Getting Started

If you’re considering a career in sales, enter an industry with the most expensive products and services. Sales people are compensated in percentages; the more something costs, the more you get paid. Also, it takes no more talent and effort to sell a large, expensive item than a small, inexpensive one. In fact, it is probably easier to sell a big ticket item because you will be dealing with a more sophisticated, educated buyer and have less competition.

You feel more important when you sell large, expensive products and services and that will give you confidence.(1)

When I sold roofs and gutters for The Home Depot, I worked just as hard to sell a gutter job as a roof that would pay me ten times as much. I spent more time and suffered more aggravation selling phone lines and DSL to a small business then I ever did selling an entire data and a voice network to a large business. Here’s a secret, the bigger the product - the more it costs - the more support you’ll receive. The major account reps at the phone company have sales support to create proposals, inventory services, manage installations and answer service calls. The regular account reps do all that on their own.

It is easier and less humiliating to prospect to larger clients. Which would you rather do, go door to door selling meat or rubbing elbows with C level executives at association events?

Enter an industry that sells to businesses. When I sold roofs for The Home Depot, I had set up shop at the store and solicit free roof quotes. I was mortified that someone I knew would come into the store on a Saturday, shopping for a new hedge clipper, and see me in my orange apron, next to my bright orange, handmade “free roof quotes” sign. My counter parts in commercial roofing sales worked Monday through Friday afternoon(2) and were off weekends. That’s when they did things like go to The Home Deport and shop for new hedge clippers.

(1) Confidence is horsepower to a sales person. Ambition and motivation are the fuel.

(2) Professional sales people do not work past 2:00 on a Friday afternoon. And most sales people include their afternoon commutes as part of the work day. So, if you arrive home at 5:00, you worked an entire day.