According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics insurance, advertising and real estate agents only require health diplomas to start their careers, and can earn around $50,000 a year on their jobs. However, only about half of those who try to enter these careers actually make it. The rest drop out over time.
Selling things requires a certain set of skills. It also requires charisma, empathy and an instinctive understanding of marketing principles. So if you’re interested in becoming a salespersons, but you’re not sure if it’s the right career for you, then here are a few things that you should consider.
1. Can You Handle Rejection?
Rejection is inevitable in sales. Even the most talented salespersons have to deal with rejection half of the time, but what sets them apart from their peers is that they push on. They are emotionally immune from the emotional effects of being rejected, and they focus on their successes rather than on their failures. So if you can handle the emotional stress that comes with being rejected on a daily basis, without losing your morale, then you’re tough enough to have a career in sales.
2. Do You Know How to Negotiate With People?
Negotiation is important in selling. You want to convince your potential customers that buying your products/services at a particular price is in their best interest. You will also need to convince them that they will lose out on a great deal if they don’t take advantage of what you have to offer. Great salespersons understand that each sale they make is the result of a successful negotiation strategy. So if you want to become a good salesperson then you should work on your negotiation skills.
3. Are You Sensitive to Trends?
Good salespersons are sensitive to market trends. They constantly monitor customer demand, price action and market volatility to remain one step ahead of their competition. Moreover, they also study their markets, so as to maintain strong positions in their market niches.
Consider the real estate industry. There are possible niches in real estate for people who understand the trends that affect the real estate market,. This is because real estate markets have a lot of speculative activity, and dealing with such activities is crucial in selling real estate properties. So a real estate agent who knows how to ride the trends can make a lot of money in a relatively short amount of time.
The same idea applies to other areas and industries. If you can ride certain trends then you can use them to your advantage.
4. Do You Know How To Find Your Customers
Sales is about selling the right item to the right person at the right price. If you can do this consistently then you will become a great salespersons.
The tricky part, however, is finding that right person. Salespersons are often given sales leads, but the best ones take it one step further. They actively create networks of people to promote and advertise their products. They also look at their sales records to identify patterns that would help them to make more sales in the future. They then use these patterns to find people who are very likely to buy what they’re selling.
5. Can You Get Your Customers to Care?
One of the facts of sales is that people don’t care about what you have to sell. What they do care about are their needs and concerns. This is why successful salespersons don’t sell products or services. They sell “solutions” to needs and desires.
Consider a weight loss program for example. You may think that you can sell this to any overweight person, but that’s not always the case. Weight loss programs and products are best sold to people who want to lose weight, and the same is true for other products and services. If you cannot frame your sales pitch to serve a need or desire then you’re not likely to sell anything.
6. Do You Know How to Maintain A Strong Business Relationship?
Repeat sales are important, which is why many salespersons cultivate long term business relationships with their leading clients. These favored clients are often given tips and incentives to keep their loyalty, so that they will continue to buy what the salesperson is selling. This way, selling becomes easier and more productive.
Not everyone is cut out to be a salesperson, but if you answered yes to most of these questions then you have a good shot at becoming a salesperson. Of course, having the right skills and personality isn’t enough to be good at this job. You will also need to work on your confidence, and you will also need to know the products you’re selling. If can do these things then you will do just fine as a salesperson.
