(as seen in Spotlight On Business Magazine)
The word ‘sales’ or the thought of ‘selling’ often produces a tremendous amount of stress in people’s lives. Whether you’re an entrepreneur who relies on business development to survive; a sales manager or professional whose evaluations and incomes depend on quotas; or a customer who has been approached by one too many pushy or desperate sales people; the reference to sales and selling can trigger major heart palpitations across the board.
In a recent online study, ‘Sales Account Manager’ ranked as the second most stressful job with 73% of the respondents evaluating the role as ‘highly stressful’. This ‘selling to survive’ or ‘fear of selling’ mindset, in business or career, can cause major anxiety ultimately reducing one’s productivity, success and well-being.
Despite the stress and negative perceptions, I’ve spent most of my career in sales. And have been successful doing so. From photocopiers to personal loans to skincare products to media campaigns and advertising, for some of the largest global brands, I’ve sold it. I’ve had monthly quotas, quarterly quotas, annual quotas, team goals, individual goals, coaching accountability and, all the while, having high customer service expectations to live up to. I’ve done business to business sales, where I’ve pounded the pavement and I’ve done telephone sales, during primetime dinner hours, which made for some of my most interesting sales stories.
So how have I managed to last so long in an industry with such a bad rap?
I’ve always had a curiosity for many careers across many different industries. Thankfully, sales have let me explore and satisfy this curiosity. Regardless of the industry I was in, or product or service I was selling, one thing that has served me well are the transferrable skills I’ve learned along the way. I attribute my success to the training and coaching I was given. Along with being equipped with valuable resources, strategies, systems, and not to mention lots of practice.
The reality is that everyone is selling something. Whether you sell yourself in a job interview, to a new boyfriend, to his parents, to your clients, or your ideas to your friends, peers or colleagues, everyone is always selling something.
The resistance to sales are a result of many factors. Lack of clarity in your objectives or lack of confidence in your selling skills, sales systems, products or service. What is clear though, is the sooner you get comfortable with it, the easier the process and experience will be.
I’m excited to be teaming up with Spotlight on Business Magazine to deliver this monthly column, The Dynamic Soul of Selling. My mission, which is consistent with my coaching business, is to share my sales knowledge with tips, strategies and insights to help others get over their fear of selling.
Stay dynamic,
Jody
Jody Euloth is the CEO of The Mesh Media Network and Founder of The Dynamic Soul of Selling. She helps entrepreneurs, business and sales professionals and creative visionaries get over their fear of selling so they can generate more revenue and make a bigger impact in business.
Social handles @jodyeuloth
