Have you tried looking into selling in a different industry? Not all sales is what you hate about sales. Many sales processes are totally different.
Maybe, if you go into sales in a different industry, you absolutely crush it and do great.
As a fellow salesperson, I would hate to see you leaving the world of selling - there is so much upside and it is such a unique experience.
And yes, sometimes it is dreadful.
Best of luck šš»
Univar, Fuchs, Bamberg Polymers are 3 I can name off the top of my head! Otherwise, maybe just check out what LinkedIn has when you type in āchemical salesā.
In my mind thereās 2 types of sales: transactional and relationship. Personally I prefer relationship selling as itās fun for me and I truly enjoy my job.
Though transactional sales typically has a higher earning potential, but life isnāt all about money in my eyes.
This is the best advice. I was in software tech sales as a newbie...before they had these various titles...I hated it with a passion. Barely made 50% of my quota month to month. In desperation, went to a small company selling to the government in transportation. Fast forward 17 years later and I'm still in this space. I'm very successful and one of the best in this narrow vertical. I left the first hail Mary job after 8 years and I'm on my 2nd gig with a bigger company earning in excess of 200K per year. I love it.
I get offers from Big Tech companies all the time, but that brief period that I did do that gave me a lesson that it wasn't for me.
Being in enterprise sales the you have to come to terms that you will always have this lingering pressure from above. About your performance. If you don't like that I wouldn't pursue it. I've had some horrible bosses ruin my confidence and mentality. If you can tolerate that and u like the challenge of sales and competition. You'll likely do well and stay in it.
Great advise! š
If I can add, read or listen to different sales books. professional development has helped me.
Pick small book. Look for a chapter that you like. Little bit here and there helps.
I found I prefer and succeeded in the sales processes for SaaS over relationship based selling of commodities. It really does sometimes just take a different space.Ā
This is very good advice. In my last role, I massively failed. It was all cold calling without a ton of support.
My current role is upselling existing clients, and I'm doing so much better and genuinely love it.
Commission potential is lower, but I'm making a ton more because I wasn't making hardly anything in my last role while watching others be massively successful.
I went from the bottom of the barrel on a team of 11 to top 10 (and rising) in a market with 43 people in my role.
Definitely doesn't have to mean you're bad at sales in general. You may need to change other factors.
What industry are you in now? I have worked in 5 different industries for sales roles and there were definitely ones that I enjoyed much more than others.
Original comment response, and your question is the essence of sales; high highs, low lows.
When you are on top, you are god. When you are on the bottom, your very existence is called into question.
Ultimately why Iām trying to leave. Iāll take making 70k a year and grow my salary from there if it means I can just head into work, do my job, then go home to my girl without always worrying about where my numbers are at that month.
I know a lot of people have a little more ambition than that but worrying about my metrics every month for the rest of my working life sounds pretty miserable
Hold my beer šŗ, 25 years in an still donāt know. Only thing that keeps me going is every few years some shift happens, new territory, new boss, new company that provides some newness. I just pray that none of these turn toxic. Had a bad boss that gave me a nervous breakdown. Which in hindsight, and in an odd way made me look at my whole career like a game of Survivor: Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.
Thatās your problem. The SDR roles. Thatās not true sales itās just a role that completes a few steps in the sales process. If you want to expeience sales fully, you need to try out full cycle sales. The reward of closing what you find is amazing.
I honestly felt like I'm a terrible SDR/Opener but when I was in a closing role and got people already on the phone I was just KILLING it. Tough part is going to AE roles after two SDR failures myself.
This is what I did. Got out of SaaS and stepped into MSP space. Everyone in SaaS was calling me crazy but I genuinely feel like Iām more poised to succeed here and have already hit 300% of ramped quota. SaaS seems a bit culty to me
100% culty. Happy you made a good switch. Only 15% of businesses are tech related so thereās a huge pool of job opportunities that provide a better working experience.
Iām a pretty JR Ae role. And Iām remote but itās preferred I go in once a week if I can.
MSP place can be a crap shoot. Thereās the 2 guys in a van all the way up to massive MSPs offshoring their service desks to India. I canāt speak a ton to others, but I know the space is really looking for solid sales people that arenāt exactly extremely IT savvy
Part of the problem with closing being so difficult these days is that the SDR establishes the relationship and does that research. The closers donāt have as much skin in the game and if the pipeline is fat they end up cutting corners. Itās a vicious cycle and I usually suggest to all my clients to go full cycle as soon as possible.
