The Art of Sales

My name is Sean. Working in sales has been one of the most difficult jobs I have ever done. In my particular job I sell print promotional advertising products at a company called Dynamic Advertising Solutions. And as an intern with no leads, it can be very hard at times. Through this experience I have been perfecting my sales abilities and learning from those around me. I am very thankful to have more experienced salespeople to teach me the ways. As my director of sales told me, you start with your low hanging fruit. Family and friends, the easy sales. This will propel you into more leads and more opportunities. This also helps you get comfortable selling to people. This also gets you comfortable asking other people for money. After friends and family, you can move on to more familiar places. For me I started with the middle school I went to, introducing myself as a graduate of the school district. This makes people more comfortable and gives them a sense of familiarity. This got me my first actual sale. Although my clients were receptive, it didn’t stop them from trying to get the best deal and shop around. This leads me to the second piece of advice I was given, persistence. It took me about two months to close a deal with them after sending them spec work, pricing, and ideas for about four different events. In the end, it paid off. I closed the sale. My experience in sales has taught me a lot of valuable lessons that will help in furthering my career in business. The first being never be afraid to hear no. In sales you will hear no more than yes and it’s tough. After you’ve reached ten to twenty cold calls, it becomes easier to hear no and you can refine your pitch to see what is working and what isn’t. The other learning experience from my internship I have gotten is always be truthful. Lying gets you nowhere with a client and can ruin your reputation. I am always straightforward with clients and sell them based on their wants and needs. It leaves them satisfied and makes them feel respected, which can lead to them referring you to others, which means more sales for you in the end.