You Might Be in Accounting and Finance, But You’re Also in Sales!
According to the Merriam- Webster dictionary “To Sell,” by definition, means “the promotion or selling of goods or services; distribution, or gross receipts.”
Every job, every role, requires some type of sales. Whether you are selling goods- for instance cars, or a service- like that of a non profit agency, you are in the act of getting someone else to buy into your “brand.”
In the financial world there are many different faces of selling; bidding to stakeholders to invest in your company, obtaining clients via a service you provide to increase your gross income, pitching an idea to upper management, or selling yourself to a potential employer. Everything involves a bit of sales. So how do you get your point across? Follow these sales “best practice” tips.
Learn The Art of Negotiating. According to business mogul Warren Buffett (from his book “Tap Dancing to Work”), the art of negotiating is one of the first steps you learn in the business sector. From vendors and suppliers, to customers and employees; negotiating is a must! It involves learning to listen, evaluate all the variables, identifying key drivers, anticipating objections, and finding “middle ground” to agreement. Negotiating is the fundamental building block in learning how to be a “successful” salesperson in a financial job market.
Persistence…But with Understanding! In order to get a vendor interested in your product, or convince a manager to move forward with your idea, you need to be persistent. The obstacle of being part salesperson, part financial wizard, is that you will hear the word “no” more often than you care too. A great salesperson will see that “no” as a challenge, not a rejection. Figure out why you received a “no,” learn from your mistakes, and then get back on the horse. Being persistent shows whomever you’re pitching too that you believe in your product or idea. It also shows that you’re willing to listen and learn. But watch for pit falls! Sooner or later persistence can turn into pushiness; it’s a tight rope and you need to walk that fine line. Learning why your pitch wasn’t taken the first time, re-visiting your idea and being patient will make the art of being persistent a successful endeavor.
Attack Self-Doubt! If you don’t believe in what you’re selling; whether a pitch, vendor/supplier or product, you won’t get the outcome you desire. Confidence, like Persistence, is mixing the right ingredients together, because there is such a thing as over confidence…..its called arrogance. But if you mix confidence with a bit of humble pie, you’ll end up with the perfect end result. Have confidence in yourself as well as your pitch. You need to believe in what you’re selling before introducing it to someone else. If someone likes what you have, but is unsure; ask why? What are they stuck on? What would make them feel better about your pitch or product? Learn to be just as humble as you are confident, and you’ll find yourself standing out above the rest in the art of selling!
Pridestaff Financial offers great opportunities to hit the ground running in the accounting and financial markets. To learn more about workplace “best practices” or to find an employee or job that’s right for you, contact us and talk with one of our highly skilled financial consultants today!
