What does it take to be a sales master?

To be a sales master, it will be a painful road, you will face challenges left and right. But be aware, there is no huge secret. It is simply spending time communicating with clients or potential clients.

I was raised in a family that sales men. My great-grandfather sold steel to factories (requiring managing clients and suppliers). My grandfather was a door-to-door salesmen selling vacuums, then moved to selling clothing for low-end and high-end companies (requiring managing suppliers and potential buyers). My father sold commercials (requiring finding potential clients, selling to them, and managing clients).

I was exposed to a sales environment. But I didn’t feel confident in selling or managing clients. To convince clients a specific value that my services or product can provide them. I felt fake, like an imposter in an environment of professionals.

I worked for a sales agency, I managed clients. What I learnt through these experiences and networking with other sales professionals.

You can learn techniques and frameworks (which will give you additional confidence and a foundation that you can sell). You can obtain a list of contact information of potential clients that are looking to buy your product or service. You can be more prepared or not prepared at all. You can feel confident that you handle rejections well. You can be raised from a sales environment.

Everything above can assist you to succeed in sales, but none is as effective as hours spent talking with clients.

Examples:

• Do a paid sales training course -> spent 4 weeks in theory, 2 weeks in practice
• Read about techniques and frameworks -> spent 4 weeks in theory, 0 weeks in practice
• Join a sales networking organization -> spent 4 week networking (this is essentially theory)
• Join a company and sell their product -> spent 6 months practicing

The value of practice in Sales is much more valuable than any theorical knowledge you can gain.

In conclusion, if you really want to get into a sales job. Don’t waste time learning about techniques and frameworks. Go through 20 actual interviews. (each one is practice for the next). Go through cold calling. Go through cold emailing. Go through client management.

If you have done all these practical steps. Within 2 years, you will be more skilled in Sales than any book, course, program you can consume.