Becoming an Effective Salesperson - Term Paper Example

?Running Head: OCCUPATIONS Becoming an Effective Salesperson Becoming an Effective Salesperson One of the primary occupations in the business world is that of being a salesperson. A sales person is the conduit between the production of a product and the buyer, the person responsible for creating the atmosphere of supply and demand. A good salesperson will create the demand for the supply that they have on hand and move inventory, whatever that inventory may be, out of the hands of the provider and into the hands of the customer. Product can mean anything that is to be sold, whether it be tangible, only an idea, or a product that has yet to be created. Selling means being able to persuade and convince the buyer that what is for sale is needed and a must for whatever purpose a buyer can be convinced that they are in need of filling. In examining the occupations that are defined as different types of sales, I feel that in my life I have the values and interests will allow me to become a successful salesperson. Being a good sales person requires a great many skills, and some natural talent. One of the primary skills that must be learned is how to sell, rather than just present a sales opportunity and hope the buyer buys the product. Being a professional salesperson means learning the skills that are required to motivate people to buy a product. It also means learning everything that one can possibly know about the product. Without behaving as a professional, sales will never be a profession, but merely something one is trying to accomplish. However, a professional knows how to move a sale and make it happen. A professional has gained the skills required through dedication to their profession. Many types of sales are accomplished without the company insisting that the sales associates treat their employment as a profession, however in order to take the position seriously and behave in a manner that best represents a product, treating the job as a profession will allow the worker to have the best possible tools for success. Treating the job of salesperson as a profession means honing the skills that best serve the position. According to Lytle (2000), “You want your customers to trust you. Your personal credibility and trust are vital parts of any successful salesperson-client relationship.” (p. 41). Part of being trustworthy is being prepared with solid, concrete information that closes the gaps between what the customer fears and what will bring the customer to the end of the sale. It is recommended that to be trustworthy, one must provide information that is accurate and complete, thus providing the most complete picture of how the product fills the need. Being trustworthy also means becoming prepared. Coming to a sales meeting with the intention of presenting several options that are the result of having studied the needs of the customer in comparison to the offerings of the company will go a long way in building trust (Lytle 2000). The two vital components to be truly trustworthy in the eyes of a customer is in being educated and in putting in work that creates a sense that the salesperson is prepared. One of the aspects of my personality that I think makes me suitable for a position in sales is that I am a firm believer in coming into a situation prepared for the outcomes. As well, I try to find ways to contribute to the situation, thus placing myself in a position of trust. I take this attitude with all tasks that I am giving, looking at the number of ways in which being prepared can contribute and then going about learning and studying the different aspects that might be necessary. I was taught the values of being prepared from a very young age, my parents instilling within me an ethic that provided me with the appropriate understanding of the connection between preparing for a situation so that should an opportunity present itself, I could honorably take advantage of it. Understanding the potential prospect means developing skills that will inspire the buyer to want to make a purchase. The initial way in which to do that is to focus on core competencies. Core competencies of a business will be the areas of expertise that each individual brings to the table which provides an overall expertise to the product that is being sold. Barmak (2007) uses the example of a law office in which each lawyer or associate has an area of focus so that when a client comes to that law office, they know that the overall need is being attended by people with expertise in each individual aspect of the problem. This can be extended to any item, such as a piece of furniture. Someone selling furniture needs to assure the customer that the piece has been designed by a competent designer, constructed by experienced craftsmen, and will be shipped through a professional trucking company. More importantly, the sales person needs to know the information about the cores competencies in the company and to be able to communicate them to the buyer. In communicating this to the buyer, the salesperson is developing an understanding of how to communicate the efficiency with which the product will alleviate a burden for the buyer. Barmak (2007) states that “an increase in efficiency leads to an increase in productivity which leads to an increase in revenue”(p. 9). When selling from one business to another, this is essential for providing the buyer with a sense that they will need the product being sold. When selling to a customer in regard to a personal item, efficiency within the creation of the product or service will mean that value has been purchased. Efficiency