I would scratch my head wondering how he did it. He didn’t make cold calls because he was busy knocking doors down, interrupting secretaries, walking down the hallway with a copier claiming the Doctor ordered one immediately, and when the Doctor asked him what he was doing he would make up a vague story about how he had the wrong office, but didn’t mind leaving the product to try out anyway. If he got thrown out of the office, it didn’t bother him. If his boss got called out for his rudeness, he would return to the Doctors office with an apology and would offer him a free trial for his product as repentance. He was very successful and made a 6 figure income. He was a legend.
Am I saying this is the way to go? NO NO NO. First of all he was unique and didn’t have a teachable method. He only worked 2 days a week. He sold twice as much product as the next guy with half the earned commissions. You can’t learn his method and even if you could most of us wouldn’t sleep at night.
Another rep I knew sold word processors for $30,000 a piece and had customers waiting up to 90 days for delivery. His method was very repetitive and he worked 5 days a week, made over 6 figures also and even when the products changed was still successful because he could repeat his method like a cookie cutter. He would have new technology seminars that provided his prospects and customers a valuable service. He even started a user group for customers and had them in an annual meeting at a resort that they paid for. He took his product and profession to the next level.
If you could practice your sales skills until you get it right, you can take your career to the next level. Practice your sales presentation, record it, listen to it, and try it out on your spouse, your dog, anyone that will listen to it. Practice Practice and more Practice will help you more than anything.
Thanks for listening and thinking. Are you the right stuff?