Wrong personality for sales (according to boss)

DigForVictory

If your stats are fine, point to the results.

Meanwhile, look around. If he's not happy with you now, even when your results are fine, he'll still be convinced he's right at year end.

He can be dragged to a Tribunal for ignoring facts, but if you're both uncomfortable, it makes sense to move (& have him grateful you appear to agree with him) elsewhere.

Amysdad70

I feel your pain.

I am one of 16 account managers for a large company and have a significant sales target. I have met many 'jack the lad' types who come and go. I am definitely on the more considered end of the spectrum. I do not fit into the conventional sales person image in any way.

However, I have exceeded my target every year. Every year the target goes up and every year I hit it. This year I finished number 1 based on percentage of target hit.

In my experience, the wolves of wall street types are good in call centres and for smaller value sales. When it comes to large projects customers are reassured by integrity, knowledge and a proven ability to deliver. The amount of alcohol you drink or trendy clubs you attend has no bearing on anything.

If your current boss cannot see that, find a better job.

InsideInsurance

TELLIT01 wrote: »

If I had some pushy loudmouth trying to sell me financial services I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole, and that sounds like your description of the boss and the people he like around him. I'd be much happier dealing with somebody who acts and talks calmly and rationally.

Personality in the office isnt necessarily 100% how you come across to the client.

A friend is a tied agent selling FS products to HNW types. In private life and the office he is the big outgoing personality that dominates the room. I have only once seen him with a client and he is still a big personality, comes across as exceptionally self confident and knowledgeable without being brash or pushy.

He is also very good strategist, he bought his current house thats on massive grounds for its land not the current buildings. Knowing what the local planning people are like - "The answers no, now whats the question?" - he got himself involved in the roads committee and let it drop that he'd been approach by a building firm wanting to buy his land to build 20 new houses but "all" he really wants to do is just build himself a nice new house.... really helped smooth the way for planning permission (and no, no such offer had been made)

getmore4less

Differing sales personalities will be capturing different clients.

A good ballanced team will have a broader reach than one that has all similar types.

InsideInsurance

getmore4less wrote: »

Differing sales personalities will be capturing different clients.

A good ballanced team will have a broader reach than one that has all similar types.

It depends on how collaborative the team is and how the initial leads are generated.

If the leads all come from one source and each sales person works in isolation then there is little benefit in having diversity in the team. If people generate their own leads and/ or people work collaboratively then diversity can help if you have a finite potential market (ie if your local area only)

GothicStirling

Tinuel wrote: »

Thanks for your replies.
Yes, I have hit the target in the quarter that I started and my pipeline for this quarter actually contains prospects who have signed on the dotted line, just going through our normal channels to set them up internally now.

What about the other sales people are they 'hitting target' or are they exceeding them?

DCFC79

Do you enjoy it there is an important question ?

I agree, it sounds like you have a different personality.