Chiara Montecchiari’s Post

My first job was in retail sales. I started working when I was in 7th standard. I used to go shop as we had a family business. From there I started my journey in the retail sales industry. I have done that for more than 7 years. Here's what I learned in retail sales and still apply it today: - Be authentic - Help your customers - Listen to their queries - Have your products ready - Guide them if they are skeptical - Provide excellent customer service - Sell them of what they want - Don't compete with price - Compete with value - Stay consistent - Build trust And most importantly, be honest in your dealings. P.S. What was your first job? #sales #salescareer #retailsales #lessons #linkedin #linkedinengagement

I made a huge mistake taking this new job. It was the first day, and after a flat tire my new boss (sort of) and I were on our way to some client sites. There I was taught how to count shoe boxes in a small closet and record the inventory in an excel spreadsheet. Yep, I was counting shoe boxes in a closet and writing down inventory on the first day of my new job. Not exactly utilizing my years of experience and skillset. Over the next two years I counted inventory in 6-7 client sites every month. I closed down client sites having to box up 80-90 pairs of shoes and package tons of accessories all by myself. It was exhausting. I also had to learn technology of PT applications, troubleshoot tech issues manage a team of new employees, make phone calls to prospective patients, and win new contracts and do sales and business development. I did a bit of marketing, cold calling, inbound and outbound leads, I managed our CRM, and I did sales enablement and training for the whole sales team. I asked to do the CRM and enablement, trying to take on more and be an asset in other ways. And yes, I continued to count boxes. I drove hours to PT clinics daily, brought donuts and my experience to win over clinicians, and constantly got creative in our approach to getting new clients. I worked more hours than I care to mention and tried everything to build and succeed. In the end, I trained our team well, signed new client contracts no one could get signed, and learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. After two hard fought years, I was laid off. I left with my head held high and a huge increase in sales and business and better operations for the company. I learned from some very smart people that I respected. I don't ever want to do shoe inventory again. I don't want to make cold calls. I don't want to be on the front line of sales. But I love account management. I love marketing. I love operations. I love strategy. And I love learning new things. That huge mistake wasn't a mistake at all. Because I grew, learned, figured things out and made a difference for our company. Sometimes it takes counting shoe boxes in closets to realize things are different than you expected. Be a good human.

(About My Profession) Reflecting on My Journey: Overcoming Challenges as a Sales Associate at Samsonite Hello, LinkedIn family! As I look back on my professional journey, I want to share my experience as a sales associate at Samsonite—a pivotal time filled with challenges, learning, and growth. 👜 Starting My Career at Samsonite: When I joined Samsonite, I was new to the retail industry. My primary responsibility was selling luggage bags to travelers, a task that seemed straightforward but was filled with its own set of challenges. 🌟 Overcoming Retail Challenges: Communication Skills: English was not my strong suit, which made connecting with customers difficult initially. I had to work hard to improve my communication skills to better serve our diverse clientele. Understanding Customer Needs: Each traveler had unique requirements for their luggage. It was essential to listen carefully, understand their needs, and recommend the perfect product. Building Sales Confidence: With limited experience, it was challenging to gain confidence in my sales abilities. Each successful interaction, however, boosted my confidence and helped me improve. Key Lessons Learned: Resilience in Retail: The constant challenges taught me to be resilient. Every hurdle was an opportunity to learn and grow. Customer-Centric Approach: Understanding and prioritizing customer needs became second nature. I learned the importance of empathy and active listening. Continuous Improvement: I embraced continuous learning to improve my communication and sales skills, ensuring I provided the best service possible. Selling luggage bags for travelers was more than just a job; it was about being a part of their journey. Helping them find the right luggage and seeing their satisfaction was incredibly rewarding. #storytelling #contentcreator #youtube #writer #contentwriter #Samsonite #RetailJourney #SalesAssociate #CustomerService #ProfessionalGrowth #RetailChallenges #TravelIndustry #CareerDevelopment

