I have always had many negative connotations associated with anyone in a sales position. They are greedy. They are forward and self-seeking. They are dishonest. And I am sure many people shared the same vision of had of a “typical salesman”. Whether my assumptions were true or not, I vowed to never be any of these things, especially if I landed in a sales role. In fact, I purposely chose accounting because I didn’t think I would ever have to be in that type of role.
Before I get a bunch of emails telling me how out of line my comments are, I do not believe that my views are true. I do think some people naturally carry some of these negative attributes but it has nothing to do with them being a salesperson and more to do with the person themselves.
I currently do all of the business development for my company. Essentially, I am a salesman. Vowing to never be like one of those “typical salesman”, there are two main principles I have adopted. And wouldn’t you know it, they actually help you to land more business.
Belief in Your Product or Service
Do you want to have a ton of success in sales? You better be sure that that service or product you are selling is something you believe in 100%. If there is even a part of you that doesn’t think that product/service works, you are creating a recipe for disaster. For me, I believe with all of my being in what we are doing. I think the services we provide meet a major need in the market and I have seen over the years the positive impact we have had on our clients. Having such belief in what we are doing has made my job much easier.
Given that, there is obviously times where your product/service isn’t a fit for someone, and that is okay. That leads in me into my second key to sales.
Honesty
I am far from a being your prototypical successful salesperson. I am not great at speaking or putting together a perfect sales pitch and I never had any sales training. However, one thing I do have on my side is honesty. I pride myself on always telling the truth, even if it may not be the most financially wise decision. There are many situations where we could land a potential client but I feel there is a better solution for them. While it may cost us a client, I feel that being honest with them and sharing my thoughts is the right move. People really seem to appreciate that and in the long run it pays major dividends.
Conclusion
I am sure neither of the two points I made above are earth shattering in any way. However, sometimes it helps be reminded of things that are important and truly do work. I would love some feedback on things that you think are important in sales and what has worked for you over the years. Have a great weekend!
