Post: #1

I have this constant argument with one of my friends and I try to tell him that the best sales rep at most companies usually make the most money within the company.

I was a marketing major, and Im in software sales for a pretty huge world renowned software company.

He thinks that finance people at most companies make all of the money. He thinks sales people are basically unnecessary, and for that reason they couldnt possibly make that much money. He feels that without the finance dept the company wouldnt even exist.

Of course he is a finance major and works for the govt.

I guess he doesnt think that pharmaceutical or medical equipment sales people make anything. Or that sales people at Exxon or major oil companies make anything. Or that guys that sale advertising space for CNN and other major networks make anything. I guess all of those companies are successful and profitable solely because of their great finance departments.

According to him, finance people make all of the money.

What do you think?

Post: #2

"What do you think?"

Your friend is an idiot.

But "he is a finance major and works for the govt." so you should have already known that.

Post: #3

theIVth:

Someone in finance unable to see the reason for sales people? I see they hand out degrees like flyers these days. But is this really about him? It sounds like you just want to hear us disagree with his position.

Post: #4

(07-11-2011 02:42 PM)Vicious Wrote:  theIVth:

Someone in finance unable to see the reason for sales people? I see they hand out degrees like flyers these days. But is this really about him? It sounds like you just want to hear us disagree with his position.

By all means, if im wrong just tell me.

Post: #5

(07-11-2011 04:13 PM)theIVth Wrote:  

(07-11-2011 02:42 PM)Vicious Wrote:  theIVth:

Someone in finance unable to see the reason for sales people? I see they hand out degrees like flyers these days. But is this really about him? It sounds like you just want to hear us disagree with his position.

By all means, if im wrong just tell me.

I agree with you.

Your friend is a moron.

Post: #6

Sales people usually make more. Unless you are talking about Wall St Investment Bankers or CFO level people. Most financial analysts types are just people who take one set of numbers in a spreadsheet and transfer them to another spreadsheet. They're basically cogs in a machine and can easily be replaced, hence they are paid accordingly. Sales is higher risk/higher reward but the people who do well are compensated accordingly. Every company needs revenue producers a hell of a lot more then analysts. A friend of mine says "you are either revenue or overhead" - which do you think has more value?

Post: #7

What a lot of people don't realize is that you have to know how to hustle no matter what. To be successful in anything in life you have to know how to pitch.

If you want to make money in finance/law/consulting, you will need to move up the latter. As you move up, you'll be asked to do more client engagement and drive more business. That's what partners and managing directors do - glorified sales calls.

These professions look down on sales pros - the irony is they are chasing the opportunity to be a sales guy themselves.

You can never, ever underestimate how much of life is hustling. I'm not putting down finance, but software sales is a good area to be in. You gotta have a lot of moxy to be successful in anything in life.

Post: #8

Here is some food for thought:

Q: You know who the best salesman is in the company?

A: The CEO

That is why they put that monkey on squawkbox.

Post: #9

@luckstar: you are absolutely right. I try to tell him that most CEOs of the world have come from the sales ranks, whether directly or indirectly. And even if you are an investment banker or lawyer or whatever, you still have to sale your services to people. You still have to convince them to let you do whatever it is you do over someone else. Lawyers still have to bill hours which is basicly the same as chasing a quota. At the end of the day, its just like my dad said "son everything comes down to buying and selling.....thats all I will ever do".

@G: my old boss said the same thing when I talked to him about this. Our CEO is nothing but a salesman at heart.

Post: #10

Luckystar is right - alot of professions look down on sales people. Take lawyers or consultants. What eventually happens is they get to a position where they need to produce revenue to hit partner. But because they have never made an outgoing call or had to (gasp) sell anything they have absolutely no idea how to do this, and their career peaks out and they are just another clog in the machine.

Post: #11

I think your friend is a play it safe type, which explains why he works for government.
Creative skills combined with drive/balls and a good enough intelligence level is WAY more valuable than another asian quant with no social skills and a 160 IQ.
One of my cousins is above average intelligence at best, was very much into sports, got into a rotation program at a big bank in NYC following his graduation, spent the whole time chasing tail, got a job offer in the least desirable dept at the time "corporate and municipal bonds", this was early 80s, he busted his ass and used his charisma, by 24 he was trading his own book and raking in clients, and then the bond market boomed and he became seriously rich...by his early 30s he bought a massive apt on park ave, was making charitable donations, has some sick cars, and was one of the youngest Managing Directors ever. He nailed an incredible stable of beautiful women for years, and then at 45 married a much younger model woman from a wealthy family.
Great guy.
One of my biggest regrets is that when I was working in NYC at 23 and sick of my job and saving money to move to Cali, he said to me that if I stuck it out for another 10 months until their recruitment cycle hit, he would basically get me a spot in his banks next class of trader trainees.
At the time, I still had this anti wall street attitude and thought I was going to be a great writer or photographer and didnt want to stay in NYC another 10 months.
If I had just kept my shit in order, and put up with a job I disliked for 8 or 10 years, I could have retired with big bucks.
Ah well.
Point is, revenue producers get the gold, excel monkeys get the steady stream of crumbs.

(07-11-2011 01:30 PM)theIVth Wrote:  I have this constant argument with one of my friends and I try to tell him that the best sales rep at most companies usually make the most money within the company.

I was a marketing major, and Im in software sales for a pretty huge world renowned software company.

He thinks that finance people at most companies make all of the money. He thinks sales people are basically unnecessary, and for that reason they couldnt possibly make that much money. He feels that without the finance dept the company wouldnt even exist.

Of course he is a finance major and works for the govt.

I guess he doesnt think that pharmaceutical or medical equipment sales people make anything. Or that sales people at Exxon or major oil companies make anything. Or that guys that sale advertising space for CNN and other major networks make anything. I guess all of those companies are successful and profitable solely because of their great finance departments.

According to him, finance people make all of the money.

What do you think?

Post: #12

Major partners of any law firm are sellers. They only do lunches, dinners and golf. On the backoffice there´s the rats who do the boring work. Nowadays i´m doing both, but soon will hire a trainee. Everybody with success as to sale.
Gaming clients is actually close to gaming girls. I´m doing numbers game. There´s also some similarities with Poker.

Post: #13

i work sales for a global financial institution. i just got a simultaneous promotion one in sales and the other position towards finance. sales make money but lead a stressful life. i am looking forward to being a cog so i can work on my other shit.

as my co-worker in sales always say, "if you can't take the heat from the kitchen, get the fuck out"

on a side note, this girl developed epileptic seizures from working in a similar position that i hold. doc told her to quit, so she did.. any takers?

Post: #14

im actually going to miss sales if i do decide to go the cog route. i'll probably do toast masters or really intensify my approaches just to get the rush.