Junior Military Officers (JMOs) in Sales
“Nothing happens until someone sells something”. Not sure who said it, maybe Peter Drucker, but it’s very true.
How about, “Your product makes no profit on the shelf.” I said that!
No matter how you say it, your company’s front line leaders for capturing market share are your sales people. The successful ones are dynamic, energetic professionals who are not afraid of rejection and are on a mission to succeed.
So what qualities make a great sales people? It turns out that many attributes are shared with Junior Military Officers (JMOs):
– Tactical and Strategic Thinking – What is the objective (what niche / market) and how do we go about penetrating it (the benefit statement / sales strategy).
– Assertiveness – Willing to make the first move and / or ask for the sale.
– Confidence – Whether making presentations to potential clients or briefing senior officers, a high level of confidence is required.
– Planning – Sure, there are some that can can sell without it, but knowing the lay of the land will make achieving business development objectives more efficient and more likely to succeed.
I could continue with the similarities, but really you need to look no further than any world class sales organization to see examples of junior military officers excelling in these critical roles. So when you are considering adding talent to your sales team, consider military-experienced JMO talent in your recruiting mix.
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