Dirtbag

Inside Sales Representative

Sales: Skills or Luck?

For the sales gods out there, this profession is all about "skill" and driving customers through the funnel inevitably closing them for the win. On the other hand, sales seem to ride the line of being a great deal of luck.

Success could have simply come down to the territory that you were placed in/chose at the start of your position. All the while the territory you could have had is horrendous and your colleague(s) eat dog shit year to year while you're banging out quota.

What is your take on this?

Skills or Luck

Attached poll

Skillz Luck

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

🔎 Prospecting

👑 Sales Strategy

📈 Closing

26 comments

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beerisforclosers

Politicker

Account Manager

I don't know that I can pick one or the other. A bad rep with a great territory can get lucky and have a moment in the sun, but a skilled rep will always make it work even if there are some rough patches. Skill keeps you in the game longer, but luck helps your effort pay off faster.

Love the question - not sure there's an answer. Anyone who thinks their success didn't involve a little luck is lying.

Dirtbag

Contributor

Inside Sales Representative

For sure, it’s a loaded question. I agree with what you stated though, a solid rep makes all the difference, even in a shit territory. Any stories about how you turned a shit territory and or was fortunate enough to have a little “luck”?

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

The tortoise and the hare come to mind with your example 😎

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

Why be a hare when you can be a honey badger. Kill everything, eat cobra for dinner. Edit: video for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

The honey badger doesn't give a shit it just takes what it wants! 🤣

LordBusiness

Politicker

Chief Revenue Officer

I think its 90/10 - anyone who's been selling who claims they have never lucked into a deal, or caught a huge break would be lying. That being said, consistently executing on great process is the key to unlocking more and more "luck".

Dirtbag

Contributor

Inside Sales Representative

Major key, consistent execution!

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

As the old-timers say: luck is when preparation meets opportunity.

You cannot close deals without the skills to do so--and beginner's luck simply means you have raw talent but you likely lack refinement.

Dirtbag

Contributor

Inside Sales Representative

That’s a solid quote

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

It's always a bit of both. You have to consider your situation - territory, experience, timing. Right place at the right time. The more skilled reps will keep going though, even when we are trampled upon when we feel at our lowest. Reps that think it's luck only give up fast imo.

Dirtbag

Contributor

Inside Sales Representative

For sure, as much as the grind sucks you have to keep at it. Gets you that much closer to the next big opportunity. What’s the “luckiest” deal you’ve came across?

Lambda

Tycoon

Sales Consultant

depends on how you define luck. If busting you butt to make things happen forces the universe to recognize and provide you with opportunities then yea luck all day but dont think it comes without work

Salespreuner

Big Shot

Regional Sales Director

Agree with this thought

goose

Politicker

Sales Executive

Both. Always both.

robust_randy

Valued Contributor

Sr. Account Executive

We make our own luck

Coffeesforclosers

Notable Contributor

Director Sales and Market Development

Skills for sure but need a little bit of luck for prospecting and getting in front of the right people to use said skills

Seth_Davis

Big Shot

Regional Sales Manager

You create your own luck by working fucking hard. It is a numbers game after all.... it’s just like Tinder, my close ratio goes up by increasing the number of connections I make :)

Dirtbag

Contributor

Inside Sales Representative

Haha isn’t that the truth! How many outbounds is it taking to get a meeting set on tinder these days?

MMMGood

Celebrated Contributor

Senior Account Executive

It’s definitely a combo of both...but when luck stops, the skills get it the rest of the way there.

Dirtbag

Contributor

Inside Sales Representative

Spot on, the luck helps fuel the fire when things are stagnant

MMMGood

Celebrated Contributor

Senior Account Executive

Exactly.

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

You create luck with the tools you have. Connections, meetings etc.

Salespreuner

Big Shot

Regional Sales Director

The perfect mix of skill+luck : 70-30 split
Have seen reps who overdelivered with underpowered skillset (even in cold calls!)

Salespreuner

Big Shot

Regional Sales Director

Definitely skills
And partially, luck too!

paddy

WR Officer

Director of Business Development

I know some shitty sales people with no skills that seem to have more luck because they are persistent and work hard.

Lumbergh

Politicker

Sr Account Exec

A person I worked for and very much respect told me on an off quarter "Sales is about the 3 Ts - Timing, Territory, and Talent, and unfortunately the last one is the least important of the 3".

I always go back to this whenever I get down on not hitting when other reps that I outwork and outsmart are feeding and it resets my internal bar.

But it really is a combination. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity...Being able to execute when the opportunity is there is the skill part

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Dirtbag

Sales: Skills or Luck?

Skills or Luck

26 comments

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