I want to be professional". I'd have a decent sized pot of
cash if I'd received a pound for every time a salesperson
has said this to me.
"I want to be professional".
What do they mean by this? Is there such a thing as a
professional salesperson? Does it matter anyway? And how
can you become a professional salesperson?
It always intrigues me every time a salesperson says that
they want to be professional. Do they mean that they want
to act professionally or do they want to be seen as more
professional by their peers or something entirely different?
Certainly, many salespeople do not see their chosen career
as a professional one, that's for sure...
Take the case of a young salesman I spoke to recently. He's
earning decent money, he has good promotional prospects and
he is well thought of by his company, his peers and in his
industry... Yet he is thinking of doing something else.
He's considering something "more professional", something
with a structured career in place. Perhaps going back and
studying again.
Whilst I think it is important that people follow their
dreams it would be wrong to change jobs simply because
selling might not be "professional". Particularly in the UK
people sneer at sales as a profession anyway. Maybe this is
because you don't need a degree to get into sales, perhaps
it's because there aren't any recognised qualifications,
exams or governing bodies or maybe it's just tradition. Is
it because of the old class system, old school ties or
maybe just because the people who run the country aren't
very good at it?
So let's knock this one straight on the head right here and
right now... Selling is a profession.
Dictionary.com defines "profession" as:
A vocation requiring knowledge of some department of
learning or science - selling then. Any vocation or
business - err, selling then. The body of persons engaged
in an occupation or calling - and , ummm, selling again! So
selling is most definitely a profession then. What's more,
selling as a profession has a lot to say for itself:
Money! From a monetary point of view people entering sales
can earn good money. With commissions, bonuses and other
benefits , very good money. I know salespeople with only a
couple of years worth of experience earning more than
lawyers with the same amount of experience (and they've
done years worth of training).
Opportunity. Selling provides huge promotional opportunity.
Every company needs sales and people who can sell well
wield a lot of power. Rapid promotional prospects are often
available to them. These paths to the top are often a lot
quicker than more structured and traditional professions
and paths where the path is laid out for you.
Fun. Selling is a varied and interesting job in which you
meet people, can travel and where every day can bring a new
task.
Challenge. Selling is challenging. In sales we deal with
people and people always provide challenges. Learning to be
flexible and dealing with different people in different
situations, from different backgrounds and with different
levels of experience is very rewarding.
But I don't think that the reality is really the problem
here. The problem is usually the salesperson's perception.
The issue is that they don't see sales as professional
therefore they don't see themselves as professional...
And this often means that they don't act as a professional!
Many salespeople do not do a professional job. Think of a
few personal experiences and you will immediately know what
I am saying. Because of the low barriers to entry many
salespeople will behave unprofessionally and do an
unprofessional job. That's just the way it is.
But you're not one of them!
There are unprofessional lawyers but that doesn't make all
lawyers unprofessional. There are unprofessional
accountants but that doesn't make all accountants
unprofessional. There are unprofessional surveyors but that
doesn't make all surveyors unprofessional. Far from it, in
fact.
Just because there are unprofessional salespeople does not
stop you from being a professional salesperson! And if you
want to get on in sales this is exactly what you need to be.
Unfortunately, many salespeople don't take action. They
don't do what is necessary. They mistake low barriers to
entry for low effort being required to succeed. Turning up
at 9, leaving at 5 and doing the bare minimum is not the
way to behave as a professional. Taking the easy route is
not the path to professionalism. Ultimately,
professionalism is not where you came from, which school
you went to or which career you picked - professionalism is
what you do consistently.
If you want to be a professional, if you want to be treated
like a professional, if you want to feel like a
professional then you need to take consistent action.
Here are my top 5 tips for acting like a professional...
1. Know your industry inside out
Professional salespeople know their industries inside out.
They're the ones who always have the information to hand.
They're well prepared, well read and knowledgeable. They
know how they fit into the industry, who the main players
are and who their competition is.
2. Know how to add value
Professional salespeople understand their products and how
they add value for their clients. They study case studies
and know how they can apply them for their clients. They
understand the differences between their and their
competitors' offerings. They care about their clients and
help them to make the right buying decisions. They know
when to stick and when to fold. They know how to add value
before, during and after the sale.
3. Study top performers
All professional people have role models. This can be
someone you know or someone you read about. It must be
someone who you consider to be a consummate professional.
Choose carefully and choose wisely. This does not have to
be a formal process but that does not make it any the less
important. Studying top performers, understanding how they
behave and why, is essential if you want to be a
professional. Modelling top performers can accelerate your
learning and improve your skills rapidly.
4. Create a study programme for yourself
When did you last read a book on selling? Or listen to an
audio? Or watch a DVD? Or attend a training programme? Or a
seminar? Now ask yourself the same question but add in "off
your own bat" i.e. not sent or given by your boss. For many
salespeople the answer is never! All accountants, lawyers,
doctors etc have self development plans. They have to
complete a certain amount of study to remain up to date.
Some salespeople tell me that they have never read even one
book on sales. How can you claim to be professional if you
don't study?
5. Look sound and act like a professional
To be a professional you need to look, sound and act like a
professional. Take a look around your office now. Who would
you view as professional? Who wouldn't you?! Now rate them
all on a scale of 1 to 10 and think about why you made
those choices (I'm not recommending you tell them though!).
It will be because of their actions. What they wear, how
they talk, the kinds of questions they ask, how intently
they listen, how focused they are...
So the answer to the question, "Is there such a thing as a
professional salesperson?" is a resounding yes! And, of
course, yes, we do care! So the only question worth
considering is, "What are you going to do to attain and
maintain your status as a professional salesperson?"
----------------------------------------------------
To join speaker and author Gavin Ingham's free Sales
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free visit http://www.gaviningham.com now.
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