After 8-Years, Here Are 5 Reasons Why I Have Stayed in Sales

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In previous articles, I have discussed the difficulties and challenges of navigating a sales career along with equally sharing many of my successes. 

Many have asked me why I have chosen to stay in a career akin to an emotional rollercoaster and variable income.

The short answer is because I truly love what I do and couldn’t see myself doing anything else, although beyond this, below I will expand on some of the reasons that have kept me true to a career in Sales.

1: It’s like running a company, in a company

Sales is as close as you can come to running your own business, without owning your own business. Typically, you’re given a territory and a target along with tools, tips and tactics from which to exceed your target on a consistent basis. You’re tasked with creating and scaling revenue either from a standing start or a pool of existing customers without a predefined guarantee of any outcomes.

I have always been particularly entrepreneurial from a young age and always felt I needed a career that allowed me to balance being employed with an ability to build and create. Sales grants me the ability to do just that, by taking creative approaches to meeting a designated goal. Along with collaborating with Marketing and other departments to find ways to generate leads and opportunities.

2: You earn as well as you perform

I am hooked to the concept of having a variable income where more effort, success and results equate to greater compensation. For many, they value the consistency and stability of a fixed income based on the work they do. For someone like myself, I thrive off the opportunity to be able to positively affect my income through performance.

3: Constant challenges and competition

Sales targets and goalposts are often moving, typically in one direction, upwards! There is a constant need to do better and be better by driving record-breaking results. This a massive driver for me which helps to keep me engaged and motivated. There is always a new challenge that adds a component of excitement and variability.

4: Social interaction

Being able to engage with so many different types of people is a huge component of what has kept me dialed into a sales career. On a personal note, I thrive on social interaction and being able to connect with such a wide variety of personas makes no 2 days the same.

Most week's I have meetings arranged with prospects or customers, interested to understand how our proposition can support them in driving a business outcome. Meeting everyone from CEO's of multi-corporates to hungry entrepreneurs brings great variety to the role.

5: Making a difference!

With any company that I have worked for, I have always felt it’s critical that I believe in both the company and the product they’re selling. It’s very difficult to convince someone of the value you’re able to deliver them when you aren’t even convinced yourself. By choosing an integrity first company that is positively disrupting industries, I have found myself being able to make a positive difference to customers which makes the role inherently rewarding beyond financial compensation. By selling a solution that truly moves the needle for a customer, you get a certain ‘buzz’ that is hard to replicate elsewhere.

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Disclaimer: All views expressed in this article are my own and do not represent the opinions or views of my current employer or any entity whatsoever with which I have been, am now, or will be affiliated. This post is for informational purposes only and any advice should be followed at the reader's own discretion.

?2019 by Alex Alleyne