Here are some keys that will help you obtain that first job in sales or customer service. Once you arrive, continue with these fundamentals and you will be positioned to rise to the top of your industry:
Decide where you want to work. Find a company that you can believe in and a product or service that you trust. If you can sell it to yourself, the potential is there for you to excel. No one wants a salesperson they cannot trust and if you work for a company that you do not agree with, it will eventually show up in your lack of enthusiasm.
Every interview needs to be treated as a sales call. Do your homework and learn everything you can about the potential employer. Decide how your strengths and personality will fit in and how you will add value to this company. If you are going to sell a product that you are particularly interested in, make that known. Passion goes a long way in driving the sales professional to succeed. A product or service that you can take ownership of will automatically spark the genuine enthusiasm that an employer is looking for when interviewing.
If you already know the industry or field of sales, you desire to enter, start building relationships with others that are already in the business. The more people you talk to, the better your chances are of being privy to inside information, job leads, and being introduced to people who can help further your career.
Customer service is key in any customer service jobs Especially today, with all of the advances of technology, business transactions have become increasingly impersonal. Going the extra mile to develop relationships will cause you to stand out above the competition. Technology may have experienced a drastic change over the years, but the fundamentals of sales and jobs in customer service have remained the same. The name of the game is personal relationships. Being a good listener with the ability to assess your client’s needs is an invaluable quality. Sometimes your client will have unmet needs that they are not even aware of. Having the ability to recognize and solve these potential problems will further solidify your relationship and keep you one step ahead of the competition.
Be proactive. A potential employer wants to employ a sales person who will take the initiative to anticipate potential problems as well as opportunities and have the ability to develop concrete plans for continued growth and success. Again, this is much easier to do with a company you believe in. Keep yourself informed on industry trends and potential new clients. The more information you have, the more valuable you will be to your employer.
Be the salesperson that you would want to buy from. A sales or customer service position is a liaison between two entities. A smart sales person will strive to keep both the manufacturer or service provider and the end user equally happy. Always present the company you work for in the best possible light. If there ever comes a time when you are unable to do this, changing employers is a better idea than badmouthing them to potential clients.
Develop the ability to handle rejection. Not as easy as it sounds, but successful sales people have tough skins and do not take the loss of a sale personally. Especially if the industry you are in requires cold calling or showing up to potential clients unannounced. You are going to have to make many calls, follow many leads, and knock on a lot of doors to develop the financially rewarding client base that you desire. Instead of getting discouraged, treat rejection as a learning experience, assessing what may have gone wrong and making the necessary adjustments to increase your potential for success next time.
Excelling in any field takes hard work, ambition, and dedication. jobs in customer service or sales jobs are no different. Not everyone is cut out for a career in sales, but for those who are, the future looks promising and lucrative.
