What's the worst thing a prospect ever said to you?

What's the worst thing a prospect ever said to you?

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I'm a female in tech sales... I get a lot of gross comments. By far the worst was when before we kicked a meeting off the client asked if he could tell me about the sex dream he had about me the night before since he "knew we were meeting today".

Fucking. Puke.

SalesJesus29

Big Shot

Regional Sales Director

This is just disgusting. Can’t believe anyone in their right mind would think this is even close to being in the same realm as acceptable or appropriate in ANY world. So sorry thank you had to go through that experience.

@ConstantineJohns thank you, it was a truly awful experience- and again the only reason I even put it on here to is hopefully encourage people to be proactively supportive of colleagues and offer to assist on meetings if a peer is ever uncomfortable with a DM. This type of thing happens more often than you'd know, every female b2b sales pro I've talked to has similar stories.

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I'm a guy and this triggered my gag reflex. Sorry you had to deal with that.

Thank you, the only reason I even told this was to hopefully open some eyes to the shit that female sales pros deal with (and other professions too, yes- but this one specifically incentivizes us to continue to pursue these kind of a-holes until we're financially able to say no to a deal)

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Broncosfan

Business Development Executive

Account Manager

I’m sorry you had to deal with that. Just completely disgusting. I once had a new SDR who thought she was booking a meeting but in the exchange it was clear the guy was asking her on a date. I had no idea how to tell her that was happening.

I have a friend who has had similar things happen! She actually got out of tech entirely for this reason, kept having buyers ask her to do dinner meetings or happy hours that she wasn't comfortable with.

Salespreuner

Big Shot

+11

Regional Sales Director

Too very disgusting. Shucks! Can't believe what I read 🙄

MsTech

Executive

That's really bad. Sorry you had to hear that.

...great Bravado "handle" by the way...

Ha! Back atcha... great minds think alike ;)

Canuck615

Enterprise Account Executive

I wish I could be shocked by this. And the double edged sword challenge is a daily grind for women in tech sales.

And I hope you let his boss know about that ... ?

Nope- I just never went alone again. It's a double edged sword because he was one of my biggest clients and continually helped me hit quota. So, I wasn't about to ruin the relationship. However I did tell him "no, but you can tell my husband all about it" and that put a quick stop to it.

Still feel like I need a shower after just retelling that... euggh.

On my first job as an SDR

Prospect: My time’s valuable. Do you wanna pay $10/ minute (or some shizz)? Let’s talk if you can. If not stfu and put the phone down. I was shaken for a good minute

"Wow that's really impressive. If I could help you get to $12/min+ would you give me a discount?"

I thought I’d go the smort way, but figured I’m only gonna be wasting my time and getting him more flustered. Saved myself some time lol

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CuriousFox

+13

Senior Account Executive

"I'm disappointed."

The subject doesn't matter. These words cut like a freaking knife.

pitchandputt

Valued Contributor

Were you talking to my dad??? :(

wHaTyAgOtCoOkInG

Catalyst

fuck off dickhead & hung up... my boss listening was like, wow he doesnt even know you...

Wowwwww. Are you sure you built value? Jk

SgtSDR

Business Development Representative

+10

do you work in APAC by chance? I read this in an Australian accent

Broncosfan

Account Manager

I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times this has happened to me.

CoorsKing

King of the Coors Knights

+13

Not mean or anything, but the "Just wanted to let you know we have decided to sign with your competitor." always hurts.

But worst I had personally, called a number, asked gatekeeper to put me through to XYZ, gatekeeper told me they passed away the day before. Had not had one of those before so that was a bit of a shock

Why is it that people always say “your competitor,” like: I know all of them, just tell me the name.

CoorsKing

King of the Coors Knights

+13

Ha they always tell me the name, just kept it vague because I compete with a few people on here ;)

rekled

Strategic Account Executive

Yeah, this is definitely painful. In some of my discovery calls where based on their LI profile they may have used a competitor software in a previous role, I'll flat out ask them their experience and whether they are considering that solution again.

Dealsonwheels

Technical Sales Executive

Agreed, but I like this better than getting ghosted...

GlassSlinger

Carrier & Wholesale Development

Customer won't give me a yes or no on my pitch. A simple "no" would put an end to my calls/emails. Instead the guy says "I'm blocking you from ever calling or emailing me again"

dude blocked me in their exchange server and in their phone switch!

flash forward a few years and we acquire his IT/Phone company. He calls in and is forwarded to me and needs my help w some antiquated hardware.

I reminded him of how he blocked me... and then got him some new gear.

Amazing.

Did he remember?

GlassSlinger

Carrier & Wholesale Development

O yes, he got little love from me but did get his hardware refreshed.

pitchandputt

Valued Contributor

You're a bigger person than I would've been in your shoes.

