Working in sales can be very rewarding. But it is filled with misconceptions, myths and false beliefs that are held by media and people who, for the majority of them, are not part of the sales sector.
It will make it much harder for you to have a successful career in sales, if you don’t know what is fact and what is fiction. Drawing the line between what you know to be true and what is just part of a perceived culture, can make a real difference. Especially, when it comes to your sales success.
MYTH #1: YOU WERE BORN WITH SALES SKILLS. EITHER YOU HAVE THEM OR YOU DON’T.
Incorrect! Sales skills are taught and learned. Yes, some people may have a natural ability to execute them better than others. but still, they have learned them from somewhere.
Sales encompasses techniques that cover a variety of areas, including communication, persuasion, persistence, intuition, solution-oriented thinking, body language, NLP, negotiation, customer service and telephone personality. And you can learn them like any other skill.
MYTH #2: YOU MUST BE EXTROVERTED AND OUTGOING TO BE A GOOD SALESPERSON.
This is the “old school” way of teaching sales, and one of the most prevalent myths. But it’s not effective unless you want customers to have massive buyers’ remorse.
The most effective sales training focuses around the concept that it is a give and take relationship from day one. Meaning that the prospect is just as engaged as the salesperson.
That’s why the salesperson does not need to be extroverted or outgoing.
A recent statistical study, about the best ways to create a positive sales experience for buyers, showed that 61% of them don’t prefer pushy salespeople. That’s why being an introvert, actually, gives you an advantage and a very desirable personality trait. Because, introverted salespeople take time to prepare and to listen. Which makes them more empathetic toward their prospects and aware of their feelings and problems.
MYTH #3: SALESPEOPLE ARE PUSHY AND PERSISTENT. IT’S THE ONLY WAY TO CLOSE ENOUGH DEALS.
You see, the main issue here is that most people actually equate “pushy” with “persistent”. When, in reality, they are very different. Because, clients and prospects get irritated by pushy salespeople. But they admire persistence.
Pushy is approaching the sale only from your point of view as a salesperson. Not taking into consideration the customer.
Persistent is knowing that what you’re selling will make a difference for your customers, and that they will thank you for it.
Nobody likes a pushy salesperson. But being persistent is a crucial element that’s usually not done correctly and, therefore, perceived to be negative.
Persistence is an art. And if you want to learn how to be “pleasantly persistent”, follow up effectively and close more deals than you ever have, you can join My courses where I’ll teach you skills that will allow you to be persistent without being pushy.
Once you have put these myths and misconceptions to rest, you can focus on your career and understand what you need to do.
But you might be applying practices in your sales job, or with your clients, that are holding you back. So, check out the 17 Signs that Sales Skills Are Holding You Back to know exactly how you can tell something is wrong and how you can deal with it. And even turn it to your advantage.
