Coming from being a GM at a dealership, I’m looking to enter a new sales career path, and want to know what kind of Sales position is best for an experienced salesperson. Give me your top 3’s.
Estevan A
Top 3 modern sales positions
15
As an individual contributor? Manager? Are you looking for a specific vertical? Customer type?
Yes, because my only sales experience has been in retail mostly face-to-face sales, I lack any knowledge of sales jobs and careers outside of my industry, and I guess my question is asking what is the best vertical to join for a lucrative and enjoyable sales career? What steps should I take?
If you’re a tactically trained, card carrying, hood and trunk car pro, you’re going to need to unlearn everything you know about sales in order to make the hop from a transactional hammer to a finessed consultant.
Closing isn’t closing the way it used to be. Tactics are dead. “If I could would you,” “let me see if my manager will do $299/mo” and 4-square pencil deals are dead in the current environment, outside of dealerships anyway.
It’s about alignment, problem solving, proving ROI, demonstrating capabilities, endless follow up, internal champions who will push your solution while you’re not there. Decisions are made by teams in this world.
It just ain’t the same. Not to say you can’t adapt. You probably can. But for real expectations, it’s gonna take some work. I wish you all the luck!
Closing isn’t closing the way it used to be. Tactics are dead. “If I could would you,” “let me see if my manager will do $299/mo” and 4-square pencil deals are dead in the current environment, outside of dealerships anyway.
It’s about alignment, problem solving, proving ROI, demonstrating capabilities, endless follow up, internal champions who will push your solution while you’re not there. Decisions are made by teams in this world.
It just ain’t the same. Not to say you can’t adapt. You probably can. But for real expectations, it’s gonna take some work. I wish you all the luck!
Thanks for the wisdom, Sir!
And fyi, I started many years ago as an entry level sales person, they’re the guys who wield the nuanced transactional hammers. As a GM, it’s about managing processes, creating business to business relationships with vendors, leasing companies and everything in between. Many of the relationships I harnessed where through prospecting and cold-calling.
And fyi, I started many years ago as an entry level sales person, they’re the guys who wield the nuanced transactional hammers. As a GM, it’s about managing processes, creating business to business relationships with vendors, leasing companies and everything in between. Many of the relationships I harnessed where through prospecting and cold-calling.
I mean if you have experience in the retail/cars/transportation world I would try to find something related to that. They say you can leverage your experience in the industry. If you go to a different vertical it could be difficult for you to find something without industry experience, so you might have to take an entry level position and pay cut initially to do so.
All the respect on the planet for anyone who came up that way. Back in the day, they didn't give participation trophies to salespeople. You got the bonus, the contest Rolex, and a fat check if you won. You lost? They're hiring at the Yugo/Pontiac store down the street.
I was the guy who tapped you on the shoulder asking you to bring the GM out of his office so I could "accidentally" run into him and pitch him. I had the "Hey Tommy! Didn't expect to see you. You hungry?" thing down.
You've got a lot of skills that transfer. Youi'll be ok. Check out dealer marketing services.
I was the guy who tapped you on the shoulder asking you to bring the GM out of his office so I could "accidentally" run into him and pitch him. I had the "Hey Tommy! Didn't expect to see you. You hungry?" thing down.
You've got a lot of skills that transfer. Youi'll be ok. Check out dealer marketing services.
I will do a 2 week search and apply to various roles and I’ll keep u posted, thanks man I appreciate the wisdom.
Come on back 👍😁
Feel free to share anonymous version of your resume if you want eyes 👀 on it. You've proven yourself worthy.
Yep- agreed
Hode da f0n!!!!
wtf happened at the store? People spend a lifetime burning shoe leather, dealing with shitty be-backs bad credit and they work 6 days a week, bell to bell to get to the top. Medium market GMs make $400k telling their salespeople to just throw the keys to the trade on the roof.
That business is impossible to last in and have any sort of life. But you… you made it to the top. You had the holy grail of car jobs. People don’t give that job up!
You either robbed the store or went after the owners daughter.
I wanna know which.
wtf happened at the store? People spend a lifetime burning shoe leather, dealing with shitty be-backs bad credit and they work 6 days a week, bell to bell to get to the top. Medium market GMs make $400k telling their salespeople to just throw the keys to the trade on the roof.
That business is impossible to last in and have any sort of life. But you… you made it to the top. You had the holy grail of car jobs. People don’t give that job up!
You either robbed the store or went after the owners daughter.
I wanna know which.
Lmao, that’s a funny response. Actually COVID took out the business. I was able to leverage my expertise to snag a more lucrative opportunity in commercial truck and equipment sales management, where I eventually became a GM (and partner) but the commercial world during COVID was an outright drought for truck dealers and all the incentive I climbed for over the years - vanished, so I left. But how about you try answering MY question now?
I just took a swing- same thread. And don’t forget to upvote your replies if you find value. We do t do this for free, ya know.
Ok, sorry to hear all that. Here’s a straight answer. There are all kinds of companies that sell software to dealers. I’m sure you know the names. Often they’ll find more value in a guy with store experience than they will in someone with just software in their past.
Primary websites, marketing automation, other tools. AI is entering the room now. They typical egghead who develops these solutions doesn’t know how to talk to a car dealer. They need you to translate. And they’ll pay.
Not cool to name names in here. But take a look at everyone who ever tried to sell you a CRM, DMS, email marketing, or even photo or design services. If you can sell yourself as the auto expert- good chance you’ll get dialogue and find someone willing to tech you up a bit.
Primary websites, marketing automation, other tools. AI is entering the room now. They typical egghead who develops these solutions doesn’t know how to talk to a car dealer. They need you to translate. And they’ll pay.
Not cool to name names in here. But take a look at everyone who ever tried to sell you a CRM, DMS, email marketing, or even photo or design services. If you can sell yourself as the auto expert- good chance you’ll get dialogue and find someone willing to tech you up a bit.
Sounds like the owner's daughter is still available. 🤨
She is 🤟🏽
it really depends on what you wanna do. selling cars is not the same as SaaS or other longer sales cycle widgets
When I think about "sales positions", getting bent over seems to come to mind pretty forcefully.
Heh. I see what you did there. 😎
What do you mean by sales positions?
I mean Jobs where your client interaction is incentivized. I guess what I’m trying to ask, knowing what you know now, what’s the best road to take for a lucrative and enjoyable sales career?
😂
Do you like staffing, what industry would you want to work in
It totally depends on what you have in mind,to me AE if being requested externally by a company won't be bad,SDR\BDR roles could be a plan B for you.
However the more network you're building the more better roles with higher payout you'll find!
However the more network you're building the more better roles with higher payout you'll find!
Nothing beats software sales, making a transition is fairly straightforward
Define "experienced."
I guess that’s a relative word.
I don't have the exact answer, but I may suggest doing some creative searches on Linkedin to find individuals who had similar roles to you, that transitioned into another industry. Or flip it around and find sales roles/companies you're interested in and track the job history backwards to see where they climbed up from.
The value here would be to find like minded individuals with similar career paths. I did this when I left my prior industry. I looked at where a bunch of the former employees transitioned to, found the higher paying ones, reached out, and followed a similar path. Great networking opportunity too!
The value here would be to find like minded individuals with similar career paths. I did this when I left my prior industry. I looked at where a bunch of the former employees transitioned to, found the higher paying ones, reached out, and followed a similar path. Great networking opportunity too!
Yes I’ve been looking on LinkedIn. Problem is, for someone whose never been in tech, it’s hard to know which job is better for career building.
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