Being a sales rep is tough. Selling is tough. Not that any other job is significantly easier. It’s just that - a person crunching numbers at his desk wouldn’t face rejection from prospects almost every day. It’s also a certainty that the number of rejections exceeds the number of closures. And whatever progress a salesperson makes by closing deals is soon forgotten as soon as the next quarter arrives. In a job where the clock resets after every quarter, a great deal of perseverance and patience is required along with the polar opposites of such qualities. It is like running from point A to point B on a treadmill that moves one inch for every million steps you take. There are going to be a lot of slumps. Slumps which will almost convince you to quit and take up some other job. Slumps in which you’re going to doubt yourself and question your decision of moving to the sales department. But, there are going to be high-points or rather high periods wherein you’re going to feel like “This is it. This is why I’m in sales”.Everybody talks about the money and the carrot-stick approach. Nobody talks about the kick you get out of closing deals or the pain from hitting rock-bottom. Nobody talks about the frustration when a prospect hangs up on you or the anger when you’re not able to close an easy deal. Nobody talks about the jealousy you feel when a newbie closes more deals than you or the elation when you’re branded the top performer for the month. There is a smile, a phrase or a routine that you perfected that wins you a prospect’s trust over and over. You wish people learn that from you.“People in Sales” is an interview series by PipeCandy in which we’ll have informal talk sessions with salespeople from diverse backgrounds and share their stories with you. Stories about their roller coaster journey in sales. Because behind the people-charming, money-making, a no-bullshit-taking machine is a person - a person who has a story or two to share. Every salesperson has a story. What’s yours?Write to ashwini@pipecandy.com