Margie Barkley: The Secret Truth About Working in Sales: What They Dont Say

The profession of sales has always been one that is captivating. It used to be that the ability to convince and speak persuasively was the ticket to a lucrative career in sales. People believed that by speaking well they could easily persuade others to buy. This was a false notion when working in sales.

Truthfully, the world is much more complex and difficult than it appears. It’s a world with over 5.7 millions sales representatives. You’ll understand the realities of this arena only by first-hand experience. A successful sales representative today must have more than just the gift of gab. Fast-talking salespeople have long since disappeared. They must instead embrace a hybrid position, combining skills of a rep and the expertise of consultant.

It’s important to uncover the hidden truths about sales before you dive into it headfirst. We want to give you the information you need to decide if a career in sales is right for you.

This blog will help you understand the reality of sales work.

1. Every day, leave your ego outside the door.

William Clement Stone

It’s not easy to be a salesperson. One of the best ways to succeed is by putting your ego aside every day. You’re going to hear “no” a lot as a salesperson. You may be turned down without explanation, or they might ignore your first communication. You can easily let your ego, want to be the best, or have the final word take over. But that is not productive. Successful salespeople know that they must provide solutions to their clients while putting personal biases aside.

It is important to remove ego when interacting with clients in order to build long-lasting relationships. You become more relatable and genuine when you put your ego aside. This allows you to add a personal touch in your interactions with clients. By doing so, you will build trust and make it easier for your clients to share their concerns with you. This also involves focusing on your customer’s perspective and showing humility in your approach. You will be able to establish a connection with your prospects and gain their respect.

Every day is different, but you must let go of your self-centeredness, defensiveness and boasting. You should instead focus on understanding the pain points of your customers, showing empathy and communicating in a transparent manner. This will allow you to build relationships that last years and help you succeed in a field as competitive as sales. While working in sales, remember that your ego will not be your best friend. You are not your customers.

2. Continuous learning is a must

Jim Rohn said, “Practice can be just as important as a sale.” Jim Rohn

It’s not enough to just have a chance to grow. You need to be relentless in your efforts to improve yourself. You cannot expect your sales manager to inform you about ways to improve. Self-teaching can be a critical skill for a career in sales. This helps you to stay motivated, improve your skills, and make yourself stand out amongst other sales representatives.

By being a keen observer, and by analyzing each action that you take, you can design a more efficient way of getting the job done. It is important to expand your knowledge beyond the current work process. Talk to your team and other leaders about the latest sales trends and how you can implement them in your work process. It is important to learn from other industries. Reading motivational books for a few hours each day is a good way to stay motivated.

It is more than just attending seminars and reading books. Asking questions and actively looking for opportunities to improve your skills means you are taking responsibility for your own education. Successful sales representatives have a curiosity for learning and a determination to improve.

You can learn a lot from your customers and prospects. You can ask your customers or prospects relevant questions about how you can improve their experience of working with you. Analyze the processes in your company and look for ways to make them more efficient. Distribute questionnaires or conduct surveys to get feedback from customers.

3. Resilience – Triumphs and Tribulations

Thomas Paine: “The more difficult the conflict, the greater the glory of the victory.”

Sales can be a rollercoaster ride full of thrills, challenges and triumphs. It’s important to enjoy the successes, but it’s also crucial to prepare for the inevitable bumps along the way. It’s important to develop resilience and a strong positive mindset in order to navigate through difficult times, learn from setbacks and emerge even stronger.

Resilience means the ability to overcome adversity. It’s an important trait for any salesperson. No matter how experienced or skilled you are, the sales process will always be unpredictable. Setbacks will happen, whether you have a dip in your sales, lose a large deal or are dealing with a difficult client.

How can you maintain a positive attitude and develop resilience in the face adversity. Start by accepting that failures are part of the journey to success and re-framing them into opportunities for learning and growth. Take a step back when you face a problem and try to find the lesson. You can ask yourself how you can improve your future approach by using the knowledge you gained from this situation.

4. Relationships are more important than transactions

Katherine Barchetti: “Make a client, not a sales.”

It’s easy to become enamored with the thrill of a deal in the world of selling. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a successful deal, but don’t lose sight of the most important thing: relationships. Strong connections with clients will reap many rewards, including a loyal client base and a strong network of professionals.

