Sales

[puckman]

Does anybody feel like Sales jobs are a big myth? Make your own business! Make your own schedule! Create your luck! Over quota, make more money!!

Nearly every car dealer has told me none of their sellers make quota. In my company of 20 sellers, one makes his. In nearly every sales job I have seen, this is the case. A bunch of people are scraping, one guy is killing it.

 

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[theag]

Nothing new here. Thats what sales is about, purely performance-based. I don't see it as a myth. Its simple: lazy and bad people don't make it in sales. Talented and hard-working people make a killing. Period.

 

[yahdmon]

It is not for everyone. It takes a special type of person to succeed at sales from cold calls to just your basic everyday selling.

No. Its not a myth.

It has great potential for those who can hack it, from selling real estate to insurance to lawn care, if you are good at it, you will succeed.

 

[Mike39]

A bunch of people are scraping, one guy is killing it.

So be the guy who's killing it...

 

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[Vigilante]

There's a large recreational lake just outside of Minneapolis in Minnesota. On this lake, there are several hundred houses, each one a million dollars or more. The estates, and their water toys are a hallmark of the area that we live in.

The common denominator?

9 out of 10 people that live on the lake... are in sales.

 

[The-J]

[video=youtube;8kZg_ALxEz0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kZg_ALxEz0[/video]

 

[puckman]

I dont buy it. I am in sales, have been a top performer, and have worked for some pretty large companies, run sales teams, etc.

Sales 'perks' are a gimmick companies use to hire people, then when they dont make it, pay them base salaries, which is the majority of the time. The majority of people in sales dont make great money, I bet if you run the numbers, you will find that. And when someone does crush it? They clamp down on them, pay them less by upping their goals, and generally make their lives miserable. I think the promise of a big payout, big commission, etc, is what 90% of salespeople actually hold on to as a pipe dream, a carrot or mirage in a race that truthfully is never really won, in reality they dont really make that much money.

I realize there is this holy grail out their for sales people but I have never seen it, and I have worked for some of the best companies in my industry.

 

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[theag]

[video=youtube;h9paVDx1y0A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9paVDx1y0A[/video]

 

[Vigilante]

Take the sales skills you have and apply them in an industry that pays better. If you can't find one, build one.

 

[puckman]

[video=youtube;h9paVDx1y0A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9paVDx1y0A[/video]

haha, das is gut. if sales is so good to you, why are you on an entrepreneurs site? and I am not sure about Munich, but at least in the US this movie completely bombed.

 

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[Vigilante]

I have never met a successful entrepreneur that wasn't a salesman. I don't think THAT exists.

 

[puckman]

I have never met a successful entrepreneur that wasn't a salesman. I don't think THAT exists.

were talking slowlane here, hence, employee

 

[Mike39]

were talking slowlane here, hence, employee

Why?

 

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[puckman]

the thread is called slowlane?

 

[Mike39]

the thread is called slowlane?

Oh I didn't see that, well I have worked a "sales job" and did very well at it, of course most if not all of the other guys probably made nothing. It's all about finding the right company for you, I can tell you there is no shortage of companies looking to hire sales staff.

After selling for someone and then having others sell for me, I can tell you the latter is just as easy and 100x better. When your the boss, your still selling, the only difference then is you are selling the dream and not a product.

 

[CommonCents]

Sales people can generally get the oppty to make bank in a smaller/med biz that is growing where HR/Sales mgt hasn't yet formalized sales comp speed bumps. I had a sales guy comp get out of hand and he made 450k one year. Larger companies have more systems in place to keep everyone in check.

Vig, gotta love Minnetonka! In design phase for my home there on the lake. Also the St. Croix River has plenty of sales pros w/ large boats.

 

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[JEdwards]

One of the best door to door Sales guys I have ever met, maybe the best, my bet in the last 20 years he has never made under $250k a year working maybe 6 months,. and up to a million he pulled off over one year cause he made a great pitch in a deal.

Could he run his own business hell no.. He is an idiot when it actually comes to the logistics of what he sells.. Which most people are. But he can walk in and sell anything..

To make great money in sales though you have to be great, and have the right product, you cannot go sell cars and expect to get rich. (unless you own your own lot)

 

[JAJT]

Could he run his own business hell no.. He is an idiot when it actually comes to the logistics of what he sells.. Which most people are. But he can walk in and sell anything..

I used to sell Software-as-a-service products (great segment, btw).

The best salesman (at the time) at this company was a guy who couldn't turn his computer on without help. He literally needed assistance with anything that was more complicated than writing an email. And he was the best salesperson for a CLOUD BASED SOFTWARE product. Salespeople like this write their own ticket while working for others - they have "the goods" and companies pay top dollar for them.