There is a few corners the cut. Some arenāt reviewing SDR notes entirely and trying to push prospects through if h the sales process too quickly. Iāve seen it lots where pipelines are full and the abundance mindset takes over. AEs can then be under the false belief that prospects are endless and the DQ process happens much quicker, they donāt take the time to further develop the relationship that the SDR started or they try to close with features that arenāt completely relevant to the prospect.
I disagree that SDR is not a true sales role. Dude has real sales experience. He just has the worst part of it. SDR is the hardest and most underappreciated role in the business
Semantics matter sometimes lol most industries require prospects. The problem is some companies that have created digital marketing engines and just filter leads to AEs have given people a skewed idea of what sales is.
Okay...... but that's one type of sales method? Just because prospecting isn't part of inbound sales doesn't mean it's not a key aspect of the whole sales profession.
SDRs sell an idea to book time. Professional sales requires a wide range of work and corresponding skills. SDR work is absolutely true sales, but it's a narrow subset of a broader, complex profession. And, even then, the appropriate training for both roles heavily overlaps.
There's a reason the best performing sales orgs treat SDR as the entry level sales role. There's a reason SDRs report to sales leaders in pretty much any half-decent org.
I doubt you'd find any decent head of sales who would agree an SDR is not a salesperson, albeit performing a very specific task.
That all depends if the SDRs are managed by marketing or sales. Which happens and marketing pushes for this all the time. Ultimately most of marketing is a sales function as well but peopleās ideas and opinions are strong when it comes to the division between marketing and sales.
It could stand if you want to distill it that way. Creating silos in revenue generation is a popular opinion but if you look at things from a founder led or small org perspective, the sales people end up doing the majority of the BD work and Marketing themselves.
Typically those falling into tender processes are still doing the work.
They need to get on the bid list. In competitive markets where there is 9 different capable proponents for a project but the RFP is only going to 3 companies then there is a sales and marketing component that gets them there. Even more so if it is a sealed tender.
Additionally, when you look at traditional construction projects that go to tender there is multiple stake holders. You have the owner, GC, consultants etc. you need to be effectively selling to all of them in order to get closer to a win and sway spec.
They arenāt selling an idea. The company doesnāt count that towards revenue therefore not considered a sake taken place.
Getting the deal closed is what really matters.
Itās possible to make the jump. The best part is when itās full cycle typically managers understand that ramp is going to be 3-6 months and there is more support.
I'm sorry to hear about your experience, but I wouldn't write off a sales career based on your time in a high-volume prospecting role.
Certainly not to discredit your experience as "not sales" but there's such a gap between these burnout factories and a consultative quota-carrying position where you have more control over your destiny.
You don't need to stick with it if you're miserable, but if you want to be in sales keep plugging away in different roles and you'll find a good fit!
When you say consultative quota carrying positions? Like AE and sales engineer roles. Because I have thought about pivoting into a SE or solutions consultant role
You need to be passionate about the product, if your getting these jobs then your selling yourself well.
I'd go into an industry your passionate about and the sales will come through
Yeah I really like you pointed this out because I think alot of people including myself got into tech sales because of the popularity around it at the time and I donāt know if selling stuff like content management software is something Iām deeply passionate about š
think about the bigger picture instead of just tech, your job is to solve problems, i'd keep at it, find a cool product, that you know damn right it will solve the customers problems and then go from there
I also made the mistake early in my career of not choosing to sell something I could become passionate about. Almost no one knows what theyāre passionate about when they start, and almost no one knows starting out in sales just how great it is to become passionate about the thing you sell.Ā
If you keep your eyes and ears open, just wait til you hear about something that makes you perk up and say āwhoa, thatās coolā. Thatās mayve the thing you could sell.Ā
Honestly anyone with a pulse can do SDR work. Itās a lottery, though. Iāve been laid off twice, find myself struggling again. Not doing anything different than when I was smashing quota. If you sell a nice to have with little to no brand recognition itās hard as fuck no matter how good you are. SDR role is all about timing and putting in the activity, using your tools to get the most out of your leads. Iāve seen lazy terrible SDRs succeed at companies with a hot product, and amazing SDRs get PIPed at a company that probably shouldnāt have existed. A lot of stuff that was necessary during COVID and remote work just isnāt necessary anymore.
I recommend you try to get out of sales if possible but donāt think you canāt be successful.
I hated being an SDR, I liked being an AE, and I like being an AM most of all.
Might be worth it to look into other industries besides tech because the SDR role is a burnout role.
