| Myth 1: Sales People are all Shady!In the
| |
| | generally identified as common to all
|
| Broadway play "Death of a Salesman" Willy
| |
| | recognized professions . Think about each
|
| Loman was a down and out emotionally
| |
| | in relation to the sales profession. I
|
| spent Salesman trying to understand his
| |
| | believe all five aspects exist in the
|
| life after 34 years of traveling up and
| |
| | sales profession, but they are not fully
|
| down the roads selling his products. The
| |
| | recognized and understood. The future of
|
| negative stereotype of a Salesman is
| |
| | the profession lies with those choosing
|
| rooted deep into the subconscious of
| |
| | selling as an occupation and advancing
|
| society. Images of the fast talking,
| |
| | understanding of these five elements
|
| scheming, shady, over-the-top, and
| |
| | (that's you!).A Unique Body of Knowledge:
|
| high-pressure Salesperson make you feel
| |
| | This attribute encompasses concepts and
|
| uncomfortable. You definitely would never
| |
| | principles that are unique to the
|
| trust or make this "dishonorable" person
| |
| | profession and are documented so that
|
| your friend.Evidence to support this
| |
| | they can be studied and learned through
|
| negative stereotype continues to today. I
| |
| | formal education. In most professions,
|
| have personally seen salespeople
| |
| | the body of knowledge is taught in
|
| portrayed negatively on children's
| |
| | graduate or professional schools. For
|
| cartoons such as Jimmy Neutron and
| |
| | example, the specialized body of
|
| Spongebob Squarepants!As a result of all
| |
| | knowledge of the legal profession is
|
| of this and the Top 10 myths of selling,
| |
| | taught in law schools. A degree does not
|
| some sales professionals harbor inner
| |
| | necessarily qualify an individual to
|
| feelings that restrict their ability to
| |
| | practice in the profession, but it does
|
| become stellar performers and have fun
| |
| | provide a means of assuring that the
|
| doing doing their job. They mask their
| |
| | individual has at least been exposed to
|
| inner feelings of choosing a
| |
| | the basic principles in which the
|
| "dishonorable" profession with
| |
| | profession is based. Every profession
|
| over-the-top deflected identities (i.e.
| |
| | has at least one degree that can be
|
| I'm not a "Salesperson," I'm a "customer
| |
| | earned by those wishing to demonstrate
|
| experience engineer"). Give me a
| |
| | knowledge of the profession's
|
| break.Let's face it...
| |
| | principles.In the sales profession, there
|
| Almost everyone has had a "bad" buying
| |
| | are only a very small handful of degrees
|
| experience. As a result, they feel
| |
| | in selling. There is a large body of
|
| burned and think that sales people are
| |
| | knowledge, but until the United
|
| shady. In the eyes of many people who
| |
| | Professional Sales Association defined
|
| make purchases, Salespeople are "all
| |
| | the framework for that knowledge, other
|
| about money", and salespeople are just
| |
| | professions didn't understand how complex
|
| "trying to take money from us" so they
| |
| | professional selling was. This attribute
|
| can feed their kids (sometimes I wonder
| |
| | of a profession is the most important,
|
| what's wrong with that!)But guess what...
| |
| | and it also has the longest way to go.
|
| ALL professions (not just selling) have
| |
| | To help in this area, you can help get
|
| fast talking, scheming, shady,
| |
| | the United Professional Sales Association
|
| over-the-top, and high-pressure people in
| |
| | standards adopted by your selling
|
| them. And all professions have extremely
| |
| | organization.Standards of Entry: Defined
|
| professional individuals that serve as
| |
| | minimum standards of entry into a
|
| pillars of society.But, you can't fight
| |
| | profession imply progression in a career.
