When people in other careers ask salespeople why they are in sales, the most frequent answer is “money.” This is the pat answer salespeople give to outsiders who have never experienced the rush of closing a deal or the satisfaction of building a trusted friendship with a customer.
Providing the answer “money” is similar to the way mountain climbers answer “because it’s there” when asked why they climb mountains. The questioners can’t comprehend why someone would intentionally endure such physical and mental exhaustion and take such huge risks. They themselves don’t possess the inward drive to reach the pinnacle or the self-confidence to attempt the impossible.
The real answer to the question of why salespeople are in sales is deeper and far more complex. It was best explained by French aristocrat and historian Alexis de Tocqueville when he wrote about the American colonies’ desire to be free from England. “The revolution of the United States was the result of a mature reflecting preference for freedom, not a vague or ill-defined craving for independence,” he concluded. The colonials weren’t as interested in the independence of the colonies as they were in the freedom of the individual. The writers of the Declaration of Independence considered freedom a natural law of nature. Every July 4th here in the United States we pause to celebrate the most magnificent experiment of freedom in the history of mankind.
TIP: The reality is that you are not in sales solely for money. You work in sales not because you have to, but because you have to be free. And this fundamental drive is at the core of the human spirit.
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Right on brother! ...and with personal freedom comes responsibility. No group in any organization is more needed or more valuable than the "Sales" team. We have freedom from the Dilbert cube, and the responsibility of supporting the families of the entire organization we represent.
Our forefather's didn't shirk the responsibility thing. They diligently put together a framework that has held up for centuries and allowed all of us to have the freedom to choose our path.
So all you sales folks, enjoy the money, you've earned it and the freedom it brings. And thanks for the work you do. I know it is special.
Now, let's all step it up a few notches for the rest of the year. The economy of our country needs a hand from you... more than a hand-out from Washington!
Rich from http://agilepanda.com
Posted by: Rich Tews | July 10, 2009 at 03:25 PM