12 Reasons to Become a Salesforce Platform Developer
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I started in sales in my early 20s. I was a single parent, and felt like sales was the best option to help build a life for me and my son. Turns out, I was right. Today, I’m the president of Women Sales Pros, the CEO of Score More Sales, an award-winning podcaster, an author, and a sales coach at Harvard Business School. After working my way up in a male-dominated industry, I’m now able to help other people build their own sales careers.
It wasn’t all wins, though. I had to learn the hard way to succeed in sales. But if I had to start over, here’s what I’d tell myself to do earlier: Find a mentor, earn a sponsor, and hire a coach. (Yes, those are all different things.)
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My grandmother Mimi was my first mentor in business. She ran women’s apparel stores and taught me how to work with customers – when and where to add value, and how to deliver top-notch service. I learned so much from her, but it was B2C, not B2B.
Then, I started following the teachings of author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar to learn B2B sales. One of his quotes hit home: “Motivation is not permanent. But then, neither is bathing; it’s something you should do on a regular basis.” Mentorship isn’t about showing someone how to sell. It’s about offering ongoing reinforcement and ideas that motivate and inspire.
I heard Zig speak in person a few times and met him briefly once. Even though we didn’t work together directly, I consider him a mentor. He inspired and motivated me constantly, while also teaching me new sales techniques.
Here’s how to find your own mentor:
One of my colleagues, Senior Account Manager Kristina Kerley at Fireclay Tile, found mentors who helped her succeed in sales by building long-term client relationships. “My mentors showed me the importance of starting with compassion and empathy in order to build a trusted client relationship,” she said.
In my last corporate role, my company got acquired. Many of you know what comes next: The company downsizes to lower costs.
I thought I was safe. Everybody liked me. But I didn’t have a high-level advocate saying, “You can’t let her go. She’s indispensable.” Sure enough, the company laid me off.
An advocate — or sponsor, as they’re commonly called — might have saved my job. That’s why you need someone in power to represent your best interests.
Here’s the catch: You can’t really ask someone to sponsor you. You have to earn it. You have to show you’re engaged, focused, and in it for the long haul. That’s when you get noticed.
Here are some tips for finding a sponsor:
I’ve always resisted the idea of Inbox Zero. Lucky for me, I hired a sales coach who agreed. “You don’t have to get rid of everything, you just have to organize it,” they said.
Adopting this concept has completely changed how I manage my email. It really helped me manage all my messaging effectively, and avoid any loss of business or damage to relationships.
This is the genius of coaches. They can focus on tactical issues or help you find your career blind spots. They can help you with anything from skill development to leadership strategies to goal achievement.
To find the right coach:
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And a note on AI: If you’re worried about it making your tactical coaching irrelevant, there’s no need to. Yes, AI can save time by identifying where you need to improve, just like software for pre-calling and call coaching does. But it’s not so great at helping you build and strengthen relationships. You still need the human touch to make connections and build your network.
I wouldn’t have achieved 30 years in sales without the mentors, sponsors, and coaches who guided me every step of the way. Ideally, you’ll find all three for yourself, but I know that’s not always possible. If money or time makes it a challenge, try working with at least one of them.
Whoever you go with, commit wholly to the relationship to maximize its impact. And don’t worry about it being one-sided: When they see you do big things, they’ll have the satisfaction of knowing they helped someone succeed in sales. That’s a win-win.
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