Sales & Marketing Management - October 2007 - (Page 30)

S JOBS THE HOTTEST INDUSTRIES FOR SALES JOBS TH leave deal. Successful sales reps are the ones who truly embed themselves into their client’s businesses—riding the trucks, working in the dry cleaner's, spending their day in the senior living facility [and] actually working alongside their prospects to understand their client’s business.” Truly dedicated sales professionals show that they have the passion and the drive to make a business succeed. “There are no easy sales jobs anymore,” Ferrara concludes, and there aren’t too many workers willing to put in the time and make the sacrifices that are needed today in order to become top sales professionals. To compensate for the demand for extra dedication, many sales employers surveyed by CareerBuilder reported that they were willing to pay higher salaries to new employees and give raises to increase retention of good ones. While that makes for a much more competitive market for sales professionals than it’s been in the past, new and better opportunities are available for those who have what it takes. Even in industries that have experienced a downward trend in the recent past, such as real estate and loan sales, the professional who manages to differentiate himself within the organization is guaranteed to keep a profitable job. “Good branding and marketing is important not only for the organization, but also for the rep himself,” Ferrara says. “Using the ‘I rode the truck’ stories is one way to be differentiated in the field.” Ferrara explains that this evolution of the sales role originates with the client. Nowadays, the client demands more from the salesperson both in terms of knowledge and dedication. This trend has created a new school of thought that has affected the whole sales philosophy. And that, in turn, determines the type of professionals companies will be hiring. Of course, other driving factors for change depend on industry trends, and according to Ferrara, companies are now investing in innovation because that’s where the competition is. “Most products out there are pretty similar,” he says, “except for the companies that really change their products in a special way—like the iPhone, which solves many different problems with a single device.” Therefore, sales professionals now have to be flexible and innovative so they can not only meet the new demands in service created by their clients, but also sell the new products. Marc Cenedella, founder, president, and CEO of TheLadders.com, a New York-based job search company, 30 SALES &MARKETING MANAGEMENT OCTOBER 2007 HOTTEST agrees. “Now it’s more about solution sales rather than widget sales,” he says. “You’ve got to look at the customer’s problem and sell them something that solves the overall problem, not just a product that they have to figure out how to use. You really have to sell them an integrated solution they can rely on and that will take them to a happier place. It requires a cleverer salesperson, with a lot more training and talent.” Ferrara points out that “among the industries that are getting the most job postings and searches on CareerBuilder.com, consumer products, technology, insurance, banking [and] financing have shown the most activity.” Cenedella says TheLadders.com shows that “Tech and telecom have seen steady growth in sales jobs. Services in general are growing fast as far as percentage per year, and healthcare is holding steady.” According to Cenedella, the five fastest-growing cities are Portland, Dallas, San Antonio, Chicago and Columbus. He says that some rapidly growing cities such as Phoenix have few high-end sales jobs despite the population growth. SPREADING YOUR WINGS What about international sales? Globalization is a fact, and more and more of the country’s large companies are expanding their businesses to take advantage of ripe and underexplored overseas markets. But, Cenedella says, “If a company expands into Portugal, for example, they’ll look for sales professionals in Portugal rather than transfer a salesperson there. Like politics, all sales jobs are local. You can’t offshore a great relationship, and that’s what a great salesperson brings to the table.” But the American economy is so powerful that it naturally drives worldwide business decisions and trends. “International expansion is one of the greatest business stories of the next several years,” Ferrara says. “When you have an employee who understands the business, as well as the language and the country, that combination is what’s going to give power to the business in that country.” International expansion is one more innovation the ambitious sales professional can invest in. Learn the language, learn the culture and apply the American sales philosophy and strategies. MOVING UP Many sales workers report they are unsatisfied with promotions and pay. As a result of shrunken staffs, workload has increased and many salespeople claim their workload is too www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com http://www.TheLadders.com http://www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sales & Marketing Management - October 2007

Sales & Marketing Management - October 2007 Contents Editor’s Letter Management Strategies Why Prospecting Gets No Respect Sales Strategy: Spotlight your Services Marketing: A Social Intelligence Primer Management: Steer your Team to Success Motivation/Incentives: The No-Pain Way to Gain Training: Looking for Yesterday’s Learning or Tomorrow’s? Technology: Get Trade Show Satisfaction with the Video Massage Focusing on SMB Solutions The Best Sales Force The Hottest Job Industries Overseas Aggravation Gadgets & Gear: Pen and Ink as an Art Form Books that Improve Strategic Thinking, People Skills and Sales One Foot Out the Door Work/Life: Calling in the Fitness Cavalry. Take-Aways: Bite-size Strategies to Help You Sell More, Market Smarter and Manage Better

Sales & Marketing Management - October 2007

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