js2458

Enterprise SDR

Valued Contributor

Morality in Sales - Fake Attendees

Just started as a SDR after experiencing a horribly toxic environment at my old job. At my current job, things are much better - my pay is good, coworkers are nice, training is ample, and path to success is there coupled with the fact that SDRs are promoted to AEs very quickly. Sounds like a dream job, right?

Well, here is the issue: the thing that we are selling is entirely fake. Without risk of exposing my self, I work for a conference company that brings together executives for industry-focused events. When we pitch prospective sponsors, we show them a list of our conference attendees and claim that each is attempting to better their business and is attending the conference to find solutions based on the sponsors offerings. These attendees are often C-level executives from large, enterprise companies.

The issue? None of them are confirmed to attend the event. The list is entirely a target list, and we are instructed to tell sponsors that the event list is confirmed. According to one of my coworkers, about 1/3 of this list ends up showing up to the event. The rest of the attendees are lower level executives (EVP/SVP/VPs). I assume that the conferences ended up being successful - people seem to speak highly of our events and we have a bunch of positive reviews/accolades to back this sentiment up - but regardless I feel weird selling something that is not truthful.

I guess the question I'm getting at: is this normal or should I run?

🏙 Corporate Experiences

🐢 Environment

19

28 comments

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jefe

Arsonist

9

🍁

I remember hearing about this when I started in B2B sales 12 years ago. So fucking scummy.

Not normal, not cool, but also not new.

Those companies were also super toxic and competitive. Everyone I worked with from that background had really similar traits that were not good.

One company started with a W, another with an M.

I wonder if you're at one of those...

I'd get out - life's too short and there are plenty of ethical opportunities out there. One that will help you move ahead in your career, long term.

js2458

Politicker

3

Enterprise SDR

Hmm when did you start at both companies? I might be at one of them haha. Feel free to dm and we can take the convo from there.

jefe

Arsonist

1

🍁

Never worked at either, thankfully, just somewhere that had a bunch of people that came from them

js2458

Politicker

0

Enterprise SDR

Second letter of both companies? 😆

jefe

Arsonist

1

🍁

Wo... & Ma...

Both companies have multiple words.

js2458

Politicker

1

Enterprise SDR

Thankfully neither of those. But good to know my company isn’t alone haha

jefe

Arsonist

0

🍁

I don’t know if that’s better or worse 🤣

Better for you though, I guess

oldcloser

Arsonist

7

💀

When the shit hits the fan and the good chatter is gone, where are you mentally?

Hunt. It’s just not right.

js2458

Politicker

1

Enterprise SDR

Yea it feels off I'm just nervous about restarting and getting stuck in the loop of startup culture again. Also - my promotion is gonna come in about a month and a half and I really don't want to start as a SDR all over again. It's a lot to chew on...

oldcloser

Arsonist

2

💀

The shit soup we’re all swimming in these days. I hear ya

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

2

Account Executive

I would say stick with it. Chances are many of us have done worse. Hell, I know Sales Directors that worked at Xerox.

Imagine earning commissions because you charged the customer more than they had to pay. Literally adding on 100 bucks or more to the cost of a sale because it's all commission.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

6

☕️

Ah, so expose the company and let us do what we need to do to them.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

4

🦊

ROYAL RUMBLE

Sunbunny31

Politicker

4

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I’d have a hard time with this too, though the fact that the actual events have value and are well received would alleviate some concern about being all the way unscrupulous.

Since it’s hard to find another position, I’d keep working this one while looking, and realize that those you sign up will get a good experience out of the event itself. But yes, I’d be looking around and make sure I have something new before jumping.

Maximas

Tycoon

2

Senior Sales Executive

And all of that time the sponsors never realized they're being fooled:)!

js2458

Politicker

1

Enterprise SDR

Yea - probably a few reasons why that's the case. For one, the events seem to actually be good even when the promised attendees don't show up. For two, people are pretty talented at selling so we are able to squirm out of things easily. And for three, hard to explain without giving my identity away, but a big value prop is added in to the conferences so that sponsors are ensured that they get to talk to the right people at the events.

