The Importance of Starting Your Career in Sales

Sales are everywhere, and for many entrepreneurs, the ability to sell is considered the foundation of success. It’s no surprise that many people’s first job is in sales, as it provides invaluable skills that can be carried throughout their entire career. Working in sales involves learning how to communicate effectively, build strong relationships, and provide exceptional customer service. Having a sales position on your resume signals to future employers that you are a driven self-starter and a valuable team player. In this article, we will discuss the importance of starting your career in sales and provide some tips on how to succeed in this industry.

Look for a mentor

One of the first things you should do after starting a sales job is to find a mentor on your sales team that you can shadow and learn from. A mentor can be an invaluable resource, providing you with insights into the industry, guidance on how to deal with difficult clients, and tips on effective sales tactics. Ask your sales manager whether the company has a mentoring program in place, and if not, seek a recommendation from them on who you should approach about the opportunity.

Once you find a mentor, take the time to learn from them. Ask them about their experiences and what they’ve learned over the years in the business. They can teach you how to deal with tough clients who demand too much and provide strategies that work best for the company’s products. Your manager will appreciate your initiative, and you will learn invaluable information from someone who has been in the business for years.

Sell yourself first

Before you begin selling the product to other people, you have to sell it to yourself first. If you don’t believe in the product, you won’t be able to passionately sell it to customers. Take the time to learn about the many benefits offered by the product, and test it out to see what you think. If you’re a food distributor, take a sample of the product, taste it, and peek at the nutritional information. Customers will be able to sense if you’re selling something you don’t care about, so don’t start making sales calls until you’ve bought into what it is you’re selling.

Learn about the company

Customers should not be able to tell that you are a new salesperson, so you need to be familiar with everything that the company offers before making a phone call. You should learn how customers are invoiced, when deliveries will be made, and who they call when they are having issues with the product. You should be able to answer all of your customers’ questions without putting them on hold to find a manager first. It’s important that you display confidence on sales calls, and if you can’t answer questions, you will come off as very inexperienced and unorganized.

Don’t give up

The beginning of your sales career can be very frustrating. Sometimes, companies will pass off the most difficult clients to you, or they will have you make a lot of cold calls to find customers on your own. Either way, you may have to deal with a lot of rejection, which can be disheartening when you are trying to start a new career. Remember, even salespeople who have been in the business for a decade get rejected once in a while, so don’t let this stop you. Rejection is part of the business, and new salespeople have to be able to bounce back from it quickly.

Conclusion

Starting your career in sales provides invaluable skills that can be carried throughout your entire career. Having a sales position on your resume signals to future employers that you are a driven self-starter and a valuable team player. If you are preparing to start a job as a salesperson or wholesale distributor, following the tips outlined in this article can help you succeed. Look for a mentor, sell yourself first, learn about the company, and don’t give up. By doing these things, you will become a valuable asset to any sales team and be well on your way to achieving your career goals.