
A good marketing & sales plan plays an indispensable role in the success of a company. In the current scenario, the competition is stiff and consumers have innumerable options to choose from. As a result, every company needs to formulate a viable policy in order to win the trust of its customers. This is where the sales team plays a crucial role. As a sales professional, you need to meet people and persuade them to buy products/services of your company.
However, many people get confused between sales and marketing. In reality, both are different fields. Sales involves selling products/services which are already in stock, whereas marketing is a broader ways of selling products by first establishing the brand in the market.
What skills are required to get success in the field?
Not everyone can become a sales professional. This is a job profile, where your skills are more important than your education. A sales executive should possesses the traits below:
1 = Confidence
2 = Good negotiation skills
3 = Communication skills
4 = Able to work as a team player
5 = Excellent market knowledge
Education required to get a sales job
It is true that personality traits and skills get more importance in this field, but we can’t overlook the importance of education. Almost every company prefers to hire graduate people. If you want to join a top-notch company then you should possess a full-time MBA degree. Furthermore, there are various colleges in India, which are offering specialized sales courses, like customer service management, sales management, market analysis, etc. Also, training & internships can give you a better understanding of the market.
Some of the top colleges which are imparting marketing & sales courses in India are-
1 = All IIMs
2 = Hindustan University, Chennai
3 = New Delhi Institute of Management
4 = International Institute of Business Studies, Noida
5 = Asian Business School
6 = Genesis Institute of Business Management, Pune
How much can you earn?
The salary package of a sales professional depends on a wide array of factors like experience, company, location, qualifications, etc. Generally, salary packages start at Rs 15,000/per month. If you have done your MBA from a prestigious college, like IIM, you can get Rs 7-8 lakh/annum as a fresher. Also, sales is a highly targeted-driven field. It means, if you hit your targets, then you get a chance to earn incentives also. Various foreign companies are setting up their centers in the Indian territory and as a result, there is no paucity of good sales jobs in India.
If you think that you have a high patience level, good listening power and an empathy that would help you in building relationships, then a sales career is the right profession for you. Also, as a sales person, you should know how to handle rejections. Whether you are a fresher or an experienced professional, you may face situations where people would reject your product or do not answer your phone. You should know how to handle all these situations. A strong networking skill will help in expanding your clientele base. Sales is a very hectic profession and therefore, you should know how to thrive in this career option.