MassholeMovesWest

Account Executive

How do you sell a product you don’t believe in 😕

It feels like every time I close a deal, the client has a shitty onboarding and regrets ever talking to me. It's making it harder for me to close new deals, but like... quota is a thing... so any advice here is greatly appreciated.

41 comment

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thegreatestsalesperson

Tycoon

You join a new company. There are so many great products out there. Time to start looking for that new role. As you eluded to its hard to make money and you are also giving all of your prospects/clients a product that isn't good which no one should ever want to do.

fodysseus

WR Officer

Sales Manager (Mid-Market)

Agreed. I don't think it would be worth it.

I usually take stock of a few main things - up to you what your priorities are, but there needs to be some tradeoffs.

1) Work-life balance. You got one life, is what you're doing for MOST of the time worth it? Easier said than reflected, but worth considering.

2) Pay and benefits. Maybe you hate it, but if you're making a sh*tton, that opens other doors. Sounds like the passion and shitty product is taking away from that.

3) Personal development. If the product sucks, but you're learning a ton about internal and external skills, that has to have some value assigned to it.

4) Passion. If you sell something you truly believe in, or that has a pure mission, you can take hits on some of the other categories (maybe like selling at a non-profit).

If it's not scratching any of the itches, start looking for new roles so you have options. Something better is probably out there.

murphmobile

Praised Answer

Regional Sales Manager

This is the real answer. You can try to turn it into a positive by learning the pitfalls of your product and taking a job with a competitor as long as you don’t have a non-compete.

TheAnswer

Contributor

Sales Learning & Development Director

100% agree

MajorB

WR Lieutenant

Third this.

TheDude

Politicker

Partnerships Lead

Second this.

sahil

Notable Contributor

Deepak Chopra of Sales

Honestly, directly go speak with your manager and explain that you need to see a path to solving these product issues or you'll leave. It's beyond critical that they realize that their failing product will cost them both clients + employees.

Then I'd call their competitors who have a successful product and ask to go work for them. Not only will be thrilled to hire you, but you'll be able to retain your existing contacts and use them for a product that actually works.

Bonus: You can call your old customers and say "I moved companies because this product is way better than my previous employer." Easy deals.

fuzzy

Notable Contributor

CMO (Chief Meme Officer)

You don't. You move on.

salesnerd

WR Officer

Head of Growth

I've been there... it sucks. I agree with other commenters here that it's time for a new company.
Not only does selling a shitty product make you feel bad about yourself, but it can also breed shitty behavior that can be tough to break. When I was in this situation, I found myself withholding information from prospects, dodging calls from clients, not asking for referrals, removing my cell number from my email signature, etc.
For the sake of your sales future, go get a new job.

CadenceCombat

Tycoon

Account Executive

Outside of finding a new company / product, you can view it as a test to further hone your skillset and mental fortitude.

Speaking from experience, selling a product you don’t believe in is one of the most mentally exhausting activities I know of so if you can actually overcome that challenge and close deals, you can at least try to take satisfaction in the fact that your skillset can compensate for a weak value prop.

Sales4what

Opinionated

Co-Founder & VP Sales @ PLURiTy

Simply you really can’t. At least I believe if you don’t believe in your product you can’t sell it

CadenceCombat

Tycoon

Account Executive

I got lured by an aggressive offer and ignored some of the red flags and, as a result, I find myself selling a product I don't believe in. The only silver lining is I do enjoy the sense of breaking through the glass ceiling of letting my own perception create roadblocks in the sales process.

Drawing a parallel here with Formula 1 racing. I feel like I'm a George Russell driving the shit out of a Williams and getting further down the grid than my car should technically even allow for.

This opportunity has made me realize money really isn't everything and I would happily take a pay cut to sell a product that I believe in because it is such a mental burden to stomach.

Sales4what

Opinionated

Co-Founder & VP Sales @ PLURiTy

I completely understand what you are saying. I have actually left companies because I didn’t believe in the product and opted to go somewhere with a product I can get behind even if it meant receiving a pay cut. In the end it needs to comedown to your mental health

Tres_Comas

Politicker

Account Executive

If you don't believe in what you're selling you're making an already tough job even tougher. It's time for you to move on to another company.

daddy

Executive

Major Account Manager

You fake it till you make it and collect your base salary while applying for jobs that have products that you believe in.

derrick_mac

Good Citizen

Outbound Sales Executive

Definitely need to re-evaluate where you're at in terms of a product you can get behind. No motivation to sell a product in sales is a tough spiral to get caught in. Although if that's not an option yet, think about your "why" in terms of why you go to work.. Yourself, your family, kids, hobbies, etc. to help you get through it.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

This is a difficult spot to be in friend. Build the rapport, sell the baddest shizz of all - YOU - and contact them after you've landed in your new role. Get the ships friend.

CodyCantCode

Contributor

Account Executive

Personally, I could not sell a product that I don't love because it's so tied to my personal selling style.

However, I have been at a companies where the product may have been in its infancy stage, but had really great potential. My recommendation would be to reach out to your product team to get a real sense of the roadmap and what they're building.

Those relationships help me sound more confident on the phones because usually those teams are doing great work!

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

Business Development Manager

100% agree with everyone here. It is such a drag trying to sell something you don't believe in. People know when you're just going through the motions compared to selling something you truly believe in.

There are so many products out there. You just need to find the one that you can get behind 100%.

I just did that. I did not know that the company I work for existed. But when I found them, a light bulb clicked in my head and I knew I had to sell for them. Why? Because I could have really used their product a few years back. It would have saved me thousands

Now when I talk to people, I'm not just faking it. I truly mean everything I say. And people can tell.