will always communicate value. One of the things that I believe in is that products should have value. Products should be created with the intent of providing the best possible value to the consumer, and in believing in a product, I can communicate how that product will have value to the customer. This, of course, requires that I choose to sell a product that has what I perceive as a good value. In believing in the product that I sell, I can be trusted by the consumer that I am earnest in what I am telling them to be true about the product. One of the ways in which I believe that I will be a good salesperson is that I will choose to work for a company that has products that I believe are a good value and are necessary for the consumer. This does not mean that luxury is not part of the product, but that I find that luxury is of value. In nurturing my own belief, I can share that belief with those I engage as customers. Walkup and McKee (2010) discuss the necessity of communication in creating a good sales pitch. They state that “Settling for unsatisfying exchanges in your professional life is unacceptable and ultimately unhealthy” (p. 8). One of the more important aspects of selling a product is in communicating to the potential buyer. Without proper skills in communications, the dialogue will not have the right tone to lead to closing the deal. Therefore, it is vital that communications skills be developed and honed in order to communicate effectively to the buyer. Walkup and McKee (2010) recommend taking courses on effective communications, as well as physically practicing the art of communications outside of the sales situation. However, in every encounter, selling the other participant on the trustworthy and sincere nature of the salesperson allows for sales to be ’practiced’. This means remembering that sales is not always about a tangible product, but can mean convincing others about the importance of an idea or a purpose. One of the most impressive reasons that I believe in the concept of sales has been stated very clearly by Mache. Mache (2007) states that “Nothing - absolutely nothing - happens in a company until somebody sells something” (p. 3). Sales is the core of making the purpose of the business viable. Without sales, a company has no purpose. If a product doesn’t move from the business into the hands of the consumer, then nothing has been accomplished. This goes for any business, whether it be a doctor’s office or a gadget manufacturer. A doctor is a doctor because they achieved that status, but a doctor’s office is a business that sells the services of a doctor. If no patients come to see the doctor, than there is no business. Therefore, every business transaction needs a form of sales to lubricate the distance from the provider to the consumer. The importance of that position is attractive to me and I believe that I can help to provide that service in a competent and well informed way. I have had experience in retail sales in the form of working the front desk of a UPS store. In this store I helped customers to fulfill their shipping needs using various equipment and through helping them to make the appropriate choices. The secondary purpose of the sales person is to help their customers, a no less important purpose because in creating a relationship with the consumer, the salesperson perpetuates their sales. I believe that providing people with what they need is a good way to spend my professional career. In working for companies that provide a valuable service or product, such as UPS, and in creating relationships with customers through trustworthy service as their sales representative, I can find success as a salesperson. I have office skills, such as using basic office programs such as excel, word, and powerpoint, as well as an eagerness to learn how to better use my communications skills. I believe that being a salesperson will put together the skills that I have with the values and interests that will best create a fulfilled professional life for me. In learning how to engage others through trust, I can learn how to have better relationships in all aspects of my life. In entering into employment with a company whose products I believe in, I will have the opportunity to be involved with aspects in life that I find to be important enough to spend my time learning about and nurturing their success. While one often hears about sales people who are slick and untrustworthy, this is not the type of salesperson that I would try to emulate. It is my desire to become a source of trust within my life, and this would not be any different in my professional life. In entering a profession that would allow me to continue a learning process throughout my life, and to engage in meaningful relationships, I believe that I would have the opportunity to contribute positively to a business, thus finding a fulfilling life. References Barmak, A. (2007). The accidental salesperson: The handbook for selling like a professional in everyday life. New York: IUniverse. Hopkins, T., & Laaman, L. (2004). The certifiable salesperson: The ultimate guide to help any salesperson go crazy with unprecedented sales. New York: Wiley. Lytle, C. (2000). The accidental salesperson: How to take control of your sales career and earn the respect and income you deserve. New York, N.Y: American Management Association. Mache, C. (2007). The four kinds of sales people: How and why they excel--and how you can too. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley. Walkup, R. P., & McKee, S. L. (2010). The naked salesperson: A stripped down approach to selling with confidence. Avon, Mass: Adams Media. Read More