June 30, 2009
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Sales People are Born Not Made
Matt Nettleton
Have you ever heard someone say, "You should be in sales." Usually this comment is made to an outgoing and friendly person. People perceive them as born to sell. In some cases they are right. In most they aren't. There are many friendly and outgoing people in sales that can't get a deal through the sales cycle. There is a lot more to sales than being likable and outgoing. Rarely is there a person that starts their career and is an ideal fit for sales. It takes time, practice, discipline, and patience to become a good salesperson. Salespeople are made not born.
Sales, like any skill, takes practice. Professional athletes have a natural talent but they practice and refine that talent to be the best they can be. Some people have a natural skill set that lends itself to sales but the best salespeople take that talent and refine it. Each sales situation is unique but certain common obstacles usually arise. Getting past "gatekeepers", effective prospecting, budget being available, getting to decision makers and on and on. The more times a salesperson runs into these obstacles, the more adept they become at dealing with them. They refine their skills and anticipate these things arising. Sales can be a tough profession. There is usually a lot of rejection involved. Many people that are "born to sell" often wash out because they can't handle the rejection. Over time salespeople can build up a mindset to deal with rejection. They don't take it personally and are able to move on.
The myth that salespeople are born not made can negatively affect even good salespeople. They hear that they are a natural and never take steps to find techniques to make them better. The very people that can benefit the most from training never explore it as an option because they believe what they do can't be taught. That is what makes this myth particularly dangerous. Don't get sucked into the idea that your sales talent comes naturally. It is something you have developed and refined, knowingly or unknowingly. Seek out books, audio, seminars, and training that offer new techniques. They might not all be for you but there is something out there that can make you better no matter how good you are. Don't turn your back on that opportunity by convincing yourself that you were born to sell.
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