Thought Tweet #429 At your enterprise, are your Sales people more like artists or more like scientists?

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Sales is becoming more like art than science. Selling, when it is performed properly, is an art...good Sales people have interesting personalities, curiosity, and creativity. And, they use those natural gifts. Selling, when businesses get hold of it, is a science. Much Sales Management. Much focus on Sales Systems and sales-process training. And Conversions. As many say, "Sales is a numbers game." 

What do your Sales people think - art? science? a combination of the two? a wonderful, re-invented combination of the two?

To be or not to be...in a Sales role...that is the question.

There is another question: isn't it time to re-invent the Sales role? The quick answer to that question is - Yes. A longer answer will follow in a future Thought Post.

Today, the question is - Should You be in a Sales role?

In order to answer that big career-choice question, you should break it down into bite-size pieces. For example, you could ask then answer the following questions. You could use your answers to create lists of the 'pros' and cons' about your choice of a Sales role.

Here are some of the questions you should consider then answer Yes No or Maybe:

Yes No or Maybe - Do I have self-knowledge about my Strengths?

Yes No or Maybe - Do I have self-confidence, even when the going gets tough?

Yes No or Maybe - Do I think Sales is a very-important business function?

Yes No or Maybe - Am I interested in other People?

Yes No or Maybe - Do I have a strong work ethic?

Yes No or Maybe - Am I a self-starter, with lots of energy and drive?

Yes No or Maybe - Do I know how to listen?

Yes No or Maybe - Do I know how and when to stop talking?

Yes No or Maybe - Do I have a pleasing personality?

Yes No or Maybe - Do I enjoy delivering value?

In addition, at some point the questions will involve other factors...the company you will work for, the product/service you will sell and, of course, the Clients who will buy your product/service.

Yes No or Maybe - Does this Company creates and delivers value to its Clients?

Yes No or Maybe - Does this product/service is of value to Clients, whom I know I can serve well?

Yes No or Maybe - Do I know how to go about selling this product/service and delivering value to these specific Target Clients?

Yes No or Maybe - Am I enthusiastic about working at this specific Sales role?

PS: the more Yes answers the better. In fact, a single No answer could mean you should seek another career, another company to work at, or another product/service to sell. And, about Maybe answers - BEWARE - successful Sales people do not like Maybe answers!

Thought Tweet #421 "Sales is an outcome, not a goal." Jill Konrath

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

This quote is from Jill Konrath's 2010 book, 'SNAP Selling - Speed Up Sales and Win More Business with Today's Frazzled Clients'. Jill goes on to add, "It's a function of doing numerous things right, starting from the moment you target potential prospect until you finalize the deal." This thinking aligns with Spirited Leaders' philosophies and education tools. For example, it aligns with our Clients' Clients Concept.