Congratulations! You've chosen or maybe even begun a career in sales. No matter where you begin, you may find that sales is a satisfying career choice for you. Unlike other jobs, a person doesn't get “stuck” in sales for very long. Either people love it and begin to grow or don't and find another job that is a better fit. Meantime, what they learn about sales can be applied in a variety of professional and personal situations throughout their lives.
There are no born salespeople. There are people who adapt to selling easier than others. However, with a sincere desire to serve and the patience to find the job that fits best, just about anyone can succeed as a salesperson.
Throughout this book you have read what it takes to succeed in sales by dealing honestly and building trust. Golden Rule Selling is a proven method of cleaning the tarnish from the title of salesperson. Sell as you want to be sold. It also can help you feel more comfortable with your new role as you understand the value of sales to all economies. Nothing happens until something is sold. The benefits of a sales career include service to others, a more flexible workday, potential income, and satisfaction.
First, selling is a service. You may be offering a product or a service, but what you, as a salesperson, do is a service. Your service enriches other people's lives, both your customers' and your employers'. It also serves many others. If you sell cars, your efforts give jobs to those who make the cars and their parts, who create ads, and who work in the insurance, fuel, and travel industries. Whatever you offer for sale impacts many others in your neighborhood, your country, and around the world. You are a very necessary component of the modern economy.
Second, you are a problem solver. When you meet with a prospect, your job is to help that person identify and solve a specific problem. The dilemma may be to select the most appropriate refrigerator for the given needs and budget. Or you can assist the buyer in choosing a home, car, business, investment, or other important final decision. You do so by understanding the steps of problem solving as well as by guiding the buyer in making intelligent decisions.
Third, you can help people make their dreams come true. With a knowledge of local real estate laws, markets, and opportunities, you can assist young people in finding an affordable first home, guide older people in selecting the right house for retirement, and assist investors in choosing properties that help them reach their financial goals. Other sales jobs offer equal opportunities for guiding people in the realization of dreams. And you can do it as a Golden Rule Seller who sleeps well at night.
Salespeople typically aren't time-clock punchers or clock watchers. Instead, they see time as an ingredient of opportunity. The exception may be retail sales, where many salespeople begin and collect needed skills. Even so, retail sales can give employees hope for a better job that many other jobs in retailing don't. Fortunately, sales skills are portable, and what is learned at the retail level can be applied to selling most other products and services. Selling is not a dead-end job.
As you progress in your sales career, you will gain more independence. Instead of a boss standing over you and timing your lunch hour, your boss will look at one thing: results. If you're selling well, how you sell is less important. That doesn't mean you sell at any cost; that's not how you want to be sold. It does mean that you will increasingly be allowed to work how, when, and even where you want. Salespeople work for and are paid on results. Your lunch hour may be as productive as any other if you use that time to develop relationships that help others.
The challenge of flexibility is that you must increasingly become a self-manager, someone who sets the schedule, agenda, and plan. You do not rely on your boss to tell you when to go to lunch or what to do with your day — once you've proven yourself as a self-managing salesperson who delivers results. It's one of the great benefits of selling.
Another important benefit of sales is the rewards available. Because many professional salespeople are paid based on results, they often can help write their own paycheck. That can be both good and bad, as sales slumps and economic downturns can also impact the paycheck, with little recourse except to work harder. As with time, professional sellers must learn to be self-managers of money. Many sales positions earn a base salary to cover the time for administrative duties, but these salaries typically are not a living wage.
An additional reward offered to many salespeople is the opportunity to travel. If travel is important to them or their employer, salespeople can see the world, flying first class and staying at the best hotels. However, travel can be a requirement of some sales jobs, making life more difficult for salespeople who prefer not to travel as much. Business travel isn't glamorous and usually allows little time for sightseeing. The workday is long, and the food is different. Travel is considered a reward for some salespeople, but not for all. Fortunately, those who enjoy travel can find sales jobs that match and those who dislike travel can stay closer to home.
Another important benefit of selling is professional satisfaction. Golden Rule Sellers recognize their importance in the world economy as well as in individual lives. They find fulfillment in contributing to others. They offer their efforts as a service. It can be a significant reward.
In addition, salespeople benefit personally from the income and sense of accomplishment that their job offers.
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