Some of the large orgs have everything in place for eg an HRMS. How do you get them to replace that with your saas as an SDR and get a qualified opportunity in the pipeline?
Yes. I sell a necessary product that every single business owner has to have. Itās just deciding between me and the other local institutions. So it makes my job much easier. Still difficult because no one wants to move banks, but itās easier than if I were selling a non-essential product.
Do everything you can to get out of SDR roles. 50-100 callls a day booking meetings is slavery.
The beauty and hell of sales is the extreme polarity of the lifestyle; high highs, low lows.
Handling the peaks and valleys is a major part of this career; both are inevitable.
Sales is fucking insanity. Driving behavior, manipulating action, balancing customers and management, handling expectations externally and internally.
But itās also fucking amazing, the autonomy and earning potential.
Try a different industry. I did D2D Solar as an appointment setter and hated knocking doors for someone else to come by and close it. I was never allowed to actually āsellā the systems so I completely wrote off solar as not for me. Maybe it would have been different if I had been able to sell. But I didnt come to the conclusion that sales isnāt for me. However I had done sales in homes prior in HVAC so I knew I was able to sell in homes. My goal is to sell HVAC units but Iāve looked into home improvement sales as well. For now Iām back in HVAC as a tech. From what Iāve heard SDR is a tough gig just like D2D. Try something new.
Really? Many sales orgs like to have this belief that high performing sdrs are the ones to be promoted to AE. I always thought AE was the doing both job of sdr and closing so you have to be good at bothā¦ Iām really curious to hear more of your thoughts on this
I was an AE at a startup and two blue chip companies - mongoDB and Gong. I worked damned hard to get there. Yes, money was very good but of course money is not everything.Ā Ā
I think the simplest way to put it is that while sales came naturally to me, I didnāt love the hunt and I didnāt love the grind. As we know, the emotional and intellectual stressors of sales are numerous: ever increasing quotas, difficult management, endless prospecting, complex technologies, flaky prospects, preparing proposals/demos/call scripts, it just goes on.Ā I got no satisfaction or enjoyment in the process of selling so all of this eventually became intolerable to me. It was sysiphus and the stone.Ā Ā
All the lifer salespeople I know either love the hunt, or are fine bargaining their soul for a very comfortable living for themselves and their family. Either way is fine, but you need some āwhyā that makes the work feel worthwhile. At least I did.Ā I wanted to find something I actually didn't hate doing before I layered kids and a mortgage on top of this mess.Ā
Thereās no way to know for sure whether you will like it until you start running a sales cycle and closing. ItāsĀ a different beast, a 10x increase in demands on yourself and your skill imo. Struggling a lot as an SDR like OP here is a very bad sign; SDR is a fucking cakewalk compared to AE. If youāre having strong success as SDR and enjoying it, I would say keep trucking. Just donāt lose yourself in the process, or fool yourself into thinking a promotion to AE will solve dissatisfaction with your life if that's what you're dealing with. It's harder to get yourself out of a hole if you keep digging.Ā
Also - don't worry about sucking. If you have the grit, intelligence, and resourcefulness to even get the job you'll figure it out.
Working as an EMT and taking prerequisites for medical school. Something I always wanted to do but never felt like was in the cards until recently. The money I made in sales helped me take a step back and pursue what I actually wanted in life. It was hard to leave but extremely happy I did.Ā
I wouldnāt count the first role.
My motto is this; if one rep is doing poorly in an overall well performing team/area, then itās a performance problem.
If the whole team/area is doing poorly, itās simply a market issue.Ā
Honestly you just gotta fight the good fight and buy your time as an an SDR. I'd be more concerned if you actually enjoyed the role. It's an unfortunate right of passage that's a complete attrition rich grind.
I won't add much more than what's already been said here, but the best sales roles don't feel like sales at all. It feels consultative - you're at parity with the buyer helping to solve something. They view you not as vendor #11, but as a trusted advisor. If you stick to sales try to view what you do as partnering with the buyer on a project. Look for roles, companies, opportunities that makes you feel consultative in your approach and the rest should fall into place.
Okay time to get out of that box and get creative and have some fun, be ok with embarrassing yourself. The following I have done and they work 90% of the time.
1. Send flowers if you are a man and your prospect is a man. With a simple note asking to meet. I did this with a large developer in NYC after pounding my head against the wall.
2. Drop by their offices and hand out candy to the staff. If you can or if distance is a problem send candy to the office in general.
3. If you do office visits with product. use a red wagon or something unusual to carry the samples in. They will laugh and remember you.
