As a sales professional, I never thought to learn another profession’s language to get ahead of the game. I am not talking about native language, but about industry language. While we may all speak the same language in corporate America, we often don’t understand what the other is trying to say.
When you go to the doctor’s office and receive a diagnosis, or when you try to understand what your bill says after getting a check-up, tune-up, court appearance or whatever it may be, we don’t always speak that specialized language and have to get someone to translate. It is frustrating, to say the least.
Sales professionals work with all kinds of industries, companies, people and cultures. Whether you work with lawyers, doctors, biologists, mechanics or procurement, they all have their own unique language. I’ve worked among CTOs, CIOs CEOs, VPs and the like, and while I consider myself a very good salesperson, I wasn’t always speaking their language, which cost me closing deals.
A little over a year ago I started working with Sourcing Industry Group (SIG), which provides thought leadership, training and networking opportunities to executives in sourcing, procurement, outsourcing, shared services and risk from Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies. I admit, I hadn’t worked with many people in procurement, supply chain or sourcing, but I had sent many RFPs, RFQs and contracts through procurement departments that never received a response, feedback or anything, which further compounded my frustration.
Brie Pritchard, Director of Business Development, Sourcing Industry Group
School’s in Session for Sales Professionals
As a sales professional, I never thought to learn another profession’s language to get ahead of the game. I am not talking about native language, but about industry language. While we may all speak the same language in corporate America, we often don’t understand what the other is trying to say.
When you go to the doctor’s office and receive a diagnosis, or when you try to understand what your bill says after getting a check-up, tune-up, court appearance or whatever it may be, we don’t always speak that specialized language and have to get someone to translate. It is frustrating, to say the least.
Sales professionals work with all kinds of industries, companies, people and cultures. Whether you work with lawyers, doctors, biologists, mechanics or procurement, they all have their own unique language. I’ve worked among CTOs, CIOs CEOs, VPs and the like, and while I consider myself a very good salesperson, I wasn’t always speaking their language, which cost me closing deals.
A little over a year ago I started working with Sourcing Industry Group (SIG), which provides thought leadership, training and networking opportunities to executives in sourcing, procurement, outsourcing, shared services and risk from Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies. I admit, I hadn’t worked with many people in procurement, supply chain or sourcing, but I had sent many RFPs, RFQs and contracts through procurement departments that never received a response, feedback or anything, which further compounded my frustration.