Starting my career in sales was a no-brainer and I’ve never left this profession.
My first few years as a salesperson very quickly confronted my expectations with reality, sometimes painfully (understand here: making mistakes).
I’d like to share a few lessons with you, which have been confirmed to this day:
-> You have to ‘be bought’ rather than proactively ‘sell’: ‘pushing’ is not the solution, customers have a free choice. Our job is to understand what drives that choice.
-> The best product in the world will be of little value if the customer’s specific problems and needs are not understood.
-> Listening and questioning are fundamental prerequisites: the value of your solution is determined by the customer. The value of your solution is not what you say, it’s what the customer sees in it.
-> No preparation, no plan, no connection with the customer = no sale.
-> A sales rep’s job is both an individual function and a team effort. It quickly reveals weaknesses on both counts.
Experience is the name we give to our mistakes.
What were your first lessons?
