When your boyfriend is jealous of those big commission checks

Published: Wed, 09/28/22

September 28, 2022

TOGETHER WITH

There are just two days left in the quarter, (two-and-a-half if you count today), so dust off that coffee maker, make sure you have your blood-pressure medication handy, and get ready to charm, plead, beg, and borrow to get those last few deals over the finish line. In the meantime, let us tell you about which skills every salesperson needs (according to 20k job listings), share a Sales Fail about a cocky sales manager, and give some advice to a seller whose boyfriend is jealous of her income. Enjoy.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK

Including questions in emails increases response rates by 50%.

Source: Boomerang

SALES ROUNDUP

Here’s what’s happening in the sales world this week:

Selling cars is a tough gig, especially when you’re trying to move a less-than-desirable vehicle. But one salesman, Jonathan Forseth, figured out the perfect pitch for a manual 2018 Nissan Versa, which came with roll-down windows and turn-key ignition: it’s the perfect car for your LEAST favorite child. The pitch, of course, went viral, but no word on whether anyone bought the car yet. You can read more about it here.
What does it take to sell $10m worth of ad space? A recent article in Radio Ink magazine explains how one Cox Media salesman, Dave Cohen, has billed over $10m for the company. His process starts with hours of in depth research, which is followed by a letter (sent via snail mail), then one touch per week. You can read about his methodical process here.

FEATURE

G-Stock Studio/Shutterstock.com

According to 20k Job Listings, Here Are the 5 Skills Every Salesperson Needs

Applying for a sales job can feel like staring into the abyss – sending out dozens of applications and trying to tailor your pitch so it matches whatever the hiring manager thinks they’re looking for. But just what are the requirements for a sales job in today’s day and age?

Researchers at the Harvard Business Review asked this same question, and in order to answer it, they gathered web data from more than 20,000 sales job postings from 2019 to 2022. The core competencies still ring true - sales experience, communication skills, curiosity, and motivation. But they also discovered five qualities that companies are starting to look for in potential salespeople.

Anticipating changes and trends in the customer’s industry

Companies want their sales team to demonstrate an understanding of market data and new developments in their customers’ industries. Microsoft in particular wants AEs who sell digital tools to startups to “understand how startup businesses grow and mature their commercial models,” according to HBR’s research. Companies want salespeople who are curious, and take the time to learn.

Collaborating within and across teams

Teamwork seems like it should be a given in any work environment, but many sales organizations are structured to prioritize one-on-one interactions between the sales rep and the customer. This, however, changes as sales processes get more complex and customer service, engineering, and post-sales support teams get pulled into transactions. The sales rep of the future (and present) can no longer exist in a vacuum.

Mastering digital and virtual tools

Organizations want employees who not only utilize digital tools effectively but quickly adapt to new/beta tools in order to best serve customers. Software is eating the world, and sooner or later, even the best sales reps who avoid using new technology will get left behind.

Adaptive

Those who can adapt to changes in work dynamics and protocols are desirable employees. Open LinkedIn for just a few minutes and you’ll see that the sales world is undergoing a transformation as new processes, trends, and (unfortunately) acronyms are introduced daily. Instead of trying to fight it, the best thing to do is adapt accordingly (while continuing to close deals).

Nature versus nurture

What about the nature versus nurture debate? How many of these skills are in the “hire for” category and how many can be learned on the job?

According to HBR, collaborative ability and capacity to adapt are inborn qualities that can take a lot of time and attention to develop on the job. As for using digital tools, it can go either way – some companies have more capacity for robust on-the-job training for their digital tools than others..

“A third of my people just don’t get it; they don’t have the digital skills and interest,” a sales manager told HBR. But for those who do “get it,” the right support programs are usually enough to bring employees up to speed. It certainly helps that digital natives (those born after 1980) will comprise 75% of the workforce by 2025, though the pandemic forced even the most curmudgeonly analogs to join the digital fray (for at least a while).

As for anticipating trends, this can fall on the shoulders of employees or on the shoulders of a Center of Excellence (COE). Some companies use COE’s (or similar internal teams) to support salespeople who need RFPs, industry research, or detailed customer histories. This helps sales teams stay focused on their customers and takes some of the pressure off.

Unfortunately, some roles will require a combination of experience and knowledge that can only be gained from years on the job. For example, the AEs at Microsoft need to understand how startups function and how the market is shaping the forces that govern them – not something you can learn on the job.

Ultimately, if you want to grow in your sales career and keep leveling up, you have to take the initiative. Know someone who’s got a skill you want? Ask them to help you out. Come across a professional development seminar that looks intriguing? Sign up! Just make sure you leave some adaptive ability for your current sales job – because as we all know, you’ll definitely need it.

TOGETHER WITH EVERSTAGE

Do your reps know how much they’re going to make through commissions before the money hits their bank? Probably not. The nature of incentives, and the complexities involved in commissions makes even this level of transparency difficult.

But our friends at Everstage have solved this through Crystal: A predictive intelligence platform that allows reps to forecast payouts on deals that are still in the pipeline.