|
| it. Or can you? Salespeople have rights
| |
| | Entry standards define the place from
|
| too, and non-profit trade associations
| |
| | where a career path begins. All
|
| dedicated to the profession are trying to
| |
| | professionals must have an accepted route
|
| help organizations and buyers realize the
| |
| | open to the public by which a person can
|
| value of their salespeople. Because
| |
| | become a recognized member of the
|
| these organizations realize that most
| |
| | profession. Law, engineering,
|
| sales people are effective and they have
| |
| | accounting, medicine, and teaching all
|
| done their homework to understand the
| |
| | have entry standards. These standards
|
| needs, concerns and interests of the
| |
| | usually involve formal education leading
|
| people they are selling to. Find out
| |
| | to an academic degree, several years of
|
| about one such organization, the United
| |
| | experience as in an apprenticeship
|
| Professional Sales Association I started
| |
| | program or as a beginner in the
|
| for individual sales success at 2: If
| |
| | profession, test score requirements,
|
| You're a Schmoozer Then You're a Closer!A
| |
| | which may or may not be legally
|
| schmoozer is someone who has the ability
| |
| | enforceable, or some combination of the
|
| to converse casually, especially in order
| |
| | three.A Code of Ethics: Ethical
|
| to gain an advantage or make a social
| |
| | Standards, or a code of ethics, is common
|
| connection. This is almost the
| |
| | to most professions. Its purpose is to
|
| definition of "Networking" in business
| |
| | make explicit appropriate behavior and to
|
| terms. Schmoozers are not closers
| |
| | provide a basis for self-policing of
|
| because they are trying to talk with
| |
| | unethical behavior, thus avoiding or
|
| someone or build a relationship with them
| |
| | limiting the necessary legal
|
| for only one thing-the money. Schmoozing
| |
| | controls.Service Orientation to the
|
| to build a "fake rapport" is something
| |
| | Profession: The service orientation is
|
| that people can smell for miles away, so
| |
| | actually an attitude of the members of
|
| don't do it. Schmoozing doesn't help
| |
| | the profession, an attribute by which
|
| you close deals -- successful networking
| |
| | members are committed to bettering the
|
| does!Someone who works hard at developing
| |
| | profession itself. Professionals will
|
| a personal connection with people on a
| |
| | commit their money and energy to
|
| non-business level first and develops a
| |
| | publishing their ideas and experience,
|
| plan to truly help that person will reap
| |
| | attending conventions, and generally
|
| the rewards. In other words, if you
| |
| | contributing to the body of knowledge and
|
| give, you will receive! Schmoozing
| |
| | the administration of the profession. A
|
| doesn't allow for that. Schmoozing is
| |
| | professional's commitment to the
|
| all about getting, with no giving.Myth 3:
| |
| | profession is frequently stronger than to
|
| There is no such thing as an Ethical
| |
| | the employer. In many cases,
|
| Salesperson!Every day working people are
| |
| | professionals will leave their employing
|
| faced with ethical challenges to
| |
| | organizations rather than violate the
|
| conducting business. Ethical decisions
| |
| | professional's standards or ethical
|
| require making the right decision, even
| |
| | practice.A Sanctioning Organization: The
|
| when nobody is looking! Ethical business
| |
| | authenticating body or sanctioning
|
| practices stem from the understanding
| |
| | organization has many purposes. It sets
|
| that an ultimate payback may take awhile
| |
| | the standard and acts as a self-policing
|
| to attain.A company's ethics and
| |
| | agency. It promotes publications and
|
| integrity are directly reflected in the
| |
| | exchange of ideas, encourages research,
|
| relationship between the Salesperson and
| |
| | develops and administers certification
|
| the customer. As a result, most great
| |
| | programs, and sponsors and accredits
|
| salespeople who have been doing this for
| |
| | education programs. Through public
|
| any length of time have had to build
| |
| | information and recognition of
|
| their "Sales reputation" through happy
| |
| | professionals, such organizations provide
|
| clients. You cannot be unethical in the
| |
| | the voice for their profession. To
|
| Sales profession and stay at the top of
| |
| | summarize, the purpose of the
|
| your game. This philosophy is the same
| |
| | authenticating body is to administer the
|
| with any other profession as well.Those
| |
| | profession.Myth 7: Selling isn't That
|
| who have engaged in unethical behavior in
| |
| | Hard! Anyone Can Do It!Selling is a hard
|
| sales are out there, don't get me wrong.
