'Sales' should not be a dirty word

Over my decades in business, I've noticed a baffling trend: "Sales" has become a dirty word. I'm on a lifelong campaign to change that.

In fact, many companies no longer call salespeople salespeople. They have account executives or account specialists, business developers, client advisers, relationship consultants, territory managers and numerous other monikers.

I'm not sure why the word "sales" seems to have such a negative connotation. Companies cannot succeed without salespeople bringing the business through the front door. It's that simple.

You don't even have to be writing up orders to be in sales, because everyone in the company is selling something — ideas, customer service, reputation.

You may not have a formal sales quota to fill, or get paid on commission, but a knowledge of how to sell can be very useful to your success, no matter what your career goals are.

Here are some sales tips that apply to any endeavor:

• Manage your time wisely. Keep track of how much time you spend on your sales process. Identify the activities with the greatest payoff and maximize them, while delegating or cutting down on any that don't add value.

• Get in front of prospects. Every sale starts with a prospect: a potential customer with an interest in what you've got to sell. Identify those who need what you're offering. Find out where they are so you can target your sales efforts effectively.

• Listen more than you talk. Don't think of sales as the art of pressuring a reluctant customer into buying something he or she doesn't want. You'll get better results by asking questions about your prospect's problems and really listening to his or her needs.

• Get into the customer's mind. You've got to tailor your approach to match individual buyers, not take a one-size-fits-all attitude.

• Create the demand. It's not how much it's worth, it's how much people think it's worth. Show how your product or service will make life easier for the person whose support you need. Stop selling and let them buy. Most people like to buy things, but we really dislike being pushed into a purchase.

• Eliminate the risk. Money-back guarantees and other sales tactics limit the customer's risk of making a mistake. Know the risks of your product or service ahead of time, and have solutions ready when you are questioned.

• Follow up. Persistence pays. Don't make a pest of yourself, but check in regularly with your customers and prospects to find out what they need.

• Accept rejection gracefully. Rejection is part of business. The sooner you move on, the sooner you'll make another sale.

Mackay's Moral: Whatever you're selling, you're selling yourself first.