Help! My coworkers are "sales bros"

Published: Wed, 12/13/23

December 13, 2023

TOGETHER WITH

You’re probably spending this month’s commission check on gifts for your friends and family, so we wanted to use this intro to remind you that you can get free gifts from The Quota for referring friends and coworkers to sign up, including sales-themed coffee mugs, books, and Yetis. More details (and your custom link) at the bottom of this email.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK

About 72% of all cold calls don’t get through to a human being.

Source: Baylor University

SALES ROUNDUP

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

Lizelle Strydom Pottier was a single teen mom when she got her first job at a call center. By her late twenties, she had worked her way up from sales recruiter to managing director. Pottier was recently profiled by Business Insider, where she told her story and offered some advice for those looking to move up in their career. You can read the essay here.
Shares of tech giant Oracle were down 10% this week as the company missed estimates on revenue in its fiscal second quarter earnings. Analysts keyed in on the light revenue from the company’s cloud business. JPMorgan analysts expressed concern about the company’s ability to beef up its Oracle Cloud Infrastructure at a fast enough rate. You can read more about the earnings miss here.

FEATURE

Billy Mays in Pitchmen, Credit: IMDb

But Wait, There's More: The Story of Legendary Pitchman Billy Mays

William Darrell Mays Jr., commonly known as Billy Mays, was a charismatic American TV salesperson and a well-known figure in direct-response advertising. He was famed for his over-the-top pitching style and became a household name across the United States and Canada, promoting products such as OxiClean, Orange Glo, Kaboom, and Zorbeez.

Early Life

Born in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, Mays grew up in nearby Pittsburgh. He was a student at Sto-Rox High School, showing early tenacity and determination, traits that would later define his career. Mays also attended West Virginia University, where he played as a walk-on linebacker for the football team.

Early Career

Mays' career trajectory took a distinctive turn after dropping out of college. He initially worked for his father's hazardous waste company but soon moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1983. It was here on the boardwalk that Mays honed his sales skills, selling the Washmatik car cleaning system and other "As Seen on TV" products. He credited the old pitchmen he met there for shaping his distinctive sales style.

Rise to Fame

Mays' journey to fame began in 1993 when he met Max Appel, the founder of Orange Glo International. Their first meeting led to his role promoting products on the Home Shopping Network in Florida. Mays also formed a partnership with Anthony Sullivan, another future pitchman, and together they became a formidable duo in the infomercial world.

Television and Beyond

Mays became synonymous with various brands, especially OxiClean, and was known for his loud and enthusiastic pitch style. His success extended beyond traditional infomercials, as he later appeared in advertisements for ESPN and even had a deal in place with Taco Bell prior to his untimely death.

He would go on to start his own company, Mays Promotions, Inc., and was highly sought after for his unique and effective pitching style. In 2009, he starred in the Discovery Channel's "PitchMen," a documentary series showcasing his work with Sullivan.

Death and Legacy

Tragically, Mays passed away on June 28, 2009, at the age of 50. His death was initially surrounded by speculation, but it was later determined that heart disease, exacerbated by cocaine use, was the cause. His passing was mourned by fans and the sales community alike, and his influence on television advertising and direct-response marketing remains significant to this day.

Billy Mays left behind a legacy as a pioneering pitchman. His energetic style, memorable voice, and unwavering enthusiasm made him more than just a salesperson; he became an icon in American television advertising. His life story, from the boardwalks of Atlantic City to the forefront of TV marketing, is a testament to the power of charisma, hard work, and the ability to sell not just a product, but an experience.

IF YOU LIKE THIS NEWSLETTER YOU'LL LOVE THIS BOOK

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How long you can get away with being “new” until you’re held accountable
How to make it look like you’re sorry without giving up any power
How to find a workplace friend and make a workplace enemy
Camera position: how to set up your laptop for maximum dominance
Organizing your calendar while leaving time to cry
The rules of the kitchen (stealing someone’s yogurt is literally a crime)
Writing a letter of resignation when you’ve already been resigned from day one

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MEME OF THE WEEK

Source: Instagram -- Sales Humor

QUIZ

How many independent sellers does MLM giant Amway have?

A. 2.1 million
B. 3 million
C. 1.8 million
D. 14 million

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).

A few years ago, I was working for a company that put on in-office events for mid-size and large corporations. I don’t want to go into too much detail because it might become obvious which company it was. I was an Account Executive who was responsible for sourcing deals and closing new business.

Things were a bit slow because of the summer months, so the company decided to do something it had never done before: offer a limited time discount for anybody who booked us to come in. This promotion was designed to get a bunch of people off the fence and get more commitments so we would be on track to hit our number. But there was one caveat: once the offer expired, we would not honor the discounted pricing.

I had a prospect who I had been going back and forth with for a while, and when the offer became official, I reached out to them and explained in detail that they could basically get the same package we had been discussing, but only if they signed and gave us a deposit before the end of the following week.

The prospect, a mid-level manager who was always friendly but generally seemed bored by his job and maybe life in general, told me the pricing adjustment was really compelling and that he would get back to me as soon as he discussed it with his team. At this point, I reiterated that the offer was only for a limited time, and that management would not extend past the promotion date. He told me he understood.

Over the next week and a half, I checked in via email and voicemail, reminding him the offer was for a limited time only. You can probably guess what happened next. He called me the Monday after the offer expired and told me he was ready to move forward at the discounted rate. I took it to management but they refused to honor the pricing, which I can’t say I blamed them for since it was very clear it was only for a limited time. The prospect didn’t end up moving forward with us at all. Sales Fail!

Anonymous Location withheld

GRAPH OF THE WEEK

Source: LinkedIn Poll -- December 2023

WORTH A PEEK

How many hours do top performers put in? A recent discussion on Reddit covered this very topic, with answers ranging from 3-4 hours (per day) all the way up to 12. You can read the discussion 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

I’ve been in sales for the last few years. I like the money and don’t mind the work. Even the prospecting is actually kind of fun. I view it as a challenge and like to surprise people by being a better listener than ninety-five percent of the other salespeople they talk to.

What I don’t like is the culture among my coworkers. They’re basically all a bunch of arrogant and shallow guys who all like the same things (sports, drinking, wearing vests) and make almost no effort to understand their clients or coworkers who might not think like them.

I’ve only worked at one other company, which was pretty much like this too, but it makes me unappreciative of the profession and kind of even makes me want to consider doing something else. Is this how all salespeople are or is there an industry that might be a better fit for me?

Uncomfortable in Location withheld

Dear Uncomfortable,

It’s interesting that you refer to your coworkers as arrogant and shallow, when your message seems to come off that exact way. Like Clarice Starling famously said to Dr.Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, “You see a lot, Doctor. But are you strong enough to point that high-powered perception at yourself?”

But to answer your question, salespeople come in all shapes and sizes, with all sorts of varied interests and personalities. There is not one type of salesperson, just like there isn’t one type of doctor or lawyer. But if you’re having a hard time with your coworkers, you can always look for a new job, or try staying focused on your work. No one is forcing you to be friends with your coworkers.

Quiz Answer: B. Amway has 3 million independent sellers — (you can read the source article here)

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How did you like today's story?

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

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