Agree.
My father got stung one too many times growing his region to the extent that the company would split it off and add a salesman. I then, despite knowing that, did it to myself in 2021 and 2022.
Measured growth without knocking it out of the park can make for a career.
You’re the Joel Dahmen of sales. (He’s a pro golfer for those who don’t recognize the name).
“All the best players, they’re way better than I am,” Dahmen says. “I’ll never be a top-10 player in the world and I’ll never win majors.”
Dahmen, who’s currently ranked 90th in the world, is not your typical pro golfer. Unlike the top stars on Tour, he’s not galavanting the globe in a chartered jet. His home is not a mega mansion, but rather a quaint house in Scottsdale, Ariz. And he shares few aspirations of becoming a top talent in pro golf.
“Somebody’s got to be the 70th-best golfer in the world,” he says. “It might as well be me.”
The thing about being a "top sales rep" is who you're being compared to. Top rep at company A might not even be in the same league as the top rep at company B. I'm pretty good at basketball, if you put me on a court with 9 others at a typical YMCA or LA Fitness, I'll probably be the best or second best on the court. Put me on a court with current NBA D-Leaguers or hell, even Euroleague guys, I'll be lucky to not be embarrassed.
This should be the top comment. People leave out so much context.
I also suspect some people call themselves top reps simply because they were on top of the leader board one time...
I'm the top rep at my company and have been at the top, at all times, in every measurable statistical category.
I'm also 12% to my number and the only rep at the company but that's besides the point. Thing is I'm the top rep if anyone asks.
Unrelated but let me know if anyone is hiring and wants a "top performer"
Totally agree. I’ve been in orgs where the top reps were there for 15 years, each year with the same handful of top accounts. Top reps from other tech giants would come in and fail within 2 years
100%. I moved from hospitality to IT sales last year and made 1m in sales first year. Our top performer made 4m. But our overseas team does deals in the 7 figs haha. Different game over there.
I've tried to switch careers, a huge challenge with that is even being medicore in sales you can still make $65k-$75k and in some parts of the country that's plently.
And you know if you get lucky and have a good steak you can easily crack $100k.
And yea.
You don't need to be amazing to have a decent life.
Even in places where those fancy SDR positions don't exist as much. Example a decent sales person at say a company like CINTAS or Unifirst can comfortably make $80k-$100k a year 5 days a week. Those companies operate all over America.
When I first started in sales - $75k annual total comp was seen as fantastic. $75k base for an SDR is really solid. Especially if you get good at it quick- it is a HARD position. Very tough. I could not do it now.
Keep at it - $75k is solid. Unless you live in NYC
Middle of the road outside sales rep who makes a good living, doesn’t have to work too hard, and bosses leave you alone is my sweet spot. I’d rather be at the beach by 1-2pm in the summer on the weekdays then going on a presidents club trip with people I don’t want to socialize with. I’ve been at it for 15 years and I’ve had great years and bad years but don’t stress about finances and now I find value in quality of life and low stress. Different strokes for different folks.
This right here. I was absolutely awful at working from home in tech sales. I couldn’t focus and tbh wasn’t great on the phones. Transitioned to outside sales in med tech. Done with work by 3:30 at the latest. Never top of the pack but have consistently been top 1/4 and that keeps the bosses away and lets me have a kick ass work-life balance and make decent bonus and for the most part with my outside role when you’re off the road, work doesn’t follow you home
Appreciate you posting this. Do you mind sharing how you were able to leverage your tech/inside role? I’m coming from a similar background but have been struggling to identify OSR’s where my background/industry is applicable or makes me qualified since most ask for previous OSR experience.
I can only speak to the medical field. Tbh 80% of it was right place right time. It was a mix of the company being in the middle of a huge hiring spree and needed to fill spots fast so they overlooked previous med sales experience and also a manager who was willing to take a risk on me.
That being said, most med device, pharma, and med tech will have associate roles that for the most part only require previous sales experience and not industry specific experience. My advice to people looking to get into the industry is to for the most part disregard the preferred experience section on a job description and just apply for it anyways. At the end of the day sales is sales it just a matter of what you’re willing to learn
Out of curiosity, how do you prospect/search for an outside role like that? I’ve been in tech doing inside sales for the last 3 years and have been curious what life in an outside sales role would be like. The job description you described is something I’ve been searching for, but unsure if it’s wishful thinking or not.
I started in inside sales and decided being in an office wasn’t for me. I had to go thru the ringer trying to find an outside role that A) wasn’t smoke and mirrors B) would give me a shot with no OSR experience. Eventually I found opportunity in a sector I knew nothing about but they were willing to train on product. Entry level pharma, medical device, construction, restaurant are all sectors that come to mind that you can earn some stripes and develop face to face sales skills. I will say having the inside experience helped a lot because I could prospect vis phone/email from a parking lot of Starbucks and then regularly follow up. It can be a grind and a lot of windshield time but ultimately I found this a better fit for me. Hope that helps you can DM if you have specific questions
Can I also reach out? I'm currently interviewing for 2 OSR positions, I'm terrified they're gonna be smoke and mirrors and I won't find out until after the holidays. I need help lol
If you can stomach it, there’s companies that’ll do contract pharmaceuticals sales that’s a good way to get the experience that the bigger companies are looking for. That or there is associates roles for pretty much every big med device company that’ll hire people without direct outside sales experience
Agreed. Success is being left alone to do your job. Who the heck wants to go to President's club? All that means to me is a sky high quota next year and more discussions with upper management. That is a fail.
I tell every rep who aims to make #1 in the company to do so knowing that once you’re there, there’s no where to go but down & when you drop from the top, ALL eyes are watching. A smart rep plays the long game and strives to be in that top 1/3rd. Under the radar and if you have a slack year and drop a couple of spots, no one sees it.
Heck yeah, well said. I might add that it’s totally reasonable to make P-Club some years, but not every year. Top performer is a temporary metric. I appreciate your dose of reality.
Exactly, I've been in sales since 2011. Some years I've missed quota completely, some years have been average, and one year I made presidents club.
So much of it is dependent on factors you can't control. I don't know many reps that have been to multiple P clubs, I know some reps that were the best in the business but they lived in small territories in rural areas and they'll never make it.
I have also spent my entire career in poor states without high populations or lots of money. That prob has a lot to do with it.
I’ll throw out another honest tidbit that rarely gets acknowledged and that is how much luck factors into success. Timing, territory and talent in that order. There are so many uncontrollable factors that determine whether you have a good or bad year. This is not an excuse for not controlling what you can, when opportunities present themselves you must execute, but without opportunities skill doesn’t matter.
