90% of the sales team is male

Question

I'm the only woman and salesperson on the team who's never been to trade show/ conference and we all have similar roles and experience and tenure (1-2 yrs).

do you think something like being the only woman would make them not want to let me travel since I'd be an "extra expense" since I'd need my own hotel room?

and yes I'm sales not marketing 🤪

some more context:

it's a 1-to-1 AE to SDR role so normally it seems the SDR , AE, and a few product specialist go to conferences/shows- we are pretty tradeshow-focused since it's a niche community

Accepted Answer

If you work for a company where employees share rooms when they go to a conference - please look for a different company.

Answer

Chances are they would include you if you asked. Research shows that men typically get raises more often over women because they are more likely to ask for a rase.

Answer

I get you.

Answer

If you want to go. Just ask them.

Answer

Good question here.   I never shared a room in SaaS sales even as a guy.

Answer

As all mentioned, you get what you ask. If they don't want to include you, ask them their reasoning behind the perception.

Answer

My red flag meter is on the edge of "what the fuck" and "get out now".

Answer

Have you made it known that you would like to attend a show?

Answer

I've been in sales for a very long time, and I've always been in the minority that way.   Many enterprise companies are deliberately trying to balance the workforce, but it's a slow process for sure.

Answer

I think they would include you no problem for multiple reasons.

Answer

You’re company should be putting you in separate rooms period end of story. This isn’t high school sports

Answer

Depending on the industry/culture it might be a bit of the "old boys club" using the trips as a company-funded bro trip.

Answer

Thanks everyone, it’s never been “heartbreaking” that I haven’t gone but it makes me think.

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I’m really noticing this at my org. The make to female ratio is super dude skewed. Curious if anyone knows why this is. Just like, countless years of male dominance and misogyny on the decline that still has some work to do or something like that?

Answer

Shouldn’t they want to show they have males & females on their team?

Answer

I work on a 90% female sales team. Totally not the normal.

Answer

If you don't ask, you don't get!! Let us know how it goes with the next trade show/conference opportunity...

Answer

Probably not. You should just ask if you want to go. The others may have already.

Answer

I'd ask first. Sometimes people have their assumptions and maybe they think you don't want to go? Once confirmed, then you can run far away if necessary?

thesecretsauce

90% of the sales team is male

31 comment

thesecretsauce

90% of the sales team is male

31 comment

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