Sales is an industry that tests people, has a low entry barrier, and produces many outstanding talents. However, if you assume that marketing is an easy path to success just because the barrier is low, you are gravely mistaken. While this industry has helped many achieve their dreams, it also sees a large number of people fail every year.

If you intend to enter this industry, you must have a clear understanding of the following eight issues and take them seriously. Otherwise, starting your career with marketing could lead to major setbacks at the very beginning, potentially destroying your confidence in future career development. Especially for newcomers to the sales field, you must have a rational and clear understanding of these issues and not be swayed by erroneous ideas.

Mistake 1: Blindly worshiping the 'bucket theory.'

When it comes to career planning, I have to say this theory is a harmful 'cancer.'

When I ask people why they chose sales, they invariably say: Sales is good for self-improvement, and since I'm introverted, I want to use sales to overcome my shortcomings. Then I ask: Did you succeed in making up for your deficiencies through sales? The answer is often: I found that I really dislike interacting with people, and it's painful.

Many years ago, the 'bucket theory' was popular in Chinese training circles. Through passionate speeches by trainers, this theory has become deeply ingrained, even today. While it has some validity in certain areas (like building a company's overall competitiveness), when applied to career planning, I must say it is a harmful 'cancer'! If you still firmly believe in it and use it as a guiding principle for your career, your failure is guaranteed!

What is the key to success? The answer is: Leverage your strengths! Everyone has a personality, and each personality has its strengths and weaknesses. Strengths are areas where you naturally outperform 80% of people; weaknesses are areas where you do worse than 80% of people. To succeed, you must play to your strengths because you are naturally better than 80% of people in those areas, so you can beat them effortlessly, and your efforts will yield twice the results with half the effort.

On the other hand, trying to overcome weaknesses means you have to beat 80% of people who are stronger than you, which is an uphill battle. Even if you manage to improve, you can at best reach the same level as the 80%, not surpass them. So how can you succeed?

Many people complain about their shortcomings and want to change themselves, but that is a big mistake. I have always believed: There is no one who cannot be used; the key is whether you are placed in the right position. The main criterion for whether someone is in the right position is whether the job can leverage their strengths. Using people's strengths is also the core principle of excellent talent management.

You might ask: 'I also have many weaknesses, and I've suffered because of them. If we change our mindset and focus on strengths, how should we deal with these weaknesses?' Here I must emphasize: Leveraging strengths does not mean ignoring weaknesses; it's about allocating energy. My view is: Put 80% of your energy into your strengths, maximize them, and build them into your core competitiveness; put 20% of your energy into your weaknesses, bring them up to a passing level, and don't let them become stumbling blocks on your path. This allocation is reasonable.

Comparing your weaknesses with others' strengths is like an egg hitting a rock. The fatal flaw of the bucket theory is that it teaches people to focus 100% on fixing weaknesses while ignoring strengths! Such a theory is untenable.

Mistake 2: Treating sales as a lifeline.

Many people lack clear career goals during college, not knowing their interests or future direction. They don't know what they want to do or what suits them, so they spend their golden four years in confusion, aimlessness, and boredom. In such a state, building core competitiveness or improving overall quality is out of the question. Thus, graduating and being unemployed is a foregone conclusion. I once met a student who sent out 1,200 resumes across various industries and positions but didn't receive a single interview invitation.

Under such employment pressure, most people set their sights on sales. I ask them: You clearly don't like sales and aren't suited for it, so why choose this field? Their answer: Sales has a low barrier, and major doesn't matter much; when I can't find any other job, I have to choose sales. (Meanwhile, the irresponsible and widespread college notion of 'get a job first, then choose a career' has greatly fueled this erroneous idea. This approach is extremely irresponsible to both students and companies, and I strongly oppose it.)

We once had a client who also chose sales when he had no other options. Because he wasn't suited, it was painful, and he couldn't hold on. He came to us and decided to change careers. But by then, three years had passed, and he realized the difficulties of starting over: no experience, many companies unwilling to offer opportunities; even if there were, the pay was low, and he felt uneasy. But there was no choice; reality is harsh. The mistakes you make earlier will eventually have consequences.

In our consulting, such examples are common. I don't know whether to laugh or cry, whether it's helplessness or punishment. If you don't truly love sales, don't choose it; it's not a job that lets you live comfortably. Without genuine passion, you can't overcome the frustration that comes with the job, nor can you maintain momentum after repeated setbacks.

