2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16
"Everyone sells something" is a favorite American saying. However, it is not necessary to engage in commercial activities. Traveling salesmen can be recruiters of university entrants, employees of hospitals or museums who collect donations for the needs of these institutions, committees inviting people to church, sales representatives of pharmaceutical companies visiting doctors of different hospitals in order to advertise new products, consultants of cosmetic companies offering organic cosmetics, etc. No matter how they call these people: contactors, marketing or sales agents, consultants, sales engineers, but most often - salesmen.
The salesman is…
Very many people today disdain sales agents, considering them to be deceivers and rogues offering low-quality or unclaimed goods. Commerce is a very ancient profession; several millennia ago, the profession of a traveling salesman already existed. It should be noted that even then she did not evoke positive emotions in society, and such people did not enjoy great respect. In ancient Romethe word "salesman" was consonant with the word "swindler", and the patron of representatives of this cunning and dodgy profession was considered Mercury - the god of deceit.
Traveling salesman is a traveling merchant, a traveling sales intermediary, who is an intermediate link between the company and the client, the seller of the goods and the buyer. Usually, he only offers a product, talks about the merits, and is interested in acquiring it. The sales agent mainly sells by word of mouth, showing only catalogs or product samples. In most cases, the salary of a traveling salesman depends on the amount or quantity of goods sold. Some firms set a fixed rate, which the employee will receive in any case, and also use a reward system - bonuses, allowances.
Typical appearance of a traveling salesman
Many people don't understand what a traveling salesman does and why he is needed at all. In the commercial environment, many stereotypes have formed that do not correspond to reality at all. At the word "traveling salesman" immediately there is an association with the hero of the play "Musician", Harold Hill - cheerful, playful, clapping his interlocutor on the shoulder and always smoking a cigar. Another unfortunate image of a typical sales agent is shown in the play "Death of a Salesman", where Willy Lowman appears to the viewer as very unhappy.
Buyers consider representatives of this profession to be sociable, cheerful, with a well-suspended tongue, arrogant and annoying. In fact, a salesman is a persongood at delivering a product. But at the same time, it is absolutely not necessary for him to be arrogant and annoying, aggressively offering products. Many consultants are very shy, do not know how to express themselves beautifully, but nevertheless they bribe with sincerity, a desire to help, a good presentation, etc.
The main qualities of a good seller
Every successful company dreams of having good marketing agents on their staff who can build a customer base and advertise their product productively. For the recruitment of candidates, establishing contact with students of economic universities, announcements, and employment offices are used. This is followed by a laborious selection of applicants, because it can be quite problematic to immediately identify the necessary qualities.
If a person behaves confidently, is open, energetic, aggressive in communication, then this is not an indicator of his professionalism. From what the salesman does, his character also depends. So suave, humble people can also be excellent salespeople. Basically, when choosing a candidate, they look at his ability to feel the feelings of the client, to understand what he needs. Also, the consultant must have a sense of purpose to bring the matter to the end.
Two types of traveling salesman
A traveling salesman is not only a good salesman, but also an excellent psychologist. In some cases, he takes an aggressive approach and hits the buyer with intense pressure. It works when selling a car. The consultant exaggerates the advantages of products, shows all the benefits of designpurchases. In some cases, for example, when selling cosmetics, the sales agent acts as an assistant. He uncovers the hidden needs of the consumer, gives practical suggestions. This approach is greatly appreciated by many buyers who do not like excessive assertiveness.
The approach of a sales agent to potential buyers
Quickly identifying potential buyers and working with them is what this profession involves. The traveling salesman must independently create a client base for the enterprise for which he works. To find customers, they mainly use proven techniques:
- Based on various sources of information, gathering a customer base from bankers, dealers, suppliers, non-competitive salesmen.
- Loyal customers are asked for the names of acquaintances who may become potential buyers.
- Join organizations that potential clients are members of.
- Study the press and other data sources.
- Visit various organizations announcing their products.
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