TheRealPezDog

Account Manager

Something I would never post on LinkedIn...

This feels really good to be able to share with a community of salespeople because I've been doing this for a while now and something I would never openly admit on LinkedIn is this: I'm not very good at sales, I'm just good at building relationships and following up. In some organizations I would be fired after 3-6 months because I play the long game, however with my current employer (one of the best sales managers I've ever had) they have given me plenty of time and my year 3 sales growth is through the fucking roof.

Sometimes I wonder how many others were in my shoes at one point and gave up.

👑 Sales Strategy

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sahil

Notable Contributor

Deepak Chopra of Sales

This is one of the BEST posts I've ever seen in the war room. Thank you for sharing my friend.

At my first sales job ever, I was one of 4 new hires. We had monthly quotas. After 3 months, all 3 of the other reps had at least hit 2/3 quotas. I hadn't sold a SINGLE deal.

I got the 4th month talking to. PIP was staring me in the face. And I really struggled in that month too. It was only on the last day of the month that I got in one deal that got me to quota.

Month 5 - I hit quota on the 4th day of the month, first person out of 1000 SP in the world to do so.

Month 6-18 - I broke every single sales record in the history of the company.

Imagine if they had fired me 3 weeks into month 4...

That's how sales works. Gotta invest in your people and believe in them for the long haul. <3

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

Damn Sahil what a great story!! Must feel good to break sales records, I am aiming for the same (crack 100k/weekly gross contribution, it's never been done in our 36 year history)

Leader2021

Member

Enterprise AE

You can do it Dawg

Wolfof7thStreet

Valued Contributor

You got that! Make us proud

Wolfof7thStreet

Valued Contributor

Love this. I bombed my quota my first quarter in seat (it was a very low number that my whole team blew out of the water and I only hit 75%)

This quarter they nearly doubled the metric and I am at 92% with 3 weeks to go. Three times as many opps and twice as many meetings as last Q.

Sales is a learning game for sure. It is academic, how ever much people try to tell you it isnt.

Thanks for sharing, Sahil

HCMP

District manager

This is a great story. I am returning to a company who put me on PIP time and time again. When my old manager got fired the VP asked me to come back. I hope my story ends similar to yours.

Skynyrd

Personal Narrative

National Sales Director

Every rep is different and a real manager learns his/her strengths and weaknesses, then coaches to both.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

A lot of people think sales is not for them, but often it's the company/product that isn't the right fit. You really need to try at least 2-3 different sales roles before you decide it isn't the job for you.

Money

Executive

Head of Sales

Agreed. I'm dog shit at transactional sales. I hate emotional selling at my core. I'd rather have a full set of pubes tweezed every hour than make 70 dials, set 4 appointments, and have 2 pitches a day. I roll my eyes like a high school mean girl at the sound of a gong after a one call close.

However, consultative selling on the enterprise level is my shit. Data driven decisions, (generally) professional DMs, mapping and navigating complex orgs, and working multiple stakeholders across a lengthy buying cycle gets my blood pumping.

I had to work through years of the former to get an opportunity at the latter. When I got my shot, I knew it was for me. Best believe my focus went through the roof when I found my niche.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Exactly this. Just because you're currently in one industry doesn't mean you have to stay in it.

ChunkyButters

Tycoon

Imposter Syndrome is Real!!!

I've been promoted consistently, transferred between sister companies, given raises, etc. I still feel like I don't deserve it and am just some fake who can't close shit who will get found out and let go.

marebears007

Valued Contributor

Sr. Account Executive

Imposter Syndrome is real for sure! I had the best quarter ever, broke records but still wondering if I am cut out for this. Especially with the rollercoaster of having to rebuild your pipeline, I am always questioning if I am good at this job.

Kiona

Opinionated

Head of Business Development

1000% Year over Year exceeding quota and expectations - Im in year 4 of quota carrying and I still question if Im good enough everyday

marebears007

Valued Contributor

Sr. Account Executive

Hopefully one day we will believe in ourselves. :)

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

Fucking love this!

Incognito

WR Officer

Master of Disaster

WHY YOU @ ME????

This is literally how I roll. Thankfully, there are allowances for the longer sales cycle in my industry, but I am definitely pressured to move a bit quicker than I'd like most of the time.

Fucking awesome post.

