Here’s the secret to advancing your profession and learning invaluable career skills: sales training. Sales training teaches women key attributes needed to overcome obstacles and achieve our objectives. It’s a game changer, even for those who aren’t in a sales position. Core sales training covers conflict, negotiation, relationships, presentation, persuasion, and the ask. Each of these are foundational building blocks that will enhance your position and leadership opportunities, no matter what department you work in. All women should pursue sales training if they want to excel in their careers.
Conflict
Sales professionals must learn how to navigate and manage conflict, both internal and external. As such, basic sales training covers addressing conflict, mitigating the conflict, and resolving conflict in a mutually beneficial manner. These are invaluable career skills that translate to all types of professions. And although many women struggle with conflict, both in their professional and personal lives, learning to break down the elements of discord and the means to solve these challenges is an indispensable leadership skill.
Negotiation
Negotiation is nuanced and requires the ability to understand other perspectives and have a willingness to pivot. We actively negotiate every day, from agreeing on what to eat for dinner to prioritizing tasks. Sales training teaches distinct negotiating skills that drive conversations towards the desired outcome. These are necessary career skills when seeking a key project, new position, a promotion, or when negotiating compensation.
Relationships
Our lives are built on our relationships. They provide added strength to overcome adversity, support to navigate tricky situations, and shared joy in our triumphs. While many women have a solid foundation of relationship building skills, sales training takes it to a new level. It delivers a better understanding and consciousness around the subtlety of relational capital, as well as an awareness of establishing, fostering, and nurturing long-term relationships that will enrich our lives and present more opportunities in our careers.
Presentation
Effective sales training contributes practical principles to become a master presenter. This encompasses a great deal, such as clear and concise communications, speaking to others or to groups, confidence, and creating interactive dialogues. Noteworthy leaders are proficient presenters, whether sharing their vision one-on-one or with a large audience.
Persuasion
The art of persuasion equates to being a change agent. You must gain the ability to influence and shift preconceived notions, ideas or concepts, or a course of action. It’s a pivot, a move to a shared vision. Persuasion is a foundation skill in sales training instruction, and the value of attaining this powerful skill cannot be understated. Exceptional leaders leverage persuasion to motivate and inspire.
Ask
Every sales person knows that you must “ask” to close a sale. Indeed, if you don’t ask, you won’t get it. Every sales training course covers many forms of asking for the sale, and these exact principles should be applied daily. From the gamut of an alternate choice close to a direct close, acquiring the assurance to ask for a decision or what you require is imperative. The knowledge of how to ask and diligent application of asking will dramatically benefit you at work and in life. Ask for the promotion, ask for more responsibility, and ask for your heart’s desire.
Regardless of your job position or the department in which you work, sales knowledge will give you an opportunity to grow and expand your sense of self. All women should pursue sales training, because it empowers women to better reach their objectives. It’s also a means to navigate difficult situations and recognize alternatives in our approach. Sales training puts us on the path of leadership, giving women career skills they can leverage in every aspect of their lives. So give it a shot: sign up for some training in sales and reap the rewards.
Petite2Queen provides virtual mentoring to young women in life, at work, and in sales. Follow us for more practical advice you can put to use to improve your life and career.
Lynn Whitbeck is the co-founder and President of Petite2Queen. She is focused on identifying and evaluating opportunities for women at work, helping them define their personal roadmap. She dedicates herself to delivering tools and insights, embracing visualization of the big picture, and identifying and implementing the minutiae of detail. Lynn aims to share lessons learned along her journey and enable positive uplift for women.
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