The world's worst salesperson

I distinctly remember my first impression of salespeople - it was when reading Matilda by Roald Dahl and meeting the character of her father, Harry Wormwood. I began to learn that this species of the workforce would do everything to pull the wool over poor unsuspecting customers in order to earn a quick dollar. When the book inspired a later movie, Danny DeVito brilliantly brought the self interest and ego to life with a despicable character of a man.

Few students graduate from high school, college or a graduate program with the goal of becoming a salesperson. Worse, ask anyone you meet to describe the first thought that comes to their mind when you say the word “salesperson,” and you’ll likely hear a variety of negative adjectives, such as “pushy,” “aggressive” and even “dishonest.” In college, my degree specialism was 'Business and Marketing' - I doubt it would have appealed to me if it was 'Sales and Marketing' … so they knew how to market the course itself.

I think that if anyone caught me cold with the question 'are you in sales?', I'd hesitate and proffer that I am an industry expert who helps my clients to understand solutions that respond to the opportunities and challenges presented to them. What a long-winded response...they would probably move on midway through. And on reflection, to make my long response short … yes, there's usually a sale involved in what I do. But I never see myself as at the epicenter of that, the reason people seal the deal. I guess Roald Dahl and early impressions made me feel there is something slightly dirty about convincing someone to part with hard earned funds for something I am promoting.

And I'd argue I've never been in sales. Despite the endless summers working in my father's Dublin car dealership. And NO...before you think it, it was nothing like the enterprise that Harry Wormwood ran! My passion for Fiat and Alfa Romeo's and my heartfelt belief that everyone in Ireland should be driving one saw me out on the road facilitating test drives from the age of 14. I could not legally drive the car, but I knew all the features of every model and could field any questions from prospective customers. My passion definitely rubbed off and many proceeded to purchase. But I wasn't a salesman.

Then there was the summer of 1999 when I took on a job selling sunglasses in 2 stores in Ocean City, Maryland, USA at a time when friends were doing minimal hours labour required in a pizza restaurant just to fund their summertime antics. I got to know all about the right glasses for different facial shapes, the benefits of polarised lenses, and most importantly, that the stores had a sales incentive scheme. Sellers were provided bonus incentives based on value per transaction, items per transaction, average sales per hour etc. The gamification effect took over and I soon was using my best Irish accent to appeal to second-generation Irish Americans, engaging in conversations I'd never have thought of in order to build rapport etc. I found more joy being in the store than being on the boardwalk or beach that summer.

Fast forward to my consulting career and there was a year that I received more commission on new account openings, follow-on sales etc. than any of the partners in the business, the industry award I won for helping my client 'sell' the vision of their programme internally and the impact that had.

Yet, I don't see myself as a salesman. I truly don't. And in discussing this topic with others before writing these words down I know I'm not alone. But we have to free ourselves from any preconceptions and negative associations we have with the word. Sales isn’t just a part of your organisation. It’s the lifeblood of your success. Until you embrace this truth, you’ll likely struggle to lead your company or grow a small business.

Sales is difficult. It's not an art as many dismiss it to be, it's a science too. Art just differentiates the very top performers from the everyman or woman. It may not be all you do in your business or role (it certainly isn't all I do) but for most roles and walks of life, it's a key part of your success. Selling is a skill, and just like accounting, marketing, etc., it can be learned by anyone. The learning never stops, you need to hone your craft, you need to plan for every scenario and you need to practice.

Even in my current position, leading our IBM industry solutions in Retail and Consumer Products for the Middle East region, I am thankful to IBM and the commitment to investment in our people across a vast array of disciplines - including sales. Last week I embarked on IBM's multi-award winning elite Global Sales School (GSS) sales programme. I got to learn from top-tier sales professionals and to collaborate with like-minded peers in a stimulating 'real work' environment. Of course I was nervous and a bit excited going in - as I have said - I don't consider myself a salesperson! But whatever I am, I learnt a lot and came out the other side even better equipped to do whatever I have been doing in my career to date that I don't seem to see as sales!

Net Promoter Score (NPS) feedback from the Global Sales School coaches for my preparation and delivery in the final case study

I look forward to the next stage of GSS as one never stops learning. And if you, like me are now comfortable in how you see sales as a key skill and one that needs ongoing investment, I include below Forbes Council Member, CJ McClanahan's list of sales fundamentals to focus on. CJ believes that like most things in life, learning to sell takes time and is built on a handful of fundamentals:

1. Embrace failure. It doesn’t matter how good you are; you will fail far more than you succeed in your sales career — especially in the beginning. Fighting against this universal truth in an effort to become the first professional to win all the time won't help you, so embrace failure, and learn from it.

2. Redefine your role. Most people have a negative connotation of sales because they assume it involves tricking someone into buying a product or service they don't want. Before you make the first call, change your paradigm, and consider yourself as a seasoned advisor helping someone make a decision that benefits both them and their business. (Scott's note: I guess my long-winded answer earlier was me doing this automatically!)

3. Check your belief. Changing your paradigm about selling is impossible if you don't believe in yourself and the product or service you’re offering the marketplace. This can be tricky. After a few dozen “nos,” even the most confident sales professional can begin to question their career choice. When this happens to you, don't panic. Remind yourself that you're selling something you believe in.

4. Sales is math. Sales is a numbers game that follows a simple formula: The number of leads multiplied by the conversion rate equals your new customers. Then, multiply your new customers by the average dollar amount of sales, and you can see your total revenue. Once you’ve picked a sales target (or total revenue), work backward to determine the effort necessary to hit your goals. With a clear understanding of this math, you can see if you’re doing enough to be successful.

5. Build a system. Many professionals assume their personality is the most important factor in closing the deal. Personality might land you a meeting, but improving conversion is all about following a disciplined sales process. This process doesn’t need to be complex or filled with catchy phrases. Instead, understand a prospect’s needs and help them see your product is the best solution.

6. Reflect and revise. No matter what the latest webinar, workshop or book promises, success in sales never happens overnight. It takes time and involves a lot of practice. Along this journey, tweak your approach on a daily basis. Get into the habit of looking back at your effort and asking yourself one simple, yet powerful, question: "What would I do differently?"