Next week, it will be December, the final month of the year. For those in the corporate space doing sales and business development, this would mean having the final chance to achieve their sales targets. It could also be a most dreaded month for others, especially if they are nowhere near meeting their targets at all.
The longest stretch of employment I’ve had during my corporate years has been with IBM, both in the Philippines and in Singapore. I spent a total of almost 10 years doing sales in the enterprise market covering key industries that include telecommunications, and covering executives, local and otherwise (nuances and culture considered). The sales environment, to say the least, is an amazing training ground for those who remain hungry. I say amazing because it is always filled with challenges and no deal is alike, as each would have its own unique business challenges, and it would be up to the creativity of the sales team — and the immediate support team — to convince the client of its proposed value proposition and why they should be trusted with the business.