Why has the word “salesperson” virtually disappeared as a job title in America?
Look at the job title of the artist formerly known as “salesperson” in your own firm and you will probably see something like business development, sales consultant, etc. as the new title for those positions.
The reason, I believe, is quite simple. No one wants to be linked with the stereotype that has become associated with the title of “salesperson”.
For his book “To Sell Is Human” Dan Pink conducted research on white collar workers in non sales roles. One of the questions posed to survey respondents was “what word comes to mind when you hear the word salesperson?” The responses were overwhelmingly negative and included words such as “yuck”, “slimy”, “sleazy”, “pushy”, and worse! Yikes, who would want to be linked to that perception?
To make matters worse Hollywood has also perpetuated the poor image. A salesperson in Hollywood is typically portrayed as one of two extremes. One portrayal is that of a manipulative, scheming, con artist such as put forth in movies like The Wolf of Wall Street Street and Boiler Room or a sad sack loser as portrayed in films like Glengarry Glen Ross and the play Death of a Salesman.
I also believe there is a paradox reflected within the very title of salesperson that inherently drives the the disconnect at a very fundamental level. That paradox lies in the fact that the term “salesperson” implies that the process is about YOU as the seller when in reality it should be about the PROSPECT who is the potential buyer. You’ve heard it before; people love to buy but they hate to be sold. The very title of “salesperson” intimates that we want to do something most people hate to be involved with.
So what is the solution? Well, it isn’t in cleverly disguised titles such as “Director of New Account Development” or “Account Consultant”. Guess what? We aren’t fooled by the title and we still expect someone who is going to try to sell us something against our will.
The only real long term solution lies in changing the approach to selling itself to be more about guiding a prospect through the process of buying something that is in their best interest. A life skill based approach that is grounded in the concept of a seller never getting between the buyer and his buying decision will not only make the world a better place for buyers but a better and more respected place for sellers.
Sandler Training in Denver provides sales training, management and leadership training, and professional development for individuals and organizations. Let us know how we can help your team.