Great pay in Sales is not a myth. I'm sorry you have had terrible experiences with it but I've yet to enter a company where the top salesguys weren't pulling in 6 figures minimum. If you are "the shit", go find a new company. Base salary in sales IS THE PERK, not the commission. Commission is how salespeople get paid - base salaries are meant to be bonuses thrown on top of the pile. They allow you to take vacation without a total loss of income.

The allure of sales, the reason it's so great, is because you can get paid better than 95% of your peers working for other people. If you aren't one of the best paid employees at your company, upper management excluded, you aren't getting paid very well.

 

[JEdwards]

I remember reading that Ross Perot sold 3 - 4 times what the average sales person sold at IBM, He went to them and asked if he could have more territory to sell, they cut his commission since he was making so much money.

He then told them about his idea to sell time on the machines and they said NO, So he went out and became a billionaire..

 

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[DeletedUser394]

If you can't sell, you can't do anything, and you aren't anything, and will never become anything.

Mad respect to those salespeople that kill it. Every day, everyone one of us sells ourselves when we walk out the door, whether we work a sales job or not.

 

[JEdwards]

If you can't sell, you can't do anything, and you aren't anything, and will never become anything.

.

That is not 100% accurate. The best employee I ever had, was a numbers/organized type of guy and I bet could not sell water to a thirsty person. but he knew how to organize. I wish he was still here.

Now he has his own biz and makes/has a lot of money.

 

[puckman]

I remember reading that Ross Perot sold 3 - 4 times what the average sales person sold at IBM, He went to them and asked if he could have more territory to sell, they cut his commission since he was making so much money.

He then told them about his idea to sell time on the machines and they said NO, So he went out and became a billionaire..

I knew there was at least one of you out there! Every company is like this, if you dont believe me or have a silly response you have likely never been there.

If all you do is sell, there is little room for anything else, especially in terms of creative ideas, product creation, actual marketing & branding, etc.

I also find it a little surprising here that all of these examples of 'sales people killing it' are about other people, or these mysterious wealthy rich sales people that own homes surrounding some lake. To me it sounds no different than MLM schemes or get rich quick fantasies.

 

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[theag]

I also find it a little surprising here that all of these examples of 'sales people killing it' are about other people, or these mysterious wealthy rich sales people that own homes surrounding some lake. To me it sounds no different than MLM schemes or get rich quick fantasies.

Yeah, I agree, Vigilante is probably full of shit. How can he say sth like that? Must be one of his get-rich-quick fantasies.

:icon_bs:

 

[Vigilante]

I also find it a little surprising here that all of these examples of 'sales people killing it' are about other people, or these mysterious wealthy rich sales people that own homes surrounding some lake. To me it sounds no different than MLM schemes or get rich quick fantasies.

 

[CommonCents]

If you can't sell, you can't do anything, and you aren't anything, and will never become anything.

This more applies to a business, as opposed to every individual. Technical shy numbers geeks can make it if they hire or partner with great sales people.

Great sales people can make VERY POOR business owners/entrepreneurs/managers.

It's tough to be both organized, resourceful, technical, and great in sales. That's why successful solo entrepreneurs are pretty rare. You often see this in professional type careers, docs, dentists, accountants, lawyers may be great at their trade but can be terrible in running their own biz.

Lesson is, inventory your strengths, and more importantly own up to your weaknesses, then hire/outsource/partner to shore up your weaknesses.

 

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[JEdwards]

I also find it a little surprising here that all of these examples of 'sales people killing it' are about other people, or these mysterious wealthy rich sales people that own homes surrounding some lake. To me it sounds no different than MLM schemes or get rich quick fantasies.

The reality is I am probably the best salesperson I know, The example of the guy I knew above, The one who has never made under $250k, after failing at pitching 10 franchise type deals we had put together and spending $20k flying him around the country, paying for hotels and rent a cars. He said it wont sell, I said it will sell, He said prove it. We went on the next two calls together to see. I closed both, walked with 2 $75k down payment checks, after meeting the people for less than 2 hours.

But I still think he is the best door to door salesperson I have ever met or worked with. By Far.

I am a deal maker. I hire salesmen and in my time I have had many make over 6 figures a year.

You are just in the wrong deal.

 

[Vigilante]

Correction Jack. I am probably the best salesperson you know. You're probably 2nd.

 

[JEdwards]

Correction Jack. I am probably the best salesperson you know. You're probably 2nd.

In the scheme of the world I might be number 4 million and you are 3,999,999. But when I sell my biz in the 9 figures here in the near future, I hope you can come to grips of being beaten by a much lessor salesperson.

 

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[Vigilante]

When (not if, but when) that happens, I will yield. Until then, I will not.

I make it rain. I manufacture money for a living.

I actually have another Fastlaner here that I am desperately trying to beat to the finish line. You may both beat me there, but I will be right on your heels.

We can discuss it at some point soon. On some beach.

 

[JEdwards]

I make it rain. I manufacture money for a living.

I had no idea you were a rapper...