I have worked in sales roles near enough my whole working life. Well undoubtedly there is a lot of inspiration and helpful advice online/ on social media there is also a lot of bluster, people half suggesting they have the magical secret and knowledge to success. If you are polite, well presented, organised and go about your communication to prospects with energy and purpose you will see results. Do the opposite, turn up half baked and half interested your prospects will sense it a mile off 'why should I be interested if they barely are'. Some people do have more natural ability to sell than others, just like some sports people are more gifted than others, but sticking some smart clothes on being polite/ respectful and working hard in an organised fashion counts for something and will pay off no matter your level of talent. #sales #logistics #sameday

When I was a kid, packaging sales was not on my top 10 “when I grow up I want to be…” list. It wasn’t even on my top 100, if I’m being honest. I didn’t exactly know what I wanted, but I knew I wanted a glamours and girly job. But here’s the thing, sales, regardless of the industry, is all about relationships, problem solving, and making a positive impact. As for packaging sales, it may not sound glamours at first, but think about it: packaging is EVERYWHERE! It’s the first thing customers see when they receive a product. Packaging plays a crucial role in protecting the products. The packaging of a product is the first impression of your brand. It’s the first part to having that specific customer experience we expect as consumers. Packaging is everywhere. My favorite part of my job is learning how things are made. My job is not industry specific. Packaging sales offers exciting opportunities to innovate, problem solve and add value to businesses in every industry. So, while I might’ve never dreamed of being in packaging sales, I did dream of a glamours job. And packaging sales is glamours. #salesandmarketing #packaging #packagingindustry #career #glamorous #customerexperience

Monday #salestips Who exactly works in sales? Is it your job or someone else's? How can you tell? These people definitely work in sales: 🟣 Sales Assistant 🟣 Business Development Manager 🟣 Sales Executive 🟣 Sales Manager 🟣 Account Manager 🟣 VP of Sales 🟣 Customer Success Manager No surprises there. But what about these: 🟣 Entrepreneur 🟣 Customer service manager 🟣 Customer relationship manager 🟣 Marketer 🟣 Reception worker 🟣 Chief Revenue Officer 🟣 Quality Manager 🟣 Delivery driver 🟣 Technical support In short, any role where you deal with customers in some way is a sales job. Think about it - you want customers to be helped, to feel valuable and to gain value from working with you. Happy customers stay and the money they bring in ensures you have a job! So, unless you work in a basement somewhere and never see the light of day, the chances are, by default, you do actually work in sales! Who knew? #salestraining #salescoaching #salesimprovement

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧? Looking back to my student days, I never imagined becoming a salesperson. Like many others, I dreamed of being a marketer, creating impactful campaigns, driven by my passion for advertisements. But in Vietnam, there’s a saying: “Nghề chọn người” — "the job chooses the person." And for me, that’s exactly what happened. Before graduating, I received an offer from MISA to work in sales. Initially, I saw it as a temporary role, just to help me finish my graduation report. However, I passed all the interview rounds and became a sales representative for AMIS - an ERP platform. And I can proudly say that I completed the trial period in just one month, hitting my sales target and even becoming one of the top sellers of the month with the highest contract value up to that point. The skills I developed during this time were invaluable. I became more confident in presenting, cold calling became easy for me... and I found joy in the daily challenges of sales. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 — 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭. Sales, in essence, happens everywhere in life, whether you're applying for a job or buying groceries at the local store. Moreover, being a salesperson gave me the chance to talk to many people, listen to their stories, and understand their problems. Every conversation brings a new story, a new challenge, and it keeps me motivated and excited each day. There are many more reasons why I love this career — but I’ll save those for future stories. 😉 (Attached is a screenshot of the article from the company’s internal information system when I received the "Best Employee of the Month" award)

