Sales Jobs - Positive Attitude Required
It seems like when you go online, these days, there are job postings in every industry looking for someone to sell their products or services. Sales and selling is all about people so you must have a positive attitude to persuade people to buy. According sales guru Jeffery Gitomer (
Jeffrey Gitomer’s “The Little Red Book of Selling†it is a must read), the number one reason people buy is that they like their sales representative. I know it sounds too easy - that people buy because they like their sales representative. It’s true though. Of course, there are many other reasons why people buy, but they usually don’t buy from people they don’t like. So for people like you with a positive attitude, there are plenty of
sales jobs out there.
A positive attitude has everything to do with sales and selling. You could be selling the latest and greatest iPhone but if you have a bad or nasty attitude, most customers will go somewhere else to buy their iPhone. Even worse, they may even consider buying the next guy's cell phone that isn’t as great as the iPhone, but the sales representative is fabulous. In short, sales jobs are all about the customer – your potential customer must feel that, you as their salesperson, are credible, trustworthy, and confident before your potential customer will even consider buying your product or service. Really, would you buy from a person with a bad attitude? When you go to the supermarket, do you notice that the line is always longer for the cashier with the positive attitude – the one who is confident when faced with a price check and takes care to scan your groceries as opposed to the cashier that does not even know what is on sale that week. Just imagine that surly one selling products and services to a Fortune 100 company – do you really see that happening?
In sales, a positive attitude equips you to see potential and possibilities even when faced with the dreaded word “noâ€. Instead, a positive attitude equips you to overcome objections and rejection. Salespeople with positive attitudes are more likely to be confident, willing to take risks, recognize opportunities, create strong associations and networks, and take responsibility for their actions. Sales jobs are about people buying whether it is a multi-national company or a Ma & Pa country store. That’s not to imply sales jobs are easy (not so, to say the least) or that the product or service isn’t just as important, but you will not even get the chance to engage a customer if you have a bad attitude. So be sure to keep your positive attitude during your
sales job search, just as you would in front of the customer; it can and likely will make the difference in getting the attention you need to get the job or close the sale. Good luck with your job search and stay positive.