By the time they’ve reached college, there are certainly more young people considering going into sales, but most seem to think of it as a short-term job – something to pay the bills until they reach a different destination.
Many of the students who enter the Professional Selling Program at UCO are arriving from a different program. They were business or marketing majors who just happened to take a sales course and discovered that “Hey, maybe there’s something to this.”
When students discover just how broad a field sales is, it becomes a much more appealing career path. They see the opportunity to earn a good (sometimes, great) living doing interesting work in almost any industry.
They also learn that there’s a lot more to sales than just talking to people and trying to convince them to buy your product. Sales interactions can be incredibly complex and challenging. Those who are serious about a career in sales know that to be successful, you have to commit to ongoing learning and training to be competent in your craft.
Great salespeople don’t just go out and sell. They study, practice, and build systems so that when they do sell, they can sell consistently.
Only amateurs rely entirely on luck and personal charm.
That’s an important point for all of us to remember, even those who have been in sales for a long time. You might be able to coast by on experience and natural talent, but the best salespeople never stop learning.