I believe that sales is a learned skill. Some people may be better at certain parts naturally but I believe it’s something you can craft and master. The better you are…the less you try to SELL people shit. It’s about how quickly if ever you can get other people to drop the mask and get real. A willingness to come in neutral and say we might not be a fit and that’s okay. You have to drop your mask first which many people struggle with. Lots of thoughts on this. I appreciate the question.
That is a really reasonable and (I think) correct response, thank you! It may be true that everyone has a "sales niche" they could be great at. Selling shoes is not the same as selling insurance... but as a manager trying to out together a sales team, I struggled mightily against a corporate underestimating of the challenge of selling and the role natural aptitude plays. It was one of the unknown unknowns, where often the people hiring and evaluating had no idea what a good sales person looks like. I may be something anyone can learn, but a business has to lean toward experience and aptitude.
I completely agree. I believe it can be difficult to get everyone on the same page and often there is a disconnect between executive leadership and the ones in the trenches. Finding a product, service, company, and people you admire and respect is the first step in being a good salesperson. If you don’t believe in what you’re selling then you’re just flat out an imposter. If you are passionate about a product or service and have purity of intent trying to solve problems for people it will be tough to fail. Managing sales people and being a salesperson are two different animals completely. I was in a leadership position for a number of years and had similar issues.
Great job! You’re right! I believe sales manipulation tactics are why people are so annoyed with sales people because it appears to be fake and controlling. Thanks for sharing.👍
Since you’ve got this nailed down already, I’ll check your opinion on this question: are certain individuals more naturally suited to sales?
I believe that sales is a learned skill. Some people may be better at certain parts naturally but I believe it’s something you can craft and master. The better you are…the less you try to SELL people shit. It’s about how quickly if ever you can get other people to drop the mask and get real. A willingness to come in neutral and say we might not be a fit and that’s okay. You have to drop your mask first which many people struggle with. Lots of thoughts on this. I appreciate the question.
That is a really reasonable and (I think) correct response, thank you! It may be true that everyone has a "sales niche" they could be great at. Selling shoes is not the same as selling insurance... but as a manager trying to out together a sales team, I struggled mightily against a corporate underestimating of the challenge of selling and the role natural aptitude plays. It was one of the unknown unknowns, where often the people hiring and evaluating had no idea what a good sales person looks like. I may be something anyone can learn, but a business has to lean toward experience and aptitude.
I completely agree. I believe it can be difficult to get everyone on the same page and often there is a disconnect between executive leadership and the ones in the trenches. Finding a product, service, company, and people you admire and respect is the first step in being a good salesperson. If you don’t believe in what you’re selling then you’re just flat out an imposter. If you are passionate about a product or service and have purity of intent trying to solve problems for people it will be tough to fail. Managing sales people and being a salesperson are two different animals completely. I was in a leadership position for a number of years and had similar issues.
Looking from the other direction is a great point. That was the problem we had - few people believed in the product.
Great job! You’re right! I believe sales manipulation tactics are why people are so annoyed with sales people because it appears to be fake and controlling. Thanks for sharing.👍