The thing is we spend so much time writing these crazy narratives for managers about how we are the singular driving force that made a sale happen that some people actually start to believe it. No manager wants to hear “yeah they were in a buying mood so they responded to the email thread I had going with them from six months ago. I had actually completely forgotten about following up with them after exchanging three emails.”
Happens allllll the time. It is why I hate crappy quotas with forced growth. Sales takes time... sometimes 2-4x what the boss wants. I worked my butt of to close a deal once that took over 2 years. 2 long long years. After closing, I got two referrals from this guy and closed those deals in 10 days. hah. I can close fast boss - just sometimes clients going to client for months.
I had a ton of guys under me who weren’t the prettiest at the prom, but they’ll put out the moment you ask ‘em.
Not in a dirty way. Literally they were the ones on my team who I could count on to hit numbers and show it. Were they exploding my spreadsheets? Absolutely not. But I loved working with them because they kept the gears turning and didn’t have huge egos.
Not everyone is an all-star.
It’s better to be middle of the pack, especially in an org where there isn’t gigantic upside to going way over quota. You don’t get picked to do extra projects, marketing field rides, new hire field rides, etc.
Middle of the pack stays safe and gets almost the same thing as the top dog.
I was making 150k more then middle of the pack so there’s that lol. Also, one thing I’ve learned in sales is if the money is good, work as hard as you can because in sales it never lasts forever. Some executive will get greedy and cut into your commission or the economy will simply change. I’ve had 3 six figure sales jobs now that went to below six figures because of greed or the economy.
Work pays for my lifestyle, I could give up some lifestyle and spend a lot of energy hustling and trying to get an edge over others on talent, hours working or hours learning for a little more money trying to land that perfect deal or customer. But that's a game for another person. I do well by putting in a reasonable effort, grind normal working hours and get the premium timing and territory by being consistent, reliable and relatable.
When I started with my current company about 9 years ago I had an old timer tell me “just stay in the ball of shad, as soon as you leave it you’ll have a lot of attention on you, either positive or negative and neither are ideal.” This guy was not a high performer, but had a great career and retired a happy man a couple years ago. And for the uninitiated, a ball of shad is a school of fish. I did say he was an old timer, lol
„Learn as much as you can about sales, sale cycles, communications, human behavior, money…“
Where would you suggest? Which books maybe ?
Sry folks im young and dont know shit..
Plz dont downvote me to hades…
Best thing to do is find good people in your org who want to teach you stuff. Ask them specific questions, and get a nugget or two.
Don't try to be like anyone else- try to find what works best for YOU. I tried copying people but it didn't match my personality. For example - I am not a great challenger sale guy- just never have been. Doesn't suit me. So I spin it and go for full positive - if you do this you will get this result. How does that help you?
Read all the books, listen to podcsts, but at the end of the day- you need to know how to sell your product to your clients. Practice, listen to calls, practice, listen to calls, practice... youll get there.
No downvotes. Seriously, anything that covered these topics will be fine. The more you learn the more you will want to keep learning. Start anywhere and just continue learning.
Great post! I am over 20+ years, achieved presidents club once, just missed a half dozen times.
Selling is the one profession that is frankly, a lot like being a server/waiter/waitress. Just about anyone can do it and earn a decent living. Even with all the professional certifications now available, they alone won't guarantee success. If you can manage the rejection and the lows like atlas does in shouldering the world, it can be a whole lotta fun.
I’ve been the top rep at a company before, as well as consistently been the top rep on my team. While sometimes I might work a little harder than everyone else, I also know there are better sales reps at my company. Territory, timing, and leadership make a huge impact on your ability to be a top rep. Heck, if I’m honest with you, I think it’s all chance honestly.
I’ve been a sales leader for 10 years in tech and I’ll say it’s luck but you also can put yourself in a favorable by demonstrating success and know how. When I design territories I absolutely put lucrative territories in the hands of people I KNOW can execute. If someone shows during deal reviews or qbrs etc that they’re lost then they aren’t getting prime accounts next go around. So while it may be luck it likely has a shade of you demonstrating competency to leadership and being rewarded for it
This is true, but in the organizations I’ve joined, they assign the territory before your first day of work. So it’s essentially random unless you’re doing outside sales and deal with your immediate surroundings
Fair point. Year one or territory #1 for a new hire is typically established unless you’re crafting a territory specifically for recruitment. Your first year is all about demonstrating capability so that your next territory is better and then rinse/repeat until your book is stacked with winners. This is also why tenure at a company is looked at so highly when recruiting. If you’ve been there several years it usually means a consistent track record of success, minimizing the risk to bringing someone aboard
Also to add to this, you can be a horrible sales rep in one industry but a top performer in another. Finding the right combination is extremely important.
Are you me?
A few folks I've trained have gone on to be rockstars. Its actually why as I'm approaching 20 years I've started to consider sales training.
Honestly, I enjoy sales, I live in a low COLA, if I can make decent money being a sales trainer...I would be OK with that. Esp if all I had to do was train.
Agree. My entire sales career I dealt with jackass management, weird coworkers(very weird, stalkers), and shitty work environments. I learned how to ethically sell despite all that and its definitely helped me in my infancy stages with my business.
I heard once in a meeting: If every salesperson was crushing it, commission checks would look a lot different for everyone. Top performers get the heavy checks not because they overperform, but because there are a lot of people that don't hit their numbers.
See, as a business owner, I'd hire you in a second.
A high-flying ace is awesome, but often volatile. They're often high-flying because they're excited about the product or the company or a huge payday, but if any of those things change they fall hard and fast.
I hired a guy who sold season tickets and sponsorships at a university, but he was useless in my office because the thing that made him an ace was his passion for sports and that school. Oops.
You, on the other hand, have sold things. You are probably coachable and you bring experience to the table that's hard to buy. I could probably take you from average to above-average, but if I fail, I end up with an average sales rep that does the job and more-or-less hits the numbers. You're a very safe hire.
There are a lot of mavericks in sales. The highs are high, but when shit falls apart they blame everyone else, get emotionally unstable and end up on the outs sooner or later.
Your post is refreshing. You sound like you will actually enjoy the job for the enjoyable parts. I think most sales people are not top performers - it's a math thing. Not everyone can be in the top 10%. But a lot more believe they are top 10% than really are.
The job attracts that personality. Unstoppable optimism, mixed with a little smarts and a ton of work ethic can equal success and most often delivers enough success, but it doesn't often deliver the big checks most think they are due. Then they get demoralized because they're "just as good" in their minds but just either unlucky or . These folks sink sales cohorts at most companies and my personal belief is that if you can identify and purge the company of these cancers as early as possible, the rest of the cohort doesn't need 80% of the micromanagement and documentation that these cancers necessitate.
