Certified sales person
- Thread starter Dmitriy K
- Start date
It's clearly a US organisation - approaches to selling and buying are very, very different between the US and UK, so I'd suggest you look for a UK source if you plan to sell here.
Simple rule - don't buy into hype and promises, get some training specific to you and your environment
Qualifications and accreditations count fir nothing, but good training will he useful
Simple rule - don't buy into hype and promises, get some training specific to you and your environment
Qualifications and accreditations count fir nothing, but good training will he useful
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If you want to learn how to sell there is loads of free advice online. All you then need to do is start practicing. Buy a load of cheap end of line goods and buy a pitch at a boot fair or sell on eBay.
Every product or service needs a slightly different set of techniques, there is no one size fits all solution.
So no need to pay for a course. Just need to learn marketing of which sales is just a minor sub-set.
Every product or service needs a slightly different set of techniques, there is no one size fits all solution.
So no need to pay for a course. Just need to learn marketing of which sales is just a minor sub-set.
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Sales skills come from experience and it’s the one skill that is very easy to identify at interview stage.
To become a good salesperson, you will be confident with excellent verbal communication skills. Build your credentials by working your way up, start with anything, maybe shop work, you’ll soon get recognition and build on that. A qualification that nobody knows isn’t worth much without experience, good luck
To become a good salesperson, you will be confident with excellent verbal communication skills. Build your credentials by working your way up, start with anything, maybe shop work, you’ll soon get recognition and build on that. A qualification that nobody knows isn’t worth much without experience, good luck
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Sales is success based. Remember that Education itself is now a business. Everybody is allowed to issue a certificate. 99% are worthless. Most countries have a system of qualification recognition, and National Standards exist. Usually in terms of Level, and duration. Unless they are validated by an organisation that is recognised, so many 'qualifications' are just a receipt for your money spent on them. They have no worth whatsoever. Without validation by some authority that really exists and has reputation they are simply pieces of worthless paper.
Sales, as a subject, cannot be turned easily into a qualification, because how would you measure success? Money is not a valid answer. You would need to see a specification, syllabus and assessment criteria to even start thinking about spending money.
Sales, as a subject, cannot be turned easily into a qualification, because how would you measure success? Money is not a valid answer. You would need to see a specification, syllabus and assessment criteria to even start thinking about spending money.
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Whilst I completely agree on ghe point of certificates and qualifications, there have historically been organisations which were recognised as being superior in their sales training, and therefore creating a far more employable breed of sales person.
Xerox, for example produced very well trained 'hard' sellers, whilst IBM were renowned for a more professional kind of sales person.
Interestingly they used fundamentally the same methodology but applied it differently
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I think perhaps certified does work with certain equipment and processes - so somebody with a certificate of competence from a manufacturer or company would mean something in that industry. I've got a 'stifficate' from a firm that says I can set things on fire safely, and another to say I know how to operate a certain bit of kit. Not sure sales has this - although many years ago I did have a Dale Carnegie stificate!
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To be fair to @Dmitriy K they have validated their own point - they definitely do need training in sales
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Sales training is also about being appropriate to what we're selling.
I started by selling the International Securitisation Report (ISR), a super-specialised Asset-Backed financing publication. I worked for Datamonitor as well, selling models and reports (both companies were bought by Reuters). And then I went into headhunting selling services. And what I discovered was that sales for each product and service was totally different.
So the training I received really wasn't particularly useful for the other products I ended up selling. It was tailored (my sales director was from Xerox) and he understood the value of getting a really specific approach.
I think sales training is good but it's never a one-size-fits-all approach. For me, it's about applying common sense to whatever solution we're looking at selling. What do customers really want?
If it were me, I'd read a book on Solutions Selling and then learn some sales tactics like SPIN etc... I'd also learn about marketing structures and how sales and marketing fit together. Maybe also something strategic like 'Predictible Revenue' which is the book by the Salesforce guy. Also, take it with a pinch of salt because I worked for Salesforce and some of what he's saying is BS.
As for a certificate, if you've never sold anything and never worked in sales, it's worth doing something to show you're keen so you can get a first step up. But the value is minimal and any future employer will simply want to know if you've ever sold anything.
I started by selling the International Securitisation Report (ISR), a super-specialised Asset-Backed financing publication. I worked for Datamonitor as well, selling models and reports (both companies were bought by Reuters). And then I went into headhunting selling services. And what I discovered was that sales for each product and service was totally different.
So the training I received really wasn't particularly useful for the other products I ended up selling. It was tailored (my sales director was from Xerox) and he understood the value of getting a really specific approach.
I think sales training is good but it's never a one-size-fits-all approach. For me, it's about applying common sense to whatever solution we're looking at selling. What do customers really want?
If it were me, I'd read a book on Solutions Selling and then learn some sales tactics like SPIN etc... I'd also learn about marketing structures and how sales and marketing fit together. Maybe also something strategic like 'Predictible Revenue' which is the book by the Salesforce guy. Also, take it with a pinch of salt because I worked for Salesforce and some of what he's saying is BS.
As for a certificate, if you've never sold anything and never worked in sales, it's worth doing something to show you're keen so you can get a first step up. But the value is minimal and any future employer will simply want to know if you've ever sold anything.