Product is good - explanation of what it is sucks partially bc the delegate (attendee) team is overworked and has way too many events to sell --> the attendees cannot be confirmed until close to the conference date.

0

Physical Therapist Technician

Clowns!

Pachacuti

Politicker

2

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

@js2458 that’s a tough situation. You can only assume that you’re selling something which the organizers hope to pull off in its entirety.

It’s not too different from selling a new product which is still being developed. I worked for a telco years ago that would give a product to Sales to sell and we’d sell it. 9 months later it wasn’t implanted and we’d learn it was quite real.

So at least you know going in that what you sell isn’t exactly a fully formed product.

Diablo

Politicker

2

Sr. AE

You got to be happy with what you are selling which is not in this case. Stick for sometime while you get something more better. Everything teaches us something:)

ZVRK

Politicker

1

Enterprise Account Executive

Yeah, that`s a difficult job to stay at for a longer time for sure. It WILL eventually get to you (the white lies).

I know people who worked on organizing conferences (selling tickets AND sponsors packages), it is never a long-term job, I`m sorry to say this.

punishedlad

Tycoon

1

Business Development Team Lead

I feel like conference focused companies are the most guilty of things like this. I just went to a conference where the "attendee list" had 30+ decision makers from target accounts in my territory. A few days before the actual event, like 15-20 of those "confirmed attendees" "backed out" of the event and there were only 10-12 of the folks I expected to be there.

Ended up booking half of them, so overall win, but I was definitely disappointed in the event organizers for padding their numbers.

Justatitle

Big Shot

1

Account Executive

What's it like working at GDS group?

js2458

Politicker

2

Enterprise SDR

It’s not GDS lmao but ofc I know of them. Can’t reveal too much but a couple of my coworkers used to work there.

KB_FarmerType

Opinionated

0

Strategic Sales

A different take is, this works for events because it speaks to an urgent need of pipe building for the desperate sales leaders and marketers , sometimes getting busy and involving top execs in the event helps manage internal expectations and ego boost for C level people . So these events serve it’s important purpose. No? ( just stop selling the attendee list too much, change your messaging to what these things really are - you will feel less guilty)

ButterSales

Valued Contributor

0

Sales Ops

If you feel in your gut that it ain't right I suggest you dip. Nothing worse than pitching a product you don't believe in. What happens is you book demos / make sales (not sure your KPIs) and the prospect doesn't get what they thought they signed up for. This didn't sit well with me. I actually left a job on the first day because I found out they had unethical practices. Just wasn't worth it to me.

0

Global Operations Director

How you react in this situation will tell you a lot about yourself and your values.You could stay for the promotion, or $ security, and that would mean you value those things more than selling a solution that is solving pain/a solution for the customer.

Neither is better/worse, but will be interesting for you to consider when you do look at where you go next.

Also, if you do choose to look for another role, make sure you don't fall into the trap of speaking negatively about this company - when you are asked about your reason for looking at new opps, focus on what attracts you to the new company!

Good Luck OP

Notmy1strodeo

Member

0

Ent AE

My thoughts, You should try to leave. This industry does not have the best reputation. If you stay too long, it may hurt future opportunities.
We tried one of these when I was a VP of sales. My CRO fall for it and then got burned. She was mad she had no thing to show for the 15k. At the time our event was virtual so it made it worse.
Life’s too short to sell something you don’t believe in.

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

0

Account Executive

Everyone knows why they do it. You can't sell an event no one is going to. Every website on earth does it too. 2 spots left. 2 tickets left. It's all meant to incentive a buy now mentality and create urgency. Otherwise....well, we all just sit on that shit.

At the same time, people love to flaunt their customer list. Who knows when they last spoke to those customers though.

At the very least everyone that attends finds value in the conference, and that's what you should be emphasizing to every single person. Outline the different values they saw because of it. I'm certain there are plenty of user reviews for your company on G2 or some other site. Those are literal gold mines of information.

Also, if you are getting promoted soon, see if you can't stick with it until 2024 or the end of 2024. That experience and time at your current company will make people drool over you.

Think long term. Start checking out jobs you would like to have. Imagine having them and knowing what's needed to attain them with certain experience.

Then......you can jump ship and live large.

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