Did you know that about 33% of sales people have been with their company for less than a full year? If you want to stay at your job for a longer period of time, you need to be successful at what you do.
Although there are many important tasks to perform when you have a career in sales, there are also easy mistakes that you should avoid. Otherwise, you might go from selling high-end medical equipment to selling fries at the local burger joint. Here are three mistakes you shouldn’t make if you want to continue having careers in sales.
1. Trying to Sell to Everyone
The old approach to sales was to try and wheedle everyone into buying your product. Just try it! Just test it! Just check it out for a few days even if it doesn’t seem right for you! Today, though, that focus has shifted. If the product isn’t the right fit for a consumer, why target them? They’re less likely to continue investing in your product, and less likely to see value in your overall brand. Try and sell to people who need your product, not those who would be better off without it.
2. Focusing on What You Think is Great, Rather Than What They Think is Great
It’s easy to see yourself as the consumer. You’re selling a high-tech remote, and it makes life easier for you personally. You know the new menu button is great and it becomes the focus of your discussion. In being so eager to sell, though, you might not be listening to what the consumer really wants — which is something else altogether. Listen so that you know what to emphasize and further explain in your pitch.
3. Getting Unprofessional
It seems obvious that sales people should keep a professional demeanor, but isn’t always, especially when people are working with more youth-oriented merchandise. Hip products don’t mean you need to take a hip approach to professional emails, sales calls, and social media marketing, though, and an unprofessional demeanor has gotten any a sales person fired in the past.
What careers in sales are you interested in? What mistakes would you avoid? Let us know in the comments.