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Interview Series: Professional Sales


This week on Deciding Your Direction, I’m sharing the first installment in a series of interviews with professionals working in various fields. Kathleen Erin is an interior organizer and custom closet designer with over 20 years of experience in professional sales. She has worked with hundreds of clients across the state through partnerships with agencies and through her own business. See the transcript of our conversation below!


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Question: As a professional salesperson and designer, what does an average day look like for you?

KE:  “Typically, my days are busy with calling clients and prospects to set up appointments, and follow up with answers; meeting with clients to discuss their space and take measurements; and working in the office on designs and quotes, with more follow up communications. About half of my time is spent in the field and the other half is at my desk."

Question: What is your favorite part of your job?

KE:  "My favorite part of my job is providing excellent designs and services, then hearing back from my customers that they are pleased. I also appreciate the flexibility of my work; I get to set my own hours and work from home."

Question: What is the most difficult part of your job?

KE:  "Even though I have over 20 years of sales experience, I dislike competing. What some sales professionals see as a game to be won, I see as a process to fulfill client needs. Customer service is key, but that idea seems less important in society today."

Question: How did your previous experiences in work, school, and life prepare you for what you are doing today?

KE:  "I learned the discipline of getting up each morning and doing what needs to be done. It’s imperative to learn that if you’re going to succeed at anything.”

Question: What advice do you have for people considering a career in professional sales?

KE:  “Two ideas come to mind. First, always be honest and polite. Second, set aside your emotions and listen to your client. Professional behavior inspires confidence. A good product and good service will bring repeat customers.”


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To learn more about Kathleen’s work and services, you can visit her website: www.illinoisorganizer.com.

Professional sales is a very popular career choice for many. According to HubSpot, the best adjectives to describe a successful salesperson are delightful, enthusiastic, analytical, resilient, attentive, thorough, empathetic, adaptable, confident, and committed. If you are considering a career in this field, be sure to check out their list of 26 habits of incredibly successful salespeople.

I’ll be back next week with more discussions on finding your place in the working world. See you then!


- JS



Comments

  1. Jesse McDowellFebruary 2, 2022 at 10:00 PM

    I love hercomment on how sales is more about fulfilling the clients needs rather than winning their favor. In every sales class i have taken this is always the key. If you don't have what your clients are looking for then refer them to someone you know who does have it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Slav A.February 3, 2022 at 12:03 AM

    I usually imagine sales as a career in general to be competitive because of its nature and existing incentives to do better than others. It's really interesting, even refreshing, to see someone with so much experience in the field make it clear that they actually don't enjoy that part of the work that much. I guess it all depends on perspective.

    ReplyDelete

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