My thanks to Seth Godin today for reminding us all in the value of sticking with something. Applying this concept to your sales career or business venture can mean the difference between success and failure.
Sales careers that don't take off right away, or take off slowly, can be just as valuable or "successful" as those that skyrocket immediately. In many cases, those that grow slowly and steadily have more staying power than those that rocket up immediately - my observation in business is that things that go up like a rocket often come down like one, too.
The concept Seth writes about today is especially applicable for sales managers. When I was a regional manager for Pitney Bowes years and years ago, I had a sales representative we'll call "Laurie". She was never flashy, always hovered between 80 and 90 percent of quota, but did a good job with customer service and was committed to learning the products and programs. Several times, I was pressed to replace her. I didn't. To make a long story short, she's made several career advances since then and is now in charge of corporate training for an entire region of the country for the company.
Seth's post is important. If you're struggling in sales, hang in there. Just strive for one percent improvement every month, in two or three years you'll probably be getting honors and awards for the company. If you're a sales manager, don't get an itchy trigger finger. Patience can pay off big time in many cases.
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