Are you committed to making it happen in sales? …Do you even want to be in sales? Whether or not you got into sales for the right reasons, (I sure didn’t!) it’s not too late to find purpose and satisfaction in what I think is the best profession in the world.
What is the primary reason you’re in sales?
I admit I first got into sales only because of the money and the car. I couldn’t afford car insurance, and I needed a job that supplied me with a car. As a result, I sought out a sales job that supplied me with a company car. That was my motivation for being in sales.
So between the money and car, I was a happy camper. But you know what’s funny? I got fired from my first two sales jobs. I didn’t know why I was in sales. Or perhaps I did, but it wasn’t the right reason to be in sales.
What is your motivation for being in sales?
It wasn’t until my third sales job, selling cars that my boss pulled me into his office, sat me down, and really grilled me as to why I was in sales and whether or not I was committed. He could tell that I wasn’t in sales for the right reason.
He said, “Until you focus on the customer; understanding the needs of the customer, what drives the customer, why we’re helping the customer—you’re not going to be successful.”
I still remember that day very well—I was on my way to getting fired from my third sales job! I thank my boss, Valester Perkins, for sitting me down.
Sales is about the customer.
Sales is not the commission. It is not all the other thrills and chills that we get out of it. Sales is totally about the customer. Without the customer, we wouldn’t have sales. We wouldn’t have commissions, we wouldn’t have a job.
And yet I find so many salespeople not paying attention to that, and instead racing forward. They have the initial call and if they’re in tech, they want to race to the demo and they want to try to close. But it never happens, because they didn’t take the time upfront to really understand the customer. Understanding the industry is not enough, that individual customer requires special attention.
Prospecting the top of the funnel is all about understanding the customer, understanding their needs. If we can’t be committed to that, we’re not going to be successful.
Be thankful for the opportunity to work with customers.
Do you value your customer?
Each day, I want you to stop and be thankful for the opportunity to work with your customers regardless of where we are in the process, or the quality of customers you might have. Without them, you wouldn’t have a job.
Sales is a people business. Understanding their needs is where it happens.
My decision to pursue a career in sales stems from a combination of personal interest, professional aspirations, and the desire to make a positive impact. Sales allows me to leverage my interpersonal skills, embrace continuous learning, influence others positively, nurture my entrepreneurial spirit, and reap financial rewards—all while doing what I love. It’s not just a job; it’s a fulfilling journey that aligns with my passions and goals, and I couldn’t be happier with my choice.
Happy Selling,
David
