Sales - A bad word?

I want to make an apology I promised an article about 3 weeks ago but unfortunately I have been delayed. So apologies to my one reader aka Mum :)

I commented last month how my team’s work ethic impressed me and their desire to service customers commendable when a friend commented and asked “are they doing it for the customers or their commission”?

It was a great question and got me thinking about not only their motives but how we all view sales people and their motivations in work and what drives them?

As I write this I am in my empty office working to see what marginal gains I can gleam to help myself and my guys improve as we move through the year.

Am I doing this to earn more money?

Avoid cleaning my house?

Help my customers get the best they can?

Be an example to my team during a challenging month?

Let me be absolutely honest with the answer, it is a combination of the above. You see sales people are exactly the same as any other service industry provider. I want to do the very best job I can do in order to provide for my family and help customers thrive during difficult times. I love the feeling of getting home and knowing I have made a difference.

Do I do it just for the money?

Absolutely not, I know there are other things (legal!) that I could be doing that would give me significantly more funds but they do not interest me as I would not get that same sense of self- worth which we all need when we make a difference.

Why?

Money commission etc. on its own is not the only key driver for sustainable salespeople, it is absolutely key but without job satisfaction, and external satisfaction gained from making a difference it is not something that will drive the behaviours needed to be a success at anything you do in life.

I remember when I began my career in sales thinking commission was the best thing in the world how it could help any role in the world be better. Imagine a doctor paid commission on cures and help, a nurse incentivised to care for patients or a teacher paid on exam results?! I would argue this was the future until I grew as a person and realised that teacher’s nurses and doctors received something far more valuable than a bumper commission payment. They know they make a difference everyday to people’s lives but does this mean they don’t want to be paid more? I will leave that question for another time ;)

I am always very aware of the stereotype of sales people through media and personal experiences with salespeople who have not thought about me as a customer and just seen the commission I could provide them. If I can achieve just one thing from my article it is hopefully that anyone reading this will think twice about that perception.

Remember sustainability in any service industry can only be gained from a laser guided focus on our customers their needs and how we can support them grow and indeed celebrate in their success.

Good sales people will have this in their DNA providing help to their customers and allowing them to have a long prosperous and fulfilling career.

Thank you for reading.

Will