| Challenges in a Changing Economy | | | | create a marketing strategy, set appointments, do |
| Times have changed. It is no longer a time where a | | | | presentations, and follow up. Consider landing a job |
| person can find a respectable employer, work hard | | | | like you are selling your product, and you'll do well. |
| for them for the next 40 years, and expect to have | | | | Plus, the more people you have who want to hire |
| a suitable retirement. Even more, for people starting | | | | you, the better position you are going to have when |
| out in entry level sales positions often bounce from | | | | it is time to choose the company that is right for |
| company to company, looking for an income that is | | | | you. |
| just not available anymore in the traditional corporate | | | | Thoughts on the direction of the world economy and |
| model. | | | | how it will affect your sales career: |
| Changing times means changing strategies, and this is | | | | Like I said before, these are changing times. There |
| where this article comes in. | | | | are now more students in India in the top 1% of |
| How to find a sales job that pays you $100k per | | | | their class who have an IQ of more than 120 than |
| year. | | | | there are total students in North America. Read that |
| 1. Take an inventory of yourself. Do you have the | | | | again. |
| qualities that are necessary to earn a six figure | | | | It will be very soon before the majority of traditional |
| income in sales? Are you up to date on sales | | | | jobs in America are outsourced to countries that can |
| strategies that create success - or are you just | | | | provide faster, more reliable, better service, better |
| 'taking it as it comes?' Successful salespeople are | | | | technology, and better resources. The highest paid |
| good at strategic planning. Successful salespeople | | | | positions in the world are not going to be Tech jobs, |
| know what they are going to do before they do it, | | | | accounting, law, medicine, or any of the traditional |
| and they follow through on their plans. | | | | positions... |
| 2. Create a lead generation strategy. Cold calling is a | | | | ...they will be sales, marketing, and distribution jobs. |
| thing of the past. Today's successful sales executives | | | | And even more, we are undergoing a shift away |
| don't cold call, they 'warm call.' They spend the | | | | from Corporate America, where companies are |
| majority of their time meeting either face to face | | | | figuring out that it is better business, and a smarter |
| with qualified, interested prospects, or meeting them | | | | marketing strategy to outsource their work than it is |
| in person. I once worked for a company in Arizona | | | | to have traditional W-2 employees. |
| where the top salesperson was making $20,000 per | | | | This leads me to my final point on how to get a |
| month working only 30 hours per week, and that | | | | sales job that pays you $100,000 per year or more: |
| same company had salespeople earning less than | | | | Work as an independent contractor, and be the |
| $1,000 per month working 50 hours per week. The | | | | president of your own independent corporation. |
| difference? Warm calling. | | | | Work on a commission only, production based |
| 3. Create a strategic action plan. You need to know | | | | compensation plan that will pay you for what you |
| exactly what you want to accomplish with your sales | | | | produce. Learn the ropes of direct response |
| career, and exactly how you plan on accomplishing it. | | | | marketing, relationship selling, and outsourcing. |
| You need to know who the decision makers are for | | | | If you follow those guidelines, you can find a |
| your product, what demographics they fall into, how | | | | company where you can make 10 times the profit |
| to reach them, and what they are interested in. You | | | | with the same work and effort that someone will |
| need to have a step by step, detailed vision of | | | | make in a sales job in corporate America. Let me |
| every stage of your career if you want to be a | | | | give you an example. |
| salesperson making more than $100,000 per year. | | | | I once worked for a company that I produced more |
| 4. Be prepared for your interview. Successful | | | | than $40,000 in profit for them every single month. |
| salespeople can sell themselves. If you walk into an | | | | Out of their profit, I was paid approximately $5,000 |
| interview, and you are prepared for the toughest | | | | per month. |
| questions, you are dressed for the part, and you are | | | | Now, I work as an independent representative, but I |
| confident, sales managers will hire you for most | | | | participate in a 68% revenue share. That means that |
| positions on the spot. There are countless times that | | | | I don't get paid a percentage of the profit, I take |
| I have interviewed people wanting a sales position | | | | my earnings out of the gross revenue - and 68% of |
| that paid them more than $100k, but they weren't | | | | it is paid to me to conduct my business. |
| even prepared for the interview. | | | | I cannot stress how important it is if you want to |
| 5. Create a strategic plan on making sure that you | | | | have a long lasting, profitable sales career to work |
| are the person interviewed. Getting a good job as a | | | | for yourself. |
| salesperson is a lot like selling a service. You need to | | | | Now, go for it! |