Don't choose sales when you're at your wit's end. Don't treat it as a lifeline. I know survival is important, and I fully understand your feelings, but future career opportunities are more important. Instead of wasting time on a wrong job, invest more time in considering your future and building relevant skills. Otherwise, you'll encounter problems on your path, and they'll get worse. These problems will accumulate until they explode, and you'll be unable to cope!

Mistake 3: Being impatient for quick riches, thinking sales can make you rich in the short term.

Many people think sales can make big money, but after a year or two, they find it's not as rosy as imagined. So, the motivation to earn money fades, and their interest in sales disappears.

Once, I met a client in foreign trade. He said he liked foreign trade and his personality suited it, but in the past two years, he hadn't made much money and saw no prospects, so he decided to switch careers. I asked him: Do you know anyone successful in foreign trade? He said yes. I asked: Compare yourself with those experts; what gaps do you see? He listed them and suddenly realized: He thought he knew everything after two years, but on reflection, he found many shortcomings. So he re-evaluated his direction, recognized his deficiencies, and decided to continue developing in foreign trade.

There's an old Chinese saying: 'The layman watches the excitement, the expert watches the craft.' If you're always a 'layman' in your work, you won't be valuable. Becoming an 'insider' and 'professional' in a field, becoming an expert, is what you should pursue, and it's the foundation for building your core competitiveness.

Under normal circumstances, even without detours, it takes 3-5 years of deep accumulation to fully understand an industry and become an insider. Three years to get in, five years to master, ten years to become an expert—this is the typical career path for everyone. If you've only worked for a year or two, you haven't even touched the 'door' of the industry, so how can you make big money?

If you don't believe me, look at the sales experts around you, ask how many years they've struggled in the industry, and listen to their insights. If you approach sales with an impatient and restless attitude, you'll never succeed.

Mistake 4: Having high ambitions but low abilities, not wanting to do small things, and being unable to do big things.

For new salespeople, you can't reach the top in one step; you must start from the grassroots (as in any industry, unless you start your own business). But for fresh graduates, being a grassroots salesperson seems undesirable because they think their academic abilities are wasted on tasks like visiting customers, visual merchandising, and promotional activities—things they consider low-tech.

Although grassroots salespeople do basic work, they are in direct contact with the front-line market, and their role is not negligible. Without these salespeople's maintenance, the terminals would be in chaos, which could be fatal for the company. A successful sales expert who doesn't know the front-line market conditions cannot make correct strategic decisions. Moreover, these basic tasks precisely reflect the comprehensive quality of an excellent salesperson.

Once, I chatted with an excellent salesperson about his growth. He told me something impressive. At that time, the company launched a new product and wanted to test the market with flyers in a small area. After two days, the results were poor because many people threw the flyers into the trash. He then observed carefully, adjusted the flyer content for the target audience, and improved the format to make it a practical pocket manual. He also pre-investigated the places and routes where the target audience frequented to ensure accurate distribution. He suggested that flyer distributors wear uniforms to enhance the brand's professional image. He wrote these ideas in a report and submitted it to his supervisor, who praised him highly and immediately promoted him to sales supervisor. At that time, he had only worked for a month.

Many people have had the experience of distributing flyers, and 99% would think it's a low-tech job. But is that really the case? Not necessarily! If you put your heart into it, you can always do it differently and show your unique value.

Mistake 5: Frequent job-hopping, lacking basic loyalty.

I once had a client who was a natural for sales but kept changing jobs. After two years, he hadn't found a stable platform and began to doubt his choices. When I asked why he changed jobs, he said either the position was too low and he felt 'underused,' or he didn't like his supervisor's management style, or the pay was too low and the work too hard...

I asked him, 'Do you want to be a boss?' He said yes, very much. I continued, 'If you were a boss now and had to hire an employee like yourself, would you?' He thought for a moment and said reluctantly, 'No.' I asked why. He said, 'Because such an employee is disobedient, unreliable, and hard to manage.' I said, 'Now do you see where the problem lies?' He nodded slightly.

All bosses like loyal employees. Loyalty to the company is the most basic professional quality. For newcomers, in the first three years, the only important thing is to accumulate professional knowledge and experience. As for other things, you're not yet in a position to care.

Some might say, 'I've been at this company for several months, and they keep giving me trivial tasks. I haven't touched substantive work. Should I stay?'

There are deeper reasons behind this. First, as a newcomer, you need a transition period from student to qualified professional. Also, every company has its own culture, management system, operational model, and work processes. To truly become a member of the company, it's not just about registering with HR and signing a contract; more importantly, you need to integrate into the company culture, adapt to management, quickly understand the strategy and business processes, and see what you need to supplement for your position. These basics are essential for truly fitting in.

This process usually takes six months to a year. It's not just an adaptation period; it's also a probation period for the company. Those who are proactive and perform well will definitely be given important roles later; those who are idle, don't know what to do, complain about lack of opportunities, and then job-hop frequently will never be valued.

Do you know why companies are reluctant to hire fresh graduates? One very important reason is their lack of basic loyalty, which leads to wasted human resource costs! Conversely, those with good professional qualities are sought after by many companies. (Of course, for companies with obvious management flaws, we don't advocate blind loyalty, as such companies are detrimental to a newcomer's growth.)

Mistake 6: Clique mentality, openly confronting the company.

Today's college graduates, fresh out of school, have sharp edges, strong self-awareness, and a strong sense of cliques. They are not easily disciplined. If you say one thing, they'll retort nine times—'one word, nine retorts.' Many companies recruit dozens or even hundreds of students from a single school during campus recruitment. Then problems arise: when they dislike a company's management or rules, they band together and openly confront the company.

Once, while talking with a grassroots sales supervisor at a company, he mentioned such an issue. The company hired a dozen college students who were dissatisfied with the assessment rules and reported it to the supervisor. The supervisor told them it was a legacy issue that had been raised before but couldn't be resolved. So the students jointly wrote a letter directly to the general manager, causing a very bad impact in the company.

It's reasonable for employees to raise issues, but they must use proper methods and follow company rules and procedures. Banding together to openly confront the company will never be welcomed in any company.

Mistake 7: Being arrogant, overly flamboyant, good at work but bad at interpersonal relations.

Although many fresh graduates don't meet employer expectations, some are outstanding. They have rich internship, part-time, or club experiences and strong overall abilities. But because of these assets, they stand out among peers, become complacent, arrogant, criticize others' work, and look down on everyone, even their direct supervisor.

To do things, first learn to be a person. Those who are capable but lack interpersonal skills are more harmful to the organization and will not be welcomed by the company or colleagues. Pride leads to loss, modesty brings benefits. Modesty allows a person to continuously absorb new knowledge and gain momentum in the workplace; arrogance only keeps you stagnant. Only by learning to be modest, tolerant, and open-minded, and by having both virtue and talent, can you be invincible.

Mistake 8: Lacking long-term goals, only focusing on immediate interests.

Many people, after two or three years of work, become proficient in their tasks and feel there's nothing more to learn. Their ambition fades, they become 'old hands' in the workplace, unwilling to progress, and job burnout sets in.

Many who have been in front-line market roles for too long often feel this way. Among our consulting clients, this is common. The reason is that they focus only on immediate interests and forget long-term goals.

Once, I met a salesperson who had worked for four years. He was doing well and had been promoted to manager, but he felt his career had peaked and no longer had the same drive.

I asked him, 'When you chose sales, did you have a long-term goal?' He said yes, to become a sales expert and eventually a professional manager. I asked, 'How far are you from that goal now? Do you know how to bridge the gap?' A week later, he emailed me, saying that after careful thought, he had rediscovered his goals and made a concrete plan, and his motivation had returned.

When you only focus on the present, you're easily satisfied and easily lost; when you have a longer-term goal, your direction becomes clearer, you know what you want and pursue it, and you have more drive to move forward.

So, when you feel lost or unmotivated, step back and think: Where exactly is my goal?

Summary A successful career is the result of multiple factors working together. Being exceptionally good in one area doesn't guarantee success. Only when you have other essential elements will your career foundation be solid and your momentum sufficient. Successful people see the future direction and keep moving toward it, building their core competitiveness. Meanwhile, they encounter endless career opportunities (Why do some people send 1,200 resumes without a single reply, while others are constantly dodging headhunter calls? Think about the difference and the reasons). Failures, on the other hand, often don't know how to improve themselves comprehensively, make excuses to cover their shortcomings, and complain that society doesn't give them opportunities.