| |
| | profession to master. It's one of the
|
| But bad apples exist in any other
| |
| | most complicated professions in the
|
| profession. By reading great books,
| |
| | world. Where else do you have to
|
| attending sales training and knowing
| |
| | understand organizations and individuals
|
| right from wrong, you will set yourself
| |
| | with such depth and clarity? Where else
|
| apart in your business dealings.As an
| |
| | do you have to build rapport with so many
|
| example, you will come to realize that
| |
| | different types of people, in so many
|
| your decision to work with the client
| |
| | different locations, buildings, or
|
| affects the profit and loss issues of
| |
| | business types?On top of this complexity
|
| your company and their company. You will
| |
| | is the reality that Selling is one of the
|
| also realize that your business
| |
| | few real pay-for-performance professions,
|
| relationships also affect how much
| |
| | with over ½ of the compensation "at
|
| business you are able to conduct in the
| |
| | risk" or based on commission.A lot of
|
| future and the quality of the
| |
| | sales professionals feel stress in their
|
| relationships you build with your
| |
| | jobs. In the engineering profession,
|
| customers.The best decisions are made
| |
| | stress results from the application of a
|
| when one examines the short term and long
| |
| | constant force to an immovable object.
|
| term effects of the decision and keeps
| |
| | In selling, the force is your "quota" and
|
| their clients success at the
| |
| | the immovable object is your customer's
|
| forefront.Here's another fact:Most buyers
| |
| | expectations.If you guess, you stress.
|
| (prospects and customers) actually feel
| |
| | It's that simple.Selling is about taking
|
| that it is "OK" to tell a lie to a sales
| |
| | the guess work out of what the future
|
| person during the buying process. It's
| |
| | will hold. True, it isn't as much as it
|
| ironic that salespeople are seen as
| |
| | sounds for real sales professionals. The
|
| unethical, while the pendulum is swinging
| |
| | key is to learn about the truth of the
|
| the other way with unethical buying
| |
| | sales profession and banish the myths.
|
| practices needing to be regulated by the
| |
| | When you accomplish this, you will find
|
| federal government in some cases!
| |
| | selling concepts that make sense that can
|
| Prospects even learn sales tactics (such
| |
| | immediately put into practice. Above all
|
| as closing techniques) and how to
| |
| | else, you will persevere when so many
|
| "counter" them. I personally think it's
| |
| | others will quit, and that's what will
|
| time for everyone to get real (including
| |
| | make the difference to your company's
|
| unethical sales people), but that's
| |
| | bottom line.Myth 8: Selling is a "Numbers
|
| another book.I guess I understand it...
| |
| | Game"!Undoubtedly, you will hear this one
|
| It's a defense mechanism built up over
| |
| | within your first week of selling:
|
| hundreds of years of being treated
| |
| | "Selling is a numbers game." Make the
|
| poorly. Today, prospects are able to
| |
| | calls, make the presentations, and work
|
| find out more information than the
| |
| | your way through enough people, and
|
| salesperson sitting across from them and
| |
| | eventually you will make a sale. You'll
|
| they will often play one salesperson
| |
| | hear it within three hours of being on
|
| against the other. Somehow this is seen
| |
| | your first job in Sales. Someone will
|
| an "ethical" and "ok."Myth 4: Marketing
| |
| | say "it's a number game" I guarantee
|
| and Selling are the Same Thing!One of my
| |
| | it.It goes something like this. The more
|
| professors I had while taking my Master's
| |
| | phone calls you make, the more sales you
|
| Degree once told me that you can only do
| |
| | will make. "So, make 100 phone calls"
|
| one of three things in business: make it,
| |
| | someone will say. "Of those 100, send 10
|
| sell it, or count it.The problem is the
| |
| | proposals. And of those 10, you will
|
| definition of "selling it" comprises two
| |
| | close 2. The more numbers you have the
|
| divergent but inextricably entwined
| |
| | more you will sell. Now, there's your
|
| functions -- sales and marketing. The
| |
| | phone. Good luck!"Remember this always!
