Is The Art of the Sales Rocket Science?

By: Jonathan Walker

The selling business is quite a fast-paced industry. Anyone who would like to have a shot at the sales industry has to be quick on his feet at all times, as competition is tough, and there is always the next person behind you who is willing to go the extra mile without hesitation. This is especially true in the door-to-door sales business. Knocking on doors can be tough for initiates, when you consider the possibility of doors being slammed in front of your face before you even begin to utter a word. To be sure, there are lots of ways to prep yourself up for your career in sales. You can enroll in a good training school and then apply what you’ve learned, treating the sale as a procedure which, with meticulous observation, would eventually earn you the ‘yes,’ which is the magic word of the industry. You gain enough reputation, and constantly build up on it until you reach a point when you believe that finally, you have made it. And then you learn that some neophyte has practically all but demolished your stellar record, and did it without as much effort as you did.

This could be a real disillusion. Following this scenario, apparently there is no fixed formula for success. This could possibly mean that it’s practically a free-for-all melee, and in order to get ahead, you have to be constantly on top, no matter what. The real score with this dilemma probably has something to do with your approach.

Sure, you can get the best education and training which is available out there, but as soon ass you go out on the field, sometimes the rules just seem to go right out of the window. Experienced salespeople will assure you that in addition to school knowledge, you’ll need a level of street skill in order to make a sale. You should be able to adapt your approach and techniques to varying neighborhoods, people and circumstances which lie on your path. How do you sell insurance to people in government project areas? How should you talk about the benefits of healthcare to someone who steadfastly claims that he has no time and no money for your business, and says it in such a rude manner as to make your legs noticeably wobble? Sure, the process of disarming a person can be taught in schools, but in the real world, you are practically left to your own devices.

Being entirely street smart just won’t cut it either. Assuming that you are successful in the field, everything changes when you eventually go up the hierarchy and are faced with decisions that only a good education can help you with. What about stock figures and adjustment rates? Is a corporate restructuring a feasible undertaking? Most people who started their career in the street inevitably take on a good business course once they reach a position of significant responsibility.

So how is it going to be then? Is being in the sales industry like giving birth to a work of art, or is it very much like manufacturing a car? There is no point in telling either way. The only sound advice for you, the aspirant, is to know yourself, know what fits your personality and go for it. But it is good to get the best of both extremes.

Article Source: http://business2u.co.za