Why Do The Wrong People Get Into Sales?

Author: Ryan Lallier - CEO, RepTivity @RLallier

Why do the wrong people get into sales?  I’ve been asking myself this question for 14 years. When I got into sales it was by accident. I went to college to become a teacher and wound up becoming a salesman. I remember being in my parent’s kitchen looking through the newspaper under the classified section for jobs.  I saw an ad for a sales role with a company called Connecticut Telephone. The description was pretty vague, the only thing I saw was salary, plus bonus based on performance with excellent benefits. I sent in what I thought represented a decent resume and before you know it I was called in for an interview.

My interview started with me meeting the area Sales Manager, Michael Zerbini and VP Sales, Richard DeLorenz. As soon as we sat down, the first question Mr. Zerbini asked me was, “why aren’t you wearing a sport coat or suit?” I was like a deer in headlights. I was shaved, got a haircut, pressed my pants and shirt plus wearing a tie. I answered the question without delay and as honest as I could. “Mr. Zerbini, the reason I am not wearing a sport coat or suit is because I can’t afford one right now. I just put myself through college and this is all I have.”  The rest of the interview seemed to last five minutes. We spent the majority of the interview discussing the opportunity, commission structure and what my day to day duties would be. They also informed me that Connecticut Telephone offered new employees a work clothes program through Men’s Warehouse. The program provided up to $1,000 for new work clothes, with zero interest during repayment, with payments taken out over four paychecks. What a deal! Not only did I land the job, I was fresh dressed like a million bucks too!

This is an example of how an interview should be conducted. Good managers recognize talent or the potential for future success. I believe the wrong people go into sales because the hiring manager is more interested in putting bodies in seats and making money for him/herself.  Anytime the sales manager puts them self first, the wrong person gets hired.  So many people think they can sell. The reality is, it’s a profession not something you “take a crack at”. You have to be of a certain genetic makeup built for rejection and fueled by persistence.  I’m not saying I am the greatest sales person in the world but, during my interview with Mr. Zeribini and Mr. DeLorenz I closed my first deal without even knowing it.  I was hit with immediate rejection, (no sport coat or suit) and my persistence carried me through my answer and honesty prevailed.

So why do the wrong people go into sales? I believe it starts with the person’s very first interview. It really is a defining moment.  

Is it Bad to Leave the Office Before My Sales Manager? - Three Opinions

Author: Ryan Lallier - CEO, RepTivity @RLallier


I recently posted a question on Quora that asked:  As a Sales Manager do you frown upon sales reps who leave the office before you do? I got some really awesome answers and wanted to share them here.

Dan Staggs, Sales and Marketing Manager with Bon Vivant wrote:

“That all depends on what value is placed upon being in the office? Is this a purely inside sales operation or do the sales reps work from home when they are not meeting with accounts? More often than not there are not any accounts/prospects/clients in the office.

I guess the larger question revolves around trust. Do you trust the sales reps you hired to behave like adults when you are not watching them or do you believe that if they are not in the office they must be skiving off?”

Kendrick Jackson, Curator of Media that Inspires wrote:

“As a sales manager, you should instill internal goals and discipline within your team. As long as the discipline is helping them execute their goals on time, I couldn't care less what time they showed up or left. In some cases if they showed up at all. We place too much value in the concept of the "office". In doing so we tend to expect others to have that same reverence. Talk to your team and find out their personal and individual goals, relate them to the companies goals and you will never have to worry about what time they leave.”

Kit Wetzler, Technical Solutions Architect with Cisco wrote:

“I'm not a sales manager but I have been an SE manager. You should probably distinguish between inside sales and outside sales. In a mature tech sales organization, Inside sales people generally work in and office, and cold call / prospect for sales leads for the outside sales folks to follow up on. 

The inside guys are generally expected to put in a full day and to put in that day in the office, although I've seen some orgs that let people work remotely. But, taking rejection after rejection is tough and usually easier when you are working tightly with a team, so you can take the knocks and the victories together. 

Outside sales people shouldn't be in the office anyway, because if they are, they aren't out in front of their customers, which is where they should be. 

Realistically, if you are worried about leaving early, there is a reason for it, unless you are new to the job. If you are performing and making your number, you shouldn't have to worry about where you do you work. 

If you are a sales manager and you're worried about people leaving early, you should ask yourself a few questions... Why are you worried? Are the people leaving early the ones that aren't producing? If they are getting their work done (and by done, I mean exceeding their goals!) then they should be given latitude. If they aren't, they should move on to something that is more aligned with their skill set.”

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic.