My first business trip
I just got home from Pittsburgh, my first business trip with this company. We all met up for a convention for three days. It was really interesting and I got an interesting glimpse of the sales culture.
There are so many thoughts swimming around in my head right now. I wasn't prepared for the intensity of my experience. Here's a list of some of my impressions:
1. MEN everywhere. Not many women in sales. It's pretty ironic, too, because it's educational sales and 70% of educators are women. But the salesmen are just that...men.
2. Old boy network. Not sure I ever really understood this cliche until now. Boy does it ever exist! It's a pretty incestuous business, really. People jump from one company to the next, selling one product or another. Everyone knows everyone. And everyone's got something to say about everybody else. There are more stories, more gossip, more behind-the-back criticisms than a teachers' lounge.
3. Drinking culture. These people can drink. And not in a "whoo-hoo-this-is-fun" kind of way, but in a "why-aren't-you-taking-shots...what-are-you-some-kind-of-(insert explative here)" kind of way. It's easy to get caught up in that, actually. If you're willing to play drinking games with forty-somethings, you've got it made. But really, that's not my bag.
4. Loneliness. I noticed a tinge of lonliness in myself, which surprised me. I mean, here I am talking to people ALL DAY and then taking potential clients out for nice dinners and drinks. But still, I'm lonely. I think it's interesting that such an important part of sales is "relationship building," but there's no REAL connection between anybody. Definitely not in the client-salesperson role and not even in the salesperson-salesperson relationship. So you wind up a little lonely yet wanting to be alone. Your only other option is to go drinking with a bunch of other lonely people (see #3).
5. Jokes. Oh geez, this one really got to me. I work with a gentleman named Ray. Ray is a Mormon fellow with seven (count them, seven) children. He's very conservative in nature and laughs at really mundane, boring things. In other words, he's totally harmless. But boy, put him in a conference for educators with other seasoned (i.e. jaded) salespeople and he starts cracking the most un-funny, untolerant, offensive, stupid ass jokes. I had to put up with it for three days, but by yesterday I had had it. He started telling some joke about women and I just cut him off. I don't think he appreciated it. He seems to think he's my mentor, and is forever explaining things (usually terribly obvious thigs) to me.
6. I'm not going to fit in. Not really. I mean, I'll be the more serious one on our team who doesn't make stupid, off-color comments to get a cheap laugh out of a potential client. I'll be the one who's not up until two in the morning doing body shots with salespeople from competing companies. But I'm actually really okay with that. These people are good at what they do--but they aren't really that smart. So I'll be spending some time alone on the road, doing the things that *I* like to do. I'll be reading books and going swimming in gorgeous hotel pools. I'll be ordering movies and room service. And I'm okay with that. I'll still get results with clients and I know I'll be a good salesperson.
It feels good to know that I'm starting to understand the culture. And even though there are some really yucky, ugly sides to it, I know that it doesn't have to affect my attitude towards this job. Because the truth is, I get to LEAVE these people and come home to my wonderful life. And I get to take care of myself on the road and be the person I want to be, no matter who I'm surrounded by.
Running off to meet Bri for lunch. I can't WAIT to see him!!!
There are so many thoughts swimming around in my head right now. I wasn't prepared for the intensity of my experience. Here's a list of some of my impressions:
1. MEN everywhere. Not many women in sales. It's pretty ironic, too, because it's educational sales and 70% of educators are women. But the salesmen are just that...men.
2. Old boy network. Not sure I ever really understood this cliche until now. Boy does it ever exist! It's a pretty incestuous business, really. People jump from one company to the next, selling one product or another. Everyone knows everyone. And everyone's got something to say about everybody else. There are more stories, more gossip, more behind-the-back criticisms than a teachers' lounge.
3. Drinking culture. These people can drink. And not in a "whoo-hoo-this-is-fun" kind of way, but in a "why-aren't-you-taking-shots...what-are-you-some-kind-of-(insert explative here)" kind of way. It's easy to get caught up in that, actually. If you're willing to play drinking games with forty-somethings, you've got it made. But really, that's not my bag.
4. Loneliness. I noticed a tinge of lonliness in myself, which surprised me. I mean, here I am talking to people ALL DAY and then taking potential clients out for nice dinners and drinks. But still, I'm lonely. I think it's interesting that such an important part of sales is "relationship building," but there's no REAL connection between anybody. Definitely not in the client-salesperson role and not even in the salesperson-salesperson relationship. So you wind up a little lonely yet wanting to be alone. Your only other option is to go drinking with a bunch of other lonely people (see #3).
5. Jokes. Oh geez, this one really got to me. I work with a gentleman named Ray. Ray is a Mormon fellow with seven (count them, seven) children. He's very conservative in nature and laughs at really mundane, boring things. In other words, he's totally harmless. But boy, put him in a conference for educators with other seasoned (i.e. jaded) salespeople and he starts cracking the most un-funny, untolerant, offensive, stupid ass jokes. I had to put up with it for three days, but by yesterday I had had it. He started telling some joke about women and I just cut him off. I don't think he appreciated it. He seems to think he's my mentor, and is forever explaining things (usually terribly obvious thigs) to me.
6. I'm not going to fit in. Not really. I mean, I'll be the more serious one on our team who doesn't make stupid, off-color comments to get a cheap laugh out of a potential client. I'll be the one who's not up until two in the morning doing body shots with salespeople from competing companies. But I'm actually really okay with that. These people are good at what they do--but they aren't really that smart. So I'll be spending some time alone on the road, doing the things that *I* like to do. I'll be reading books and going swimming in gorgeous hotel pools. I'll be ordering movies and room service. And I'm okay with that. I'll still get results with clients and I know I'll be a good salesperson.
It feels good to know that I'm starting to understand the culture. And even though there are some really yucky, ugly sides to it, I know that it doesn't have to affect my attitude towards this job. Because the truth is, I get to LEAVE these people and come home to my wonderful life. And I get to take care of myself on the road and be the person I want to be, no matter who I'm surrounded by.
Running off to meet Bri for lunch. I can't WAIT to see him!!!
posted by GirlRy at 11:00 AM
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