Sales Rep 101 – Chapter 35

Commitment

Sales is a big commitment both mentally and financially. If you are new to sales or are just now thinking about getting into sales then congratulations. Because sales can be a fantastic career! However, it is not for everyone and you need to understand what it will take to start a career in sales. Probably the most important commitment you will need to make is financial. The first few months of sales in a new company is tough. Most companies will give you a 3-6 months salary to get started before you change over to commission. But that 3-6 month salary will be small. You will need to be able to live off savings or not much money for the first 6 months to a year. Some companies can get you up and running faster than others but for the most part it will take some time. That is why it is so important for you to ask detailed questions during the interview process so you will know exactly how you get paid.

You will also need to be committed mentally. So what do I mean by being committed mentally? Sales will challenge you in both good and bad ways. It will not be easy. Even some of the most successful sales people that are out there struggled in the beginning. I have been in sales for over 30 years and I have seen maybe a handful that hit the ground running and the few that I did see succeed early was because of being at the right place and the right time. You will need to commit to working on getting better consistently. Especially if you are new to sales. And making that commitment will be hard for some of you. It will take working on your weaknesses in the evenings and finding people that you can role play with. Yes, I said role play. I know it sucks and can be very embarrassing.

Believe me I have been there. But this the best way to get better in sales. You will be able to work on how you word your answers to objections and how to best present your product. It will take the willingness to do it but if you make that commitment it will be worth it in the long run. Some managers will make you role play and that will be a good thing. But if they don’t then find someone that will be willing to work with you and do it.

When you are first starting out in sales sometimes you will feel like quitting early on. And for some of you that is probably the best decision. However, if you think that you will like sales ask someone on your team to give you an honest assessment of your skills. If you have the skills to be good in sales then don’t give up to quickly. Like I said earlier, you need to be committed to getting better. So if you can afford to do it financially then give yourself 6 months to a year. Let me give you an example.

Later on in my career I had an opportunity to work for a company that I had wanted to work for over the years. It turned out to be bad timing when I first started at that job. I was frustrated and felt like I had been misled. But I really felt like if I could make it work then it would be a great fit for me. And that is just how it turned out. It took me almost a year to get where I wanted to go but once I got there I never looked back and still to this day it was one the best sales jobs I ever had. But it I would have quit even 9 months into it I would not have stayed long enough to reap the rewards.

Commitment. It is hard to be committed and stay committed but it is necessary in sales. Especially if you are new to sales.