Sales

"Sales departments are not the most important focus of the company, the whole company, most importantly, is the sales department!"

I have become a more considerate consumer and buyer over the years. Having stood in the shoes of the person asking me to buy something, I have a lot more understanding of where they are coming from, which leads me to be more considerate. It does not mean that I will be pushed over, but I will communicate with the sales person in a manner that is not only respectful, but positive and re-enforcing.

Sales is not an easy job, and ultimately unfortunately does come down to numbers, because not everyone that you speak to is going to be open or even need your product when you choose to come a knocking. Just because a potential client does not require your product or service now, they more than likely will need it some time in the future, otherwise why would you be knocking on their door?

In sales, I have always felt that it is important for new sales people to listen to and learn from the management and successful sales people within an organization since they have already achieved a level of success in this unique industry and organization's products or services. The successful members have understood how to bring the product or service across to the client or customer in a way that convinces them of the need for the product or service. They have lived and breathed it as the foot soldiers and survived the bombardment from those that might not be quite as understanding as I have become. There is no purpose in new sales people trudging off to create their own path, no one knows where that one will lead, and it inevitably leads to much frustration and finally a resigned person, not only from a job, but personally resigned to the opportunity.

Training is vital and not only should be offered by the employer and management staff, but should be sought out by the employee. Training not only in product, but in the development of the whole person selling on behalf of the company. When I was involved in tennis, I always would say that teaching the strokes was the easy part, but teaching the player how to "Play tennis", that you would need to brain wash the player. You see, brain washing is required as the players needs to be trained to think instinctively in a certain way. As management, you need to train and retrain your sales staff to become a certain person that becomes the "little me" of the company.

Sales staff ultimately are a company's face and representation to the world, customers and prospective customers. Sales people should be invested into in such a manner that they react in situations, responding to customers and those outside the company, instinctively in a way that the management would have be done. However since the whole company is the sales department according to the earlier quote, investment into all employees is vital, making them the people that mirror the management.