When noting the reasons why people don’t like to sell, I mentioned that selling isn’t secure. In reality, salespeople are very secure if they understand and practice their profession. I believe that sales skills are industry transferable. If a salesperson changes companies or industries, they do need to learn their new environment, but they will not have forgotten the principles of selling.
Outside Factors
Things go wrong in business and industry. There are a variety of outside factors that can upset sales careers. In April of 2009, if your job is selling capital equipment to General Motors, you are probably having a tough time making quota. Does that mean that you don’t understand or have forgotten how to sell? Not exactly. How are typewriter ribbon sales these days? Carbon paper salespeople are non-existent. They moved on.
Good Salespeople Adapt to Change.
In the mid-1980’s I sold computer systems to doctors. The first few systems we delivered did not have hard drives. They had a floppy drive for programs and one for data. As time went on, bigger capacity hard drives were introduced to computers for more data storage. These were exciting times. First there was a 5 mega-byte hard drive, then 10, 20, 40 and 80 mega-byte drives. One day we were introduced to the new 190 mega-byte hard drive. It was incredible. The retail price was $9,750 each. We sold them as fast as we could get them in stock and made a bundle. Over the years the prices of computer hardware fell to a point where there wasn’t enough profit in them to even sell hardware anymore. The irony of it all is that I can buy a 4 giga-byte thumb drive at the check out counter at my local drug store for about $20. One day they will be free. What did the evolution of computer hardware pricing have to do with sales skills? Nothing.
Bad Company
When things go wrong salespeople are the first to get flashlights shined into their faces. They get blamed for just about everything. In reality a bad economy, an evolving industry, a weak company or bad leadership can torpedo the progress of the best salespeople. Job security depends as much on the sales environment as on the person.
Who Needs Security?
If you can sell, you are employable. What business can you think of that doesn’t want or need revenue? Revenue occurs when sales are made. Salespeople are indispensable to business.
The Answer
If you are a skilled and hard working salesperson who is underachieving or displaced, step back and evaluate the lay of the land. Are you working for the wrong company in the wrong industry? Healthcare, government and energy are running on all cylinders these days. There are other segments that are thriving. Pick one and go there. Sometimes the problem is not you.
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