Getting ready for your new sales job? A new sales job can be an intimidating proposition. Not only do you need to impress your new employer, but you also need to meet your own sales goals and build rapport with customers. To do this, you need to prepare. You can’t show up for the first day of your new sales job without having done some research or prepared your technique and expect to do well. However, if you do your homework, you’ll impress your new employer and hit the ground running.
We’ve put together a list of things you can do to prepare for your new sales job. Tackling each of these tasks will help you to be well-prepared and confident going into your first day.
A good salesperson is not only persuasive but also knowledgeable. You’ll be better able to overcome customers’ concerns and answer their questions if you know all about the products or services you’ll be selling. As you do your research, make sure you can answer the following questions about each product:
People also want to know about the company they’re buying from, so brush up on details about the company. Learn about its leaders, its founding, its policies, and why customers should trust them.
When you try to sell products or services, it’s wise to understand the target audience. Trying to sell baby products to people who don’t have children is obviously a waste of time, but many times, the target audience is not quite so obvious.
Maybe the target audience of the product you’re going to be selling is CEOs of financial companies. Do you know how to speak their language? Do you know what’s important to them? Learn as much as you can about the target market, and adjust your tried-and-true selling techniques to match the market. If you do, you’ll succeed in your new sales job.
This is especially important if you haven’t had a sales job in a while. Before you show up for your first day at your new sales job, read books, blogs, and articles about the latest selling techniques. You’ll probably learn some tips, tricks, and psychology that you didn’t know about before. To do well in your new sales job, you’ll need to be current in your job skills.
Whether you’re gearing up for a second interview or you’re ready to go out and give your first sales pitch, you need to be prepared to be put on the spot. Make a list of tough questions you may be asked, and think about each question until you have satisfactory answers for each question. To be even more prepared, ask a friend to help you practice. Your friend can read the questions to you, and you can practice giving your prepared answers.
As you start your new sales job, you’ll undoubtedly meet unexpected challenges, but if you have prepared well, you’ll be better able to handle them. Do your research. Know your products, the company, and your target market. Then read up on current sales techniques, and practice being put on the spot. If you prepare well, you’ll have the confidence you need to meet your goals and succeed at your new sales job.
Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations.