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Salespeople, also known as salesclerks or promoters, are the group that manufacturers value most yet also neglect most. They are valued because both companies and merchants know the importance of the "final kick" (closing the sale), and they spend money training, managing, and motivating terminal salespeople. They are neglected because the salesperson position sits at the very bottom of the corporate hierarchy: generally, they have the worst benefits, the fewest promotion paths, the highest turnover, and are the least considered in corporate career planning. At the same time, salespeople often rely on youth, and their career span cannot be too long. We see many books and training courses on how to manage and motivate salespeople, but those are mostly from the perspective of manufacturers or merchants. Almost no book or textbook speaks from the salesperson's own standpoint. So, as a salesperson, what should you do in the future?
Because I have long been involved in sales work, I have had many opportunities to interact with distributors. I have noticed an interesting phenomenon: among the various bosses, large and small, I have met, a considerable number started out as salespeople. They rose from salesperson to store manager or supervisor, and because they were familiar with their field, becoming a boss in that industry was a natural progression. Or many jumped directly from salesperson to boss.
Career planning is a top priority for everyone, and it is also the issue that consumes the most thought. Actually, answering this question is simple: in one's career, there are only two paths: working for others or starting your own business. (Working while starting a business seems like a third path, but it is only transitional and not mainstream.)
As grassroots workers, salespeople's future career directions are also无非 these two paths. So which path is better for a salesperson's development? The answer is obvious: salespeople are not suited to working for others and following the professional manager path. The only path with development is to become familiar with their field and choose entrepreneurship.
Why do I say this?
If a salesperson chooses long-term employment, they can at most grow into a relatively good professional manager, but this path is too narrow for a salesperson's growth, and achieving significant success is almost impossible. Because:
Salespeople generally have poor educational backgrounds and receive little education (this is common), while professional managers need rich and systematic marketing management knowledge and practical experience. Nowadays, professional managers generally have higher educational requirements.
A salesperson's daily work is mostly limited to in-store sales and management, with narrow but deep exposure. Both practical experience and knowledge reserves are far from the requirements of a professional manager in a company.
The platform is poor: salespeople are mostly recruited by distributors, whose strength is generally not comparable to manufacturers. No matter how much you stir a small pond, you cannot create much of a splash.
Since the path to becoming a professional manager is narrow, the only good path is to become a boss. Why is it a good path for salespeople to seize opportunities and choose entrepreneurship?
Salespeople have long-term contact with customers and complete the "final kick"—the buying and selling work—which is the core and key of all sales. The ultimate goal of being a boss is also to achieve this ultimate purpose.
Excellent salespeople interact with customers daily, giving them the most authoritative understanding of products and consumer psychology.
Excellent salespeople are actually doing what a "virtual boss" does every day: product inventory management, product display, terminal merchandising, and grasping customer psychology.
Being a boss does not require much education; it only requires one key thing: boldness. In other words, the entry barrier in terms of professional competence is low. As long as you want to do it and have a project and funds, you can start immediately. If you read too much, like me, you may become overly cautious. The Wenzhou and Fujian bosses I have met are mostly entrepreneurs with no academic credentials, who stumbled into success because they were forced by life. These people are now wealthy and prominent. They may look "dignified," but they were originally just "peddlers and porters" in the marketplace.
Low sunk costs: This is an economic term, roughly meaning the potential loss in deciding to do something. For example, if a marketing director and a salesperson simultaneously choose the same entrepreneurial project, assuming profits are the same, the marketing director will feel that their "intangible costs" are higher because they lose director-level income. In contrast, a salesperson only loses a monthly income of about a thousand yuan. Even if the venture fails, they can return to being a salesperson.
So, how should a salesperson start a business from an execution perspective? In my personal opinion, the following suggestions may serve as a reference:
Aim high but stay grounded: You must have the idea of becoming a boss to actually become one. If you just go through the motions, you naturally cannot become a boss. At the same time, do every task well every day. Doing each thing well is not only for the boss but also for yourself. Do not cut corners. Being dedicated at work can cultivate good "professional qualities," which are also the qualities of a boss. In other words, when you work with effort and act with integrity, you are already training yourself to be a qualified boss.
Deeply understand your industry and become an expert in it. I have seen such expert talents around me. Although they lack money, after being recruited by "investors," they fully manage store operations and hold some shares, which is equivalent to being their own boss.
Reserve funds. This needs no further explanation; being a boss requires initial investment. However, I have seen many salespeople "borrow a hen to lay eggs," meaning others provide the capital or most of the capital, while they manage operations and take shares. That is also acceptable.
Seek opportunities: Pay attention to the market in your industry and see which products and brands are on the rise. Salespeople are in the market every day, so they naturally know the trends of which products are popular.
Shangdao Marketing Begins Open Recruitment for QQ Group Members
To become a Shangdao member, you need to pay an annual fee of 999 yuan, which makes you a one-year member and grants you access to a WeChat platform worth 3,688 yuan. You can ask questions at any time, and lectures are held regularly in the group, covering but not limited to distributor management, internet marketing, market development management, and other content. The first batch is limited to 20 people, and 7 have already joined. Welcome to join.
How to join: Scan the QR code in the image below and consult the group administrator.