Adopting Sales As a Profession

A few weeks ago my manager asked me to tell a few people who were newer to sales what the “secret sauce” was that helped me achieve my goal the vast majority of the time. I didn’t have an answer at hand so I reassured them that I had been working at selling advertising of one form or another for over twenty years so they shouldn’t feel badly if things came less naturally to them.

But I think it’s important for top salespeople who want to mentor others to understand what makes them exceptional. If you can’t explain it, you can’t teach it.

Here are some tips that should help advertising directors make better hires and make salespeople better at their jobs.

The Traits of a Great Salesperson

1. Great salespeople consider themselves salespeople. They aren’t trying out sales until something else comes along and they didn’t get into it just for the money. When they call someone and are asked if this is a sales call, they should be able to proudly say “Yes!” and not have negative feelings toward working in sales.

2. They should be lifelong learners. There is always more to learn about sales. If your company does not provide sales training, there are many good books and courses on improving your sales technique.