I just concluded my job as a sales associate at Mike’s Carwash to begin my new chapter at Edgewood College Here is how my summer went… 👇 It all started right after graduation when I decided to dedicate my entire summer to truly immersing myself in the role of a sales associate. With a clear vision in mind, I made it my mission to not just learn the basics, but to deeply understand the intricacies of sales. Every day, I practiced new sales techniques, thoroughly analyzing, and refining my approach to discover what resonated most with customers. Through trial and error. I identified the strategies that worked best for me, gradually fine-tuning my methods to achieve consistently outstanding results. I took every opportunity to shadow experienced coworkers and managers, observing their interactions and soaking in the tips and tricks they used to drive sales and elevate our team's performance. The insights I gained from these observations were invaluable, and I quickly applied them to my script. My dedication to continuous improvement and my desire to excel became the driving forces behind my daily efforts. I took immense pride in my work, constantly striving to be the best version of myself, both personally and professionally. Mastering time management was a critical component of my success, particularly as I juggled the demands of school, sports, and work. This skill became the foundation that allowed me to consistently exceed both my personal and professional goals. Throughout my time at Mike’s, I quickly learned that adaptability was key in the fast-paced world of sales. By focusing on problem-solving and tailoring my approach to meet each customer's unique needs, I was able to deliver exceptional customer service. I understood that every interaction was an opportunity to build trust, so I made it a priority to connect with customers on a personal level. My ability to forge strong relationships with customers not only led to increased sales but also fostered a sense of loyalty that kept them coming back. Additionally, I recognized the importance of building positive relationships with my coworkers. Collaborating with my team allowed us to share insights, support one another, and create a cohesive environment where we could all thrive. Every day, I approached my work with an uplifting attitude, fully committed to making a positive impact on everyone I encountered. Whether it was going the extra mile to assist a customer, working collaboratively with a coworker, or taking the time to refine my skills, I embraced every opportunity for growth and excellence. My passion for sales, coupled with my dedication to continuous learning, fueled my drive to excel in every aspect of my job.

Why is it easier to find a job when you have a job? It’s been almost 3 months, over 100 applications sent out, and I haven’t received a phone call from any hiring managers. All I’m looking for is a chance to showcase what I can bring to your team. What sets me apart from others? I don’t sell a company. I sell myself and my unmatched customer service and the company follows. I dont need a vin to find what a customer is looking for. Unlike most counter salesman whose first question is “what’s your vin?”, I can identify most things without it or with research. I’m versatile. I understand supply chain, supplier negotiations, customer relationship management, P&L, processes, process development, front counter, back counter, outside sales, and warehousing. All successfully. That is what isn’t seen or recognized when someone isn’t called.

Fresh out of college, I began my sales career with no prior knowledge of product distribution or market dynamics. My early days were filled with learning on the go, relying on instincts and mentorship rather than formal training. Within days, I was managing distributors in remote areas, learning to balance inventory, relationships, and market coverage. Mistakes were common, much to my manager's dismay. However, at the time, mistakes were seen as part of the process, giving us room to grow. Over time, my efforts were recognised with a merit award. This recognition wasn’t just for my achievements but also for the support from my superiors, who gave me the freedom to evolve. I wonder if today’s constant oversight allows for the same patience. With technology now monitoring every move, do young professionals have the space to learn? The role of a salesperson has evolved. In the past, we managed territories, logistics, and built relationships. Today, many responsibilities are split, and technology drives much of the analysis. While this has improved efficiency, the human touch in sales—particularly in building trust and understanding market nuances—remains essential. Personal connections still play a crucial role, especially for new market entries. One of the high points of my career came during a field visit by the company’s top leader. When the executive asked a shopkeeper if he had any issues, the shopkeeper simply said, “As long as this person is in charge of the territory, you have nothing to worry about.” That moment reaffirmed the value of trust and relationships built over time—something technology alone cannot replicate. As the sales landscape shifts, can we balance data-driven efficiency with the irreplaceable value of human relationships? The challenge lies in ensuring today’s sales professionals have both the technical skills and the personal touch needed to thrive.