The WSJ just published an article in October ‘22, that suggested there are 700,000 sales jobs open right now in the US. My observations are congruent with that.
In my client base, EVERY CLIENT is looking for sales help. EVERY. ONE.
And with 7,000,000 unemployed (and going higher every month) it strikes me as odd that so many sales positions remain open.
Yet, they have trouble filling these highly paid positions.
My Two Daughters Are Why
I have two lovely, impressive daughters, Kelly, the older, and Kara, the younger. Both are in the tech space and have good jobs, earning good money, with a good future.
But neither one of them wants anything to do with sales.
And in the tech space, the salesperson can be a high-income earner – and can be extremely mobile.
And all that resistance after having a father (me) who has been in the sales coaching space for nearly 30 years – 5 books, 1000 podcasts, online courses. I guess the biblical quote. “A prophet is without honor in his own home” rings true. 🙂
So why their reluctance?
They’re both easy to talk to and listen to. They’re both engaging. They’re both sharp and don’t let anything slip by them (sometimes annoyingly so 🙂 They’re both good writers and communicators. And they both are unafraid of strangers.
What gives?
Well, it’s the same thing that ‘gives’ for many people who could be great in the sales profession but have not made the move. They are sales-reluctant.
This article deals with some myths about selling and some advice (from Dad).
Understand What Sales Is. (It’s not what you think)
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- Sales is the intersection of your value and their problem. The key is to find where that intersection is. You do not interrogate people to find that intersection. A good questioner — someone who’s curious — can find it quickly.
- Sales is a ‘helping’ career. You help people get from where they are to where they want to be. You are the guide – think Obi-Wan Kenobi. If you can help enough people get from their A to their B, you will be a high performer.
Get Clear on the Value You Offer Through the Pain You Find and Fix
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- Clarity is key here. If you take a sales position, make sure you get training to understand HOW your solution fixes their problems. And become fixated on that. Value is ALWAYS tied to the relief of pain. Once you understand this, the pressure is off.
- All you have to do is find people that have problems (and money to fix). Once you show up, you are simply sorting the people who have problems and want to fix them from the people who have neither. You’re a sorter, of sorts 🙂
Human Nature is at the Heart
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- The saying is, “No one wants to be sold – but everyone likes to buy.” Agree. BUT they like to buy from people who they believe have their best interest at heart. The amateur salesperson only thinks about himself (and his commission). The true PRO can jettison that intent and be totally focused on the problems the prospect has.
- Human nature hasn’t changed in thousands of years. People do what they believe is in their best interest (not yours) to do. So don’t make selling about your outcomes – make it about theirs.
Stop Selling and Start Finding
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- I’m blown away by how managers choose salespeople. They think the person who’s the most enthusiastic and the most persuasive will win the day. They won’t. That’s old thinking. The high achiever is a hawk for problems. They don’t create problems for prospects – they simply find them. Once you get really skilled at problem-finding, selling is easy.
- Remember story problems from 8th-grade math? You were unable to solve them until you understood what the problem was. Then it was easy. The skill was in uncovering the problem. Sounds like selling to me.
It’s Not Magic. It’s Process.
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- It’s a myth to think that great sales professionals have some kind of magic they work on people. Once we get past the “it’s magic” myth, we can work on the real issue – “process.”
- Every great performer has a process they work. You’ve heard pro football coaches/players say, “We just followed the process.” Same here.
- If you think “process,” you will be successful in the profession. You must have a documented process that illustrates how you will guide people through from start to finish. It must be in their best interest to follow it – not just your best interest.
- If you’re a process-thinker (engineer/technical person), you’ll be great in sales. In fact, in my book “Same Game New Rules“, I suggest that engineers make the best salespeople. Not because they’re smarter – but because they think linearly.
How does it feel now? More confident in your ability to handle this? Thought so. Glad to have helped.
If you’re considering a move, OR, if you’re in sales now but not achieving at your highest level possible, I created a course called THE NEW RULES OF SELLING.
It is a comprehensive, yet an easy-to-consume course that will propel you forward. I’ve lowered the price to $97 so that it’s accessible to the masses.
If you’re considering a move to, or up, check it out. And make the move. You’ll thank me in 10 years.
