In a 100% salary "Sales" role? GET OUT!!!

Here is some advice: if you are currently in a 100% salary "sales" (using that term loosely) role and you enjoy the thrill of a sale, money, and a higher satisfaction at work...leave immediately!


I started my sales career in this kind of role, not knowing any different. I did that for 7 f'ing years! Now, I'm in a commission based sales role and LIFE is so much better! I'm making more money, enjoying the sweet satisfaction of a closed sale, the increased motivation of a lost sale, and a higher sense of satisfaction knowing that the money I'm bringing home is sweet sweet money earned.


Look, if you're a lazy person who is unmotivated to pick up the phone and make 1 more phone call. If you're satisfied knowing exactly how much money you're going to make in the next 12 months, no matter how much effort you put in. If you don't enjoy learning from your mistakes and celebrating your victories...then enjoy your straight salary and cost of living raise at the end of the year.


If, however, you're hungry to earn more money, looking to increase your job satisfaction, motivated to improve your sales skills, people skills, and life skills, then please do this: start looking for a job that is commission based or at least salary/commission split. You can thank me later.


Getting off my soapbox now. Good luck, comrades!

๐ŸŽˆ Mentorship
โœŒ๏ธ Growing Pains
๐Ÿง  Advice
26
funcoupons
WR Officer
15
๐Ÿ‘‘
If you don't get paid based on your ability to sell, you're not really in sales...
NIGHTMAN
Valued Contributor
2
Account Executive
100%
braintank
Politicker
8
Enterprise Account Executive
There are sales jobs without commission? What were you selling?

I'd also advise, don't swing the other side to 100% comission roles either.ย 
sneakysnek
Politicker
2
KCSM
Great advice. I started out in a 100% commission sales role (digital and print advertising) and my life was absolute hell.

It's one thing to fight for "extra" money, but it's easy to fall into desperate sales tactics when you're starving and unable to pay rent.
NIGHTMAN
Valued Contributor
1
Account Executive
Totally agree.ย  Must find a nice balance.
I used to sell commercial kitchen equipment.
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
3
โ˜•๏ธ
Took a 100% comish job right after college and left in 3 weeks. The stress caused by lack of support, and downright aggression from management with sales were booming, was too much for me with 0 sales experience. I fully support this post.
paddy
WR Officer
3
Director of Business Development
I know a ton of sales jobs that are commission only but I've never heard of a sales role that's 100% base salary. Like why lol that doesn't even make sense to go into sales...
NIGHTMAN
Valued Contributor
1
Account Executive
You're right.ย  It doesn't make any sense, knowing what I know now.ย  The one benefit was the fact that I learned the foundation of sales tactics.ย 
LordOfWar
Tycoon
3
Blow it up
I've seen salary-only positions in my industry and it always makes me shake my head (gov't sales). I would never sign on to that, just like I would never sign on to a 100% commission plan.

For salary-only, I would have zero motivation to put up with bullshit from the customer, delays internally or other factors. I would not want to travel, work late or put in any effort other than the 9-5 (and a looooong lunch).

for 100% commission, there are too many factors that are outside of your control where your income can suffer. Want to miss rent because Jim in Warehousing missed the month-end shipment? F-that.

A good rep and good company should have an agreement so you don't miss bills when in a slump or having issues with product development/delivery. This could be a salary at or just below your standard of living, or some kind of draw plan backed up with proven historic AAR.ย 

You need a balance of motivation to sell, while not being constantly worried about bills to the point of not be effective at your job. Desperation is not a good look for a salesperson.
NIGHTMAN
Valued Contributor
1
Account Executive
Terrific insight LoW!ย  Gotta find the right company that recognizes the right balance between commission and salary!
Smithy
Politicker
1
Director of Sales
Do you need a hug, bro?
NIGHTMAN
Valued Contributor
0
Account Executive
Yes, please :)
NYCsalesbro
Old School Bravo
1
Enterprise AE
Got contacted several times for Monday.com... it was 180k base with no commission... to people not in sales theyโ€™d jump at this for me I laughed and said no shot .. why would I be motivated... some โ€œwokeโ€ new age Bay Area thinking BS... Iโ€™m an East Coast guy... show me the $$$$
NIGHTMAN
Valued Contributor
0
Account Executive
YES!ย  My 100% commission job was out West as well.ย  The owner's thought they were doing us a favor by giving us commission only, but their team lacked motivation and the owners were shooting themselves in the foot.
Prizrak
Politicker
0
Disruptor of worlds
Yeah, don't take salary only jobs in general.ย 
NIGHTMAN
Valued Contributor
0
Account Executive
Totally agree!
WILLYOUBUYTHIS
Good Citizen
0
Sales Development
I did this coming into my first SaaS sales role. Super early stage start-up, only 6 other employees, and it was a terrible decision & experience.ย ย 

I think early stage ventures use their other "perks" like vested shares, or funding round bonuses stand in for sales commission.ย 

But honestly I was NOT motivated to work harder than the absolute minimum, because going above and beyond wasn't rewarded.ย 

In sales you need that DRIVE to not only make more money for yourself, but for the company too
NIGHTMAN
Valued Contributor
0
Account Executive
100%.ย  When on 100% salary, I would look at my teammates end their day at 2pm or go home in the middle of the day to "take a break" and I would think to myself, "Why would I work harder than them if we're getting paid, relatively, the same."ย  It was completely DE-motivating!ย 
Aaronlovessales
Opinionated
0
Financial advisor
Great post!
NIGHTMAN
Valued Contributor
0
Account Executive
Thanks Aaron.ย  I'm glad you love sales :)
Aaronlovessales
Opinionated
0
Financial advisor
My wallet loves sales
exec
Acclaimed Answer
0
Account Executive
I wasn't even aware these existed... what a nightmare.
NIGHTMAN
Valued Contributor
0
Account Executive
It wasn't a nightmare, initially.ย  I was brand new to sales and didn't know any different.ย  Then, once I figured out what I was doing and realized I was better than my peers, it was a total nightmare!
CuriousFox
WR Officer
0
๐ŸฆŠ
This isn't a sales role. Agreed.
TheDinosaur
0
National Sales Manager
In my first AE position, I was the #1 regional sales rep and rookie of the year yatta yatta yatta ...

The comp plan for the Fortune 500 company was a high base with low commission %.

During my annual review, my manager showed me my salary plan which was on a FLAT curve that maxed at a fraction over the base salary. Even as a rookie I said "... So there really is no reason for me to finish more than 103% of quota! No wonder everyone sand bags the last quarter!..." They modified the comp plan that escalated commission as you went over quota.

There should never be a LIMIT to the income that a sales rep can earn!
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