The story of Aida Nurmagambetova is about how faith in the product and the support of the team help achieve results.

"I'm originally from Pavlodar. I studied history at uni, but by the end of the 4th year I realized that I didn't want to be a teacher. At that time, I still didn't understand what I wanted to do seriously, so I decided to temporarily work in sales. It was then that I wanted to become financially independent and self-sufficient, and salespeople had one of the most attractive salaries on the market. hh.kz ", — says Aida.

That's how her journey began—with interviews, trial and error. The first interview was unsuccessful: out of twenty candidates, only one girl was chosen — and it was not her. At the second interview, Aida was accepted, but she quickly left — the product did not inspire confidence, there were no prospects.

After a short pause, Aida got a job at a company that created city maps and a navigator. There, for the first time, she felt that she was "selling what she believes in."

"I believed in the product, I knew how it worked, I tried to bring it to the customers, but there were no contracts. Colleagues advised to read “45 tattoos of a salesman” Maxim Batyrev. And one of the “tattoos” just opened my eyes: I didn't close the deal! It was only necessary to invite the client to start work at the end of the meeting. After that, the real sales started."

In three years, Aida has twice become the best sales and revenue manager of the year. In her first year, she managed to make a deal with the largest check in the history of the division. The growth in numbers is impressive: +140% in the first year, +75% in the second and +80% in the third.

In 2020, Aida moved to Almaty and joined Kolesa Group, an international IT product company based in Kazakhstan. Here she began to develop the direction of B2B advertising: she offered businesses placement on brand websites (Kolesa.kz, Krisha.kz ), sold digital solutions - special projects, native advertising, banner and targeted placements. Aida also helped companies build advertising strategies: she launched large-scale turnkey campaigns, from creative ideas to analysis of results.

"Sales didn't work out right away either, but it wasn't difficult for me mentally, because I knew that in cold sales — when you're the first to contact potential customers — it takes time to build a base and reach the right income,"Features of working with products at Kolesa Group: — The audience is more experienced in in advertising, clients often formulate specific tasks; — Sales — for the whole of Kazakhstan; — The product requires an individual approach;— The products are related to the auto and real estate markets, which are competitive, dynamic, and require a quick response.

A year later, she completed the plan by 138%, a year and a half later she became Key Account Manager, and six months later she became Senior Account Manager.

The Path to Leadership

"In my third year of work, inspired by my supervisors, I wanted to become a team leader. I was always worried when one of the guys didn't have enough money for the plan, I helped in any way I could, and since last year I have been officially engaged in the development and training of the team."

Now Aida oversees sales managers, helps sort out difficult meetings, and teaches new techniques and approaches.In her current position, she puts a special focus on a deep understanding of the customer and the product.

"If earlier in sales the focus was on stages and template scripts, now it is important to be able to adapt to the customer. The interest in the client's business and the willingness to really help — all this works, but only in combination with discipline and understanding of sales goals."

Good sales are a balance between partnerships and results. Just being sincere is not enough.

What makes a manager effective:

— the ability to listen and hear the client;

— focus on the task and the result, not on the process for the sake of the process;

— deep understanding of the product and the ability to explain its value in the language of the customer;

— clear completion of the transaction — without unnecessary "think about it" and "let's do it later";

— willingness to meet tough KPIs — even when it's hard, clients refuse, and motivation tends to zero;

— the ability to bring money to the company, and not just talk beautifully.

"If you don't focus on results, you just won't make a plan. Sales are about consistency and purpose."

Tips from Aida for aspiring Sales Managers:

— Try it, even if it's scary.

— Seek advice from more experienced colleagues.

— Work systematically: keep track of the plan, calls and funnel.

— Choose a product that you trust — it's easier to work with.

"Sales are a very exciting process, which consists of many nuances and subtleties. If you notice an interest in sales, then do not hesitate to try yourself in this field. This path can definitely lead to great results if you really invest."