14/11/2024
#2: FIRST STEPS INTO THE PROFESSION, HOW TO KNOW IF INTERNATIONAL B2B SALES CAREER IS RIGHT FOR YOU
Hi dear friends,
For the newcomers, we created this channel to record the experiences and lessons we have learned throughout my career in international business. There are countless lessons, and I KNOW that I won’t be able to remember them all later on. Additionally, we primarily aim to provide guidance for those planning to pursue this career, or for those who are already in the same profession, to refer to and share knowledge and skills so that we can work more effectively. This channel will not focus on theory and will mainly consist of real stories from our working experience. If you need more theoretical understanding, you should attend school or vocational training centers.
So, how do you know if you are suited for the position of an international salesperson? According to the "Web 5 Ngày" channel that the formula for success is Morale x Competence = Results. How does this formula specifically apply to international business?
*The morale:*
Diligence is a prerequisite. It is a prerequisite because if you lack it, reconsider pursuing a career in export sales. Whether you are diligent or not depends on how honest you are with yourself. I will describe the image of a diligent salesperson for you to see if you fit into that role.
First is diligent learning. The first aspect is learning languages because if you cannot communicate effectively with your customers, they have no reason to buy from you. Many candidates I have interviewed can only communicate with customers through messages or emails, feeling shy and unable to speak on the phone. This limitation will hinder your results. The second aspect is learning about the product because only when you thoroughly understand your product and can help customers solve their problems with it will they close deals with you. The third aspect is learning about everything related to economics, politics, religion, etc., to understand your customers. You might wonder why you need to know about these distant issues, but when a customer appreciates your knowledge about Ramadan fasting, Hindu non-beef eating, or their currency devaluation, and the urgency to buy, you will understand. We must remind ourselves that our learning never ends.
The second aspect of diligence is work hours. Many people want to do sales for the flexible hours. That's true, but if you choose to be lazy and only communicate with customers during business hours while your customers are from different countries and time zones, that's not ideal. You need to serve customers by responding as quickly as possible. When customers need issues resolved, you should be there as soon as possible to make them feel secure working with you. If you can't respond quickly during consultations, how can you solve their issues promptly after they've placed an order and paid? You still need to work diligently if customers reject you and even more diligently if issues arise. Since B2B orders are of high value, any negligence can cause significant damage, affecting customers, the company, and the salesperson.
The good news is that you can still be a little lazy once you've exceeded your KPIs or feel too stressed. You can choose to rest because it's unnecessary to always stay busy. Knowing when to rest correctly will enable you to work better with a refreshed spirit and improve productivity.
*2. The competence:*
Communication skills should be your strength. I say "should be" because it doesn't have to be mandatory right away. Communication is a skill that can be improved. However, if you find that even during school, you could communicate comfortably with teachers and friends, make new acquaintances, tell stories, or write well, those are signs that you might have a strength in communication.
In my opinion, a good communicator is someone who knows what the other person wants to hear. In B2B communication skills, we highly value the ability to listen and ask the right questions. In this industry, we don't need to be as smooth-talking as we might think salespeople should be. The most important thing customers want to know is what you can do to bring value to them. However, they often don't say it outright; it's hidden in their words. Or, if customers are inexperienced, understanding their psychology is very important. We will write about analyzing different customer types and how to communicate effectively with each, based on my experience, for you to refer to.
With diligence, perseverance, and patience, even if you don’t have a natural talent, you will gradually accumulate experience and achieve certain results.
If you have good communication skills, you can be among the topmost effective salespeople in the company. Diligence is the spirit part, and communication is the competence part. Those who have both spirit and competence will likely achieve results sooner.
For newcomers, if you are fortunate to meet dedicated leaders, supervisors, or kind colleagues, you will quickly adapt to the job and know what is important to do, making your path to goals clearer.
That’s all for now. In the next episode, I will talk about the difficulties you will face in the international sales profession.
If you find this topic helpful, please like and follow to spread the word. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments or email [email protected] or [email protected] then we will answer you ASAP.
We wish you a peaceful day. See you. 😉
11/11/2024