A job in sales involves much more than simply selling a product. To do so successfully requires a person to develop a whole range of other skills. And lucky for salespeople, these sales skills can transfer to life skills as well – here’s how.
You’re an Expert at Building Rapport
As an expert in sales, it’s your job to build a rapport quickly and confidently with your customers. You establish a connection and build trust to make a sale and meet your targets. But this skill is also one of the best life skills to have. When meeting new people, whether it’s at a friend’s barbeque on the weekend or meeting your future in-laws for the first time, these quick connections will lead to more valuable relationships in life.
Active Listening is Your Bread and Butter
The easiest way to make new friends is simply by listening to them speak. The stereotype for a typical salesperson is a loud, boisterous person who drags the conversation wherever they want it to go. But being an active listener is a far better tactic. Like your work, in life, if you listen intently to people, it becomes far easier to pinpoint important areas to follow up on in the conversation.
You Know the Right Questions to Ask
When it comes to conversations, salespeople are experts both at and outside of work. You should be well versed in letting the customer do 80% of the talking, with you only chiming in with targeted questions to keep the ball rolling in the direction you want. This is directly transferrable to everyday life as well. One of the best ways to win friends and grow your personal network is simply by listening more and asking the right questions, which leads to much more engaging interactions in the real world. And isn’t that what we’re all after in the end?
Composure is Key
Work in sales can get busy, stressful, and exhausting. But the more you do it, the more practiced you become in keeping your composure in the face of mounting pressure. It goes without saying that it’s an important life skill to have since there’s plenty of stress in our busy, modern lives. Being able to stay composed in those moments is going to serve you well when it comes to making tough decisions and facing up to your emotions.
You Can Overcome Objections
In life, your ideas, thoughts, and actions are going to be challenged. But thanks to your sales skills, handling those objections will be easier than ever. It’s incredibly common for a salesperson to run into objections. And as you progress, you learn how to acknowledge those concerns, address them, and overcome them to make a sale. As you continue through life, being able to stand up against these objections is key in achieving your life goals. Which brings us to the next point:
You’re Used to Setting and Achieving Goals
In the rapid world of sales, achieving your goals set out by yourself and managers is the bread and butter of the position. Outside of work, this is an extremely important skill to have as well. Being able to set your own goals for success in your personal life goes a long way to being content and satisfied. And as you continue as an upskilled employee in your career, setting regular goals and achieving them helps you stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Increased Cultural Awareness
In a sales career, you likely deal with people from all different backgrounds. You learn to treat everyone as equals and respect people no matter their race, ethnicity, or religion. It’s obvious why this is an important life skill to have. Learning about different cultures only makes you understand just how similar we all are at the end, which leads to kind, thoughtful, and open conversations. When it comes to life skills, this is invaluable.
Patience and Positivity
It comes as no surprise for salespeople that the job requires a lot of patience as well. Customers can have a lot of doubts, and you need the patience to endure the endless questions and understand where they’re coming from. Being patient and staying positive not only increases the chance of a sale but are great attributes in the real world as well.
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