Is Sales a respected profession?

Throughout my professional journey, I have witnessed the transformation of the Sales profession. Initially, it was a Sellers' market where supply often fell short of demand. However, the landscape has shifted, and we now find ourselves in a Buyers' market with supply often exceeding demand. This shift underscores the importance of a skilled Sales team. Today, capturing market share is paramount. A good product and a competent sales team can win half the battle. Consequently, corporations are heavily investing in the training and development of their Salesforce. The Sales profession has evolved significantly since I began my career, becoming more structured and scientific. It now demands the most knowledgeable and competent individuals.

But why hasn't Sales been the profession of choice? Before addressing this question, let's define who a salesperson is.

All of us play the role of a salesperson at some point, whether in our family, society, or profession. Selling is the art of convincing or aligning, making it an integral part of life, whether for a product, service, idea, or concept. Even a dream for the future needs to be sold. When you tell your child about the importance of being a good human being, you are selling a dream. When you convince a friend to change their eating habits, you are selling a new lifestyle and its benefits. In life, those who can sell well often find success.

A sales professional performs this act as part of their profession, earning their livelihood from it. A salesperson sells products or services to potential customers, seeking to solve prospects' challenges through the products they offer. Great salespersons possess strong selling and communication skills. Even concepts, new ideas, or future dreams can be sold. When you appear for a job interview, you are selling yourself. You might be the most talented person, but if you can't sell yourself, your talent doesn't matter because you won't get hired. Many brilliant ideas could turn into successful businesses, but if the idea can't be sold, it will never take off. There are countless examples of this. People with great ideas to tackle some of the world's biggest problems must sell those ideas before they become actionable and benefit everyone. So, SELLING is crucial.

Now, the big question: Is Sales a respected profession? This is a much-debated topic in many societies. It's clear that not many people aspire to be a Salesperson. In many countries, people become salespersons not by choice but because they have no other options, and there are plenty of Sales jobs available. This is where the problem lies. Everyone feels they can become a Salesperson, which is far from the truth.

While all salespeople must be able to converse with customers, different sales jobs require different personality types and skill sets. Remember, the Sales profession is all about knowledge and skill. It demands a high level of Leadership.

Like any other profession, some people succeed in Sales, while others fail miserably. The difference is that we come into close contact with both successful and unsuccessful salespersons daily, forming opinions about the profession. However, much happens behind the scenes in the Sales profession, requiring high levels of Leadership and personal competencies.

A salesperson on the shop floor in a supermarket, trying to sell products to you, is doing a simple and basic sales job. But even that salesperson must prepare with product knowledge and basic communication skills to earn their livelihood. They should be treated with respect and dignity, like any other employed professional in a sedentary job. The difference is that they work in a completely different, often more challenging environment than an office with a table and chair. So, next time you visit a supermarket or store, please show respect to the salesperson behind the counter or on the shop floor. They are doing their job with the objective of helping you.

When we think of a Sales job, we visualize the salesperson described above because we encounter them daily. However, there are various sales jobs, some much more complex, requiring high levels of competencies and leadership. Sales forecasting is part of the sales job and it calls for a high level of knowledge and skill. Sales Professionals are the face of an organization. They are responsible for making the brand popular and promoting products among end-users. They help run the organization successfully by generating revenues and earning profits.

During our growing-up years, Sales was not a preferred profession in our society. It was all about Engineers, Doctors, and Scientists. Doctors, lawyers, and engineers all have degrees in their respective fields. In earlier days, there was no formal training for Sales professionals. Many learned the tricks through in-house mentorship and on-the-job training from experienced people.

Today, as universities recognize that Sales is a lucrative career in high demand, many offer certificate or diploma programs in Sales. Today MBAs are joining sales profession for learning the business challenges better. Employers seek skilled and educated salespeople just as they search for marketers, accountants, and consultants. For many years, there has been a negative perception of Salespeople. We think they are out to take advantage of us and trick us into buying something, which is far from the truth. A Salesperson's job is to help you with information for decision-making.

Fortunately, the situation is changing. When you consider the knowledge and skills needed to become a successful Salesperson, perceptions change. A successful salesperson must have a high level of soft skills like Curiosity, Result focus, Courage, service orientation, negotiation and communication skills etc. It is now widely acknowledged that Sales personnel are the main pillar of any business. Salespeople are professionals. Let's give them the respect they deserve.

So, next time you visit the grocery store or supermarket, remember to show respect to the Sales Professional standing there to help you.