Extended Reading:

Let You Avoid Five Years of Detours in Sales! Believe It or Not!!

Sales Psychology

  1. Customers don't want cheap; they want to feel they got a bargain.
  2. Don't argue about price; discuss value.
  3. There are no wrong customers, only poor service.
  4. What you sell isn't important; how you sell is.
  5. There's no best product, only the most suitable.
  6. There are no unsellable products, only people who can't sell.
  7. Success isn't luck; it's because there are methods.

Sales Art Customer asks: What advantages do you have compared to Company A? If you talk endlessly, you're falling into the trap! Suggestion: Ask back: Since you ask, you must know about Product A. What aspect do you find most satisfying, and why? After they answer, you can calmly say: I understand. We also have these functions, and in addition... Sales is highly creative and a profound discipline, an art that combines marketing, psychology, eloquence, and performance.

So, those who use their hands are laborers; those who use hands and mind are helmsmen; those who use hands, mind, and heart are artists; only those who use hands, mind, heart, and legs are qualified salespeople.

Sales Strategy In Wal-Mart in the U.S., beer and diapers are placed together, boosting sales of both. The reason is that American women ask their husbands to buy diapers after work, and men, after buying diapers, pick up their favorite beer. This creates a magical sales effect—cross-selling and related selling... As a marketer, you must be observant and learn to study sales strategies. A good strategy often leads to different results!

Five Unspoken Rules in Bargaining

  1. Never make the first offer; whoever does loses.
  2. Never accept the other party's initial terms; whoever does loses.
  3. Bargain below the other's expected target; not bargaining is foolish.
  4. React with shock to make them feel their price is outrageous.
  5. Be ready to walk away to force a hasty decision.

The Most Profitable Personality Is Persistence Surveys show that 80% of new business is closed on the fifth call to the same person. 48% of salespeople give up after the first call, losing a customer source. 25% give up after the second call. 12% give up after the third. 10% continue calling. These 10% who don't give up are the highest earners.

Shaping Value Initially, black pearls didn't sell well; many thought their color was dull and gray. Later, a merchant placed them in a Fifth Avenue window with an incredibly high price and ran continuous ads, placing them among diamonds and gems. Thus, something of unknown value became a rare treasure overnight. No matter how good the product, if you can't shape its value, it won't fetch a high price; even an ordinary product can sell at a good price if you shape its value well!

Practical Sales Tips

  1. Sales is not about changing others.
  2. Sales success depends on customer liking.
  3. How to position: Who is the customer? Who am I?
  4. Build shared beliefs and values; use 'we' more.
  5. Use 'and' instead of 'but'.

Three Things to Do When Visiting Customers

  1. Let the customer talk; for every 45 seconds you speak, get the customer to speak 15 seconds. Match their speaking pace.
  2. After 3 minutes, find the customer's interests and steer the topic to their hot zone.
  3. Make the customer remember your unique traits, not the company's or product's. Pay attention to their psychological expectations, personality, quality, and experience.

Secrets in Convenience Stores

  1. Best-selling drinks are placed at the back to make you browse more.
  2. Related items are placed together to stimulate needs and make you buy more.
  3. Snacks are always at the checkout to make you buy things you didn't plan to. The store layout is meticulously designed to induce customers to spend more. Have you noticed these secrets?

Steps to Resolve Customer Complaints High-EQ golden steps:

  1. Show empathy and listen carefully to the complaint.
  2. Express gratitude and explain why you value their complaint.
  3. If wrong, apologize for the matter; if not, apologize for their mood.
  4. Promise immediate action and active remedy.
  5. Propose a solution and timeline; ask for confirmation.
  6. Follow up to confirm satisfaction.

Pricing Strategy Why do prices end with '9'? A price slightly lower than a round number is called a 'magic price.' For example, 29.9 yuan is psychologically categorized as '20-something,' while 30.00 yuan (or above) is seen as '30-something.' 20-something seems much lower than 30-something.

Five Key Points to Win Customers

  1. Before customers enter the store, brand and location are the primary pull.
  2. After entering, conversion rate is key; more retailers are installing counters at entrances for this reason.
  3. After the purchase decision, the upsell rate or added value is key to maximizing sales.
  4. After purchase, study how to increase repeat purchase rate and shorten the return time.
  5. How to tap into the customer's lifetime value.

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