5 Life Lessons For The Entry Level Sales Professional

Take note of these life lessons as you start your career as an entry level sales person! Read on to find out more.

RELATED: Lessons Learned from Scaling a 100 Person Sales Development Team at Apttus

In this article:

1. Avoid Mistakes with These Useful Tips
   1. Network, Network, Network
   2. Respect Your Elders
   3. Don’t Play with Fire
   4. A Bird in the Hand Is Worth Two in the Bush
   5. Early Bird Gets the Worm
   6. *Bonus*

5 Life Lessons A New Sales Professional Should Learn From

Avoid Mistakes with These Useful Tips

I often look back at my life and relive what I have been taught so I don’t forget it. With that being said, I want to revisit five lessons that I have used to create myself as a salesman.

There are a lot of life lesson quotes out there, but they may have become so common it’s hard for people to actually absorb them. However, having some input from a person who went through the same thing can be worth a lot.

Here are some lessons I personally learned in the first few years I spent as an entry level sales professional.

1. Network, Network, Network

Networking is the best way to get yourself known and build your brand.

With that said, great channels through which to network and share your insights and expertise are the social networks. So, create an account for Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn and start adding to the conversation.

To start sharing in-depth ideas and experiences, create a blog on Blogger or WordPress. Then post content that is professional and directed to the right audience. Remember, it’s easier to sell to a warm market than a cool one.

Warm Market Definition: These are the people within your circle that may potentially become your client.

It can be a bit scary, putting yourself out there for everyone to connect with. Yet you need to put aside your fears for personal growth. Get out of your comfort zone and start building relationships with potential clients or customers.

2. Respect Your Elders

We’ve heard this wisdom since childhood and it’s applicable to today’s sales professional.

Because you’re new at this, don’t go out there ruining relationships because you think you know what you are doing. Most of the time, you don’t. Listen and learn from others that have traveled the sales road before you.

If you do, you’ll succeed more often than not. Remember, listening doesn’t obligate you to take action. Consider different points of views, then compare those with yours when looking for creative lead generation ideas.

3. Don’t Play with Fire

Fire equals risk. I won’t argue that risk is a good thing when it comes to certain things. But that’s not the point I’m trying to make.

You should be building your business with a great foundation. Build a fire you can nurture – not play with. Play the sales game; don’t let the sales game play you.

Doing this will help you learn mental toughness that will result in success and personal achievement.

RELATED: Top Tips For Sales Development

4. A Bird in the Hand Is Worth Two in the Bush

I learned from this proverb that it’s better to have one lead than dreaming of having more and ending up with nothing. Try to keep working toward your lead generation goal (two in the bush) and use reality (bird in the hand) as motivation.

5. Early Bird Gets the Worm

We all know where I’m going with this.

Get up, do something, and get into the game. Take control of your leads and respond before someone else does.

Research has shown that the best time to respond to a lead is within the first five minutes. After that, there is a ten-time decrease in contact rates. (Check out the XANT Lead Response Management study conducted in 2007 for more information.)

*BONUS*

6. When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade

Forget making lemonade – that’s been done before. Do something original like making grape juice!

Utilize techniques original to you that get your leads invested and qualified. Put in your hard work and you’ll reap the results in no time.

People in entry-level jobs will experience hardships and commit some blunders, but they will learn from these life lessons and become more effective in the future. Look for and read great books on sales and marketing to help you grow more as a sales agent.

Are you just starting your entry-level sales job? What life lessons have you learned so far to help you reach your goals in the sales industry? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

UP NEXT: 

• Tips for Sales Entrepreneurs: Forbes.com – One Thing New Hires Can Do that Others Can’t
• Account Management: The Next Business Growth Frontier
• Essential Tools and Tips for Time Management in Sales