Confident about closing a few deals before the end of the quarter? Want to offer discounts on prices for that one big deal? Looking to roll out a two-year contract? Now, your reps can simulate all of these and more using Crystal, and see exactly how it will affect their payout.

With this level of precision and control over the commission prediction, your reps are highly motivated when they work on these deals. The result? More revenue for your business!

Learn more about Crystal here!

MEME OF THE WEEK

Source: Instagram -- Sales Humor

QUIZ

Which car brand introduced the concept of “no-haggle” pricing in the 90’s?

A. Tesla
B. Saturn
C. SAAB
D. Oldsmobile

SALES FAILS

Each week, we bring you the most cringe-worthy sales moments from across the web. To submit your sales fail story for consideration, click here. (Don't worry, you'll remain completely anonymous).

“This happened when I was in my first year of sales, many moons ago. I was an Account Executive at a nationwide mortgage company, before the crash of 2008. We worked out of a branch, and each branch had a sales manager and a branch manager. The branches were basically run like boiler rooms. Maybe not as extreme, but pretty close.

One time I had this deal that I just couldn’t get to sign with us for a refinance. It was a complete no-brainer, but the guy kept waffling. My sales manager and I were committed to it, because it was a fairly slow month for the branch, and because it was such a slam-dunk.

The branch manager we had at the time was this hard-charging type. He was non-stop, super arrogant, combative, and full of himself. But at the time, there was this mythology around him because he was in his early twenties and was already a branch manager because of how successful he had been as an AE and then as a sales manager. Long story short, a lot of people didn’t like him but basically respected him because of how far he’d come.

So I decided to ask my branch manager to get on a call with my prospect to help get things rolling. I figure if anyone can do this, he can. And he agrees, and a handful of us sit on the desks around him (he got on the phone at my desk) to watch and listen and learn a thing or two.

So the call starts off fine, he asks him a few questions, the usual etc. But after a few minutes, he starts getting combative with the prospect, and they basically end up in a full-on argument. After a while, he ends the call, stands up, and says something like, “That guy is an asshole,” and goes back into his office. Not sure if I could’ve got the deal to move forward on my own either, but that definitely put the nail in the coffin.”

Anonymous Location withheld

GRAPH OF THE WEEK

Source: LinkedIn Poll -- September 2022

WORTH A PEEK

Struggling to find new accounts? What if you could find similar companies to your best customers? Well, there’s a tool that can help you do just that – it's called Owler Max, and it can save you hours of prospecting and research every week! Owler Max lets you work smarter, not harder – check it out here.

ASK THE QUOTA

Want to submit a question and be featured in our advice column? Click here. (Don't worry, you'll remain completely anonymous).

"Dear Quota Team,

Love the newsletter! Okay, I have a problem, and I’m not really sure what to do about it. The problem is… my boyfriend!

Let me give you some background. We’re both in our late twenties. I’m an AE for a big SAAS company. Before this, I was an AE at a smaller startup, where I started as a BDR right out of college. He’s a financial analyst for a big company that everybody knows. Sounds good, right?

Well, here’s the problem: I make more money than he does, and he doesn’t seem to be ok with that. It’s not like the difference is 20-30k either. I literally make a hundred grand more than he does, which drives him insane.

Whenever we talk about money, or even work, he gets super weird about it. He refuses to let me pay for dinners or vacations even though it’s a lot easier for me than it is for him. And when we get into arguments, sometimes he’ll say things like, “Why don’t you just date one of those guys you work with since they make so much more money than me.”

I think the bottom line is that he cares a lot about money and is insecure about the fact that his girlfriend, who was on the same financial level when we were in college, is out-earning him. And the honest truth is that it doesn’t bother me at all, except for the way it makes him act. I like making money, but as long as my partner can pull his weight (which he can), it’s not a big deal. There are a dozen other things I care about more than about how much he makes.

Is there anything I can say to him to get him to drop this without hurting his feelings? I really care about him, but my job is important to me and is part of my identity too, and I don’t feel like I should have to erase myself for the sake of his ego. Help!

Stressed in North Carolina

Dear Stressed,

Well, you definitely shouldn’t offer to pay for couples therapy, since that probably won’t go over too well…

All kidding aside, this is definitely his problem, not yours. Like you said, you shouldn’t have to minimize your own accomplishments so that he can feel better about himself. You (presumably) work hard to make those big paychecks, and sales is a lot more stressful than sitting around analyzing whatever it is he gets paid to analyze.

Since you’re not going to quit your job (nor should you), it’s up to him to either accept things or risk losing the relationship. Your best bet is the next time he brings this up, have an honest conversation where you make it clear that you care about him and respect him, no matter how much he makes.

Aside from that, there’s not a whole lot you can do. He’s either going to get over it, or he’s going to keep feeling sorry for himself. If it’s the latter, is this something you’re willing to deal with for the next (however many) years? We can’t answer that question for you, but it sounds like you’re smart and confident enough to figure it out. Good luck!

Quiz Answer: B

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Today's email was written by Ken Kupchik, Erica Furgiuele, Steve Rado, and Emily Hill.

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