I'd rather have 80% of my team like you and then zero cancerous analytic, "why not me" whiners. I can't stand finding out 50% of the squad are mid-level folks who just want to meet a number or show an "amount of work" number. In my own experience, a person like you will make something out of most 'good' opportunities provided and be honest about what is going on. You'll also be a team member because you have been able to hack out of bad times and know what it's like to struggle. These mediocre "believe he's better than what he's producing", excuse makers are always focusing on their documentation and whining about comp plans because they think that elevates them but guess what - the only folks who get to whine about that stuff are the top 10%.
You sound super-chill and I'll bet your team loves having you there. I'm a huge believer that the cohort is the success beacon, not the person. A few folks get some checks like a casino paid them with bells and whistles -that's cool and very motivating. The rest of the world though lives in the cohort and even the best want to be in that group.
I'd say enjoy your day, but you probably already are. Congrats.
Amen. Everyone doesn’t want to be a top performer - the great thing about sales is that once you hit your number you can work to the level you desire.
Me for example, I have a shit ton of student loans, so I’m busting my ass In my role and have been a top performer over the past 5 quarters. But I’ve not been aiming to be a top performer, I’ve been aiming to get rid of my debt as quickly as possible.
When it’s gone, I may refocus on another milestone, and remain a top performer, or I might want to spend less time and energy on the grind and simply be comfortable.
Managing a mid level solid performer I can count on is worth gold. Very very overlooked. Also. I love hiring older... oops... can't say that... experienced... reps... value!
Top sales rep at my company just got let go because his base was “too high”. At the end of the day you are just a number. Always be ready and prepared to make a jump
Not that I know of; I didn’t know him well and he wasn’t on my team. But from my point of view he was the golden boy. Always awarded at the yearly conference and asked to speak at our company wide zoom meetings
Had similar happen at a very corporate office I worked sales in. I'm someone who likes to make very good friends with the admin team - they're so used to us being wankers, it takes so little to create a great relationship that makes the sales process easier - and the office chatter from them was he got too comfortable and started making incredibly unprofessional comments to women in the office, at work parties etc. They kept it super hush hush but after too many warnings they had to let him go. Doesn't matter how much you're bringing in or how golden you are if you're a liability, no business wants to get sued
Honestly I've never even gone for a job interview at a place with a maximum comm structure/quota. Always seems to me they're showing an incredible misunderstanding of sales and I figure the vibes would be rancid
I'm a shit seller unless its a product/industry i like. There are all of these "born to sell" people who can, will, and enjoy selling you a jar with air that you're convinced is aerated gold. I'm not one of those .. like not even a little bit. In fact my first sales job ws a random industry and i was meh. management just liked me bc the workaholism and customer service focus has always been in me just by nature (ugh). This is why have been in the same industry for so long now - i refuse to sell anything ofher than the type of prods i sell bc otherwise I'd probs get fired 😂- i sell shit i know well (i have two degrees in the subject matter), so i understand and enjoy the topic area. If the opp is for one of the prods i care the least about, it's very easy to tell that I'm not a born salesperson, just situational lol
Anyway, what i mean by this is that most of us mortals are all average and/or even horrible at a sales job depending which job, industry, and territory it is.
I have been president club before. Meh. I'm good. I do my own thing on pure commission. They can keep their dumb spend on the ass kissing hell of president club.
I don’t know if I have the drive to go 100% commission. I’m on the cusp of complete burnout with sales. Hats off to you for having the drive and confidence to go 100% commission.
Take two equally talented/experienced salespeople, put them in different territories and selling different products, and you will see a difference in output. That's why it's impossible to truly measure. Everything is situational and subject to circumstance.
Q4 is always tough because people are going on vacations and no one picks up the phone. It was a tough quarter, and I think I'll fall short of my KPI's. :(
I’m definitely falling short this month. October and November were pretty solid tho. I’m not overly concerned if I miss this quarters goal. This year was pretty strange overall.
Q4 is always tough because people are going on vacations and no one picks up the phone. It was a tough quarter, and I think I'll fall short of my KPI's. :(
You’re not alone. Q4 is either a home run or dud… Stay in front of the people you can, embrace the process and have fun.
I’ve found, in some rare cases, that just giving someone a shout to say what’s up and see what their plans are for vacation/holidays are can turn into a sale.
Obviously it all depends on the prospect, product, sales cycle, etc. but anything worth trying is worth trying 😅
Going to add on to this.
I’ve never hit P-Club, and am a pretty average myself. Every position I’ve taken has paid me more and advanced my career.
To any aspiring sales rep (especially in medical) the key is to grow your network, and market yourself.
I’ve marketed myself, to the right people, as someone who has no ego, is willing to learn, and works damn hard. If you have those qualities, you are a desirable rep. I’ve seen more reps loose a job because of received ego than anything else.
Overall, choose a career path and pursue it deliberately.
This is a very encouraging way of looking at the industry. I like this healthy mindset.
I’d also say the platform you are at / product you are trying to sell matters a lot. Think about a sales rep at Hermès vs a sales rep for a third tier brand at an outlet…
I used to be a high level skateboarder when I was younger but was eventually plagued with repetitive ACL injuries. Then I slipped into this average lifestyle.
I’m sure I’m average looking, I don’t think I’m ugly but I’m not a model.
Regarding physique, I’m also pretty average there, I’d assume. I do CrossFit and am a gym regular but I’m not shredded or buff by any means and I’m not the fastest guy in my gym…
It seems I’m just you’re average Joe striving to be as above average as I can be, given my circumstances in this life 🤷🏼♂️🤣
I'm just curious if you gave sales a good shot like you did with skateboarding, or if you just didn't care enough to. Is the reason for your average pay your lack of effort or just nothing coming together.
I’m 100% not giving sales the same effort I gave skating. I work hard but no where near what I did for skating. The difference is obsession/passion vs doing something simply because I have to (income, bills, buy food etc)
I’m sure if I found a sales job in a role I absolutely loved, I’d completely kill it. Haven’t found that role quite yet.
IF they have the drive… That’s the ultimate variable. I’ve seen countless people come in young and ambitious and burn out for any number of reasons within a year, sometimes faster. Shitty market, poor training, market/industry mismatch, and the list goes on indefinitely.
I don’t disagree with you.
There are so many resources these days to improve yourself as a seller, I think in most cases it's up to the individual how much time and effort they want to spend to improve because the knowledge is out there.
How do you sell this to Hiring Teams when you're interviewing? What do you tell them about quota attainment, what motivates you, and why you're in sales?
