Greg Hill - Surviving & Prospering in Your Sales Career: Field Manual for the Sales Professional.

SURVIVING & PROSPERING IN YOUR SALESCAREER FIELD

MANUAL FOR THE SALES PROFESSIONAL

BY GREG HILL

A GregMedia, Inc. Publication.

Copyright 2009 by Greg Hill

All Rights Reserved

For information please contact GregMedia,Inc.

info@worldsbestsalestrainer.com

877 820-4734

Edited By Christian Glick

.This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.T his ebook may notbe re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like toshare this book with another person, please purchase an additionalcopy for each person you share it with. If youre reading this bookand did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only,then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your owncopy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of thisauthor

CONTENTS

Note To the Reader

1.Introduction: The Purpose of this book

2.Evolution of Sales

3. Pay Plans

Straight commission:

Straight commission with a recoverabledraw:

Straight commission with a non-recoverabledraw:

Salary plus commission and Salary plusbonus:

Sales net, usually comes with a salary:

Overage:

Multi-level Marketing:

4. Types of Sales Jobs

Employee vs. Independent Contractor:

Independent contractor:

Intangible vs. Tangible Products andServices:

Client-centric vs. Company-centric:

Premise vs. Telephone Sales:

Appointment setter:

Liner:

Phone sales:

Closer:

5. Types of Managers

Brother-in-law:

Psycho/Sadist/Narcissist Sales Manager.

Angry Man Manager:

Hot Chick Manager:

Married Misogynist Pig Manager

The Newly Promoted:

The Old Pro/ Lazy Guy:

The Company Hack:

The Pro:

Owner of the Company

6. Managing Your Manager

Bother-in-law:

Psycho/Sadist/Narcissist Sales Manager.

Angry Man Manager:

Hot Chick Manager:

Married Misogynist Pig Manager

The Newly Promoted

The Old Pro/ Lazy Guy

The Pro

7. How To Interview

8. Types of Sales People

9. How to Act

10. Typical Salesperson

11. Sales Contests, Incentive Trips andAwards.

12. Getting Promoted and Office Politics

13. Hacks

Accounting Hacks

Techno-hacks

Marketing Hacks

Human Resource Hacks

Artist and Production Hacks

14. Sales Training Vs Sales cults and theweb

15. Save your Money and Have an exitStrategy

GREGMEDIA, INC.

SALES PROCESS CONSULTING:

SALES TRAINING:

SALES COACHING:

WEBSITE SALES AND ORDERING SOLUTIONS:

About the Author

Works Cited

INTRODUCTION: THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK

First, I would like to tell you what thisbook is not. It is not a sales book. That will be my second NewYork Times Best Seller if all goes to plan. Also, this book is notfor self-help . If you use what you learn here in your personallife, I am not responsible for the results. Second, as a salesmanager and trainer it is not my job to kiss your butt and tell youhow great you are. Most of the problems I have created and baddecisions I have made in my life, have come from having a big egoand over-estimating my own abilities, so no one really needs to beartificially pumped up. It is my experience that salespeople arelooking for validation anywhere they can get it. The onlyvalidation that counts is what is up on the sales board. Salesmanagers and owners will always give their new sales people wellscripted impressions of what to expect, and what they need to do tosucceed. I will explore the reasons behind hiring practices, payplans, and reveal the reality of what your job is in their eyes.You will see an unabashed version of the love/hate relationshipthat companies have with sales people. Most sales people think thatthere is only one financial reality they have to deal with, themore they sell, the more important they are to the company.Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Read the rest only ifyou want an honest and logical guide on how to survive in the salesenvironment.

My first sales job was selling insulation inthe home in Martinez, California in 1978 (if you dont count when Iwas selling kumquats door to door in my neighborhood at seven yearsold). I have been in one form of sales or sales management eversince. I have succeed at some jobs and failed at many. It is myopinion that being a good sales person is the easy part. Being ableto maneuver through the hostile and competitive mine field thatevery sales person experiences when he is hired is more difficult.If you believe, like most, that all you have to do is show up, workhard, and good results will follow, then why is turnover so high inthe sales departments of companies that otherwise have a stableworkforce? Unfortunately there is more to the average sales jobthan sales. There are sales managers to deal with that have anarray of agendas that, many times, do not include your success.There are company structures that are fair and unfair. Lots ofthings will affect your success in the sales field, not just howgood a pitch person you are. Many a career has been lost or asought after promotion has been unattained because of factors otherthan sales results.

The chapter titled On Stage and Off StageBehavior and the numerous references throughout the book give youpermission to be the person that you need to be to succeed. You arenot hired to be true to yourself and grow emotionally. Your job isto get results, live through the process and maybe even behappy.

If you are not currently employed as a salesperson, or if you are unsatisfied with the sales job you have, youmust first contend with finding a job. This is a huge challenge. Itis my goal to reveal little talked about insights that will helpyou with your decision and analyze your true potential once youtake a new sales job.

What are the characteristics of a successfuland unsuccessful sales person? Why do some thrive while othersself-destruct? I have created four different profiles forsalespeople. Which one are you? All types can thrive. What are theemotional pitfalls you will be faced with and what is the best wayto handle them? How about your colleagues? I believe in what SimonCowl said when he talked about the so-called tight relationshipbetween the contestants on American Idol, They all act sad whensomeone leaves the show, but truly they are happy that it was notthem. You have to live with people with whom you are competing.What is the best way to handle this situation?

How to manage your manger? If your manger isgiving you a hard time, it is probably your fault because you arenot managing your manager properly. There are several types ofsales mangers from good to awful. I have categorized them in thechapter on How to manage your sales manager. You will besurprised at my suggestions.

Here is the bottom line. Sales is asDarwinian an environment as any in the civilized world, if youdont count the Penitentiary, and the rules for survival are justas complex. I have seen reps come in all hyped with successseminars pumping through their heads, ready to do great. Realitythen kicks them in the butt, or worse, they are promoted to yourboss. Here is the deal. Success training does work, and I will goover those things I experienced in that realm that are worthwhile.But the main purpose of this book is to show you the unsavoryrealities that are present. That way, you will not be like a littlebunny running through the forest about to get snared by a trap.

Most sales people do not take the time toanalyze the business model of the company for which they areworking. You will be extensively educated in why companies do whatthey do and what the motivation is for that behavior. You willunderstand the purpose and history of pay plans and salesdepartment structures. This will make it easier for you todetermine whether an organization deserves your hard work andloyalty and, above all, if there is a future for you.