There is a common notion that selling is a fast-paced and hardball career. It might be true. A career in sales comes with the constant hustle to crack a lead, manage hundreds of calls, and the pressure of delivering an impeccable pitch. But we still come across many success stories every year, don’t we?
Sales is a whooping US$ 779 Billion industry that will soon touch the mark of US$ 1407 Billion in 2026. It is a great domain to work in for ardent communicators. Moreover, it also welcomes professionals who love dealing with people and handling challenges. Surprisingly, even people with no experience but a handful of transferable skills can also make a career in sales – a reason why 39% of fresh graduates prefer to join this industry.
Therefore, experts consider sales a full-fledged career option that offers ample growth opportunities and job satisfaction. But are you planning to step into this industry anytime soon? If yes, this blog post provides a complete roadmap for you. So keep reading as we outline details about this industry and a roadmap to start a career in sales.
How to Start a Career in Sales?
A career in sales provides you with lucrative opportunities and exciting prospects. Launch your career in sales with this complete guide.
Step 1: Identify a Field of Your Interest
Graduates first need to identify what interests them the most. Many companies and industries roll out lucrative job opportunities for fresh sales graduates. Matching skills and qualifications with these profiles can help them get the best start.
However, they should also consider a brand with incredible sales work-culture coupled with excellent professional growth opportunities.
Step 2: Be Prepared to Start at an Entry-Level Position
Graduates with little to no sales experience should prepare to start at an entry-level position as employers might not prefer taking freshers directly on a mid-level position until they show excellent calibre. It is a simple protocol that every industry follows.
Graduates should also go for companies that emphasise extensive training for their new employees. Starting at an entry-level position will allow them to develop the skills that will ascend their ranking in the organisation. The result will be better growth opportunities in the future.
Step 3: Study Sales Techniques and Principles
Depending solely on the organisational training sessions can impact the career trajectory of the graduates. Therefore, they should focus on absorbing maximum knowledge available on both offline and online resources. A clear understanding of sales principles and techniques will help them professionally and display their dedication to continuous improvement.
Step 4: Be Strategic While Applying for Positions
Graduates should strategically analyse every sales opening they come across. Experts recommend going for companies that value honesty, openness, and data. Moreover, applicants should also curate their resumes and cover letters carefully for every position and company. Their main aim should be to display client handling skills and teamwork.
Step 5: Product Understanding
It is the second major step when starting a career in sales. Graduates need to understand the products and services they will be selling in the market. 58% of the buyers say that sales professionals could not answer their queries effectively which is why product understanding becomes a very important skill.
The exercise of gaining product knowledge is essential. Every salesperson should have complete and accurate information about most initial queries expected by customers. Failure to do so can increase the number of disinterested and unsatisfied customers and turn away potential customers.
Step 6: Connect with Customers
A good sales professional constantly connects with customers through online or offline modes. It's good to understand that sales go beyond selling products and services. It is more about understanding consumer needs and presenting the right products.
In a nutshell, it is about adding value to customers' lives. Identifying the proper channels to connect helps the professionals know more about customer likes, dislikes, and expectations.
Step 7: Customer Feedback
Graduates who want to make it big in sales should never miss a chance to hear when a customer approaches with feedback. It is the opportunity to know their expectations and grievances and turn them into further leads.
Moreover, using words like we, our, and us also creates a good impression in the customers’ minds. After all, this is what successful sales representatives do. They smartly present their current range of products and services to fulfill customers’ needs.
Step 8: Display Transferable Skills
Graduates should use and display transferable skills while dealing with customers and employers. It will boost their career trajectory and open growth avenues in the future. Multitasking, critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork are transferable skills that every sales professional must know.
Step 9: Get Acquainted with CRM Tools
Customer Relationship Management is a crucial tool for modern-day sales professionals to have in their arsenal. It is a powerful tool that can turn the tables in no time. It can boost conversions by 29% and productivity by 34%. That is why over 57% of the sales personnel gain expertise in managing CRM tools.
Fresh graduates should also learn more about CRM and its uses in this field.
Step 10: Update Resume
Graduates who want to succeed in this field should be on their toes to grab any lucrative opportunity. It means keeping the resume updated all the time.
Moreover, intelligent moves and switches will also shape their career in the long run. However, freshers should refrain from making hasty decisions and unplanned switches. It can hamper their market value.
Step 11: Network
Last but not the least, networking is essential to thriving in the cut-throat competition in sales. So fresh graduates who aspire to be a part of sales should know the nuances of networking and rapport building. Most organizations and businesses have their own overtones of networking.
Step 12: Get the Right Education and Training
Experts say that a fresher sales representative takes around ten months to become productive. Relevant education and the best training reduce this time to reach the zenith of success. Moreover, planned training sessions can boost the productivity and efficiency of candidates by 20%.
Therefore, graduates should mindfully select training sessions and mark their presence in the list of desired employees. It will also help refine their transferable skills and traits.
Step 13: Be Resilient and Persistent
Resilience and persistence are the keys to reaching the zenith of success in the sales industry. Sending thank-you emails and maintaining communication show the dedication of the applicant. They might not receive an offer from their first application. But they must show resilience by continuing to apply at different companies. When interviewed about their other prospective companies, they will come out as calm and composed personalities in front of their employers.
Conclusion
Juggling tasks, managing customer queries, and attending meetings might seem overwhelming initially but things get manageable, over time. Firstly, however, graduates should ensure they do not leave any stone unturned to prove their mettle.
At the same time, they should ensure that they put their best foot forward when working with the latest tools and software. Board Infinity can be the proper companion in this journey of yours. It is a leading name in the Edtech arena that offers advanced courses to early-career professionals. It aims to bridge the skill gap by connecting career aspirants to top industry experts.