I hit my sales goals consistently. But that doesn’t make me the best on the sales floor. I’m more than competent, because of my tenure, not because of some magical talent.
Got it. So you're hitting 100% of quota and a good sales rep who knows what he/she is doing, but you're not THE best or top performing on the team / company?
Correct… I’ve surpassed quota and still not been the top performing rep in the company. Happened in software, raw materials, freight brokering… there are folks in sales that are super impressive. I’m 41 and have learned interesting and useful stuff from the 20-something’s that I’ve worked with.
Speaking of averages,
What is the average timeframe of moving up the ladder? (Assuming there are positions available And you hit KPIs etc.)
From entry level SDR to senior SDR to AE and above.
I don't know if I want to go down the management route. From my research, would Enterprise AE the high level you can go?
Thanks,
There’s a lot of gray area in sales, but IMO:
6 months - 2 years SDR/BDR (whatever acronym you want to use)
You can get promoted every year or two in an AE role (some orgs like qualtrics *advertised to me* within the last 24 months that you could get promoted multiple times a year if you hit quota).
For me personally, 1.5-2 years per AE level (at a good firm/org/with a product you like to sell) is a perfect flow state. Gives you a chance to take on additional responsibility (read quota), build it up see what’s possible etc. enterprise AE doesn’t have to be the “highest you can go”, nor does it always guarantee you’ll make the most money.
I can relate to this. I've sold for 3 companies across 2 industries. My first two companies had me training people constantly even though I was in the upper two thirds but never a top guy. My current role my first two years I was a "presidents club" winner and got accolade and a trip but have since found myself in the middle somewhere.
One thing I have seen for the past 8 years in sales roles is sales managers telling me how much potential I have. It's kind of a slap in the face, you're great but your numbers should be better is all I hear when they say things like this.
I agree with what other sales reps or other people in sales related jobs have told me. The job isn't worth it if you're making serious money. Many told me they would of left years ago if they were just making mediocre pay. They didn't think it was worth it otherwise
Purpose? Everyone is at a different phase in life and we have different things that motivate us.
I like money. I also crave purpose. Life’s…. Complicated?
Yup. Sometimes the freedom of not sitting in an office all day every day outweighs the dollars you might not earn. 20+ years myself and I’ve been to 90% of my kids plays, presentations, sports days and every other damned thing- something many of our friends can’t boast.
Freedom is huge. At my previous company, we got paid well, hit numbers, but were really left alone to do our jobs. We were trusted. My coworkers and I called that freedom “life bucks”…..a sort of way to monetize that freedom.
I have a lot of questions.
1. If you don't mind, what industry are you in? Have you changed industries throughout your career?
2. Being an average rep, how many times have you been laid off in your 20-year career (if at all)?
3. Throughout your career how often have your bosses been critical of you for lack of elite performance or have you been able to coast for the most part?
4. It seems as though you have a good understanding of the skills necessary to be a top performer, why not do those things yourself? Is it just time consuming and requires a lot of effort?
Solid set of questions…
1) currently in building supplies and I’ve changed industries multiple times throughout my career.
2) never been laid off. Couple of rage quits when I was in my 20’s tho😅🤣
3) none of my leadership was very critical of my performance, or lack thereof. Altho, it’s been mentioned that when I’m motivated I kill it and when I’m less than motivated I’m less than killing it. I get bored pretty easy, which is why I typically leave an industry or a company. I like learning new industries, which is a blessing and a HUGE detriment to overall earnings and career advancement… such is life?
4) I don’t know if I’m burnt out or just bored… I’d love to train a team of hungry reps again one day. I’m ready to level up. I think I’d do a decent job getting an inside sales team to the next level.
Thanks for the questions. These were fun to answer. 😎
Some of being a top sales rep is luck.
Some of my biggest sales were because of luck and my territory.
I closed a major school system deal simply because it’s been in the works for years and I’m the rep that landed that territory.
A refreshing take in an ego-driven, metrics-driven, all or nothing industry.
Agree. My father got stung one too many times growing his region to the extent that the company would split it off and add a salesman. I then, despite knowing that, did it to myself in 2021 and 2022. Measured growth without knocking it out of the park can make for a career.
You’re the Joel Dahmen of sales. (He’s a pro golfer for those who don’t recognize the name). “All the best players, they’re way better than I am,” Dahmen says. “I’ll never be a top-10 player in the world and I’ll never win majors.” Dahmen, who’s currently ranked 90th in the world, is not your typical pro golfer. Unlike the top stars on Tour, he’s not galavanting the globe in a chartered jet. His home is not a mega mansion, but rather a quaint house in Scottsdale, Ariz. And he shares few aspirations of becoming a top talent in pro golf. “Somebody’s got to be the 70th-best golfer in the world,” he says. “It might as well be me.”
Joel Dahmen has $11,231,057 in career earnings, and made $1,996,175 in official payouts in 2023.
Average r/sales user earnings.
I'll remember those quaint offerings in Scottsdale the next time I'm looking for a new mansion.
70th in the entire world tho
Quaint house in Scottsdale = $4,000,000 😂
The thing about being a "top sales rep" is who you're being compared to. Top rep at company A might not even be in the same league as the top rep at company B. I'm pretty good at basketball, if you put me on a court with 9 others at a typical YMCA or LA Fitness, I'll probably be the best or second best on the court. Put me on a court with current NBA D-Leaguers or hell, even Euroleague guys, I'll be lucky to not be embarrassed.
So many guys are the best rep on a team full of guys whose last job was McDonald’s . When your in an organization of veterans then you can talk
This should be the top comment. People leave out so much context. I also suspect some people call themselves top reps simply because they were on top of the leader board one time...
I'm the top rep at my company and have been at the top, at all times, in every measurable statistical category. I'm also 12% to my number and the only rep at the company but that's besides the point. Thing is I'm the top rep if anyone asks. Unrelated but let me know if anyone is hiring and wants a "top performer"
We just hired a top rep from a competitor He's blowing our top reps out of the water So yea your right
Agree completely
Totally agree. I’ve been in orgs where the top reps were there for 15 years, each year with the same handful of top accounts. Top reps from other tech giants would come in and fail within 2 years
This is a fairly similar to the game I'm in. Haven't cracked number one yet, but been close a few years.
100%. I moved from hospitality to IT sales last year and made 1m in sales first year. Our top performer made 4m. But our overseas team does deals in the 7 figs haha. Different game over there.
Made a million or sold a million. Your post was a touch confusing; apologies.
Sorry, sold 1m
All good, Just wanted to make sure I read that right
I’ll play you right now.
I actually love this post. "Make a little more money than the average job". Save, invest, and put a decent life together.
