5 Steps to Prepare For Your First Promotion in Sales

Let us hit you with a hypothetical regarding your first sales promotion. Let's just say that you aced your first job interview and earned a position on a successful, energetic sales team. You're not only hitting your numbers, but you're also exceeding them like no one before, and it's evident to everyone around you that you're a precious asset to the company.

Besides, you've also put in the right time and excelled at sales more than even you imagined. But it looks like a promotion may be years away, if not more. In this situation, what are the best ways to prove to your employer – and the entire sales team – that you're ready and willing to level up your game?

At Uvaro, our passion is preparing you for every stage in your career, especially your first sales promotion! One of the biggest challenges that many of our students face after graduating is showing the sales team leader you're more than ready to progress.

While career advancements may take time for everyone, here's what we recommend to lay the groundwork day-by-day and every time you step into the office log on remotely via zoom.

1 – Start helping others and do it genuinely

Since you graduated from Uvaro's program (we hope), you'll already have all of the skills you need to begin, but what about other team members who haven't been as fortunate? Showing that you're ready for a promotion requires being a leader, and leaders reach out to their colleagues to help – and do it genuinely.

When your boss sees that you're willing to give others a hand without being told to help, it shows that you're aware of team morale at all times and can adjust as needed.

Along those lines, when you help out colleagues, they'll usually reciprocate and give you a hand too! Sales jobs have ups and downs, peaks and valleys with hard-to-please clients, but with help from the team, everyone can thrive. Be one of the first to help out, and you'll show you're ready for a promotion.

2 – Be a proactive remote communicator, even when times are hard

The fact of the matter is that remote work platforms are still new to the vast majority of the digital workforce. Everyone is still adjusting, including us.

But what happens when the team's productivity suffers because of poor, remote communication? If you have a way to contribute to the company, never be shy about stepping forward and offer proactive solutions.

If you're masterful at using the app Slack or an app as simple as Discord, why not take point and coordinate an internal chat group? You don't have anything to lose when you want to prove that you're a team player. Helping to streamline your remote work environment is a great way to do precisely that.

Be the one who brings the team together more efficiently, and you'll more than do your part. This is a common step overlooked when individual contributors are trying to show they are ready for their first sales promotion to a management position.

3 – Fill a gap but know your role

That said, staying proactive is a great career growth strategy, but there's a catch: you have to know your role as an entry-level worker but never be shy about speaking up.

We recommend that if you see a process that could benefit from optimization or a problem that no one has noticed, you say something to the team leader. Indeed, there is such a thing as being too proactive, accidental stepping on the toes of senior sales professionals.

After graduating from Uvaro, you may have more advanced knowledge of software sales than other team members. So what's the harm in filling a gap but knowing your place at the same time? The answer is none!

But be aware that you may need permission from the team leader or upper management to move forward. In these situations it helps to have a plan of action in place, rather than to just ask permission.

4 – Research the necessary skills

Our goal at Uvaro is to lay the groundwork for a sales career and give you the confidence in yourself to excel and exceed expectations. Still, after several years on the job, you could notice that your qualifications don't align with a promotion.

It's pretty standard for businesses to hire outside of the company, bringing in "fresh talent" to the sales team. So why can't you be that fresh talent, with a familiar face?

Nothing is stopping you from earning a promotion, but you may need to expand your current skill set depending on the type of job. A management position will require specific competencies that a senior-level salesperson won't necessarily need and vice versa.

Research what you'll need to become an attractive candidate for a promotion, and you'll put yourself in a better position to stand apart.

5 – Show learning and growth

Often, successful sales employees become content and essentially stop advancing, stop learning, and grow professionally and personally. It would be best if you didn't fall into that trap after graduating from Uvaro, so we try to instill the value of ongoing education. We don't mean that you should quit your job to attend college full-time. What we mean is that you can continue learning throughout your career on your own.

Books and podcasts are great places to start, but anywhere you can find information to expand your skillset is valuable. The key is to remember why you're reading those books and listening to those podcasts in the first place. It's all about staying current and not getting stuck in a rut after achieving some success.

In the end, no matter what the future holds, we want to show you what to expect along the journey and how to prepare for your first sales promotion. It can be a challenging journey, but a rewarding one none the less!

Uvaro & You

If you need more guidance and/ or help with advancing your skills, Uvaro is always here to help. With our online courses, you can enhance your existing skills to get that promotion you deserve! Apply for Uvaro today and watch your career flourish.