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Why you already own it's nft obviously. I could sell you a physical representation of your NFT, it has the advantage of of being able to transcribe digital copy into physical ink on a page ??
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No need to go on a course, go to a bookshop. You can read and learn all about basic selling techniques, never asking yes/no questions. overcoming objections, asking for the order, all that is written in many, many books. But drive, ambition, personality, charisma, charm, these attributes are also needed in your personality.
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The first thing anyone in sales should know, no single rule or method works on everyone, AND there are many times you should be asking yes/no questions. For instance, if you want a yes or no as an answer.
Salespeople probably get more useless training than any other profession I can think of, usually given by failed salespeople. I had a good successful career in sales, but there was hardly a day where I was not hyper critical of my own performance in my work.
I have trained hundreds of guys over the years, the ones who eventually go on to succeed tend to display several core attributes.
Confidence, a relaxed personality, attitude, social type people. The ones that try to follow the “rules” they are taught rarely succeed. The old style of sales can work in many situations, but end of the day, offer a product or service at what your client feels is good value, and you have a sale. The trouble for most salespeople is they never stop to listen long enough about what people are after. They were taught to talk too much.
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Huge, massive, 1974-987 I sold office furniture, machines and stationery, I would go out B2B cold calling with an armful of catalogues, you could walk into any reception and ask for names and even possibly see people immediately.
Phone the named person later, make an appointment, take along almost any product to show and try to sell and if no interest in that try to discover what they really wanted or needed.
Very low basic salary, commission on a sliding scale, the more discount given the lower the commission, but overall a very good income with bonuses, gifts, holidays all included. It was wonderful.
I remember, Smith Corona Typewriters, win a prize just for doing a dem. Win prizes for every machine sold, top prize, Mini car for just 20 sold!! Philips dictation machines, sold like sweets in a sweetshop.
It was all so much simpler then.
Now, I believe a huge amount of selling is about reactive, not proactive, but you may know different.
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Not in the sales industry to any great extent, more in the clients attitude.
Clients and people in general are a lot more clued up and able to get prices, quotes for jobs in hundreds of easier and faster ways today than ever before, after all, everyone has a computer built into their phone today.
When I first started you had to learn the product, the clients by experience, things were much more local, clients often preferred to deal with someone in their own town, now they can import with zero knowledge, it’s become much more competitive.
From a sales perspective, it hasn’t really changed in the important areas. End of the day it is still mainly about the basic principles, building relationships, trust, quality, speed, price etc. Like most industries it has just become so much more competitive.
I think many like to think, like most generations before them, that something incredible has happened, in reality the routes to market have changed, as have the products, but the basic reasons why you buy from company A in preference to B,C or D remains the same.
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If we're giving it about our sales credentials...........
I started out selling Kirby vacuum cleaners back in the late 80's, when I was 19 years old. £850.00 for a hover, sold via door knocking on the tick, yours for only a fiver a week!
By the time I was 21 I had the franchise for Maidstone, far too much money for a noisy, busy, 21 year old lad who was obsessed with cars!
I started out selling Kirby vacuum cleaners back in the late 80's, when I was 19 years old. £850.00 for a hover, sold via door knocking on the tick, yours for only a fiver a week!
By the time I was 21 I had the franchise for Maidstone, far too much money for a noisy, busy, 21 year old lad who was obsessed with cars!
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Fundamentally, no. There have been numerous waves and trends
Ultimately its the same - find A need, fill the needs.
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We ran out of finance companies in the end, one by one, they realised they weren't getting paid.
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Hi Dmitry,
It looks like no one here had experience with NASP, so let me add my 2 cents as I went through one of their training and certification programs a few years ago - the certified professional sales person (CPSP) Let me start by saying I increased my sales 2x in the year following the certification. Yes, of course, there were other factors in play too, but I do think a good chunk of it was thanks to this program. And similar to you, I sell to US and UK buyers. Someone here recommended buying books instead.. well I did listen to a bunch of audiobooks, but for me gaining skills doesn't come through reading - practice is essential. The training allowed me to practice - thanks to exercises in the course and weekly live advisor-led calls with practicums. The best part is that I did it not via manipulation techniques but by being more caring for the client, which made me happier too
For what it costs - it's a bargain already and if we take the results into account - I couldn't be happier. Different people - different experiences; everyone chooses what is closer to their heart. Best of luck in your sales journey!
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As I've mentioned on this thread, there are definitely sales skills that can be formally learned and refreshedHi Dmitry,
It looks like no one here had experience with NASP, so let me add my 2 cents as I went through one of their training and certification programs a few years ago - the certified professional sales person (CPSP) Let me start by saying I increased my sales 2x in the year following the certification. Yes, of course, there were other factors in play too, but I do think a good chunk of it was thanks to this program. And similar to you, I sell to US and UK buyers. Someone here recommended buying books instead.. well I did listen to a bunch of audiobooks, but for me gaining skills doesn't come through reading - practice is essential. The training allowed me to practice - thanks to exercises in the course and weekly live advisor-led calls with practicums. The best part is that I did it not via manipulation techniques but by being more caring for the client, which made me happier too
Best of luck in your sales journey!
It is important to select trainers who reflect your own personality, ethics and industry - as you say, one size definitely doesn't fit all.
From the topic title though, there is zero value in the UK in sales qualifications
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