~by Anica Oaks~
The sales floor is where all the action is. When you are standing before the customer and negotiating a price to close on, that is when you know you are truly in a position to make or lose a sizable sum of money. For this reason, many people shy away from a position in sales. They imagine they do not have the personality or the skills necessary to persuade others to open their wallet and fork over the cash.
Yet, others seem to be natural at sales, closing deals and raking in the cash hand over fist. The difference in performance in sales opportunities is so dramatic that it begs the question of what makes one truly fit for a sales position.
Here are four signs that can help you determine if a future in sales is right for you.
1. You Are Money-Motivated
It really comes down to how much the thought of earning money motivates you to work for it. If the thought of making large sums of money gets your blood pumping, then a career in sales might be your way to earning more than the typical hourly wage can offer an employee.
While an hourly wage will keep you stuck earning the same amount each shift, a sales position can dramatically change how much you are able to potentially earn from one day to the next. Sure, you will have to expect some volatility in your earning rate, but seasoned sales people can pretty much set their own pace of earning once they learn the ropes and develop a competent strategy for closing leads.
2. You Like Talking to People
A career in sales centers around talking to a lot of people to ensure a healthy conversion rate. When you open your mouth as a sales representative, you need to be able to hold a conversation with the person you are trying to persuade to purchase a product or service. You should also be aware that sales is about more than simply persuading a client or customer to close the deal. You are also interested in building long-term relationships with people so that you have quality repeat customers.
When customers trust you and are satisfied with what you have offered them in the past, it becomes easier and easier to converse with these people and talk them into opening their wallet for you again and again. This is what makes a good salesperson like you a highly successful salesperson over the long term.
3. Self-Motivated
When working as a sales representative for an organization, it is important to be a self-starter and to self-motivate to keep on top of your sales goals. Direct sales companies tend to get a bad rap, so even though some people may assume that ACN is a pyramid scheme, a self-motivated salesperson can break through faulty perceptions and earn a substantial amount of residual income while building a home-based business opportunity. It stands to reason that when you are a self-motivated sales representative, your hard work and effort will result in greater earnings potential.
4. You Do Not Take No for an Answer
If the first time someone tells you “no”, you crumble and do not know what to say, then chances are you are not a good fit for a career in sales. If, however, you recognize that people will say “no” many times before they will say “yes”, then you already understand what you must push through to be good at sales.
If, however, you know how to turn a customer’s “no” into a “yes”, then you will perhaps out-earn the person who trained you to hold the sales position you currently possess. Sales is about moving beyond the negative of “no” to get to the positive of “yes”. The better you can accomplish this goal, the easier it will be for you to earn big in sales.
While it is true that some people are natural at sales, this should not get you down if you are not already that type of person. Sales, like any other skill, is something you can learn. As is often the case, practice will hone your sales skills to turn you into a force to be reckoned with when you meet a potential client or customer. Ultimately, the sign that determines if you are fit for a career in sales is simply how bad you want it and how far you are willing to go to make a career in sales happen for you.
Meet the Author: Anica Oaks
Anica is a professional content and copywriter from San Francisco, California. She loves dogs, the ocean and anything outdoor-related. She was raised in a big family, so she’s used to putting things to a vote. Also, cartwheels are her specialty. You can connect with Anica here.