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

Thanks man! I didn't @ you because I didn't know I could on here (honestly) but thanks for the love. I have a feeling this might start a good discussion. It's not so much that sales is "hard" it just takes a long time, especially in enterprise because you need to network with a lot of people, get one door to open, and then force your way into some others, it really is very time consuming but at the same time if you keep calling and emailing the same people over and over you won't get anywhere, you absolutely need to take the long game approach. Keep crushing it!

Incognito

WR Officer

Master of Disaster

Lol @TheRealPezDog it was a joke.

and you basically described all mid- large market insurance sales.

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

hahah, nice.

capitano

Contributor

GTM Sales Enablement Leader

One of my mentors once told me success in sales usually boils down to the 3 T's - Timing, Territory, and Talent.

The first references whether you have a product-market fit or the stage at which you enter into an organization.

Next is your role, segment, or quite literally your geographic location. Are you an enterprise seller working with Fortune 100 IT buyers? Do you cold call restaurant owners? Or are you upselling a book in a major metro where your company already has a great presence?

The third comes down to self-reflection and skills gaps. If the first two are off but you're talented enough you can overcompensate. While it works, it's not sustainable.

I was hired at a hypergrowth company where the product practically sold itself and because of that leadership thought throwing more butts in seats would magically scale. Once the well dried up there weren't enough leads to go around and the real sellers rose to the top.

There a lot of variables but you can only "control the controllable". Don't be the seller who defaults to blaming the first two. Always start by looking in the mirror and asking "what can I do better?"

PhlipOut

Politicker

Account Executive

THIS

Ace

Arsonist

CEO

I don't think you are bad at sales. Building relationships are a huge part of sales and you are good at it.

If building relations is your forte, why don't you try your hand at CS. Seems like a perfect fit for your skillset

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Agreed, account management and client retention might be good fits for OP as well.

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

What is CS? Customer Service? If so, been in that my whole life! If it's Consulting Services, already in there. What exactly does 'your' CS mean?

Ace

Arsonist

CEO

Customer Satisfaction

Golden

Good Citizen

Enterprise Account Executive

I think CS is referring to Customer Success - typically similar to a program manager in charge of delivering the services or product after the deal is sold

Ace

Arsonist

CEO

Yes, I have seen both names lol

Ryscott0317

Politicker

Cloud Specialist

I feel exactly the same as you brother. It’s like I can’t get enough practice to get good at sales and end up leaving most jobs after a year.

I don’t want to point fingers though so maybe I’m just not good at sales but I really don’t know. It’s also hard when reps around me point the blame at anything but themselves.

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

Find a good sales manager and work one on one with them as much as you can (at least to start) If you are motivated and have a good work ethic and are actively "trying" they won't fire you (at least they shouldn't)

Chep

WR Officer

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

Such a good point. Sales is a long game and if you're only around for 3-6 months you'll never get to the prospects who tell you to reach out a couple quarters in advance!!!

Abydocomist86

Client Manager

We might be sales soul twins. I am not great at sales either, I hate pushing a client to buy based on some imaginary timeline MY company has created based on IBIDA. I am great at the long game, I like establishing trust over time and then finding the right solution at the right time.

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

haha, "sales soul twins" is great. This is a great comment because it highlights a lot of what we as salespeople ALSO have to contend with - imaginary deadlines for deals to close that have nothing to do with what is right for the client. I've always lived by our ex-CEO's motto: take care of your clients and your clients will take care of you. It's the fucking GOLDEN RULE in sales!

BeUnderstood

Member

Brand Strategist

Wait. I thought building relationships and great follow up WAS SALES. YOU ARE SALES.

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

haha, I love it! I guess I am SALES.

The_Sales_Badger

Notorious Answer

Account Executive

"I made $$$$ last year, how much money did you make?". Or "dammmnnnnn, Amanda, that new linkedin picture! 🔥 👉👌

eRecruiter

Good Citizen

Executive Manager

What's lost in this post, and Kudos to TRPD, is your determination to show up every day and put in the work. Especially if you feel like you're not good. Because really, who is? :)

Playing the "long game" is good, but showing up and doing work every day is what keeps you in the game. You may think you're not good at sales, but at this point, that's not true, albeit the follow-up part (yikes!).

Keep grinding my man.

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

Thanks!

BossMan

Fire Starter

Director of Sales

I was a the first non-technical hire in a manufacturing company. Everyone counted me out because I didn't have a "real" education or could speak to the customers in their language.

