Art and Sales. Two things I have had always had a natural inclination toward. After years of doing both, I realize the two have more in common than one would think at first. Both of these things require a level of creativity to master: art in a more literal sense of what you create and sales with the way you approach your clients and the deals that are being made. It’s easy to make things black and white but to think outside that box into the grey area is where artists and salespeople alike will experience true success.

Fluidity and adaptability are others – in art, fluidity is so important, whether its learning new techniques or how you master your mediums and apply it to you canvas, it all translates into your art. In sales, adaptability is key. Learning to mirror those you speak with, picking up new sales techniques from mentors, never being stagnant in your approach; it’s how we grow with our client base and turn ourselves into their consultants instead of becoming a stale sales call that our customers will want to avoid.

Art and sales are also similar in another way: with both career paths, the main thing we are selling is ourselves. You can make beautiful art, but no one will know until you take the chance and put yourself out there to be judged, possibly even rejected. Same in sales! You can be a great salesperson on paper, but until you make those calls and begin to foster those relationships with your clients, you will never see your full potential. Face the rejection head on and sell your product, company AND yourself.

While the parallels for these two specialties exist, it’s not just limited to the two. Creativity, adaptability, and selling yourself are things our employees in all departments can all focus on and benefit from, both professionally and personally. Remember, you are the artist, paint your picture how you want it and then don’t be scared to sell it to everyone you meet.