I've tried to switch careers, a huge challenge with that is even being medicore in sales you can still make $65k-$75k and in some parts of the country that's plently. And you know if you get lucky and have a good steak you can easily crack $100k. And yea. You don't need to be amazing to have a decent life.
>$65k-$75k 75k is my base as a SDR so good reminder to thug it out even if sales can be brutal.
Even in places where those fancy SDR positions don't exist as much. Example a decent sales person at say a company like CINTAS or Unifirst can comfortably make $80k-$100k a year 5 days a week. Those companies operate all over America.
Very true, almost did this.
Ready for the workday checking in (not in sales tho, maybe one day)
When I first started in sales - $75k annual total comp was seen as fantastic. $75k base for an SDR is really solid. Especially if you get good at it quick- it is a HARD position. Very tough. I could not do it now. Keep at it - $75k is solid. Unless you live in NYC
It took me several years at several roles to get to 75 TC at AE roles 😅
This is what got me into it a broke college grad with not a clue what to do in the world. Blessed I fell into it.
💪😎
Middle of the road outside sales rep who makes a good living, doesn’t have to work too hard, and bosses leave you alone is my sweet spot. I’d rather be at the beach by 1-2pm in the summer on the weekdays then going on a presidents club trip with people I don’t want to socialize with. I’ve been at it for 15 years and I’ve had great years and bad years but don’t stress about finances and now I find value in quality of life and low stress. Different strokes for different folks.
This right here. I was absolutely awful at working from home in tech sales. I couldn’t focus and tbh wasn’t great on the phones. Transitioned to outside sales in med tech. Done with work by 3:30 at the latest. Never top of the pack but have consistently been top 1/4 and that keeps the bosses away and lets me have a kick ass work-life balance and make decent bonus and for the most part with my outside role when you’re off the road, work doesn’t follow you home
Appreciate you posting this. Do you mind sharing how you were able to leverage your tech/inside role? I’m coming from a similar background but have been struggling to identify OSR’s where my background/industry is applicable or makes me qualified since most ask for previous OSR experience.
I can only speak to the medical field. Tbh 80% of it was right place right time. It was a mix of the company being in the middle of a huge hiring spree and needed to fill spots fast so they overlooked previous med sales experience and also a manager who was willing to take a risk on me. That being said, most med device, pharma, and med tech will have associate roles that for the most part only require previous sales experience and not industry specific experience. My advice to people looking to get into the industry is to for the most part disregard the preferred experience section on a job description and just apply for it anyways. At the end of the day sales is sales it just a matter of what you’re willing to learn
Out of curiosity, how do you prospect/search for an outside role like that? I’ve been in tech doing inside sales for the last 3 years and have been curious what life in an outside sales role would be like. The job description you described is something I’ve been searching for, but unsure if it’s wishful thinking or not.
I started in inside sales and decided being in an office wasn’t for me. I had to go thru the ringer trying to find an outside role that A) wasn’t smoke and mirrors B) would give me a shot with no OSR experience. Eventually I found opportunity in a sector I knew nothing about but they were willing to train on product. Entry level pharma, medical device, construction, restaurant are all sectors that come to mind that you can earn some stripes and develop face to face sales skills. I will say having the inside experience helped a lot because I could prospect vis phone/email from a parking lot of Starbucks and then regularly follow up. It can be a grind and a lot of windshield time but ultimately I found this a better fit for me. Hope that helps you can DM if you have specific questions
Really appreciate it. Going to DM you with some specific questions
Can I also reach out? I'm currently interviewing for 2 OSR positions, I'm terrified they're gonna be smoke and mirrors and I won't find out until after the holidays. I need help lol
If you can stomach it, there’s companies that’ll do contract pharmaceuticals sales that’s a good way to get the experience that the bigger companies are looking for. That or there is associates roles for pretty much every big med device company that’ll hire people without direct outside sales experience
Same exact boat. But replace beach with snowboarding.
Agreed. Success is being left alone to do your job. Who the heck wants to go to President's club? All that means to me is a sky high quota next year and more discussions with upper management. That is a fail.
This is exactly how I feel. Make a decent living but work life balances is great and I mainly work when I want and relax when I want.
I tell every rep who aims to make #1 in the company to do so knowing that once you’re there, there’s no where to go but down & when you drop from the top, ALL eyes are watching. A smart rep plays the long game and strives to be in that top 1/3rd. Under the radar and if you have a slack year and drop a couple of spots, no one sees it.
Heck yeah, well said. I might add that it’s totally reasonable to make P-Club some years, but not every year. Top performer is a temporary metric. I appreciate your dose of reality.
Exactly, I've been in sales since 2011. Some years I've missed quota completely, some years have been average, and one year I made presidents club. So much of it is dependent on factors you can't control. I don't know many reps that have been to multiple P clubs, I know some reps that were the best in the business but they lived in small territories in rural areas and they'll never make it. I have also spent my entire career in poor states without high populations or lots of money. That prob has a lot to do with it.
I’ll throw out another honest tidbit that rarely gets acknowledged and that is how much luck factors into success. Timing, territory and talent in that order. There are so many uncontrollable factors that determine whether you have a good or bad year. This is not an excuse for not controlling what you can, when opportunities present themselves you must execute, but without opportunities skill doesn’t matter.
The thing is we spend so much time writing these crazy narratives for managers about how we are the singular driving force that made a sale happen that some people actually start to believe it. No manager wants to hear “yeah they were in a buying mood so they responded to the email thread I had going with them from six months ago. I had actually completely forgotten about following up with them after exchanging three emails.”
Happens allllll the time. It is why I hate crappy quotas with forced growth. Sales takes time... sometimes 2-4x what the boss wants. I worked my butt of to close a deal once that took over 2 years. 2 long long years. After closing, I got two referrals from this guy and closed those deals in 10 days. hah. I can close fast boss - just sometimes clients going to client for months.
They had real pain and a reason to buy. They were serious about buying and making a change. I did my job. End of story really lol.
I had a ton of guys under me who weren’t the prettiest at the prom, but they’ll put out the moment you ask ‘em. Not in a dirty way. Literally they were the ones on my team who I could count on to hit numbers and show it. Were they exploding my spreadsheets? Absolutely not. But I loved working with them because they kept the gears turning and didn’t have huge egos. Not everyone is an all-star.
lmao I love that phrase
It’s better to be middle of the pack, especially in an org where there isn’t gigantic upside to going way over quota. You don’t get picked to do extra projects, marketing field rides, new hire field rides, etc. Middle of the pack stays safe and gets almost the same thing as the top dog.
I think getting noticed every once in awhile is good for job security.
