Solving Problems

Sales is nothing more than the process of finding a problem and solving it. This is what a professional salesperson does. Of course, this is radically different from the conception that most have of salespeople. Instead, most carry the idea of "Herb Tarlek" from WKRP in Cincinnati as the image of what a salesperson is. Basically, they believe it is someone who is just trying to force their products down people's throats. This is not true.

A salesperson is not a con man. That is called a con artist. A salesperson is not a crook. That is called a crook. And a salesperson is not a swindler. Rather, a professional salesperson is someone who is schooled in his/her industry and is adept at uncovering problems within an organization. One these problems are realized, the salesperson can design a solution that solves the problem. This is what the pros do.

How is this different than the average "car salesman"? This is an industry which got a bad name and for good reason. These people tend to use hard sales tactics to get people to buy. This is not what I am referring to. The class of salesperson which I am thinking of operate more like doctors. They investigate a company's current situation by asking questions so as to fully understand what the problem might be. After that, they formulate a "prescription" which cures the ills of that company.

A salesperson is a problem solver. In this current economic environment, many companies are suffering large problems that they need help with. The most obvious situation confronting everyone is dwindling financial resources. This is where a salesperson can help. Do you have a product or service which will save a company money? This is something they are all looking for. Perhaps you can reduce the time/people needed to complete a particular task. This would equate to a savings for them. Regardless of the situation, seek to solve a problem.

Salespeople are what makes the economy flourish. Many will take exception to this idea but it is the truth. Few companies are complaining about the lack of qualified accounting personnel. Nor are they suffering from a lack of creative ideas. Every company is experiencing a loss in revenue. This is where the salespeople come in. They are the only ones who create revenues for a company. Everyone else is an expense.

It is good to remember this point when looking at this profession. There is still a stigma attached to it. However, never were professional salespeople needed as they are now. The entire economy is resting on our ability to excel at our jobs. Collectively, we are the ones who will turn this recession around.
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