What is the word "merchant" associated with? Business, trade, sales, entrepreneurship, and even speculation. That's right: businessmen are generally people involved in trade. But does this mean that you can call any employee in this field: from an individual entrepreneur to a sales assistant? Is there such a profession and where is it taught?
Special profession
If in Soviet times there was a unified directory of professions, now what kind of posts are not being invented. However, it is hardly possible to meet a person who officially works as a merchant and that is exactly what is written in his work book.
In addition, the Russian population, which was once Soviet, does not have the most pleasant associations with this word. Once upon a time, speculators who were believed to be deceiving honest citizens were also called merchants.
However, there is a specialty, after studying which it is written in the diploma that a person has the qualification of "businessman" exists. According to the All-Russian classifier, this is commerce by industry (code 080302) and commercial business (080301). True, in the second case, a diploma qualification sounds like a "specialist in commerce."
If the name is not important, then the faculties of management, economics, and commodity science are quite suitable for mastering the profession.
Born as a merchant
Speaking about who such a businessman is, it should be noted that this is more a way of life than a profession. In a broad sense, this can be called everyone who intentionally bought something cheaper, and then sold more expensive. The closest modern synonym is “entrepreneur”. A merchant must not only sell, but possess the skills of a manager, marketer and product specialist at the same time.
Such a specialist needs to be able to organize and conduct the processes of sale, promotion of goods on the market, marketing of products, selection of assortment, inventory management, analysis of work results.
The areas of application of these skills are diverse. A businessman can work as a sales manager, advertising specialist , marketer, logistician, sales representative, head of relevant areas, etc. The work is not only interesting, but also monetary. Often the salary of a “salesman” is directly related to the result: the more goods sold, the higher the income.
Necessary qualities
Now that it’s become a little clear who the merchant is, let's find out if this profession is up to everyone.
There are many effective sales techniques. Large companies develop scripts for their managers - scripts that describe in detail how to interest the client and convince him to make a purchase. All this can be learned and to some extent mastered.
However, without certain character traits, working in this area will be unbearable. For example, a rare sales manager sits quietly in an office from nine to six, drinking gulls peacefully. It should be a mobile and easy-going person.
A businessman has to keep many things in his head at the same time, so he needs to be collected, have good short-term memory and be able to make decisions quickly.
Also, a businessman sometimes deals with complex customers, and transactions sometimes break down. It is important to have strong nerves and be optimistic. A novice businessman can not afford to give up at the first setbacks. One should be persistent and purposeful, otherwise success in this area cannot be achieved.
If you can’t, but really want
From the foregoing, it is clear that working with a merchant is unlikely to work with poor health and increased fatigue.
If you don’t like to often interact with people on work issues, you have difficulty communicating and have difficulty making new acquaintances, then it will be difficult for you to become a businessman.
On the other hand, if you do not know how and do not want to sell, this does not mean that you have been ordered to enter this area. Arguing above about who such a merchant is, we mentioned commodity experts and marketers. They are also, in a sense, merchants, and they are closely related to trading activities, however, they are not directly involved in the purchase and sale process. A trader in the Forex market only deals with what he buys and sells, but he does not need to wander around the city and communicate with people.
Do you want to change yourself and become a good seller, despite critical shortcomings? Learn to sell. Do it all the time. Daily sell to yourself in front of the mirror any items that catch your eye. Persuade your friends in your point of view (just do not impose yourself, distinguish between these concepts). Finally, give a brilliant answer to the most annoying question in the interview: “Why should we choose you?”
So we figured out who such a businessman is and who has a chance to become one. Try it, suddenly this is your calling!