Teach me to fish: Learn to Sell – My Story

When I came back from the UK a few years ago, I asked myself ’Now, what?’. I have no idea at all of what I would do after graduation. I want to try something else besides accounting and finance so, job hunting I did.

I applied for many jobs since I was still in the UK. By the time I was back in Malaysia, I am practically a pro at looking for jobs. I went to many interviews, which served me well, because now I am also very good at interviews (I never got nervous, at all!)

Anyway, my first job was to do sales through the phone. Or in other words, telesales or telemarketing. I was required to do cold-calling (calling a person you have never met or spoke to, basically a stranger), prospecting (looking for potential client), closing (the act of securing the sale/deal)), following-up (to check on potential client’s readiness to buy)- all through the phones. Sadly, I was not properly-trained (one issue that I found very apparent in many companies in Malaysia). Thus, I need to do a lot of the learning on my own. I go online and read, I also buy a lot of books on selling. I enjoyed selling, but it’s the 9-5 office time that gets to me.

The scariest thing about selling (for the person who never sells anything), is the rejection. The first time people said ‘No, thanks’ to me. my face burned until I swear the person at the other line could feel the heat. It was very difficult to accept rejection. Even to pick up the phone to say hello was difficult after that. Somehow, by doing it more and more everyday - it gets easier and better.

However, I get the real selling lessons from one person that is until now, still hold a very special place in my heart. She is Elynn. 1 sister of the Millionaire Sisters. She opened a whole new vocabulary of ’selling’ to me. She trained me endlessly, encouraged me, challenged me, and really opened a whole new way of thinking for me. One thing that is also very special about her, she is also my friend way back during our A-level years.

Different from my first telesales job, I have to do face-to-face selling, or sometimes they call it ‘field sales’. I have to find my own prospect, I have to do my own presentation, my own closing, my own everything. It’s zero to close, all on your own. These experience really taught me that it’s a tough world out there – find your own way!

I first have no idea where on earth should I look for my client? I tried a few different ways, that lead to no success. I also get rejected many times. And if you think on the phone rejection is bad, tried face-to-face! You will feel like you are on an emotion roller-coaster. When there are good days, and you are able to make sales, you feel so happy and high. However, on bad days when you cannot find any prospects, get bad rejections, you will feel very sad and low.

Although I don’t make a career out of it, I gained tremendous valuable experience that is life-changing. My selling experience made me tougher. It made me ‘thick-skinned’, in a good way. It turned me into a more positive person. It gave an extra boost in my personality. It opened a way to an excellent way of living, that is – to constantly and consciously improve myself. From my selling days, that I first started the habit of going to seminars to learn from the best. It also strengthen the habit of reading great motivational books. I have a stack of them, and it is increasing every month!

That is why, I highly recommend ‘learning how to sell’. I am by no means ‘a success story’. However, if me myself, a mere ‘learning soul’ are already gaining the benefit, it is something that I found very remarkable for everybody’s personal development. Please do note that I am no longer affiliated in anyway with Elynn nor the unit trust industry (at this point of writing), and I am not getting any commissions for mentioning her name or her business. I am merely sharing my own experience when I was learning how to sell. So I wish that you can find your own experience, gained your very own selling skills that will help you in your businesss and your life!

Happy learning to sell!

Copyright © Naziehah 2008