A Guide to a Career in Sales

For centuries, sales have remained the same: a way of selling goods by emphasizing benefits to the consumer. For instance, the infamous 19th-century salesmen sold snake oil to unsuspecting buyers after convincing them that using the product would protect them from the disease. Modern sales are not about convincing customers to buy dubious, overpriced products. Nowadays, buyers have the power to research a product and are less susceptible to deceit. As a modern-day salesperson, you must serve as a researcher, expert, and advisor. You must research your product well to know its unique selling point(s) or benefits. Salespersons must also acquire expertise so your customer trusts your statements. Finally, you have to serve as an advisor to the customers by showing them how your product satisfies their needs. The advisory role is important, and it relies on your expertise and perceived trustworthiness. In the past, being a salesperson involved finding “leads”, i.e., prospective customers for your product, and convincing them to buy. The role remains the same, especially in smaller businesses. However, larger businesses have split sales into different roles to increase effectiveness. In some firms, a Sales Development Representative (SDR) might research and qualify leads while the outside salesperson contacts the prospect and persuades him to buy. Many sales departments now have an Account Executive who helps the customer achieve maximum ROI on the product or service. There are other roles in the sales profession, such as Account Manager, Sales Engineer, Director of Sales, and Vice-President of sales. What sales job you choose will depend on the following factors:

Your personality

Contrary to popular belief, all sales roles don’t require forced cheerfulness and fake smiles. Some roles, like a Sales Manager, rely on your ability to manage people and produce results. Whatever you do, pick a sales role that matches your personality traits. Otherwise, you may become unsatisfied the longer you stay on the job.

Personal career ambitions

Before committing to a path, research the opportunities it avails you for advancement. For instance, you might reach a top-level sales position faster by starting at a Sales Development Rep position compared to starting at a salesperson role.

Salary structure

The payment structure used for sales professionals differs according to the job description. Salaries for certain jobs, like an outside salesperson, depending on how many sales you close. Other ones, such as Sales Manager, don’t use sales performance as a basis for salary payments. So, what’s the fuss about different salaries? Well, you have to be sure what salary arrangement is ideal. A commission-based sales role promises less job security but offers an opportunity to bolster your salary if you close many sales. On the other hand, a non-commission sales job is secure, as you won’t be judged on your performance, but the pay is stagnant. However, this may not be a problem if you prefer job stability. Overall, the pay for sales professionals varies according to your position. Sales professionals like the Director of Sales, who is higher up the food chain, earn $109,477 on average. Outside salespersons, who work in the field, are typically the lowest-paid. Per Glassdoor figures, the average pay for an outside salesperson hovers around $48,097.

Many people go into sales only when other professional endeavors have failed. However, sales aren’t something to consider when everything fails; it is lucrative enough to justify going into it early. Here are some great reasons to go into sales:

Prospects of high income

Few roles offer enormous earning potential like a career in sales. Since most sales roles reward performance, you can bump up your income by producing better results. From research, even the most basic sales job will have some sort of quota or target that employees must meet. Meeting or surpassing these quotas or targets often earns you perks like bigger commissions, pay bonuses, and paid vacations.

High job security

Many claim the role of the sales professional is losing relevance because of newer tools and technologies. However, this notion is wrong in its entirety. Even in today’s high-tech business sphere, companies still need sales professionals to find new leads and establish relationships with buyers. Besides, every business must make sales to stay operational; hence, the demand for exceptional salespeople will always be high.

Career advancement

We’d be lying if we said everyone in sales wants to be there. Nonetheless, if you find yourself in sales, the skills gained there can propel your career to greater heights. There are several soft skills you can gain from asking people to buy products and services, including:

• Persuasion
• Conflict resolution
• Creative thinking
• Flexibility
• Time management
• Ability to work under pressure
• Interpersonal skills
• Emotional intelligence

The aforementioned skills are crucial to navigating corporate environments, collaborating, and achieving goals. The emphasis placed on soft skills has grown in recent years, so gaining them from sales won’t hurt your future job prospects.

Flexibility in work arrangement

Many sales positions have just one important requirement: meet or surpass your quotas and targets. Once you do that successfully, decisions concerning work hours and structure are in your hands. The flexibility in sales positions makes them perfect for those interested in getting a better work-life balance. You have full control of your days and can take time off to attend to other activities. However, you need to understand that this flexibility is only possible if you’re hitting your targets consistently. Poor performance will put more pressure on you and may mean more hours spent on finding leads.

Opportunity to compete

If you are a natural competitor, a career in sales might be the perfect fit for you. Sales is a competitive sport where those who close more deals get prizes. Knowing that you secured a customer ahead of a competitor can be a thrilling feeling. Admittedly, not every sales position promises the same level of excitement or rewards. But, if you manage to find the right sales role, the competition can be a way to test yourself against others.

Improvements in skill

The nature of sales is ever-changing, although the basic principles remain the same. Continue developing your skills to avoid going out of relevance as technology improves. Even the most skilled sales professionals regularly opt for re-training programs to refine their skills. They do this to keep them on top of the latest trends in sales and increase their value to employers.

Success in sales is a function of your personal motivation and determination. However, these two factors are not enough to build a successful sales career. Below are some tips to make a success out of your sales job:

Set goals

Asides from the sales targets set by your manager set your personal and long-term goals. Your goals should reflect future plans and ambitions. Say, you want to land a Sales Manager role in the future, one of your goals should be to acquire the skills necessary for such a role.

Be persistent

No one likes parting with hard-earned cash, so be prepared to handle initial rejections from customers. However, you need to be persistent in pitching your product, especially if you have confidence in its quality. Persistence is a good attribute for salespersons, as it increases the chances of making a sale. Be persistent and try out different methods to close the sale.

Practice efficient time-management

Don’t waste too much time trying to convince a prospect to buy your product. If, after multiple attempts at persuasion, an individual shows no signs of buying, move on to the next person. As a salesperson, your time is important, so manage it properly. Re-examine aspects of your sales job and find areas you can spend less time on. Choosing a career in sales is a sure way to make lots of money and provide customers with products and services that will solve their problems. It is important to know the various types of careers in sales and how to succeed in them.