How many university students have you heard say that they would like a career in sales?

Probably few. Very few.

And that should concern us.

Not because there is a shortage of people who can communicate.
Not because there is a shortage of ambitious people.
But because, for years, selling has been associated with pressure, persistence and exhaustion, rather than recognised for what it can and should be: a profession that creates value, makes a difference and genuinely helps people.

Most companies set targets, budgets and growth plans to meet their needs. They respond to inflation, rising raw-material costs, organisational growth, new store openings, recruitment and the need to increase revenue.

All of this is legitimate.

The problem arises when those growth plans are not matched by serious investment in sales training.

In practice, what happens is simple:
companies know how much they want to sell,
but do not explain to their teams how to get there.

And this is a structural mistake.

Instead of developing the method, the process and a clear value proposition, teams are pressured with numbers:

“We need to sell more.”
“We need to deliver better service.”
“We need to visit more customers.”

In retail, this often becomes:
“Be more proactive.”
“Provide better service.”
“Do not leave customers on their own.”

Without practical guidance.
Without structure.
Without a method.

When a company communicates targets without teaching the route to them, it is effectively telling the salesperson:
“Work it out yourself.”

And nobody can sustain that for long.

This is where frustration begins.

The salesperson feels they are pushing products.
They feel they are defending something without being able to explain clearly why it is better.
They feel they are asking the customer to buy, instead of helping them decide.

Over time, that feeling erodes motivation.

And when motivation disappears, good salespeople do not stay. They leave.

Not because they dislike selling.
But because they do not want to be product pushers.

What most salespeople are looking for is simple:
to work for a company that truly believes in the value of what it sells
and can explain that value clearly.

When salespeople understand in depth how a product or service can make a difference to the customer, something changes.

They stop trying to persuade.
They start explaining.

They stop applying pressure.
They start advising.

They move beyond selling in the traditional sense.
They start acting as consultants.

A simple example.

Consider a hypothetical pharmaceutical sales conversation. If I only know that I sell an anti-inflammatory medicine and have a target to meet, my approach might be:
“Why not prescribe mine?”

But if I understand the product and its evidence, I can explain:
“Here are the situations for which this medicine is indicated, the benefits supported by evidence and the relevant risks and possible side effects to consider.”

The difference is substantial.

In the first case, I ask.
In the second, I explain.

This is what salespeople want to feel.

They want to feel that their contribution is useful.
That it makes sense.
That it helps someone make a better decision.

When we treat the sales team as the people who understand the product and service, rather than simply those who “have to sell”, we develop professionals who want to keep learning and represent the company more effectively.

That creates better conditions for results to follow.

Companies need to start here:

Be clear about the ideal customer.
Define and share the vision, mission and value proposition.
Invest seriously in sales training.
Teach processes instead of only demanding results.

It is legitimate to work with numbers.
It is necessary to set targets.
But always with an emphasis on how to do it, as well as how much to achieve.

A simple starting point is to
ask teams what they really know about the features, advantages and benefits of what they sell.
Also ask where they believe competitors are stronger.

Listening actively helps build honest, transparent and effective sales conversations.

Because customers can sense when salespeople believe in what they sell.

And that confidence helps build trust.

When there is trust, selling no longer needs to rely on pressure.

It becomes an act of service.