Firms in every industry need to sell their goods or services to get money. As such, both small businesses and massive enterprises need salespeople. The high demand for salespeople is reflected in their compensation packages and performance-related bonuses. However, sales is a very competitive, fast-paced career. You will need to hustle to find and convert potential customers. While it is a lucrative and flexible occupation, if you’re not exactly a go-getter, you may want to start from there to build a strong career in sales.
What do Salespeople do?
Promoting the sales of goods or services that satisfy consumer wants is the responsibility of salespeople. You will have to find potential consumers, build trust, inform them about the company’s products, and persuade them to buy. There are basically four(4) types of salespeople. They are:
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The Caretaker Salesperson:, They are usually referred to as order-takers because instead of hunting for a potential sale, they wait for customers to come to them. If you want to work in a retail business in which the primary job of the sales employees is to help buyers find the products they are already looking for, you should focus on becoming a caretaker salesperson.
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The Professional Salesperson: They develop good relationships with their customers and clients so as to fully understand the wants and needs of their customers. They are able to make a large volume of sales because buyers trust them to deliver on what they have promised. You should concentrate on developing your skills as a professional salesperson if you want to work for an advertising or sales promotion company where maintaining existing customers is crucial.
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The Closer Salesperson:. They stand out for having traits like persistence and self-confidence. Even when the prospective buyer is reluctant to buy, closers find ways to motivate, entice or coerce customers to make the purchase. Their primary focus is to finalize the deal that is in front of them as opposed to building and maintaining customer relationships. If you are an extroverted individual with the ability to convince people, you should focus on becoming a closer salesperson.
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The Consultant Salesperson: They combine the qualities of a closer with those of a professional salesperson. They are versatile salespeople who know how to close a deal and build relationships at the same time. They are willing to go the extra mile with incentives in pursuit of a long-term customer relationship. They are skilled at adapting their sales pitch to each customer’s needs. They are active listeners who are patient when needed; however, they can also be aggressive when dealing with clients who are close to accepting a deal.
How to Build a Career in Sales in 2023
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Identify companies and industries you love: You should choose an industry you’re interested in and/or passionate about to pursue your career in sales. If you are already in love with the use of a product or service, it will be much easier to sell it to someone else. Oftentimes, the reasons you buy a product are the same reasons that other potential customers would be interested in the product.
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Specialize in your area of strength: You should specialize in areas where you are naturally good. Do you like building and maintaining relationships over an extended period of time? Account management could be perfect for you. Here, you are available to offer continued support and to ensure the customer stays happy. If you thrive on goals and performance-based incentives, you should look into commission-based sales roles.
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Update your CV & LinkedIn Profile: Make sure you tailor your CV to sales roles. Your personal summary and covering letter should express your enthusiasm to get into sales as well as how your relevant experience and transferable talents would apply to specific job positions. You should also include what makes a company attractive to you and why you are a good fit for them. Being active on LinkedIn is equally important. Engage with posts and connect with people in the sales industry, as well as sharing related content on your own page. Demonstrate your willingness to push yourself to learn and develop on your own. Note that potential employers might Google your name or check out your online presence.
Qualities you need to be in Sales
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Communication Skills: You need to know how to communicate with each person you are selling to as different people respond differently. It is crucial to know how to communicate your ideas in a way that everyone will understand so as not to turn a potential customer off.
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Commitment: Oftentimes, it may take multiple meetings, before a person commits to what you are selling. As such, you must be committed to reaching a customer, no matter what it takes or how long it takes to convince him or her.
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Empathy: Possessing the ability to understand the needs of prospective and existing customers will make it easy for you to convince them that they need your product or service. It’s also a great way to build long-lasting relationships with your customers rather than one-time sales.
BOTTOM LINE
If you are able to follow the steps above, you will be well equipped to apply for a salesperson job. Find jobs in sales by subscribing to our newsletter here.
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