Some people are meant for sales, some are not. I am an R NOT. I started young. I think I was around eight when I went door to door doing catalog sales of greeting cards, wrapping paper, ribbons, stationary and the like. Sort of like the present day Current catalog. I had wonderful neighbors who always managed to buy something but I soon was old enough to move on to another career. Initially, it was writing a neighborhood newsletter on my toy typewriter and selling copies for ten cents. Once again, my neighbors came through. By age twelve, babysitting had taken over and my selling days were done. I thought.
It was years later that I thought I would give sales a try. I’d been working as marketing support specialist, assisting the sales folks at Burroughs in Orlando. For whatever reason, I don’t know why, I decided I should try sales and headed on my search. I got a job for Uarco. They sold business forms (this was back in the day of multiple copy forms using carbon paper). Well, I lasted less than three months – I hated it! Fortunately I got my old job back (great boss who knew I’d be back), and I never tried sales again.
Then there is the other side of sales – BUYING. Now I love that side. I used to visit the sales and clearance racks so often my hubby started asking if I was going to visit my boyfriend Clarance. LOL! I’ve always been a sucker for sales and discounts. That hasn’t changed although my spending is definitely higher than my younger years.
Can you resist a good sale bargain?
My A-Z this year are random thoughts, ideas, and whatever pops into my mind for the letter of the day. As in previous years, I will keep it short and sweet.
Till next time…
I worked as a clerk at a drugstore as a teen, a dress shop in my 20’s waiting for a teaching gig, an then at a newly opened Apple store in hours I wasn’t teaching. i dont mind sales, just not high-pressure sales. nowadays my purchases are almost exclusively online…and I look at EVERYTHING when I want to buy a particular thing. I can drive myself crazy with the options, and having tons of tabs open so I can shift back and forth for comparisons!
I’m like you, I do a lot of comparisons (especially reviews in addition to pricing/shipping) before I buy. I do admit Amazon is my #1 place to buy but sometimes they aren’t the cheapest.
Well, there’s a coincidence! My first job was selling business forms in London, just as you described them! However, I loved it and went on to become a sales trainer.
Since I am an introvert, I’m not sure why I thought I’d enjoy sales. LOL! Sounds like a perfect for for you! Thanks for stopping by! This site MAY feature some flash fiction in the future….
I’m too blunt, too honest, and too much of an introvert to enjoy sales. I enjoy money, but not through being a salesman. I had my own business for many years, and that forces you to be in sales by default, and I hated it. Loved the business, hated the things I had to do for sales and marketing.
I’ve always had a side business in addition to my career job. Initially it was doing backups for small businesses (back in the early-mid 90s before there was any competition). Then writing for magazines and local newspapers. Eventually the career ended through retirement, albeit it early, and the writing eventually resumed on a larger scale. Even as an author, I hate the marketing side of things. Probably one reason I never had huge sales. LOL!
I’m not good at selling either, which is hard since I’m a freelancer writer and need to sell myself and my words and content! You unlocked a core memory with this post though – I remember going door to door selling gift wrap as a kid! Just to win cheap toys from the company, haha. Kids can’t do that these days…
– Allison
https://lightningflashwriting.blogspot.com/
Marketing stuff is the toughest part of being a writer for sure. I extremely dislike it and avoid it when I can. LOL! Glad to meet someone else who sold gift wrap door to door….you must have had good neighbors like I did.
I think everyone is in sales, even if it is just selling a point of view. That said, I would never want to be a salesperson like you describe. Being more introverted (except on my blog, where I’m a Goddess lol) I don’t have the people skills to talk them into buying products. Buying though, yes, who can resist a good bargain. A friend of mine was telling me her daughter bought something in a “pallet sale.” New to me. It is where people buy “mystery pallets” of things and have no idea what’s in them.
Hmmm, pallet sale. Sounds interesting! Must have had a good sales person. LOL!
🙂
Donna just googled and see they are called pallet liquidation sales, where people bid on the pallets. I already have enough junk to deal with I don’t need a pallet of new junk! 🙂
I would make a bad saleswoman as I’m not too good at convincing people something is worth buying. I admit, I can resist a bargain but other times, not so much but it really depends on what it is though whenever there is buy one get one free, I usually go for it.
Have a lovely day.
I’ve always been one to shop bargains, too many penny-pinching years when I was younger. I still research pricing & reviews but I love the ease of buying online. Thanks so much for dropping by!
I would be absolutely useless in a selling job.
That was pretty much me…
I am definitely not cut out for sales. I used to hate it when I had to sell stuff for school.
I’m old enough I don’t remember ever having to sell things for school but I do remember my kids doing it. Most of the time we, the parents, brought the items into work and sold them there. LOL!
I do love a good sale! I always said I would never go into sales, but then I became a charity worker and found myself raising funding for projects. I didn’t hate it so much because I loved the projects. Fun post, Donna!
It’s a good thing some people enjoy selling!! Good for you!