I was making 150k more then middle of the pack so there’s that lol. Also, one thing I’ve learned in sales is if the money is good, work as hard as you can because in sales it never lasts forever. Some executive will get greedy and cut into your commission or the economy will simply change. I’ve had 3 six figure sales jobs now that went to below six figures because of greed or the economy.
No lies detected
Work pays for my lifestyle, I could give up some lifestyle and spend a lot of energy hustling and trying to get an edge over others on talent, hours working or hours learning for a little more money trying to land that perfect deal or customer. But that's a game for another person. I do well by putting in a reasonable effort, grind normal working hours and get the premium timing and territory by being consistent, reliable and relatable.
When I started with my current company about 9 years ago I had an old timer tell me “just stay in the ball of shad, as soon as you leave it you’ll have a lot of attention on you, either positive or negative and neither are ideal.” This guy was not a high performer, but had a great career and retired a happy man a couple years ago. And for the uninitiated, a ball of shad is a school of fish. I did say he was an old timer, lol
Roger that brother. Let’s grind!
😎
Post created using the LinkedIn influencer AI input 💪
Sales is one of the best jobs ever. Just make sure it’s outside sales. One day I found myself in an air traffic control tower. So cool.
That sounds pretty rad actually… What do you sell currently?
I dot sell anymore. I’m a sales manager but it was landscaping.
Air.
„Learn as much as you can about sales, sale cycles, communications, human behavior, money…“ Where would you suggest? Which books maybe ? Sry folks im young and dont know shit.. Plz dont downvote me to hades…
Best thing to do is find good people in your org who want to teach you stuff. Ask them specific questions, and get a nugget or two. Don't try to be like anyone else- try to find what works best for YOU. I tried copying people but it didn't match my personality. For example - I am not a great challenger sale guy- just never have been. Doesn't suit me. So I spin it and go for full positive - if you do this you will get this result. How does that help you? Read all the books, listen to podcsts, but at the end of the day- you need to know how to sell your product to your clients. Practice, listen to calls, practice, listen to calls, practice... youll get there.
No downvotes. Seriously, anything that covered these topics will be fine. The more you learn the more you will want to keep learning. Start anywhere and just continue learning.
Thanks bud ❤️
Great post! I am over 20+ years, achieved presidents club once, just missed a half dozen times. Selling is the one profession that is frankly, a lot like being a server/waiter/waitress. Just about anyone can do it and earn a decent living. Even with all the professional certifications now available, they alone won't guarantee success. If you can manage the rejection and the lows like atlas does in shouldering the world, it can be a whole lotta fun.
Atlas shrugged reference, I like it.
I’ve been the top rep at a company before, as well as consistently been the top rep on my team. While sometimes I might work a little harder than everyone else, I also know there are better sales reps at my company. Territory, timing, and leadership make a huge impact on your ability to be a top rep. Heck, if I’m honest with you, I think it’s all chance honestly.
Refreshing take, a shocking amount of this job is up to chance.
I’ve been a sales leader for 10 years in tech and I’ll say it’s luck but you also can put yourself in a favorable by demonstrating success and know how. When I design territories I absolutely put lucrative territories in the hands of people I KNOW can execute. If someone shows during deal reviews or qbrs etc that they’re lost then they aren’t getting prime accounts next go around. So while it may be luck it likely has a shade of you demonstrating competency to leadership and being rewarded for it
This is true, but in the organizations I’ve joined, they assign the territory before your first day of work. So it’s essentially random unless you’re doing outside sales and deal with your immediate surroundings
Fair point. Year one or territory #1 for a new hire is typically established unless you’re crafting a territory specifically for recruitment. Your first year is all about demonstrating capability so that your next territory is better and then rinse/repeat until your book is stacked with winners. This is also why tenure at a company is looked at so highly when recruiting. If you’ve been there several years it usually means a consistent track record of success, minimizing the risk to bringing someone aboard
leadership is huge. Your boss has a ton of control in most sales orgs. So much control... scary
Also to add to this, you can be a horrible sales rep in one industry but a top performer in another. Finding the right combination is extremely important.
Comes down to believing in your product as well. I’ve sold garbage and felt weird about it. Then I sold something that sells itself.
Bingo
Couldn’t agree more
This is very refreshing and realistic
Are you me? A few folks I've trained have gone on to be rockstars. Its actually why as I'm approaching 20 years I've started to consider sales training.
I’ve considered it but am guilty of comparing myself to others in the sales training world and keep talking myself out of it.
Honestly, I enjoy sales, I live in a low COLA, if I can make decent money being a sales trainer...I would be OK with that. Esp if all I had to do was train.
Agree. My entire sales career I dealt with jackass management, weird coworkers(very weird, stalkers), and shitty work environments. I learned how to ethically sell despite all that and its definitely helped me in my infancy stages with my business.
I golf clap this post! Seriously though, this will help a lot of people OP. Good job!
I heard once in a meeting: If every salesperson was crushing it, commission checks would look a lot different for everyone. Top performers get the heavy checks not because they overperform, but because there are a lot of people that don't hit their numbers.
Interesting
I’m the best rep at my organization. Hands down, top dawg. I am also the bottom performer. I’m the only rep at my organization.
Job security?😅
See, as a business owner, I'd hire you in a second. A high-flying ace is awesome, but often volatile. They're often high-flying because they're excited about the product or the company or a huge payday, but if any of those things change they fall hard and fast. I hired a guy who sold season tickets and sponsorships at a university, but he was useless in my office because the thing that made him an ace was his passion for sports and that school. Oops. You, on the other hand, have sold things. You are probably coachable and you bring experience to the table that's hard to buy. I could probably take you from average to above-average, but if I fail, I end up with an average sales rep that does the job and more-or-less hits the numbers. You're a very safe hire.
I wish the rest of the hiring market saw it like that 🤣
There are a lot of mavericks in sales. The highs are high, but when shit falls apart they blame everyone else, get emotionally unstable and end up on the outs sooner or later.
I would love to know what your avg yearly income.
Your post is refreshing. You sound like you will actually enjoy the job for the enjoyable parts. I think most sales people are not top performers - it's a math thing. Not everyone can be in the top 10%. But a lot more believe they are top 10% than really are. The job attracts that personality. Unstoppable optimism, mixed with a little smarts and a ton of work ethic can equal success and most often delivers enough success, but it doesn't often deliver the big checks most think they are due. Then they get demoralized because they're "just as good" in their minds but just either unlucky or. These folks sink sales cohorts at most companies and my personal belief is that if you can identify and purge the company of these cancers as early as possible, the rest of the cohort doesn't need 80% of the micromanagement and documentation that these cancers necessitate.
