Sales Is Not A Dirty Word

Daddy, I want to be a salesperson

The odds are pretty good that you never said this as a kid. Most kids want to grow up to be policemen, firemen, professional athletes, singers, actors, lawyers, and doctors. Not too many kids grow up dreaming of being a superstar salesperson. I have never witnessed children playing car dealership. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? How did that turn out for you? Many college graduates dont even wind up in the field that their degree is in. The good news is that the profession of sales can wind up being a lot better than your childhood dreams.

Most people back into sales as a career rather than choose it. Although thats not ideal, its certainly okay, as thats the way that I and many others became salespeople. I call people like myself who have found themselves in sales careers reluctant salespeople. When you started your job, you probably werent calling all of your friends and jumping up and down shouting that you had just gotten a position in sales.

Even though you picked up this book and maybe even bought it, there is a good possibility that you may not be that excited about sales at this moment. Not very many people are. Every year, polls and studies list sales as one of the least desired career paths. Very few colleges or technical schools have courses for selling. Most businesses dont offer formalized ongoing education for their salespeople.

The common frame of mind about salespeople is that they are supposed to be naturally talented or self taught. Salespeople are continually hired and fired based upon the results they produce, and little to no effort is made to improve them. The motto, Hire in masses and fire their asses is still the prevalent, though ignorant mentality today. Salespeople are hired everyday without any type of screening, testing or cogent analysis of their capabilities or talents for sales.

Here is the reality: Selling can, and should, be one of the noblest professions you can choose. Yes, thats right; I used the word noble. Among the definitions of noble in Wictionary from Wikipedia is the following: Having honorable qualities; having moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean or dubious in conduct and character. Shouldnt that be part of the definition of salesperson? Shouldnt that be the norm, rather than the exception? Why wouldnt anyone aspire to be that person, and to have that description as part of their career? For all the titles I have - author, speaker, trainer, consultant and entrepreneur - I am first and foremost a salesperson, and I always will be. I am proud of this title, and you should be as well.