Things you to know if you are a freshman in "SALES"
Modern sales teams are all about competence and the winning edge. In a highly competitive landscape these are some of the most crucial sales skills that a salesperson must possess (or develop) in order to establish a weighted sales pipeline and monthly recurring revenue.
Communication: Communication is key. This is to a degree an inherent skill that can only be honed to be precise and effective. Diction, dialect and logical thought process make the basics for an effective communicator. Your first impressions happen within ten seconds and you represent your company. Walk your talk with being well informed about the service or product you represent. Review your sales pitch with peers and give yourself enough practice.
Be likeable and be empathetic: People buy from someone they like or respect. Likeable people with an affable character, clean looks and good energy perform well in sales. You should have a genuine affinity for people and be highly empathetic. It helps you take the customer’s attitude in your stride with eyes on the prize . Hone a persona which is fresh and authentic right from freshman year.
Dig up facts: Research is very important for sales. Get to know your customer, their background and their interests; an effective sales pitch is homework done right.
Are you a good listener?:Being an active listener creates a connect that your customers value or come back to. Body language communicates interest far quicker than words.Your body language tells where your attention is without you even realizing. There are no shortcuts to being focussed and paying attention.
Rejection: Be prepared to hear a lot of NO's and most importantly don’t take it personally. The rejection that you receive is for the product or service of the business that you are representing. You should take that as constructive feedback and improve on your end. After All it's believed that after 9~11 NO’s there will be a YES. It’s not a myth if you are willing to put in the effort.
Get out of your comfort zone: Be flexible and open to opportunities that are outside of your comfort zone. You will be asked to travel, meet people, and work outside of office hours. Instead of staying inside your cocoon of familiarity, you should get out and learn new things and implement them through a good strategy.
If you achieve all this in the first year, it’s obviously a milestone. But in order to be consistent, learn new skills, expand your knowledge base, attend courses or programs that help you to dig deep or so. In short, never stop learning and don't be afraid to fail!