12 Sales Career Myths

“Many of the things you can count, don't count. Many of the things you can't count, really count.”                                                                                                                                            ~Albert Einstein  

Many people go into sales career for the wrong reasons. You may be considering sales yourself.  Here are some of the myths uncovered to shed light on misconceptions:

1.   Anyone can do it.  FALSE.  Like a nurse or a fireman, not everyone can be a sales person.  There is ongoing training and skills improvement.

2.   Your relatives tell you, you would be good at it.  FALSE.  Mom and dad think it would be nice for you to be out on your own now you are 35.

3.   You are good at meeting people.  FALSE.  It is getting harder and harder to schedule meetings with decision makers who are savvy to all the tricks and are simply too busy themselves to get caught up in meetings for the sake of meetings.

4.   It can be rewarding.  TRUE.  That comes after you’ve put in long hours, built a strong reputation and customers have come to rely on you.  You are also the person that they will turn to when something goes wrong.

5.   You're tenacious and never give up. TRUE.   It will come in handy when you hear a lot of "NOs" before a "YES".  You may not want to be too tenacious or you will be tuned out, turned off and shut down.

6.   You have the gift of the gab.  FALSE.   Sales is 3/4 listening, 1/4 talking.

7.   You get to take customers out for lunch.  FALSE.  Many companies have employees sign codes of ethics which disallows them from taking anything from suppliers or vendors in case it may be considered a bribe to win the contract.  Gifts, fishing trips, concert tickets, etc. all fall under these extra-curricular events.

8.   You’re good at golf and heard business is done on the golf courses. TRUE.  Except golf doesn’t usually start happening for a long time after a "business" relationship established.

9.   You're aggressive.  FALSE.  The best sales pros are not aggressive.  They are people oriented, and strive to do what their customers ask them to do or solve problems.

10. You can make big bucks.  TRUE.  After you spend a few years learning the trade, often you start out in a commission-only compensation, and once you’ve put in one to two years developing your client base and territory.

11. You get an expense account.  FALSE.  In today’s economy many companies have cut back or eliminated expense accounts.  However, you can save your receipts and claim them against your income tax.

12. You look good in a suit.  TRUE.  Then again, shouldn't you have a better reason than that?


The following video does an exceptional job of explaining what sales is all about and what you should expect if this is the career route you decide to take entitled "Selling is Hard Work" by Infoteam Consulting (http://www.infoteam-consulting.com/ ):