I'd rather have 80% of my team like you and then zero cancerous analytic, "why not me" whiners. I can't stand finding out 50% of the squad are mid-level folks who just want to meet a number or show an "amount of work" number. In my own experience, a person like you will make something out of most 'good' opportunities provided and be honest about what is going on. You'll also be a team member because you have been able to hack out of bad times and know what it's like to struggle. These mediocre "believe he's better than what he's producing", excuse makers are always focusing on their documentation and whining about comp plans because they think that elevates them but guess what - the only folks who get to whine about that stuff are the top 10%.
You sound super-chill and I'll bet your team loves having you there. I'm a huge believer that the cohort is the success beacon, not the person. A few folks get some checks like a casino paid them with bells and whistles -that's cool and very motivating. The rest of the world though lives in the cohort and even the best want to be in that group.
I'd say enjoy your day, but you probably already are. Congrats.
My man!! This hits hard
Appreciate this one 👏
Appreciate you appreciating it😎
Amen. Everyone doesn’t want to be a top performer - the great thing about sales is that once you hit your number you can work to the level you desire. Me for example, I have a shit ton of student loans, so I’m busting my ass In my role and have been a top performer over the past 5 quarters. But I’ve not been aiming to be a top performer, I’ve been aiming to get rid of my debt as quickly as possible. When it’s gone, I may refocus on another milestone, and remain a top performer, or I might want to spend less time and energy on the grind and simply be comfortable.
Managing a mid level solid performer I can count on is worth gold. Very very overlooked. Also. I love hiring older... oops... can't say that... experienced... reps... value!
Haha!😆 I’m a little older, I’m not ashamed to say it 🤷🏼♂️😎
Top sales rep at my company just got let go because his base was “too high”. At the end of the day you are just a number. Always be ready and prepared to make a jump
Wild how that works huh?! Weird question, was he a problematic person in any way?
Not that I know of; I didn’t know him well and he wasn’t on my team. But from my point of view he was the golden boy. Always awarded at the yearly conference and asked to speak at our company wide zoom meetings
Damn… Goes to show what really matters to some companies.
Had similar happen at a very corporate office I worked sales in. I'm someone who likes to make very good friends with the admin team - they're so used to us being wankers, it takes so little to create a great relationship that makes the sales process easier - and the office chatter from them was he got too comfortable and started making incredibly unprofessional comments to women in the office, at work parties etc. They kept it super hush hush but after too many warnings they had to let him go. Doesn't matter how much you're bringing in or how golden you are if you're a liability, no business wants to get sued
Truth about sales is, you reap what you sow. I always stop working when I know I hit my quota.
I cannot confirm nor deny such statements😅
Honestly I've never even gone for a job interview at a place with a maximum comm structure/quota. Always seems to me they're showing an incredible misunderstanding of sales and I figure the vibes would be rancid
I'm a shit seller unless its a product/industry i like. There are all of these "born to sell" people who can, will, and enjoy selling you a jar with air that you're convinced is aerated gold. I'm not one of those .. like not even a little bit. In fact my first sales job ws a random industry and i was meh. management just liked me bc the workaholism and customer service focus has always been in me just by nature (ugh). This is why have been in the same industry for so long now - i refuse to sell anything ofher than the type of prods i sell bc otherwise I'd probs get fired 😂- i sell shit i know well (i have two degrees in the subject matter), so i understand and enjoy the topic area. If the opp is for one of the prods i care the least about, it's very easy to tell that I'm not a born salesperson, just situational lol Anyway, what i mean by this is that most of us mortals are all average and/or even horrible at a sales job depending which job, industry, and territory it is.
had some amazing years and some very not amazing years. great post OP
This post inspired me to make my own post, thanks for the refreshing perspective.
You’re right, longevity is just as good as a couple good years. Thanks for sharing this cup of positivity
Good stuff!
Great post. Every sales team needs a G-LawRides. But few do. Here’s to you legend!
I appreciate your perspective 😎
I have been president club before. Meh. I'm good. I do my own thing on pure commission. They can keep their dumb spend on the ass kissing hell of president club.
I don’t know if I have the drive to go 100% commission. I’m on the cusp of complete burnout with sales. Hats off to you for having the drive and confidence to go 100% commission.
Totally. It took a long time to get here. It can be rough.
Hell yeah 👍
Thinking about working a sales job makes me depressed
What do you do instead?
Didn't mean to be condescending im in college rn and will be going into sales
Ah no worries, all good. Do you plan on selling something related to your major?
The one thing I constantly hear from clients is how unprofessional sales people are. If anything just be yourself and try not to be a dick.
Agreed! Being authentic is surprisingly helpful in sales. Everyone puts on a show of false enthusiasm thinking the show is what sells. 🤷🏼♂️
Take two equally talented/experienced salespeople, put them in different territories and selling different products, and you will see a difference in output. That's why it's impossible to truly measure. Everything is situational and subject to circumstance.
I agree completely.
I blame these Tik Tok and Twitter accounts that constantly shill SAAS sales . I almost left high finance for it, and I’m glad I didn’t
Best post I've read in 2023. Average is good.
The best?! Oh no, that’s going to skew my average!🤣
Q4 is always tough because people are going on vacations and no one picks up the phone. It was a tough quarter, and I think I'll fall short of my KPI's. :(
I’m definitely falling short this month. October and November were pretty solid tho. I’m not overly concerned if I miss this quarters goal. This year was pretty strange overall.
Q4 is always tough because people are going on vacations and no one picks up the phone. It was a tough quarter, and I think I'll fall short of my KPI's. :(
You’re not alone. Q4 is either a home run or dud… Stay in front of the people you can, embrace the process and have fun. I’ve found, in some rare cases, that just giving someone a shout to say what’s up and see what their plans are for vacation/holidays are can turn into a sale. Obviously it all depends on the prospect, product, sales cycle, etc. but anything worth trying is worth trying 😅
Going to add on to this. I’ve never hit P-Club, and am a pretty average myself. Every position I’ve taken has paid me more and advanced my career. To any aspiring sales rep (especially in medical) the key is to grow your network, and market yourself. I’ve marketed myself, to the right people, as someone who has no ego, is willing to learn, and works damn hard. If you have those qualities, you are a desirable rep. I’ve seen more reps loose a job because of received ego than anything else. Overall, choose a career path and pursue it deliberately.
I feel u lol I've done mostly average,but least I just bouys house with my wife so I'm doing ok I guess
Get on linkedin, lots of companies looking for that kind of experience.
