Adulting in Sales

True Confessions.  I have never really cared for the use of the term “adult” as a verb.  Over the past few weeks, after hearing lame and seemingly made up excuses from several people, I have decided it is appropriate in many ways, especially in the field of Sales.  

You see, I spent my entire life in one way or another tied to the selling process.  I self-categorize myself as a salesperson. I love everything about the whole concept of asking questions and presenting potential solutions to engaged customers.  I have made it my job to help others get started and grow in the business.  In the process, a trend has surfaced. I would call it a lack of Adulting.

"Alexa, order me an alarm clock on wheels"

Adults get to appointments on time.
Let’s start with the simple premise, you tell someone you will be at their office at 9:00.  Cool, be there on time.  Set two alarms if you must.  There might be traffic, plan for it.  Bring the tools of your trade; a notebook, a pen, the supply of literature and the samples you promised.  Does this require some pre-planning?  Yeah, but Adults plan ahead.


Adults start work at the appointed time, or earlier.
It doesn’t matter if your best friend from high school came into town and you decided to join them in some merrymaking, be ready to work at 7:30, 8:00 or whatever the right start time might be.  Even though you have the freedom to control your own schedule, setting a routine is critically important to your overall success.  

It’s not enough to be at work, Adults are ready to work at the appointed time.
I just experienced a situation where the new salesperson

showed up at work at exactly the right time.  However, the next 15 minutes were consumed with the ritual of getting coffee (next door because the office coffee was “gross”) and checking the news (“it only takes a second” but my observation was more like five minutes).  Get to work, be ready to work and quit frittering away your time.


Adults don’t expect to make a good living working a 30 hour week.
Salespeople enjoy flexible hours, the opportunity to skip out to run errands and plenty of chances to goof off.  The Adults in the room have come to realize that to be successful, these missing hours need to be made up at some point.  In spite of all the “working smarter” messages you may have read, this job requires a solid 40 hours and then some.


Adults know they will sometimes have to work early/stay late to meet customer goals.

Yes, just like an adult...

Customers have emergencies, big quotes sometimes arrive on the same day and a laundry list of other stuff can happen that requires you to work longer than normal on any given week.  Be prepared to occasionally, maybe even regularly, put in some extra time to get things done.  Want to spend time with your spouse and kids after work, no problem.  Just get up early and get the work done before the cold gray light of dawn; others have, and you can too.


Adults realize they don’t know everything and probably never will.
Selling requires constant learning.  New product information has to be digested.  Selling skills have to be perfected.  Don’t expect that you can do all of this during working hours.  And, for good measure, don’t expect all of this to be taught by some corporate instructor.  You’re going to need to dig this stuff out on your own.  Thankfully, the internet has information on everything.  Aren’t Google, Siri, and Alexa your best friends?


Adults realize not everyone acts like an Adult.
Expect to run into customers who act like jerks.  Better them than you.  Anticipate childish moments from your boss and coworkers.  The Adult in the room will prevail; it might as well be you. 


Just so you know, I sometimes lack in my own Adult behavior.  
Some of you might view this little piece as a bit of a temper tantrum and it is.  I see our profession as a true gateway to a solid future, a great life, and much satisfaction.  But I keep seeing good folks screw themselves up by not understanding.  Salespeople have to Adult.


One more Adult comment before I go shuffling off into the sunset.
If you read this and believe I am talking about any specific generation, you are dead wrong. This conversation applies to everyone from Baby Boomers, Gen X, those much-maligned Millennials and the youngest members of the clan, the Centennials.  It’s time to Adult, regardless of your age.  


Does this depress you?
Now you know why I refer to myself as America’s Number One Demotivational Speaker.  I would like to sell you some flowery positive thinking mumbo jumbo, but I don’t believe it works unless you first Adult. 










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