You can take specialist courses and gain qualifications to help you excel in your sales career, but it’s worth noting that you might already have many of the traits you need to flourish in this field. There are a number of life skills that can help you succeed in sales, and here are three that we believe are among the most important.
1. Experience dealing with different people
The chances are, you’ve had plenty of experience dealing with different people throughout your life. From the schoolyard to the world of work – and even your own family, you’re no doubt more advanced than you think in the art of communicating with a variety of people and personalities. And it’s a skill that will certainly stand you in good stead for a career in sales.
In fact, being able to speak to people from a wide range of backgrounds, engage them in conversation and make them feel at ease is arguably the most important ability for salespeople. So, if you have experience in customer service roles, whether this was working in a shop, or in a call centre, or you simply enjoy speaking to members of the public, sales may be something that comes naturally to you.
2. Using your own initiative
No two sales conversations are the same and you’ll need to be able to think on your feet if you’re to make the most of these exchanges and ensure that every person you speak to has a positive experience. This is something we put a lot of emphasis on at Appco, and it’s at the heart of our highly personalised Human CommercialTM approach to sales.
We believe that great sales professionals need to be confident using their initiative to tailor their conversations to each person’s interests and needs, and draw on their expert product knowledge to respond to questions and problem solve on the spot.
While the prospect of using your own judgement in situations like this may seem daunting at first, it’s important to have faith in your abilities. You already rely on your initiative and gut instinct countless times a day, whether you’re negotiating a better deal on your mobile phone contract, holding a door open for a mum with a buggy, or taking the time to chat with the staff in your local café so they remember your coffee order.
3. Strong organisational abilities
Good organisational and time management skills are also crucial in sales roles. If you’re to stick to your own schedule and make productive use of your time, you must be able to plan your days effectively. As with the two skills mentioned above though, strong organisational abilities may well be something you have already picked up. Whether you’re used to meeting deadlines in your current role or you have experience of sticking to a study schedule, planning your days out in the field as a sales specialist might come easier to you than you think.
The self-employed field representatives contracted through Appco’s network of marketing companies come from a wide range of backgrounds and they all bring their individual knowledge and experience to their work.
Regardless of your employment or educational background, the chances are you have a range of important skills that could help you succeed in this type of role. So, if this is an area you’re interested in, it’s well worth investigating your options. You can find out more about what it’s like to work in the field as a self-employed sales specialist by taking a look around our website.