How Effective Communication is Essential to Sales

No one ever called me an academic. Growing up, (and still today), I was all about sports; school never came easy for me and I was fighting the constant struggle to stay academically eligible. So it surprises even me to look at my growing career in sales and now realize how much those lessons in the classroom helped me today.

What the hell is a degree in Communication Studies, anyway, and why am I glad I got it?

In 2014, I Graduated with a degree in Communication Studies from California State University, Northridge, and I had no idea what I was going to do with it. While there are many different versions for defining communication studies, I learned that communication is the process of developing meaning through the sending and receiving of verbal and nonverbal actions, symbols, and signs.

Understanding this definition of communication allows us to shift focus to communication competence which refers to the knowledge of effective and appropriate communication patterns and the ability to use and adapt that knowledge in various situations.

It is my belief that combining these two principles will help in your sales process. You need to know how to be an active listener to become a good communicator and you need to be competent in explaining your product in order to be able to shift from one pain point or reservation to the next.

Communication Studies was a great academic discipline and I am glad that I stayed in school to finish my degree. I am still learning how to be the best salesman that I can be and in no way am I saying Communication Studies is the best path to become a salesperson, but a light definitely opened for me and I can see the bigger picture. 

I am entering my second year with Hopscotch, the leading mobile application platform for sports teams, live events, and universities, who want to increase fan engagement and drive sponsorship revenue, and it has been amazing to see how my academics has given me an opportunity to thrive in this environment, where I get to combine my passion for sports while building relationships.