|
| more appropriate elements (especially in
| |
| | Quality supersedes quantity. Your goal in
|
| today's world) should be, in business you
| |
| | selling must be to find prospects that
|
| can only: make it, grow it, or count it.I
| |
| | have a propensity and a motive to buy
|
| say grow it, for two reasons. One reason
| |
| | your product or services. If they don't
|
| is the marketing department and the other
| |
| | want to buy or need to buy your product
|
| reason is the sales department. The
| |
| | or service, then I don't care about the
|
| problem with the two professions is each
| |
| | numbers!I would rather make two phone
|
| of believe that their occupation is the
| |
| | calls and close two sales than make 100
|
| dominant half of the pair. Marketers
| |
| | like our example above, wouldn't you? If
|
| generally think of salespeople as
| |
| | someone is tracking your progress, how do
|
| golf-playing monkeys or pushy placement
| |
| | they know you are calling the right
|
| professionals whose sole purpose is to
| |
| | people, with a want and a need?I know of
|
| repeat the same sales pitch (that they
| |
| | a large insurance sales organization, who
|
| have developed) over-and-over again to
| |
| | provided sales reps with contact lists
|
| new prospects. Salespeople generally
| |
| | for life insurance and investments. The
|
| think of marketers as lazy liberal arts
| |
| | only problem was most prospects lived in
|
| graduates who use the words "focus
| |
| | a low income area and were highly
|
| groups" and "corporate brand" to describe
| |
| | unlikely to buy any life insurance
|
| activities that are nothing but "a
| |
| | because they didn't need, or want it. I
|
| colossal waste of money."Ultimately each
| |
| | don't care if you call 1,000 people that
|
| function needs the other if the company
| |
| | don't fit the profile. You're still
|
| is to GROW. To that end, sales and
| |
| | wasting your time. Quality over
|
| marketing are separate but equal
| |
| | quantity.Rather than buying into the myth
|
| professions from a business
| |
| | that selling is a numbers game, think of
|
| perspective.What's less obvious is how we
| |
| | a game of darts. By aiming your effort
|
| should all work together. Marketers
| |
| | (the dart) at a clearly defined target
|
| believe that marketing should play the
| |
| | (your pre-qualified prospect on the dart
|
| dominant role. After all, marketing
| |
| | board) your chances for hitting the mark
|
| defines the product, articulates the
| |
| | (a sale) are greatly enhanced. Contrast
|
| positioning, and creates all the sales
| |
| | that mindset with a pure numbers game,
|
| tools (ranging from glowing CEO profiles
| |
| | where you stand outside and try to get
|
| in "Fortune" magazine to the ubiquitous
| |
| | hit by lighting or crossing your fingers
|
| corporate logo wear that serves as the de
| |
| | multiple times with the hope of attaining
|
| facto currency of the modern
| |
| | good luck.
|
| professional). All sales has to do is to
| |
| | Myth 9: You Must Like Rejection!Many
|
| follow orders, right?. Salespeople
| |
| | sales courses, sales books, and sales
|
| believe that selling should play the
| |
| | training will tell you to keep a very
|
| dominant role. After all, selling is
| |
| | stiff upper lip when you get "rejected."
|
| where the rubber meets the road, where
| |
| | A rejection can occur when you are
|
| the tough get going, where everyone gives
| |
| | rebuffed on the phone, not granted an
|
| 110 percent, and where slogans reign
| |
| | appointment, or simply told "no." These
|
| supreme. Salespeople bring home the
| |
| | courses will also tell you not to let a
|
| bacon. All marketers do is provide
| |
| | "no" get you down. The problem with this
|
| brochures and take all the credit. The
| |
| | approach is the fact that once you accept
|
| truth is more complicated but more
| |
| | the simple proposition that you have been
|
| rewarding.Suffice it to say, let's just
| |
| | rejected in the first place, you have
|
| say that selling and marketing are NOT
| |
| | given up the psychological high ground
|
| the same thing. What both departments
| |
| | and put your self-esteem into retreat!
|
| SHOULD agree on is the need to stay
| |
| | Simply put, your sales team needs to
|
| focused on what the client's and
| |
| | reject the notion of rejection.Once
|
| customers want, in an effort to provide
| |
| | salespeople understand that all they are
|
| them value. Can't we just stay focused
| |
| | doing is helping people, every outcome
|
| on that? That's another book too.Myth 5:
| |
| | should be the same. If prospects don't
|
| Selling is about Winning Over Your
| |
| | want your help or choose not to deal with
|
| Customer!Selling isn't about wining over
| |
| | your company for whatever reason, it is
|
| anyone. It's about helping your customer
| |
| | not your salesperson's problem. He or she
|
| win. If you think of making a sale as
| |
| | simply has to locate another prospect
|
| "winning", that means someone has to
| |
| | that needs your company's products or
|
| lose. If you are winning and your
| |
| | services.
