Ask a Recruiter: How to succeed in sales

Below is an article originally written by Jo Bennet. Go to Pitney Bowes's company page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.

Senior Talent Advisor Sheri McCoy has recruited for a wide variety of sales roles at Pitney Bowes, with a core focus on inside sales for our Sending Technology Solutions business. Here she provides perspective on the traits she looks for in candidates, what the profession looks like post-COVID, and how, at any stage, to make this a rewarding career.

What do you look for in candidates?

Proactive, grit, hunger, coachability, active listening, selling aptitude, adaptability, record of success. All of these are terms that someone in sales is probably familiar with and would expect in response to this question. While I look for them, I challenge that the most powerful determining factor for successful candidates is: Introspective Learning and Reasoning.

The definition of introspective reasoning and learning is how individuals “can monitor and understand their own reasoning processes, and can exploit the resulting self-awareness to improve the performance of those processes.” When you are ranked in second place, what do you do? Do you only look at why the first place salesperson ranked first? Do you identify why you didn’t make first and then leave it at that, or worse ruminate on it? Or do you reflect on what you did, identify areas to improve, and develop a plan on how to improve going forward? Individuals who consistently succeed in sales tend to understand that there is always room for improvement, and that improvement comes from within first.

How is the sales profession different from even just a few years ago?

Post-COVID, many industries saw an uptick in business; businesses were needing the right tech to set up employees to work from home, homeowners were remodeling, travelers were buying RVs in lieu of flying, and similar shifts across industries occurred. Now, many industries are seeing a slump in customers knocking on their doors.

The need to get out there and proactively find clients is back with a vengeance, but don’t expect to be able to just make a call and “Sell Me This Pen.” The quintessential ‘hunter mentality’ in business development roles is embedding itself as an essential function in every role connected to sales, but with a twist. Competition is fierce, customers are savvy shoppers, and human nature leads many to stick to comfort areas when in doubt.

The salesperson needs to have strong business acumen to be able to ask quality questions and understand the ins and outs of their client. They need to have an in-depth understanding of their product/service to be an expert in what they are selling. They need to have a firm conviction that that product/service solves a meaningful problem for the client and then educate their client on the value proposition. And ultimately, they need their clients to trust them.

What advice do you have for early-in-career candidates to best position themselves for a sales role?

Find the connection between what you are doing currently and sales, then hone in on it to develop your sales skills.When you really think about it, everyone is a salesperson. When working with a client, ask what else you can do, find out what else they need. Then, figure out what you have that will fill that need and offer it. Before you say “goodbye” to a client, ask them to refer your company to friends and write a positive social media review. Tell positive stories about your workplace or company; others will notice your pride and insights and are more likely to think of you and your company when they need something.

What’s the most interesting reason a candidate said he/she was interested in a role or would be a good fit for a role?

I wouldn’t say it’s the most interesting, but since our Inside Sales roles are remote, the most common reasoning right now is to be able to work from home. They don’t want to commute, they don’t want to wear slacks, they want to walk their kids to school and not rely on before/after school care programs, they have a puppy they are trying to potty train, they feel they are more productive, they want to be a nomad, they want to watch TV while they work, they want to get house chores done during breaks. They want to “sleep in” - because they don’t have a commute.

Is there anything about a career in sales that people might not understand?

It’s not for everyone and it’s not easy. Yes, everyone is a salesperson, but not everyone will be happy in a sales job. You will hear many “no’s” before you get a “yes,” which some find disheartening. You will always have a quota that you are striving for, even if you excelled last month, and some find that frustrating. However, if you are up for the challenge, you will feel a thrill when you close a sale, get to write your own commission check, and enjoy a fulfilling career. As one candidate once said: You need to believe in winning on your own merit. No one gets to say what you’re worth; write your own ticket…and that’s where commissioned sales positions come in.