The thought of a career in sales can be a very daunting prospect, especially if you have no previous experience. In this article I will try and talk you through some of my own personal experiences.
Sales, is all about your personality. The difference between a great sales person and a poor sales person generally all comes down to the nature of the individual involved.
If you are bright out going and able to communicate with different people on different levels then you may well find that sales is for you. There is no template for the perfect sales person and there is no true technique that will work for everyone is all comes down to you.
One of the biggest factors that I think comes into play with sales people is money. You think money when you are selling. The money factor is often the catalyst that makes sales people perform. It’s almost like waving the carrot for the donkey.
Sales jobs are very often commission based so the recruitment process is usually very relaxed. In most non-sales jobs employers can pick and chose whom they want to employ.
Sales is different, if you don’t perform you don’t get paid, it really is that simple. There are a few exceptions where you will be offered a salary but generally a sales persons wage is directly reflected by their performance. This could be a big factor when deciding if you want to take a chance with a career in sales.
I was lucky enough to land a placement that included a salary plus bonus. This acted like a safety net. If I had a bad month I still had my basic wage to fall back on.
The commission only package does have other implications, for example, saying to your bank manager you are only paid on a commission only basis may not go down to well when your are applying for a mortgage. These are just a few considerations you should take into account when deciding if sales is for you.
How do you land a sales job?
Most companies that sell either products or services have a team of sales reps that are there to promote and sell their products to the public or businesses.
The sales team are very often the public face of the company and are in effect representing the company’s brand. Conduct is very important in this role. A good sales rep will always try and show the company in good light and be polite and courteous at all times.
The types of companies that are often looking for sales reps are utilities companies, telecommunications and the insurance and financial sector. It is always best to look for companies that are within travelling distance and forward your CV to them. Generally most people would leave the personal statement out of their CV.
In the case of sales I would strongly advise you include it. The reason for this is they really need to know quite a lot about you as a person before they can evaluate your application.
As I have said before the making of a good sales rep all comes from your personality. Put your self across properly and you will do well. Another important point is to try and apply for companies that operate in a market you understand.
For example I would not apply for a sales job selling financial products because to be honest I have very little understanding of this field. Try and stick to things that you either understand or could easily pick up.
Most companies offer full training but it is often good to have a grasp of the basics before you start. When you apply you will generally be given an interview. In sales the interview tends to be very aimed towards you as a person, again it is all about personality.
You need to come across as the right sort of person for the job. Try and be confident, don’t hesitate on questions and generally act as if you are enjoying the interview.
Training
Most companies offer training to any new starts within the company. Try and take in as much of this as possible. They will offer you tips and tricks to help you out when you are out selling. They will also try and make you a fully aware of the products or service they offer. Training is very often ongoing and you will be brought back in for refresher courses once in a while. At the time they seam pointless but in the long term they do help.
Good sales all comes down to the following
- Well presented to your customers
- Good overall product knowledge
- Confident
- Well spoken
- Good listening skills
All these factors play a part in making you a good sales rep There is no magic formula that will make you perform in sales it is all just a learning process. What works for one person won’t work for another. It all comes down to fine-tuning your own personal skills.
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