How To Make It In The World of Sales

I recently got the opportunity to interview Joshua McAlister, a John Brown University graduate of 2015 who now specializes in medical sales. Josh told me that sales has much more to do with listening and solving a problem than pushing a solution. If you want to be successful in sales, you have to know your market, know your buyer, and listen to their pain points. Once you have done that and built rapport with them, then you can provide a better solution to meet their needs.

Though Josh is now in sales, he got his degree in biology. When asked what college did or did not prepare him for, he responded, "I took a more "clinical" approach to medical sales by getting a biology major. I know my science. I learned the job on the job. If I wanted to be successful, I had to learn quickly. College didn't really prepare me for sales. I had to learn the market in the region that I was working in and quickly build rapport as a consultant in that market."

Something that surprised him about this field is that he did not expect to encounter some of the corporate "values" that he experienced. If your leadership's values don't align with your own, it can be a difficult environment to work in. At the end of the day, you are responsible for yourself and the work you produce.

Josh's advice for future sellers is to be aware that sales is a high risk/high reward opportunity. "You have to be tough, learn not to take things personally, and keep pushing forward. There is definitely skill in conversation; however, there isn't one perfect formula that will help you to close every deal. You have to work extremely hard, follow through well, and deliver on what you promise."

Overall, Josh is a highly experienced and knowledgeable employee in this profession and has a lot to offer to those looking for tips in the sales industry.

Sources: https://www.jbu.edu/