6 Things You Need To Know Before You Start Your Sales Career
No one is ever a born salesperson.
Like any skill in life, it takes practice. Think of any successful professional athlete. Was it all natural talent? No, it took time, determination and practice to refine their skills to become the very best.
One of the best tricks to success is “to be a sponge.” When employers are looking to hire graduates, they look for coachability—someone who wants to listen to their advice and training and put it all into practice. The most successful salespeople are individuals that are determined to listen to everything around them and use it to help develop their skills. That could include prospecting, closing or even an elevator pitch. They listen and engage to the training provided but also their colleagues around them.
You will face rejection. A LOT.
That is sales, and you need to get used to it fast! Every single company does not expect you to hit every one of your calls or demos and for it to be a success. The best way to handle rejection is to; not take it personally. Review why it didn’t work and then strategise. Move on quickly and hit that next opportunity! Ask your manager or colleagues and get their feedback; you might discover something you didn’t realise you were doing. And finally, CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESSES.
Do your research into who you’re calling.
No one wants to receive a call from someone selling a product or service they don’t need, and you don’t want to waste your time talking to the wrong people. Furthermore, the longer you speak to people who don’t need you, and you’re not hitting target, the more you’re desperate to get a deal over the line, hurting you even more!
Don’t be afraid to be creative.
Employers are always looking for individuals that are inquisitive and look to push outside the box. Companies that foster creativity are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers in terms of revenue growth. Remember, you won’t be the only one selling. Your teammates and competitors are doing the exact same thing. You must be creative to impact your target market and generate the most deals! You’ll be trained on the fundamental practices within sales, but it’s you that puts your own personal spin on things and make it your own. This could include; creating eye-catching email subject lines, your intro within your cold call that makes the prospects want to listen to your call or even developing trending social media content for your LinkedIn profile. Consistently trying new things across different areas within your role and getting creative will allow you to find what works and give you the best chance to become a successful salesperson.
Know your limits, you can’t be a superstar right away.
Perfecting your skills and developing your confidence takes time. You might not hit the target the first month, second month or even the third month. As long as your company see the determination and the desire to learn, that’s all they ask for. It’s completely understandable to feel overwhelmed and pressured to succeed early, but that doesn’t happen for everyone. The most successful salespeople are those who take their time, understand what does and doesn’t, and use every learning curve to their advantage.
Always Ask for Help!
Nobody ever said you have to do this job alone. Organisations will commonly assign you a mentor or line manager who will help guide you to success. Everyone within that office wants to see you succeed. So use them as much as you can, shadow them and ask lots of questions to understand how they go into each call and how they approach their prospective clients.
