Teaching The Oldest 'Profession' To Our Teens

I believe that we should teach the oldest profession to students as soon as they are old enough to begin learning about life. I know that many of you are thinking, "What?!"

No, I am not referring to what most people 'wink' and call the 'oldest profession'. Actually the oldest profession is sales. Nothing happens on this earth without someone selling either an idea, a product or service to themselves or someone else. Even the 'wink, wink' second oldest profession had to start with a sales pitch.

When I was 19 years old - I interviewed and was awarded my first official sales position. I was going to college and needed a little extra spending money. I answered an ad in the local newspaper for a health club sales person and a career was born.

I loved sales the moment I tried it on. Granted, health club sales in the late 70's was not where many would have wanted to get their first taste of sales but it was a start, albeit a brutal one. Health club sales at that time was not a love it or leave it, I'll throw in a disount, proposition, like it is today. Nobody walked out alive or at least not with their dignity intact. It was a kill or be killed, 'what do you mean you can't make a decision without your husband', no holds barred kind of sales. The sales manager played by Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross had nothing on the long nailed, red lipped, bouffant haired sales trainer that corporate sent down to train unsuspecting want-to-be sales reps like me. It was brutal, but it was the best.

Not only did it teach me what to do; but more importantly, what not to do in sales. I walked away from my intense weekend of sales training thinking to myself that I can make a fortune in this field, and I can do it my way.  I became a student of the profession and I do mean profession. There are thousands of people claiming to be in sales today but only a small fraction are little more than order takers. The true salespeople out there build rapport, uncover needs and then produce solutions. When the contracts/agreements/orders are completed by these professional salespeople they are sitting across the desk from a very happy, satisfied and referral ready customer and friend. That is the mark of a truly professional sales person.

I have often looked back at all the years I spent sitting at the feet of the world's greatest sales trainers and wondered why I wasn't taught sales or at least given a chance to learn sales in school. I think it is because most schools don't take sales seriously. They confuse sales with order taking. They think that learning history, geography, math, etc. are more important. To those school administrators, educators and board members I say, "you are missing the entire point". To be truly good in sales you must be the epitome of a well rounded individual. You must be a good at listening, observing, asking questions, thinking ahead, learning from the past, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. You must know where you are at all times and where you are going. You must know how to set goals and establish to do lists. You must have intense follow through and the patience of Jo. You must know how t take care of yourself and those around you. You must be able make people feel comfortable, make them like you and trust you. You must be able to solve problems and create solutions that will make everyone involved happy. You must have faith. You must be a diplomat. You must be a truly good human being. How many graduates of high schools or colleges walk away with a diploma in hand with these attributes and then make money, really good money, by putting these attributes to work?

Teach Sales to kids? Absolutely! There is no better way to show them what is needed to be successful in life. I was told over 30 years ago that if I could become good in sales that I could always have a job. That sales trainer was right. Now, I just want to pay it forward. Look for a program called 'Sales Teens' to be rolled out in August of 2010.