The Importance of Knowing Agents Outside Your Office

Sales is a tough business, regardless of what you're selling. You often need to deal with long lead times and rejection. It can be a lonely business, too. That's why you need to make friends near and far. "Won't I have enough friends in my office?" you ask. Yes, and no. You'll find like-minded, motivated people. You'll find a mentor. They'll make great friends. But you know there are plenty of people who moan "Business is terrible" and "I wouldn't tell my child to get into the business." Let's not forget the other complaint: "The business has changed." The people around you are competing with you. If someone in the office stands up at a meeting and talks about a best practice, they sometimes leave out specifics or an important detail because they don't want everyone else going after "their" prospects. You need friends who will lift you up, not keep you down. You have different types of friends in your personal life. You can have different kinds of friends in your business life. For 10 more tips about friends and sales, see the gallery accompanying this article. Credit: Adobe Stock