| ign="center"> | | | | to take more incoming leads as opposed to having to |
| Since it is my job to recruit sales professionals on a | | | | cold-call for them. |
| daily basis, I have a very firm grasp as to what a | | | | Though, the smaller the company you work for, the |
| sales career consists of including: | | | | more chance you have of making six figures two or |
| The daily tasks of a business development | | | | three years out of school. If everybody is selling a lot |
| professional, what it takes to be successful in sales, | | | | at any large firm, the company is less likely to give |
| the misconceptions that young people have about | | | | out raises as this alludes to the fact that the product |
| sales, the industries you want to get into, which | | | | is not too difficult to sell, and therefore employees |
| industries you want to avoid, base compensation for | | | | can quickly be replaced if they are not happy with |
| entry level candidates, expected earnings or OTE | | | | the current compensation structure. If you prove to |
| after sales commissions, future earnings if you | | | | a smaller company that you can sell their product, |
| succeed in business development, how to properly | | | | you can quickly negotiate a large increase in your |
| interview for a career in sales and much more. | | | | base salary. I've seen this done up to 45% in 3 |
| Obviously, to cover all of these facets, it is going to | | | | months. |
| take more than one article. Though, by the time | | | | Though, to command this kind of money, you have |
| we're through, you should have a firm understanding | | | | to be top notch at prospecting. When you get a |
| as to all the aspects which encompass a career in | | | | decision maker on the phone, you have to be |
| sales and you should have enough information as to | | | | lightening quick to engulf interest as you're going to |
| make an educated guess as to whether a career in | | | | get answering machines a lot. Similarly, you must be |
| sales is for you. | | | | able to talk your way in to getting conversations |
| Daily Tasks of a Sales Professional - this various by | | | | with some very hard to reach people. I remember |
| industry, though as a whole, it is the job of a sales | | | | that during college, I was working as a software |
| representative to do one thing and one thing only: | | | | sales rep in New York City and used to be able to |
| make the company money by bringing in business | | | | reach people like that not many people could. You |
| which would have otherwise not been available to | | | | have to be very resourceful when prospecting and, if |
| the organization. Sales involves a lot of prospecting. | | | | you're successful at it, you're worth your weight in |
| This could mean targeted email blasts, phone calls, | | | | gold. |
| following up with old leads, bringing back lapsed clients | | | | On a daily or weekly basis, you will also be updating |
| and a lot more. Prospecting is the sales work which | | | | and maintaining what is called a CRM system. CRM is |
| many find mundane (some like it, or they claim they | | | | an acronym for "customer relationship management." |
| do). Every profession has these types of | | | | More or less, a CRM system is a database of current |
| responsibilities and prospecting is the work in the | | | | clients, prospective clients whom you're speaking with |
| sales profession which is a necessary evil. | | | | and a list of industry relevant clients to cold-call. I was |
| Targeting new clients is typically easier when you | | | | lucky as I never had to work for somebody too long |
| have a well-known name behind you. However, this is | | | | because I was very disorganized with these systems |
| not a rule of thumb. There is also a seemingly inverse | | | | and didn't like them. However, companies have you |
| correlation between the size of the company you | | | | maintain them as a form of risk management. If you |
| work for and the amount of outbound, cold | | | | were to ever leave the company, they would have |
| prospecting which you have to do. More people are | | | | all of their leads ready and waiting for the next sales |
| going to call into a well-known firm which allows you | | | | employee. |