The Salesperson Misconception
I've been working in sales for Duo Security for the past several years and wanted to address one of the common misconceptions of salespeople: that we're sleazy and will do things at any cost to earn a sale. Because most of us have had a bad experience with an overly aggressive salesperson it's left us with a bad taste in our mouth and have given us a mental image of a salesperson not too far away from this picture:
This misconception started because somewhere along the way, a talented salesperson was defined as an individual that is highly skilled in persuasion. While the ability of persuasion is definitely...something...it just isn't the defining characteristic of someone that is highly effective in sales. Rather, it's those that are exceptional listeners, and exceptional communicators.
Salespeople that have the ability to listen to what a customer's needs are can then effectively communicate how their product could assist in solving that problem. The salespeople that are most effective at this are ultimately the best.
@hiro14hiro
Your analysis of a common perception of a salesperson is correct.
I spent many years as a professional commission salesman. I never had to cheat a customer to make a good living. However, I have seen some misleading of customers by other sales people. Much of it was due to the fact that they were unskilled and needed to compensate for their lack of sales or just plain greed.
I will say that when it comes to sales, I have seen a slow, general deterioration of morals over the years. Back in the day, being a salesman was something to be proud of. Diamond Jim Brady (long before your time) was the greatest salesman of all time. A salesman could do things that average people can't do. You had the ability to walk up to someone's door cold turkey, present your wares and close the deal. Because they had this ability, salesmen could earn way more than the average wage slave.
Unfortunately, over the years, management failed to recognize the value of a real salesman and they took advantage as much as they could to leech off the high commissions that skilled salemen earned.
As a true professional salesman, I turned the tables on any "job interview." I had the talent they desperately needed and I knew it. If they gave me any guff, I'd go someplace else. There was always a job for a professional because we created business where there was none. Your average wage slave has to have the job handed to him because that is what he is worth.
If you like or see value in the knowledge presented in this post, please upvote. Thank you for your attention.
Great salespeople are assets to their company.
Great points Hiro!
Upvoted! You already got it when I saw the picture - good job!
And yes, I always feel like salespeople just want push their products in my wallet eventhough I don't want it :(
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