How can you nurture these relationships? Start by putting yourself in the shoes of your customers. It’s important to treat your customers with the same respect as you would high-value clients, even if you don’t know if they will buy. Even if you don’t benefit directly, take the time to provide them with resources.

Your positive attitude and helpfulness will set you apart when you treat each prospect or customer with respect, and you value their needs. Don’t forget about following through on your promises. You must deliver what you promise to a client. You will gain their trust by being reliable and consistent. This can be extremely valuable in the long term.

Take a step away from transactional thinking and instead focus on developing strong relationships. It will not only make your job more satisfying, but can also lead you to greater success.

5. Time management challenges

Jim Rohn: “Discipline bridges the gap between goals and achievement.”

Multitasking is a skill that sales professionals need to master, since they must manage their time effectively to balance several priorities. Sales professionals spend hours researching potential customers online, creating email campaigns and perfecting their sales pitches. Sales is not an easy job. This job requires long hours and a schedule that includes 24/7 availability. Sales professionals need to be able to manage their time well and adaptable.

Imagine you are a professional salesperson, with a day full of appointments and deadlines. You are constantly communicating with clients, managing team communication, and coordinating across departments. You must be an expert in time management and organization to excel in this career.

Salespeople spend a lot of time researching prospects and markets. They may have to read countless articles in the industry, analyze data and then make strategic decisions on the basis of their findings. It takes hours of analysis and research, which is done behind a computer.

A career in sales can be anything but easy. This is a demanding career that requires commitment, extensive knowledge and excellent organizational skills. Success is still possible for those who are willing to invest the necessary time and effort. To succeed, you need to have the right combination of focus, skill and hustle.

6. Adapting to Technological Advancements

John Chambers, Cisco

In the digital age of today, it is not an option, but a must, for all sales professionals. Sales reps who adopt new technologies and tools can improve their productivity, streamline processes and provide a better customer experience. Technology is not an enemy but an indispensable ally, which can give sales strategies a competitive advantage and help them reach new heights.

Avoiding the trap of sticking with legacy work processes is a golden rule to achieve success in sales. Sales reps must be open-minded and stay abreast of the latest technologies to make their jobs easier.

Welcome to the world of video! The days of sales reps having to manually reach out to every potential client to establish rapport, sending templated emails or scheduling face-to-face meeting are over. Technology has now made it possible to send personalized videos to clients that put a human face on your company, thus enhancing client relationships. Videos can be used in every phase of the sales cycle, from prospecting to follow-ups, demos, sales support, and closing.

You may wonder, “Isn’t creating videos for each prospect time-consuming?” Hippo Video has the solution: Video Flows, and Humanize AI. You can choose a template video that suits the sales stage of your prospects and upload or record videos according to each slide. The end result is a professional and seamless video. Humanize AI makes it easy to create personalized videos in large quantities. You can create hundreds videos that are tailored to each client, and the AI voice-personalizes each video by calling them each by name, and personalizing their background with LinkedIn profiles or websites. This technology was never available before and makes clients feel heard and seen in a new way.

An image of video flows - an ideal tool for those working in sales.

ChatGPT is another tool that can be used effectively. It will take off the most difficult sales tasks, which are essential to be productive in sales. It will ensure that you always know what to say and how to say it. ChatGPT offers insights about market trends, potential clients, and industry trends. ChatGPT helps you to stay informed and provides all the necessary data.

In conclusion, it is important to incorporate technology into your sales process. Tools such as ChatGPT and videos can give you an advantage and take your sales strategy to the moon and beyond.

re you sales-ready?

Sales is a career that takes you beyond the surface. You can unlock the potential of a sales career by putting your ego aside, learning continuously, building resilience, prioritizing relationship, mastering time-management, and adapting technology advancements. Step into the worlds of sales with these secrets and you will be able to navigate challenges, seize chances, and achieve amazing results. It’s important to remember that it is the unsaid secrets which will shape your journey through the dynamic world sales.

Hippo Video will show you how videos can change your career in sales. Humanize AI features, AI Editor, Video Flows and Teleprompter allow you to connect with your audience on a personal level. Hippo Video is available today to try out its capabilities. Our pricing has been redesigned and we now offer a Freemium option that allows you to test our platform without any cost.