sales people are brighest lot without them nothing succeed

Intermediate Marks Vs Sales man success 

Each one of us is sales man starting from PM of any country to lawyer in courts or authors . Some one is selling his ideas, some one books ,some one sells vision to stay ahead but no organisation teaches sales technique .Our perception is very poor for sales people that some one with less mark enter into sales but reality is brightest in the world are best sales people without them no organisation will ever make money .

I entered in sales in 98 post my MBA ,where 50 pages out of 700 were dedicated for sales in marketing book & no one taught us how to sell.

It is also true that all the organisation is being led by sales man be it India or world wide . Our PM is selling his vision to get votes, where few other best sales guys Ritesh agarwal sold OyO concept & Steve job sold Iphone . I worked 16 Year in telecom, where most of our CEO had sales background . I also studied 112 successful startup in India last few days , where minimum one founder had previous sales background , Hence without good sales people , No organisation can become best & Gain share . There r thousand of ideas in mkt but ideas on ground can become reality where best sales people are hired to execute .

Few best traits of sales man

1. they love their customer more then company -they will fight for customers right .

2. They are problems solver of customer problems 

3. They love people , they are fair /honest .

4. They never cheat to their promise . They have highest integrity .

I kept on recruiting sales people based on whom i thought will be the best . First time when i became sales Head for Gujarat - I met 132 sales guys from front line to ZBM . I spent 3 month knowing their background /schooling /family journey /actual performance on field ( growth of KPI compare to last year)

One data Surprised me that all those sales guys who scored > 60% in class 10/12 were doing very well & rest who were bad in academic were doing very bad on actual performance . 

Performance on field was also driven by consistency on visit to outlet/ customer home  or solving customer problems but sales man who were doing bad were causal in approach. 

Over 1 year , i got rid of Poor performer & Hired all the sales guy who had better mark>60% or were best in sports or any other activity .

I also hired many Fresh MBA from Nirma Management school with highest marks who were working in some different assignment , all of them did excellent job on field .

One of ZBM in UP East Sachin Goel had out performed & he happens to UP topper in 10th exams

what is learning

1. Mark for 10th/12th >60% does indicate that candidate will perform better - selling is science /need people with hard work /integrity 

2.sales men who are problems solver to trade or customer will do better 

3. Commitment is key in sales , never over promise  or tell a lie - credibility will be lost