Business Needs Devoted Salespeople: Companies are Always Searching for Strong Candidates

Regarding “SELLING,” I have always wanted to have a dialogue on “What motivates someone to choose a career in sales?”   This would be especially relevant to new and young salespeople.  

When you analyze successful people, they were all  strong in sales, selling their product and  themselves.    They can convince the public to buy their product or buy who they are and what they represent.   I am sure you can list several examples and at the top would be the likes of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Jeff Bezos.  They are very successful salespeople.

Perhaps the most common motivator among salespeople is money. 

Many people are attracted to sales because of commissions, incentives and potential for lots of it.  With a commission program, sky is the limit.   The more you sell, the more you make.   Commissions push them to sell, find ways to increase sales, generate more income for the company and for themselves.    Commissions influence and drive performance.

The concept of making money and perhaps lots of it based on production is well known and popular.     

However, it does create a defined pressure on the salesperson.   Normally, commissioned salespeople receive less basic salary or even no salary which is then compensated by a level of commission.   A consistent income is not guaranteed.   Salespeople relying on commissions live in a different world from regular salaried people.   They understand that their income is totally depended on their ability to sell.   If they sell, they make income, and if they do not, there is no income.  This pressure is heavy on even the broadest of shoulders.   The income can be good if production is good, but they live each day with this pressure.  

Not all sales jobs are commission based and some are based on defined salaries.  

In this case, the pressure of making sales for commissions is lessened dramatically as the salesperson will receive his salary regardless of his production.   Unfortunately, a sales career is the same whether remuneration is commission or salary.   In both cases, the sales career may be shortened if there is no production.    Salespeople understand this very well and live each day knowing where they stand.   Companies employ salespeople to sell and establish remuneration programs, commissions or otherwise, to generate and consistently increase sales revenue. 

In my sales career, I was never on a commission program but always respected and understood the necessity to produce.  

Whether on commission or not, a salesperson never forgets that his job is dependent solely on his ability to produce.

It has been a great career for me and if I had it to do again, I would still be a salesman.   Hindsight is always 20/20 and reflecting on my past 40 plus years, I would say the career choice was correct.  I enjoy selling and eagerly dedicated my career to sales.  

For those who are considering a sales career, we thank you.   Business needs dedicated salespeople and companies are always searching for strong sales candidates.   I would always encourage  anyone interested in this career but would counsel them to see if the pressure of sales is acceptable to them.  It was for me, and it guided  me throughout my career.