BIGGER Network, BETTER Sales

Been thinking of what i have achieved and learnt for my past 2 and half years working as a Product Specialist in a global chemical company. Time really past, and as a sales cum technical specialist, life is also full of challenges. Was looking in my scrapebook diary and decided to share following thoughts as a Salesperson with The World!

Contrary to popular belief, marketing and sales are not entirley about successfully selling a product or service. Most of the time, it is about coping with rejection from customers (and sometimes internally in office). This is an experience i am sure all people in the sales profession are most familiar with. It is naturally not easy to cope with rejection.

The uncomfortable feeling of disappointment comes at once when a saleperson sees the expression of boredom or doubt in a customer's face. Yes! This happens even when they know you are working in a well-known company. Yet, we are expected to keep up a cheerful look, in spite of the fact that much effort and time spent in promoting our products or services have come to nothing.

We, Singaporeans, are educated from young to always work towards successful endeavours, and not hesitate to sell our labour to achieve that. This is evident right from primary school, when little children put in many hours of study and practice on assessment books to prepare for an upcoming class test. Clearly evident now in the way my nieces are studying.

Yet in Salesmanship, hard work does not always translate into a successful deal.

A dedicated salesperson, who gives 100% in his work, can still expect not to seal any deals nine times out of ten. Callous as it may sound, that is indeed a fact of life, as success in sales is measured by how many business deals are actually sealed in reality.

Hmm. Does that mean that hard work and labour are a waste of time in the Sales & Marketing Profession? Simply, No! Bcos, if a salesperson adopts a defeatist attitude, then it is certain that not a single sale will be made, bcos the first step towards sealing a potential deal is making sales pitches to clients.

We need to build on the goodwill and reputation created by advertisements (Marketing) and branding (Pioneers of company) for our products. What Salesperson needs to work on is our NETWORKING Skills. Networking is crucial in Sales & Marketing. I SAY It is KING!!!
Of course we still need marketing tactics, our eloquence, and personal charisma to convince potential customers that they needed or wanted our products. We need to spend time building a relationship with our perspective customers and find a way to convince to buy with us.

Since there is no way to avoid rejection, building a vast network of contacts can reduce the chances of being rejected. It can also help you build a reputation as a trustworthy salesman.

A Salesperson needs to start with at least once customer who is willing to listen to him and purchase his ideas and trust. This might eventually become a Key Opinion Leader that speaks for us.

So the next time YOU are rejected when you are trying to sell your product or services, take it in your stride. The once deal that you can manage to seal out of 10, or even one out of a hundred, still counts as a success.

A true sales professional should have determination, passion and willingness to sell a challenge.

Take home message:
"Rejection is an everyday occurence in the life of a Sales Professional. Learn how to cope with it"