I have been a salesperson for some years and have gotten a lot of experience over the years; I was driven by a sentence I had one time that made me always wanted to exceed my targets. Someone said if I want to succeed as a salesperson I must be ready to sell ice coldwater to an Eskimo. The experience I had revealed to me that in our territory in these part of the world, sales people do just anything to get patronage and then make a sale, I then decide I must let other sales people finding it difficult to achieve sales target to ask themselves some important questions that will guide their sales process to achieve right result applying the right principles.
1. Are you committed to principle-based, integrity-oriented selling?
If you are not committed to quality, principle based choices, you will only dream of your destiny. You won’t actually walk it out.
2.What is in your heart?
Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” What has God deposited in your heart? Many feel called to the pastoral ministry but feel they are languishing in a sales job, not discerning the excellent preparation a career in sales or another service field can be for the pastoral ministry. Whatever your calling, don’t minimize the necessary period of training.
3. What stirs passion in you?
It was said of Jesus after he took a whip to those selling goods in the temple that the zeal of the Father’s house has “eaten him up” (John 2:17). He had an incredible zeal for the house of God and for the people who were looking for God in His house, and His passion was evident to all. Ask yourself what stirs passion in you? What injustice or wrong really stirs you up? What do you talk about? It might be a clue to your destiny.
4. What flows naturally with your talents?
Are you good at math? Do you understand electrical theory? Can you carry an interesting conversation? Are you more comfortable with concepts? Whatever you like to do, you need to find a line of work that flows naturally with your talents. Few are born with natural selling talent. When I started in sales I was petrified of making a presentation to a group of more than one that I always had my boss do them. One day he cut me of from his support and I was left to sink or swim on my own. One quality I did posses was the ability to put my thoughts together in a cohesive manner, but did not have the skill to sell. I lacked the confidence to speak to a group of two or three, but it was a skill that I learned. Look at what flows naturally with your talents and gravitate in that direction. But don’t make the mistake of saying you are not cut for sales just because you are not doing poorly! If succeeding in sales is worth doing, then it’s worth going through the pain and misery of having to first do it poorly until you can do it well! If you keep at it, you will eventually succeed. My first year in sales, I barely made a living. My second and third years were much better, and then it took off from there.
5. What flows naturally with your background?
What has life prepared you for so far? Moses spent forty years on the backside of the desert, tending sheep. He knew how to deal with stubborn animals and God was going to use that experience to lead His people through the wilderness for another forty years. What have you been through that can be used to hasten you in the direction of your destiny?
6. Are you learning from seasoned professionals?
Do you know someone who can mentor you in an integrity-based approach to the selling process? Learn from the experience professionals around you who operate in a principled manner. Don’t spend your time learning from those whom you do not trust.
7. Are you satisfied with your profession?
Sometimes dissatisfaction is a result of poor sales result. Don’t mistake a selling slump for an indication that you need to be in another career. Perhaps you are selling a product that you’ve come to believe is not in people’s interest to acquire. If that’s the case, find something you believe in, and then sell it with gusto. If the only way to make sales in your profession is to misrepresent your product, then change companies, products or your profession. Sometimes you simply need to change your outlook. Instead of firing yourself, get fired up! I once met a man who told me he was “peddling” insurance. He was obviously unhappy with his profession, so I suggested that he do himself and his boss a favour and find a different line of work.
8. Are you getting maximum advantage from other member on the team?
You are part of a team. To succeed in sales, it’s better to work with the team members instead of against them. Perhaps the other team members are in non-sales positions, but they may still be able to contribute to your success. Make sure you are getting maximum advantage from all the other team members.
9. Are you faithfully discharging all your current responsibility?
If you’re not faithfully discharging your current responsibilities there’s a good chance you’re not ready for the next challenge. Jesus said, “You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you a ruler over many things” (Matt 25:21). Master the task at hand. Excel more than your peers and you will be first in line for the next promotion or opportunity.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
“There is no one giant step that does it. It’s a lot of little steps.” – Peter A. Cohen
No comments:
Post a Comment