In an age where companies must use a wide range of different marketing tactics to compete, the salesman has somewhat of a bad reputation. While many salespeople are helpful professionals, many people think of the aggressive telemarketer or the high-pressure car salesman when they picture what it looks like to work in sales. In actuality, sales jobs can be extremely lucrative and the experience attained can offer professionals an extreme advantage in the job market. Here are six payoffs you might not expect to have when you start a career in sales.
Rewards Go Beyond Just Commissions
Whenever you take a job, you expect to be paid as long as you are performing. Most people know that the top-selling professionals who are working for the right company can earn serious coin by hitting their targets. While a good salary and fair commissions are important, you need to look beyond the money. Many companies will offer their top salespeople company cars, bonuses, cruises, trips for conferences, and other perks that will make life in and out of the office more exciting.
Get Rewarded For Your Performance
In a job where you earn a fixed salary, you may know exactly what you are going to make each pay period, but there is not much incentive to do more than is expected of you. When you are a sales professional, if you do well each month, it shows in the form of your commission check. Since pay is results based, it pushes you to always be on your toes and perform so you get a reward.
Attain Skills You Can Use in Multiple Settings
If you naturally have the gift of gab, you may inherently be gifted at sales. You can easily land a job with some reputable companies selling products or services if you can sell yourself and communicate confidently. Being an exceptional communicator is not all you are when you work in sales, though. You can become marketable in different settings because you will learn how to keep your composure in tense situations, and how to maintain customer relationships. These are transferable skills you need in most settings.
Climbing the Sales Ladder Is Much Quicker than the Corporate Ladder
When you work in a corporate environment, climbing the ladder to lead, supervisor, manager, or executive roles involve more than just proving yourself. You will need to advance your education, pay your dues, and also build relationships with the higher ups. The ladders in the sales platform is much easier to scale. If you work hard and smart, and are able to show you are a high-performing professional, you can take top tier positions quickly without earning a post-secondary degree.
Learn About Products and Services
If you are hired to sell a specific product or service, you will not be an expert until you complete training. Since companies that hire a fleet of sales professionals are dedicated to training, you can learn more than you ever thought you would about the merchandise you sell. This makes you an expert with knowledge you can use to your advantage in most positions in the company.
Flexibility in the Sectors You Can Work In
You need to believe in what you sell and have a passion for it. If you truly believe people can benefit from what you are pitching, you will be all the more persuasive. It pays to look at what people who work for a particular company say about it. For instance if you are considering a technical sales position for security systems you might check “Glassdoor” and read what former employees say about Northstar Home security systems.
What is great about sales is the need for professionals in virtually every sector and industry. If you have proven yourself in one industry, you will have the professional freedom to cherry-pick a position in a new industry that is high in demand. Flexibility is beneficial as the economy changes.
Many employment experts believe that sales skills are the only skill every professional needs. This is because sales is more than just pressuring clients to buy something, it is explaining a decision and the logic behind making a beneficial decision. Being a salesperson in a direct sales role will teach you how to close, how to promote, how to negotiate, and how to be self-disciplined. Now that you know the payoffs, you can see why sales jobs are a great stepping stone for your career.