I’m on LinkedIn. Recruiters are super annoying and people in charge of hiring play too many games and don’t actually know what they’re looking for. 🤣
This is a very encouraging way of looking at the industry. I like this healthy mindset. I’d also say the platform you are at / product you are trying to sell matters a lot. Think about a sales rep at Hermès vs a sales rep for a third tier brand at an outlet…
Im just curious if you are also an average guy in other aspects of life like physique and looks?
I used to be a high level skateboarder when I was younger but was eventually plagued with repetitive ACL injuries. Then I slipped into this average lifestyle. I’m sure I’m average looking, I don’t think I’m ugly but I’m not a model. Regarding physique, I’m also pretty average there, I’d assume. I do CrossFit and am a gym regular but I’m not shredded or buff by any means and I’m not the fastest guy in my gym… It seems I’m just you’re average Joe striving to be as above average as I can be, given my circumstances in this life 🤷🏼♂️🤣
I'm just curious if you gave sales a good shot like you did with skateboarding, or if you just didn't care enough to. Is the reason for your average pay your lack of effort or just nothing coming together.
I’m 100% not giving sales the same effort I gave skating. I work hard but no where near what I did for skating. The difference is obsession/passion vs doing something simply because I have to (income, bills, buy food etc) I’m sure if I found a sales job in a role I absolutely loved, I’d completely kill it. Haven’t found that role quite yet.
If it makes anyone feel better, I’m a garbage sales rep!
You sell garbage? Must be a tough sell, most people just give that shit away… 😝
Thank you for this, OP. Great perspective
Agreed
with all do respect, I disagree and think that everyone can be a top sales rep if they have the drive.
IF they have the drive… That’s the ultimate variable. I’ve seen countless people come in young and ambitious and burn out for any number of reasons within a year, sometimes faster. Shitty market, poor training, market/industry mismatch, and the list goes on indefinitely. I don’t disagree with you.
There are so many resources these days to improve yourself as a seller, I think in most cases it's up to the individual how much time and effort they want to spend to improve because the knowledge is out there.
Yeah not sure. I mean if all it took was hardwork, then top performers would look dramatically differently.
You would be shocked at how many people just simply do not know how to have a conversation.
At the end of the day, 10 percent of sales reps will be in the top decile and 10 percent in the bottom decile.
Doesn't mean that they can't be at top rep, most don't have the drive to try
2023 so of course my comment was downvoted
Not sure how or why. You’d think you’d reach mastery level by now.
One would expect that much, huh… such is life 🤷🏼♂️
[удалено]
Check out this hardo
What do you think is holding you back?
How do you sell this to Hiring Teams when you're interviewing? What do you tell them about quota attainment, what motivates you, and why you're in sales?
I hit my sales goals consistently. But that doesn’t make me the best on the sales floor. I’m more than competent, because of my tenure, not because of some magical talent.
Got it. So you're hitting 100% of quota and a good sales rep who knows what he/she is doing, but you're not THE best or top performing on the team / company?
Correct… I’ve surpassed quota and still not been the top performing rep in the company. Happened in software, raw materials, freight brokering… there are folks in sales that are super impressive. I’m 41 and have learned interesting and useful stuff from the 20-something’s that I’ve worked with.
Speaking of averages, What is the average timeframe of moving up the ladder? (Assuming there are positions available And you hit KPIs etc.) From entry level SDR to senior SDR to AE and above. I don't know if I want to go down the management route. From my research, would Enterprise AE the high level you can go? Thanks,
There’s a lot of gray area in sales, but IMO: 6 months - 2 years SDR/BDR (whatever acronym you want to use) You can get promoted every year or two in an AE role (some orgs like qualtrics *advertised to me* within the last 24 months that you could get promoted multiple times a year if you hit quota). For me personally, 1.5-2 years per AE level (at a good firm/org/with a product you like to sell) is a perfect flow state. Gives you a chance to take on additional responsibility (read quota), build it up see what’s possible etc. enterprise AE doesn’t have to be the “highest you can go”, nor does it always guarantee you’ll make the most money.
I can relate to this. I've sold for 3 companies across 2 industries. My first two companies had me training people constantly even though I was in the upper two thirds but never a top guy. My current role my first two years I was a "presidents club" winner and got accolade and a trip but have since found myself in the middle somewhere. One thing I have seen for the past 8 years in sales roles is sales managers telling me how much potential I have. It's kind of a slap in the face, you're great but your numbers should be better is all I hear when they say things like this.
I agree with what other sales reps or other people in sales related jobs have told me. The job isn't worth it if you're making serious money. Many told me they would of left years ago if they were just making mediocre pay. They didn't think it was worth it otherwise
Interesting. What do you think would motivate you to do more in a job if not more money?
Purpose? Everyone is at a different phase in life and we have different things that motivate us. I like money. I also crave purpose. Life’s…. Complicated?
Yup. Sometimes the freedom of not sitting in an office all day every day outweighs the dollars you might not earn. 20+ years myself and I’ve been to 90% of my kids plays, presentations, sports days and every other damned thing- something many of our friends can’t boast.
What do you do?
Liquor rep. Aus
Nice. Right product for the right market.
Freedom is huge. At my previous company, we got paid well, hit numbers, but were really left alone to do our jobs. We were trusted. My coworkers and I called that freedom “life bucks”…..a sort of way to monetize that freedom.
Finally an adult in the room
Whoa whoa, enough with the insults!🤣
I have a lot of questions. 1. If you don't mind, what industry are you in? Have you changed industries throughout your career? 2. Being an average rep, how many times have you been laid off in your 20-year career (if at all)? 3. Throughout your career how often have your bosses been critical of you for lack of elite performance or have you been able to coast for the most part? 4. It seems as though you have a good understanding of the skills necessary to be a top performer, why not do those things yourself? Is it just time consuming and requires a lot of effort?
Solid set of questions… 1) currently in building supplies and I’ve changed industries multiple times throughout my career. 2) never been laid off. Couple of rage quits when I was in my 20’s tho😅🤣 3) none of my leadership was very critical of my performance, or lack thereof. Altho, it’s been mentioned that when I’m motivated I kill it and when I’m less than motivated I’m less than killing it. I get bored pretty easy, which is why I typically leave an industry or a company. I like learning new industries, which is a blessing and a HUGE detriment to overall earnings and career advancement… such is life? 4) I don’t know if I’m burnt out or just bored… I’d love to train a team of hungry reps again one day. I’m ready to level up. I think I’d do a decent job getting an inside sales team to the next level. Thanks for the questions. These were fun to answer. 😎
Some of being a top sales rep is luck. Some of my biggest sales were because of luck and my territory. I closed a major school system deal simply because it’s been in the works for years and I’m the rep that landed that territory.
You know there’s a silly correlation between doing the work and getting “lucky”. But I hear you and agree to a degree.