| have decided to go into sales, first you need to | | | | * Persistence. You must be able to achieve what you |
| make yourself a very important question: do I really | | | | want and avoid giving up at first sight of hardship or |
| want to do this for a living? On the answer to this | | | | failure. |
| question depends your future as a salesman. Know | | | | * Ambition. A salesman who is not ambitious is not a |
| the eight key factors that will help you discover if | | | | winner. You must have the profound desire to |
| sales really is for you. | | | | discover, keep and broaden prospects and clients. |
| 1. Determine why you want to be a salesman. If you | | | | * Preparedness. A salesman who does not know |
| were in a conversation with someone and you were | | | | how to sell and doesn't know his or her product will |
| asked: 'Why do you want to go into sales?' what | | | | definitely not be successful. He or she might have |
| would you answer? A lot of people answer that | | | | passion, might be persistent and ambitious but if the |
| money is their motivation, and quite frankly that's not | | | | client asks for a comparison with a competing |
| the best answer. If this is your case, be careful! If all | | | | product and the salesman doesn't have enough |
| you want is money and you're not doing something | | | | information or doesn't possess the skills to do it then |
| you really like, it'll be twice as difficult for you to get | | | | the previous traits will be of no use. |
| the economic rewards you want. Remember: money | | | | 6. Recognize in yourself a successful salesman. |
| is only a consequence, a byproduct. If you set | | | | Successful salesmen are successful because: |
| yourself to do something you really like, something | | | | * They have clear, honest and ethical ambitions. |
| you fell passionate about, then everything you see, | | | | * They know the best techniques and have the |
| read, listen to, study and do you will do it with joy, | | | | necessary skills. |
| hence you'll be very good at it and money will find its | | | | * They take interest in the success of all three: the |
| way to you. | | | | client's, the company's and his own. |
| 2. Can you easily reject other professions? Don't be | | | | * They don't have to be salesmen, they want to be |
| distracted and focus. What would happen if in this | | | | salesmen! |
| very moment you were faced with an alternative to | | | | The causes salesmen fail can be found in the |
| perform a professional activity other than sales? | | | | following five: |
| Would you take it? If your answer is 'no' then you | | | | * They are not doing what they want to do. |
| have taken the best choice. Commit yourself to | | | | * They feel obligated or forced to be in sales. |
| what you like to do. Don't waste your time in other | | | | * They lack interest in the well-being of his or her |
| activities you're not really interested in. | | | | prospects or clients. |
| 3. Know your strengths and exploit them. It's always | | | | * They are not prepared and are not honest to |
| better to develop a person's strengths than trying to | | | | themselves. |
| complement his or her weaknesses. Try to identify | | | | * Because they have to be and don't want to be. |
| your strengths and devote yourself to develop, grow | | | | 7. Are you willing to have a 24x7 workweek? If |
| and perfect them. If selling is your vocation, this is | | | | you're willing to be 'in touch' with your clients 24 |
| the most effective way to become a notable sales | | | | hours a day 7 days a week then you're on the right |
| professional with excellent economic results. | | | | path. If you're not then you might be better off |
| 4. Dedicate yourself to what you really like. Where | | | | doing something else, not sales. Dare to seize every |
| there's joy there's success. Consider how satisfied | | | | opportunity you get to contact new prospects but |
| you are with the professional activity your | | | | don't just forget about the ones you already have. |
| performing now and evaluate if this is really what you | | | | New prospects can help generate new sales, but if |
| wish for. If it's not then it might be worth it to | | | | you are careful and build relationships with your |
| change the path. Many times we can have what we | | | | current prospects and clients they are sure to |
| want right under our noses, but we go out some | | | | generate sales after sales month after month. |
| other place looking for it. Ask yourself: what I do | | | | 8. The power of professional and economic rewards. |
| right now, is it really what I dream of doing? | | | | Remember that when you love what you do, |
| 5. Learn the secrets of great salesmen. There are | | | | success, fame and fortune become natural |
| four characteristics that define the best: | | | | consequences, not the objective. If this is not your |
| * Passion for selling. This is the inner strength | | | | case, look for you passion, your vocation and pursue |
| generated by a person when he or she is motivated | | | | self fulfillment in that field or activity, If you do then |
| and commitment to his or her activity. Passion and | | | | life will be more fun, more prosperous and with less |
| conviction go hand in hand. | | | | visits to the doctor. |