|
| customer's are losing, you'll be selling
| |
| | Regardless of the response prospects
|
| a very, very short amount of time.It's
| |
| | give, the salesperson is still the same
|
| about both you and your customer winning.
| |
| | person with the same amount of product
|
| Enough said. I just wish that
| |
| | knowledge, experience, and competence.
|
| prospects and buyers thought that all the
| |
| | When you teach your team to stop linking,
|
| time too!Myth 6: Selling isn't a Real
| |
| | no matter how subtly, their sense of
|
| Profession!If you're embarrassed about
| |
| | self-worth and accomplishment to a
|
| being in selling, this is the myth you're
| |
| | prospect's response, then selling ceases
|
| subscribing to. You have to be proud of
| |
| | to be hard work and instead becomes a
|
| being in selling in order to be
| |
| | game.
|
| successful. One way to do this is to
| |
| | In general, the healthiest mindset for
|
| realize the important people you'll be
| |
| | you to teach is: "You, Mr./Ms. Prospect,
|
| working with on a daily basis. When
| |
| | have made a decision to move forward
|
| sales professionals sell, they are often
| |
| | without my services. I'll be here when
|
| sitting across the table from the
| |
| | you come to your senses and change your
|
| following formalized professions:- Chief
| |
| | mind. It's not my responsibility to
|
| Financial Officer (formalized by the
| |
| | straighten you or your company out."Myth
|
| American Finance Association)- Legal
| |
| | 10: Selling is a Dead End Job!Did you
|
| Counsel (formalized American Bar
| |
| | know that 85 percent of the company
|
| Association)- Project Manager (formalized
| |
| | leaders and entrepreneurs in America
|
| by the Project Management
| |
| | today were once salespeople? They carried
|
| Institute)- Marketing Professional
| |
| | sample cases, made cold calls, dialed for
|
| (formalized by the American Marketing
| |
| | dollars, did product demonstrations and
|
| Association)- Information Technology
| |
| | handled objections. Today, they're the
|
| Professional (formalized by numerous
| |
| | majority of corporate presidents, CEOs
|
| associations and
| |
| | and the like. Selling is a dead-end job
|
| organizations)- Procurement Professional
| |
| | all right--especially when you consider
|
| (formalized by the Institute of Supply
| |
| | that the end may be at the very top of an
|
| Management and the National Association
| |
| | organization!Brian is the Chairman and
|
| of Purchasing Management)The question is,
| |
| | Founder of the the United Professional
|
| what exactly is a "formal"
| |
| | Sales Association (UPSA). UPSA is a
|
| profession?There are many formalized
| |
| | non-profit organization headquartered in
|
| professions in our society, including
| |
| | Washington DC that has addressed the
|
| doctor, lawyer, teacher, engineer,
| |
| | concerns and challenges of individual
|
| dentist, and other recognized and
| |
| | sales professionals. Brian has authored
|
| formalized occupations. These
| |
| | the world's first universal selling
|
| occupations engender a level of respect
| |
| | standards and open-source selling
|
| from the population as a whole because
| |
| | framework for free distribution. This
|
| their standards of entry require
| |
| | 'Compendium of Professional Selling'
|
| education and training specific to their
| |
| | containing the commonly accepted and
|
| respective fields. Professions generally
| |
| | universally functional knowledge that all
|
| provide a service to the population as a
| |
| | sales professionals possess. The
|
| whole, but the average recipient of that
| |
| | open-source selling standards have been
|
| service has little opportunity to judge
| |
| | downloaded in 16 countries by over 300
|
| the qualification of the professional.
| |
| | people. Over 30 people have made
|
| This, the individual who wishes to make
| |
| | contributions.Because UPSA is not owned
|
| use of the services provided by
| |
| | by one person or any company, it is a
|
| professionals must rely on their
| |
| | member organization and guardian of the
|
| professional membership to determine
| |
| | global standard of entry into the sales
|
| qualifications.There are five attributes
| |
| | profession.
|
