Raison d’etre for being in Sales

Raison d’etre for being in Sales

Work hard and play harder should be the motto for all successful sales people.  It’s definitely the raison d’etre for being in sales in the first place.  If you can’t make money in your current sales situation, it’s time to pivot, quit or move on.  Don’t stay where you can’t play as hard as you work!

This morning, I encountered a true beast in sales.  Someone who has surpassed all the previous records in a company I recently became affiliated with.  It was truly impressive.  

Guess what?

It takes hard work and effort. 

Work ethic should be the only determination of a sales professional’s success.  Put in the knowledge, skills and elbow grease and come out with proper compensation.  So how do you know if things are working or not?

  • Give Yourself a Fair Timeline
  • Keep Your Eyes Peeled 
  • Take Frequent Temperature Checks

Give Yourself a Fair Timeline:  Decide how long you will work on a new product or offer.  It is only fair to try at least a quarter.  Test it, test it, test it.  Journal about your progress, listen to how it’s being received.  Take copious notes about each transaction, successful or not.  Monitor it closely without your emotions, data is king.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled:  Is it you?  Is anyone else successful?  If so, what does it take for them to do what you want to do?  Do you honestly think you can do it?  What is the trick to getting it done?  What are the impediments?  Is it possible?  Can you even give it away without a monetary exchange?

Take Frequent Temperature Checks:  There are many reasons why some products fail.  There are many reasons why great salespeople get hindered from success.  See what trends and successful people are doing.  Measure it against yourself.  Is it you?  Is it the product?  Is it the sales model?  Is it the company?  Get uncomfortable and avoid getting blind sighted.

Years ago, I was in love with a product I couldn’t even give away as a pilot for schools.  As generous as the pilot was designed, no school said yes.  It was heartbreaking.  I knew and admired the creator of this product, but it wasn’t what the market was demanding.  Eventually, we parted ways. The company had to refocus and was sold to a much larger successful company.

It wasn’t the fault of the design, but it was not meeting the demands of the market.  My presentations were well attended, I did my best, but the outcome would not change for the better. It took brutal honesty to throw in the towel. Like most disappointments, it was a great teacher.


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