Have you ever been asked questions like, “How much are you drawing?” or “What is your current CTC?” It’s a common query that often arises in job interviews, family gatherings, reunions, and even dates. Our salary tends to serve as a yardstick for measuring success in our careers, whether we embrace that notion or not.
For salespeople, whose performance is often quantifiable through revenue and profits, salary becomes an even more significant marker of success. It’s widely understood that their compensation correlates with the results they bring in, adhering to industry standards.
If you aspire to climb into the higher salary brackets in sales, consider the following steps:
Ask for more:
Initiate conversations with your current employer about actions necessary to achieve salary hikes.
Master Negotiation:
Leverage your negotiation skills during job interviews and performance appraisals, a skillset inherent to sales professionals.
Craft Your Story:
Showcase your sales achievements, core competencies, and the value you bring to the employer, backed by tangible proof from previous roles or current performance.
Research and Network:
Explore salary standards and industry trends through blogs, job portals, and networking with fellow sales professionals. Platforms like SalesGuys can facilitate broader connections.
Track Progress:
Stay consistent in performance, continuously acquire new skills, and remain adaptable to change. Complacency is the enemy of progress.
Consider Job Changes:
Don’t hesitate to explore new opportunities if they promise better prospects. Sometimes, a change can be the catalyst for higher earnings and career growth.
In sales, the key is to make money while effectively assisting customers in finding the right products or services. Remember, being underpaid may inadvertently tarnish your reputation as an efficient salesperson. Embrace the journey of professional growth, and always strive for excellence.
Additional Information – Salary Determination:
On the company side, factors such as industry, turnover, profit percentage, and workforce size form the basis of salary decisions. It’s important to note that 20% on Rs.1 is not the same as 20% on Rs.10. Thus, someone in sales in the paints industry might draw less compared to someone in the IT sales team selling IT/SaaS products. Both individuals could be successful in their own industries, but to an outsider, the IT salesperson might seem more successful. Education qualifications aside, one’s skill set and exposure to the right job opportunities define which industry one can enter. This means all salespeople have equal chances of being better paid based on the opportunities they seize. Keep networking!
