So, what is it that you do for a living? You’re a salesperson?!
August 1, 2006

I'm from Cleveland. When people from Cleveland are asked where they're from, they have a tendency, at times, to offer something like the following response:

• "So, where are you from?"
• "Oh, I'm, uh, from, uh, did you ever hear of Shaker Heights?"
• "Yes, isn't that a suburb of Cleveland?"
• "You know, I think it is."

I'm in sales. When people in sales are asked what they do for a living, they have a tendency, at times, to offer something like the following response:

• "So, what do you do for a living?"
• "Oh, I'm, uh, involved in identifying and solving problems."
• "Oh, so what are you, a psychologist?"
• "Uh, no, actually, I'm a sales representative."

Enough already! Can you imagine being from a city that you assume everyone has a negative attitude toward? Or, can you imagine being in a profession, (yes, I used the word "profession"), that you weren't proud of?

I fear that many people in the sales profession don't really consider themselves professionals. This lack of pride in the profession of selling, coupled with a lack of self-esteem, can create enormous difficulties.

This month's message is pretty simple, really. If you, as a sales professional, are not willing to feel pride in what you do for a living, then you will inevitably perpetuate negative attitudes toward sellers. Further, you will not seek to continually improve your productivity and performance. Finally, the results you generate for your company, its shareholders, and the most important stakeholders of all, yourself and your family, will never reach their potential.

The solution I offer is also pretty simple. If you don't have pride in your profession, figure out a way to reorient your thinking and attitude. Get proud, act proudly, and behave in a manner that best reflects the sales profession. If you can't make that happen, find another line of work. Further, if you are a manager who hires sales professionals, make sure that you reflect pride and esteem in yourself, your company and the sales profession. You will attract and retain some very talented people who otherwise might not be willing to consider the sales profession as a career. Why? Because so many of us run around embarrassed and apologizing for what we do.

My father, who was an electrical engineer by training, yet a sales executive by chosen profession, always used to tell me: "Jeff, nothing happens in the world until somebody sells something."

Even if others still don't get it, each of us in this glorious profession should take pride and say, when someone asks what we do, "I'm a sales professional." If they still don't get it, shame on them. If we don't say it, shame on us!