They say ‘people come into sales not by choice but by chance’. Is it?

I do not think so… A job in sales could be a stepping stone to incredible wealth, an influential career and a satisfactory level of work-life balance. There are hundreds of reasons why people today want to consider launching a career in sales by choice.

 I, however, was the fortunate few who chose to sell by choice. I always believed being good at sales means living a rich life. People aspire for it, get it, and make a career in it. Great salespeople are considered heroes and are featured in magazines. Every industry needs more sales. Who do they need to make that happen?

A ‘Sales Person’.

Sales are the wheels of an organization. Nothing moves till a product or a service gets sold. Nothing Happens! With companies gearing up for massive production facilities, impetus on vigorous selling is getting equal importance. Plenty of sales jobs are likely to keep growing in the next several years and pay handsomely as well. Thus, the future of work is looking pretty bright. Selling is not just one of the highest-paid professions in the world but also carries umpteen benefits that are individually sufficient to attract people towards selling as a career. ‘Sales’ has been listed in the top 20 highest paying jobs in 2020.

Some enticing reasons people choose sales as their career path:

• Great earning potential: The financial rewards can be significant and if you are willing to create new opportunities and have the drive to succeed, the earning potential can seem limitless. The salary structure will vary at each company but will generally involve a basic salary plus incentives, bonus and additional benefits. 
• Continual learning: As the earning potential is unlimited, so is the learning potential. 
• Transferable skills, creating a challenging career: The skills developed in a sales career are abundant and provide a desirable career path for many professionals. Unlike many careers you will not feel pigeonholed in one industry; once you develop skills to sell successfully, you can transfer your skills and move between industries providing new challenges and the opportunity to move your career in the direction you desire. I have done this successfully in my career selling various product segments ranging from intravenous fluids to dialysis machines to total parenteral nutrition to contraceptives to tiles, faucets and bath accessories and now my training modules.  
• Freedom: A day in sales is what you make out of it and there is little time for the clock –watching and a nine-to-five mentality.
• Networking: Meet a wide variety of people. There is never a dull day.
• Non-stop personal growth: If you are into sales and you do well over a period of time, I can guarantee you non-stop personal growth. There are so many different types of people you will encounter, so many barriers, so many challenges-that it is not possible to do well in sales without focussing on growing yourself as a person. 

Whatever limitations you may have- lack of patience, anger issues, self-esteem issues, lack of persistence, lack of social intelligence, lack of focus, attention deficit, lack of charisma, problem with public speaking, problem with authority figures- whatever it may be, you will have to work on each and every limitation and sort them out to continue to grow as a salesperson. There is perhaps no job other than sales that bring you in front of your worst insecurities, fears, rejections and failures every day.

• You become an excellent conversationalist.
• Develop initiative.
• Sales jobs are the safest jobs: Companies would not like to lose a good salesperson as long as they produce and need to sell their produce.
• Quick reward and fast growth.
• Unlimited job opportunities.
• Derivatives of sales jobs are plenty:  When salespeople transition out there are opportunities as marketing specialists, corporate strategist, consultant, operations manager, business owner or a trainer and a coach.
• Sales is a global skill: If you are a good salesperson in India, you can probably be as good in the USA, UK, Dubai or Singapore. The best of the best Indian salespersons often migrate to economies that pay more and offer better lifestyle. It is not possible with most of the other professions. 

• Can you stay calm and genuinely peaceful when a dissatisfied customer shouts at you?
• Can you get a terrible rejection and then again pick up the phone and talk to the next customer with the same enthusiasm as if nothing has happened?
• Can you love and respect customers who avoid follow-ups, break promises, pretend to know things they don’t?
• Can you charm people all day?

I bet you will face all that if you are into sales. That is why average people run away from sales. They do not have the courage to face such experiences. It takes immense courage to stick to sales and a lion’s heart to succeed in sales. 

For those who love challenges and competition, who value rewards for their efforts, and want a role that recognises success, a career in sales awaits you.