For the next year and a half I was always at the bottom in $$. However, I was always the first to the office with the highest activity. My VP said, "just keep at it and keep learning."

After that year and a half...I was the first person to get a 6-figure commission check. Next 4 years of my career there I was the #1 rep.

I always heard the whispers, "he got lucky, has a good territory, has the best accounts, never really works, managers favorite. etc."

For years after I left the company, I held the most "closed-lost" opportunities than any other rep.

Morale of the story, "never give up."

I see reps all the time get discouraged or think the grass is greener on the other side. They then leave their company and have to start all over again and again and again...

CaneWolf

Politicker

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

THIS is so important to post. There are different types of selling environments and different people succeed in different environments. The enterprise land and expand seller may be very different from the 30 deals a month seller but both are absolutely valid as sellers! They just need to find the right fit for them.

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

SO true!

Salespreuner

Big Shot

Regional Sales Director

Unbelievable stories that ain't true at all
Authentic publicity is way forward

SgtAE

WR Officer

Happens to a lot of us, what I love about my company is that they don't track stats to hard as long as you hit quota, so it allows me to really get past these limiting beliefs

WenWest15

Valued Contributor

Principal Business Development Manager

I completely relate to this. I'm terrible with cold-calling, and the VAST majority of my clients are built on long term, solid relationships. Guess who is also the top biller for the last 3 years? I didn't even pull a single order for the first 6 months...

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

Right? Good for you. It also took me 6 months to win my first deal with my current company and even THAT was pure luck. It was a monster tho! $750k

WenWest15

Valued Contributor

Principal Business Development Manager

Timing is everything. I just billed 50% of my entire annual quota in the last week- sometimes it's a rogue wave!

detectivegibbles

Politicker

Sales Director

So fucking good. Thanks for sharing.

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

Thanks!

sketchysales

Politicker

Sales Manager

This is me all over, I'm in the exact same shoes as you

SammySandbags

Politicker

Account Executive

I'm hoping my manager will think along these same lines..

SAASLeader12

Member

US Sales Director

I’d really like to badmouth my competitors who absolutely suck and have no business competing with us and or trying to act like they are better than us. Boy would I love to light them up on LinkedIn

Bankable

Opinionated

VP Relationship Manager

Great post. Most organizations are too quick with the axe, not realizing that relationships take time and don’t align with their quota quarters.

YoureMuted

Executive

Regional Sales Director

I'm pretty good at Acq sales because I hate building relationships. It's very transactional and that works well for me. People are the worst.

annonsales

Opinionated

Sales Development Representative

I have been in sales roles where I woke up every day feeling as though I was about to be fired.

I classify myself as a 'soft sales' person and what I mean by that is I play the long game. Nothing is more annoying than someone in my face telling me how much I NEED something.

I'd rather take a more subtle approach and nurture the relationship and develop more or a report. I am thankful I landed at a company that appreciates this.

SDMHGWarrior

Tycoon

CEO

Thanks for sharing this - I appreciate it. Sounds like you would be a great in Client Success

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

Probably, up until posting this I had no idea that was even a thing... I'm assuming it's not as high paying as sales though...

Austin

Celebrated Contributor

O&G O.G. - Sales Mgr. - NCSA

The War Room is a beautiful & necessary place.

Thank you Corp. for having the vision!

Thank you for being here, PezDog.

I’m sure grateful to be here!

Best,
AB

TheRealPezDog

Notable Contributor

Account Manager

Thanks, AB that means a lot! I am grateful to be here too, what a great platform!

marginmagnate

Good Citizen

Account Executive

relationship building > transactional sales!

KingKon

Sr. CAE

This is a tricky one. I, too, tend try and build long-term relationships and that comes from my background in retail sales where I needed my customers to keep coming back to me for ever.

Working in SaaS sales I have had to learn how to put prospects in "buckets", buying now, buying eventually, and never buying. Have to focus on those who are buying right now, while nurturing the buying eventually, and not letting the never buyers waste your time and "vampire" you for info.
The buying now are helping hit quota this quarter. The buying eventually are getting nurtured into next quarter. Once you identify the never buyers and stop wasting your time, you are able to prospect to re-fill the first two buckets as you close deals.

heronious

Good Citizen

Senior Account Executive

ramp up time at my current company is 12-18 months. That's why it's so important to hire the right people. Because you can tell after about a year if a person is going to make it. That's a lot of Salary though before you get some results

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