WomenWantMeFishFearMe

How often do you have to impress clients?

The old school idea of B2B sales is the guy wheelin and dealin taking clients to golf tournaments and fancy lunches. Have you ever done this? Is this a reality? Or is this just a TV and movie trope that has endured for whatever reason?

For reference, I've had maybe 4 client lunches in my entire time as a salesman, and it was really more an excuse for us both to have a written off liquid lunch and watch baseball on the bar TV.

How often do you impress a client? (Working lunches, golf tournaments, clay shooting

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42 comments

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CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Not during the pandemic.

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

Pandemic doesn't exist South of the Mason-Dixon Line

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

The packed ICUs say something else. 👀

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

*la la la* they can't hear you @CuriousFox

The cognitive dissonance is real, and upsetting.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Extremely upsetting. Especially as a Southerner.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

It's election day in Canada, and the super vocal anti-vax/anti-mask crowd have gotten ridiculous in the last several weeks.

People throwing rocks/gravel at the Prime Minister, and one guy calling him out to fight during a campaign stop. The lack of decorum is out of hand.

They're also protesting OUTSIDE hospitals, and have impeded ambulances, patients, and doctors/nurses. Who don't even impact policy.

It's disgusting.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

This makes my heart absolutely sob.

UrAssIsSaaS

Arsonist

SaaS Eater

We used to a few times a month pre pandy and I miss it.

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

You'll get it back here fairly soon

InQ5WeTrust

Arsonist

No marketing, mayo isn't an MQL

Really industry-specific - depends on how much relationship plays in the sale.

In logistics/freight this is still super common. Golf/Dinners getting absolutely smashed at the races etc.

Even in SaaS I've taken a strategic client out once or twice if I was passing through a city and they were the champion etc etc

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

I do some sales for Government clients, so good luck giving them anything and having it be above board. TBH doesn't stop them from asking/wanting it. Government is so damn corrupt, but I'd rather lose a sale than go too jail for bribery.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

I almost never hear about it these days, unless it's during a conference.

Though my dad used to that in the '70s and '80s, I feel like times have changed.

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

For me, all 4 lunches were with established clients who just kind of wanted a free lunch, and someone to talk baseball with.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Yea that makes sense to me.

Even putting aside the whole COVID thing, I feel like this is a holdover to the past and only relevant in a handful of industries.

Would be nice if it wasn't as much of a trope though, won't lie.

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

Next time I'm in southern Ontario, I'll take you out Jefe. Witness the Sadnes5 life.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Look forward to it!

1nbatopshotfan

Politicker

Sales

We did bigger events pre pandemic. US Open tickets, Rodeo in Texas. Anything with a big box section. Incredible selling environment. Miss it.

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

I need to be sold to.

FamilyTruckster

Politicker

Exec Director, Major Accounts

It’s alive and well in certain industries.

pre COVID that was my life. Big dinners, big events. Vegas would get silly.

now I curb it as much as possible, but I could easily do it more if I wanted to.

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

What industry? I'm tryna cop

FamilyTruckster

Politicker

Exec Director, Major Accounts

Non nutritive varnishes.

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

Oh Greaseball! It's you

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

Hardly since last 2 years

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

Boudreaux

Politicker

Regional Manager

Luckily I work for a company that encourages it's rep's to throw money around with clients, it's a big change from the Fortune 200 company I left. I just fucking hate doing expense reports!

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

Lit

cw95

Politicker

Sales Development Lead

Once gave a client my umbrella in the rain. They have been a customer for 3 years. It's the little things you could say!

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

That's a nice story tbh. Very old school business kind of story you tell your grandkids so they develop character and business ethics

FilterNerd

Member

Territory Sales Manager

I feel like this is mainly SAAS sales people but its super common in my industry (oil/gas). We try to take the prospects and current clients out as much as possible. Expense reports suck but it’s fun getting to drink on the company’s dime.

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

Makes sense to me

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

This is literally my job. All of those things. Golfing Thursday. Sporting Clays are better than Trap shooting, it's like golf with guns.

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

I was on a trap and skeet team in college, but as an adult have shifted almost entirely over to sporting clays. It best mimics what I hunt for my purposes

sugardaddy

Politicker

🍬

It's not a common thing to do in Denmark. But i like the idea! And would love to try it 😊 ...

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

Be the tone setter in Denmark. Become the cool company with the reputation of wining and dining and 69ing people.

sugardaddy

Politicker

🍬

Haha! Point taken. 😂😅

Mintea

Personal Narrative

Account Executive

I would say more of impressing our partners. We host events, treat them out for meals, and offer gifts. However, we rarely have to do that with clients.

Mobi85

Politicker

Regional Sales Manager

Will typically attend 3-4 golf tournaments per year that are part of the industry I am in and will invite clients with. Good time to BS with them outside of an office setting.

When I am traveling, I will try and bring different customers to lunch and have "meetings" but the meeting is more based around getting to know them better and being able to actually have a conversation that isn't fully based around work and they will typically relax and want to talk more than in the office.

Last trip, ended up at a casino with a customer after a golf tourney but that was alcohol fueled and had 0 to do about work.

Wellss

Tycoon

Channel sales

Pre-covid we would take clients out if we were attending the same conferences. Now we send them an Uber eats gift card to get lunch on us lol

WomenWantMeFishFearMe

Politicker

Nice, only problem is with Ubereats fees and shit. $45 gets you one soggy cold hamburger that would normally be $13.

sellingsellssold

Politicker

SDR

Not sure if I am not high enough in sales yet but my team has not ever meet our clients at all.

SaaSguy

Tycoon

Account Executive

Ill put on a button down occasionally for a zoom with a c-suite. Does that count?

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

Used to be a KPI where we had to take them out of the office once a week, expense reports were insane

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WomenWantMeFishFearMe

How often do you have to *impress* clients?

How often do you *impress* a client? (Working lunches, golf tournaments, clay shooting

42 comments

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