IsIt5oClockYet

WR Officer

VP of Production

I've been there and luckily found a company now that I believe in. But in the past, I've had to just focus on the strengths (whatever they were) and find prospects that would benefit from it. Then I worked with our management and onboarding team to figure out what the issues of getting a new client going were to 1)help prepare the prospect for what's coming when they do become clients and 2) better ways to do onboarding.

It doesn't sound so much like you don't believe in your product, but more that you don't believe in the process of getting a new client going.

Kanyebut4sales

WR Lieutenant

Account Executive

You don't sell a product you don't believe in.... you manipulate people into buying something you know will cause problems instead of solve.... Run to a new company!

You will earn more, sleep better, and build real relationships with your clients that you can take elsewhere.

Or you can just be highly transparent with the clients that implementation is rough if that's the only issue. Honesty above all

1POT

WR Lieutenant

Head of Sales

Start looking for a new gig. Your reputation is on the line so even if you’re closing crazy deals - it will hurt you in the end because your customers will never take your call again

GottaSellEmAll

Big Shot

Sales Manager

Before completely giving up on your current company definitely understand where the setbacks are coming from in the post-sale process. Is it actually a bad product, or are there just some hiccups in getting started.

Finding a new company and product is stressful and time consuming but definitely necessary if the reason your customers are having a bad experience is the product itself and not a specific process or person.

Travfisk

Old School Bravo

Director of Business Dev

Trying to sell something you don’t believe in... at some point will bleed through subconsciously in your pitch. Maybe body language or even ton but people will catch it.

LizardKing

CRO

The year is 2021 and there is way too much good software out there to sit around and sell a bad product. Leave and join a company you believe in.

millennial_entrepreneur

Good Citizen

Territory Field Sales

I've definitely been there and sometimes it's just best to go find a new product that you can believe in. You'll never do as well as you can if you don't believe the product you're selling can truly help the people you're talking to.

Tp3

Restaurant Sales

Honestly if you have to then you have to do relationship based selling. Sell them on yourself not the product

NoOneLoveSalesLikeGaston

Executive

Associate Consultant

Not everyone in a company needs to believe in their product...except AEs, honestly. If you're an SDR, you're setting up dates for your AE...but you don't have to be in a relationship with the date.

If you're an AE? You're the one in the relationship, and you need to get out if you don't believe the relationship will work. Especially if it's because your product (let's say your car in this analogy) is broken and you don't think you'll be able to pick your date up. But even if you somehow manage to get the prospect to a demo or the date, they'll get turned off by how much you aren't into it. It shows.

SalesCoach

Old School Bravo

Owner

It’s called “work” for a reason meaning it isn’t going to be fun all the time. But some simple advice I always give is that if you get to the point that you hate going to work (because of shitty onboarding et al) then it’s time to find a new job. If you don’t actually hate it, then find ways to improve what you can in that process and keep cashin checks

worldsgreatestvpsales

Member

VP/Director of Sales

You don't. Quit today and sell something else. Your pride, character and mental wellbeing is more important than commission checks. If you think you are doing a disservice to the customer by selling what you offer, leave.

If its a new product then it might be worth sticking around and giving the company a chance to fix it but you should always be honest with the customer around any short comings the new product/service/solution has. They will appreciate the transparency and you will sleep better at night.

ounceoz

WR Officer

US Sales Director

Man, a company I recently worked with hired a Silicon Valley sales guru to offer insight into their sales programs. He was huge on telling a story on why you joined the company, personal connection to the product etc. It was utter bullshit IMO, I sold IAAS at Oracle and believe me I didn't have a personal connection to that product. I was passionate about making money and helping customers save money in support/maintenance. That being said if you think the product is crap and you don't believe there is value to your end user/customer then go somewhere else.

agkaiser

Enterprise Account Executive

I've never been able to myself. You should consider finding a job at a company you believe in.

JordyA

Good Citizen

Director of Enterprise Sales

Honestly... move on. So many great products, companies, and opportunities out there that can enjoy more. Best to look for a job when you have one, but if you hate what you sell its only a matter of time until it shows in attitude and results.

369DocuSign

Big Shot

Sales Director

This has been reflected in many of the comments already, but there are 2 approaches to this I see:

1) Talk to your team lead/manager about your concerns and search out a higher level of understanding about how your product/service actually helps your target audience! I felt a similar way early on with my current company because I didn't realize the full impact we actually had on our clients's businesses, but now after 3 years I'm so glad that I spent the time to internalize it.

2) If you've wholeheartedly tried to understand how selling this product/service is impactful and still can't seem to relate, then it may be time to find a new venture. Sales is already a challenging enough game as is, no need to make it more difficult by having to force being genuine throughout your sales process.

AchieveDreamsTogether

Good Citizen

SDR

Definitely find a new company. You can be successful selling a product you don't believe in, but there has to be some redeeming qualities.

SalesPharaoh

Big Shot

Senior Account Executive

Look man I too face this but as long as the prospect doesn't share the same feeling. If they feel the same way you are feeling...then discount the product.

LTYale

Public Sector Business Development

This is tough. The cold- hard truth answer - is don't. But we're not always in a position to just walk away from a job easily. I'd focus on maximizing the numbers game & trying to look at your sales objectively than attaching your emotions to it. It's hard - but in the long run - when you find a good product - it's that much easier to sell.

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MassholeMovesWest

How do you sell a product you don’t believe in 😕

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