FrodoSwaggins

Contributor

Sales Development Rep

oh how the turn tables

Somebody actually told me that they didn't need any financial planning because if they ran out of money they would just off themselves. Pretty terrible.

Holy shit. I think that's just a "I'm going for a walk for 20 minutes" after hearing that one. No way you just pick up the phone.

Enterprise Account Executive

Yeah. A close friend of mine committed suicide about 1mo before that conversation so it really pissed me off. I made sure his supervisor (existing client) was aware of his gross unprofessionalism.

Canuck615

What the ever living fuck? Who says this to someone!? Curious what the supervisor replied with.

FringeGuy

Contributor

Mid-Market Account Executive

Once had the Managing Partner of a law firm ask me what floor my companies office was on in our building. Upon telling him that we were on the 26th floor, he responded promptly with:

"That's awesome. That's a high enough floor that you can jump out the window and kill yourself"

....I called him moments later to inform him I had jumped, not died, and wondered if that showed him I was serious about winning his business... Had to try get some entertainment out of a grim moment.

WillSell4Commish

Mid-Market Account Executive

VP of Deez

+10 for creativity friend

FringeGuy

Contributor

Thank you kind soul. Always gotta try have some fun with folks who are jerks to noble salespeople.

I once had a prospect text me that I missed a great party in the penthouse last night and a great breakfast after.

GlassSlinger

Carrier & Wholesale Development

What are you slinging?

Marketingpet

Partner Manager

"The only thing wrong with this product is YOUR SALES PROCESS!" Guy was mad I was trying to ask questions to qualify his use case and that I wouldn't give him a discounted quote with no info.

haha. Classic. I'll give you a discount after you fill out your credit card info.

"I don't know what would be relevant to you because I don't know anything about you" is my go-to.

MSPSales

Notorious Answer

Enterprise Account Executive

I'm so glad you are calling from North America. I hate talking to racial slur, racist comment and racial insensitivity.

My background is South Asian but I was born in NA. I have a super ethnic name.

Either this guy was an complete idiot or was trolling me.

I ended up getting the sale so that's all that mattered

Ken

"Listen here you little shit, if you don't hang up the phone right now I'm gonna come over there and shake you to death."

I couldn't stop laughing - I logged it in Salesforce for future reps to enjoy as well!

SalesJesus29

Big Shot

Regional Sales Director

God, you’re young. What value can you possibly bring to this conversation... ahhh good times. Gotta love proving people wrong.

BCD

BDR

To go dying in a fucking hole...just doing my job, man

uncorpse

Sales Development

I got a prospect that once said the following: "I'm going to pass you to my assistant" and he ended up putting the phone next to the toilet and flushed x4 times and then asked me, "What did my assistant tell you?"

Wowwwwww are you serious?

uncorpse

Sales Development

I had to take a coffee break after that one!

Soiboi

Account Executive, EIAS/Compliance

You've let me down, son.... Oh about work, got dinged on a cold call once for not being able to connect the dots and was then shamed.

beerisforclosers

Account Manager

Not the worst thing but I hate being told: "You're young enough to be my daughter."

Director, Enterprise Sales

It's super creepy though.

moreleadspls

Fire Starter

Wasn't necessarily directed towards me but still by far the worst conversation I've had in my career.... Had a prospect get super testy with me about whether or not they would have the right to dox a private citizen using our platform (there was an advocacy / emailing component to the software).

Immediately had to take a shower after that negotiation...

I had one guy threaten to kill me once. That was cool.

WillSell4Commish

Extremely Rad Product Offloading Specialist

VP of Deez

Happens daily in door to door

TheLoneGun

Praised Answer

I cold called a company, the owner went from "That's nice" to "Fuck off you scumbag fucking cocksucker" . I of course asked him to please refrain from using profanity ;)

cw95

Sales Development Lead

I think when the gatekeeper says 'Well, I'll put you through but they won't be interested'

Always hits a nerve as they are basing this just on you alone.

But then it's always nice when the prospect finally is interested!

PeterSwan

Business Development Manager

"How dare you calling me on my cell phone?! If you don't stop, I will call the police. You have no right calling me!"

rekled

Strategic Account Executive

I'm not sure I see the value over what we are using today. Mic drop. I was at a loss for words. I obviously failed to deliver.

NoOneLoveSalesLikeGaston

Old School Bravo

Associate Consultant

"Maybe" or "I don't know."

Yes is best
No is great

Maybe sucks.

PaperTigerFighter

Good Citizen

National Account Executive

"The only way you'll get 10-15 minutes of my time is if you hold me down and make me ;)" at 1 am, after he viewed my LinkedIn profile several times...I was an SDR at the time, and it fucked with my head for a few days. Forwarded the email to several other DMs in the company and asked if someone else would be more open to a conversation.

DataSlangah