Busting Myths About Sales!

Well, firstly I would like to thank you all for the overwhelming love I received after the first edition of Naari-tive. We are a 3000+ strong family already and that makes me want to write more and more for each one of you! Following the previous article, many of you asked me to present the reality of sales, which I will continue to do in upcoming pieces. In the meanwhile, here are 4 myths that I bust today. So, without further adieu, here is my naari-tive:

Myth Number 1: You HAVE TO travel a lot!

I would rather reframe this as ‘You GET TO travel a lot’!

And who doesn't enjoy the exciting life of a #vlogger? If not, #sales is absolutely not for you. Well, for me, it allowed me to visit parts of the country that I otherwise would not have been able to #explore. I've visited 8 different cities since I started working in sales and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Even more intriguing was how dissimilar the cities in the same state were and you only get to know this when you actually visit these places.

I've always been a girl who was driven and accompanied everywhere. This was so bad that I didn't even go to the neighboring house by myself! And now look at me! Imagine someone like me, who now enjoys solo backpacking across the stretches of India. If someone had told me I would have to do this a year ago, it would have seemed absurd and impossible! Haha :P

I am not saying that it stays like this always, there are days when there is just work and the only travel you do is between various distributor points. But you do get to #travel, only if you want to. I feel, irrespective of the profile you are in, travelling is something that happens only when you forget about laziness and just head out of the door to explore.

I remember when I was in Trichy, thoroughly homesick, I pulled myself together. Booked a cab and headed to Tanjore. I did not know what all places I would visit there, made the itinerary on the way. But the initial push I had to give myself was well worthwhile! The city and the places there were beautiful, and I am glad I did it!

I agree that these things look lucrative initially and I might be excited about them because my sales stint is for a defined period of time. But my point is that you shouldn't let these things deter you from attempting the profession at all. It is worth a shot for sure!

Myth Number 2: It is all about numbers!

Wrong, it is all about people. Numbers happen automatically when you have a great relationship with your distributors, retailers, the on-ground sales team and rest of the stakeholder. You meet people, hear their #stories and get to know what motivates them. And probably I feel this is the most difficult part of all. Not everyone comes from the same #motivation as you. Not everyone is at the same level in the company as you and honestly, you are way younger than they are. Why should they listen to someone who has just entered the city from a fancy b-school? There is already a set perception that you get to deal with.

So, for you to build your place in their hearts, you really need to put in efforts to build relationships with the team. Learn from their #experiences and let them guide you. You have been assigned to the role to help them, not make their lives tougher than they already are. And this you understand after facing a lot of backlashes, arguments and the feeling of being an outsider. But what you learn, is how these people can become the building blocks of your numbers.

I recall being scolded on my first day at L'Oréal in Chennai for something I did. RIGHT ON THE FIRST DAY! I had emailed the ASM asking for data, and my manager called to advise me that I needed to establish relationships with the team if I sought data. He was correct, too. I came to understand that the on-ground sales team has A LOT of work and I f you haven't taken an attempt to build a #relationship with them, why should they make the time to assist you? It continues to be one of my most important lessons. And I'm grateful of it!

Myth Number 3: It is all work, and no play!

Trust me when I say this, it is quite fun for various reasons but this one is my favorite. You meet strangers and then party with them! Since I have moved to Chennai and travelled for either work or leisure, I have met so many strangers who have now become those whom I could rely on for recreational activities.

While on my way to Pondicherry, unaware about how late the buses run here, I reached the bus station on time. The bus was 2 hours late! But you know what happened during that time? While being stranded at the stand, I met so many people who were supposed to go in the same bus. We talked, shared food and became each other’s support throughout the journey.

Later, after the trip, I even went partying with one of them. And guess what, after talking for a while, we realized that we had so many mutual friends back in Delhi that it was shocking how small the world could be. Here are some of the pictures!

Well, I firmly believe in the power of the Universe. When you think good, you get good. I'm not advocating blindly believing strangers, you should definitely be on the lookout for warning signs. However, you must not adopt a rigid attitude and refuse to engage with others. This is one of the reasons #travelling alone has taught me so much!

Myth Number 4: Sales is not a creative job!

Well, sales might be more of an execution-based job and might have a lesser component of creativity but, it does allow you the time to be #creative. It is all about time #management. In sales, you are your own boss. You do things your way, you are focused on getting results at any cost. That gives you the freedom to plan your day as per your #productivity levels. And there is a lot of time you waste during travel.

So here is what I do when I travel, I #DOODLE! I look at things around me and say, ‘what’s this?’. And then I actually draw it. It keeps my creative juices flowing. It gives me happiness.

Now, you’d ask me, what if I do not draw. Well, you still got the time. Do whatever makes you feel happy in that time you travel or wait for your plane boarding. Or when you sit outside for a store owner meeting. Or wait at the distributor point. You can dedicate your time as you want because in the end, it is not about how much time you spend on the field but how much productivity you bring to the table. It is the numbers, the relationships and the processes that matter. How you achieve them can be different for different people. Leaders are different, their styles of working are different.

What shouldn’t be ignored is the fact that you MUST do what you love after your 9-5 job. If you don’t, then my friend, you are not #passionate enough in life!

All this might sound fancy or dull to some, and I do agree that it is not as rosy as this all the time. You do miss your family, friends and other regular things. You feel homesick at times, and it does take a toll on your mental health. The job requires a lot of pressure handling as the on-ground #execution is far more difficult and poses far more difficult #challenges with every passing day! But at the end of the day, ‘you gotta do what you gotta do’. You must make a choice as to what you want in life. You must understand what is it that will keep you happy and keep you going. And then you must take out time for it!

Hope you enjoyed this filmy life drama of mine. Stay tuned for more!!!