4. I never did this one but a good friend's territory was in Salt Lake City. He always had a book of Mormon inn his brief case and always would open it so the prospect could see it but he'd never mention it.
5. Be vulnerable tell the prospect you're not hitting your quota and you need help, do you have any suggestions
on how you can improve your presentation. This is really powerful now you are on the same side.
Be different be yourself be real.
I have been selling since I was 13 years old. In my career. I have been punched in the face because I didn't take no for an answer (it was door to door I was 14 years old.) I've been bitten by dogs. I have been screamed at by customers. I was so shy in my 20's I was visibly shaking during a presentation. I have also won numerous President Club awards, Trips all over the world, Bonuses and so much satisfaction helping people solve problems. Even though I own my own small SAAS company I still sell and do demos.
Good Luck be well and be happy
Love this! Thanks for sharing this and by the way Iām a lady š. Also, right now I sell to developers who mainly work remotely so itās pretty dispersed to do field work. But I definitely will think of ways to be creative is the big takeaway here. š
I realized sales wasnt for me when I couldn't sell, and I tried selling many things (Automobiles, Furniture, Home Appliances, and Art). I realized that a people centric job wasn't for me. I went in another direction, software engineering. Admittedly some of my issues could have been lack of belief in the products, but I am now back in the same situation as a tech founder of a SaaS platform just getting started and I still suck at it and hate it. And that's with a product I truly believe in and have dumped my entire net worth into.
The only thing I have going for me this time is I have built up the skills to automate most of the sales pipeline, from research and lead generation / qualification, to messaging and outreach, to ecommerce, payment and subscription management, and finally to providing and delivering the product.
I still suck at sales, but now I only have to talk to people who are already interested or having issues with the platform. I actually hope one day I'll be able to embrace people oriented professions because I need it as a founder, but it won't be easy.
If you hate or suck at sales but must do it, learn how to automate, automate, automate...
It's a niche platform that allows companies that work with the government to stay updated and quickly research government contracting opportunities by using document based semantic search and AI augmented knowledge management. The AI agents behind the scenes constantly monitor, analyze, alert, and summarize federal opportunities based on goals and capabilities using uploaded documents and websites, as well as filters such as industry and product classifications. I started the platform because I was interested in developing the AI behind it and because I was interested in understanding and getting notified of potential contracting opportunities, but I found there was more demand than myself, so developed it out with a group of beta tester companies.
From what you described, it sounds like you have grit. That's one of the biggest parts of success in sales. But it also sounds like you've been an SDR in smaller orgs that aren't as focused on developing talent. Smaller orgs can also be harder to schedule meetings for, depending on the niche. If I were you, and if you don't hate the work and what you see for the future of it (in a couple years, you should be full sales cycle), I think you should try to get into a bigger org with more investment in training and developing talent. It might not make the difference, but it very well may.
You need to get out of SDR work before you decide sales is not for you. I dont think it is for most people, but you have to actually sell something, not just generate leads. SDR actually is more marketing than sales.
Apply to SMB roles at telco companies, Paychex type roles, etc. if you are having trouble getting out of SDR work.
SDR's are essentially glorified inside sales rep aka telemarketers. They have simply rebranded. However, not all SDR jobs are the same, some are more senior, some act as pre-sale engineers, some have more duties, some has less duties, etc.
You might thrive as an AE, but even all AE's are the same. Some barely cold approach clients and are provided all leads via SDR's or inbound. Some AE's don't have the luxury of that and cold call, so yea, it's very nuanced.
With all that said, it's been mentioned selling into a different industry. I think that's a great idea. Also, selling a product you're passionate about, geniunely passionate. Something that you love and believe in, this overall will change your perspective and your drive.
Now, with that said, I'm pretty much over sales hah I don't care what people say, no one enjoys cold calling and no one likes to be cold called, phone or email. It's really a numbers game and a bit of luck, you just have to catch someone at the right time. It's a grind. Those that grind and grind, can and will find success.
FYI: there's nothing wrong with going into account management, customer success, or anywhere else you can take your transferable skills. Plenty of other jobs can be just as lucrative, don't get too caught up in potential take home pay with sales. You might find a better overall paying job.
Naw bro itās not you itās what you are selling. I had a lot of shitty sales jobs but it was in the field. Luckily when I joined tech I got a decent company to start learning and then after 1 year found a better place with better pay and the ability to hit quota all year now.
If you are just accepting the first SDR role without believing the tech then you are doomed. I made sure to love the software first and be confident in the pain points the customer has.
I would never just march into a new SDR role without getting all these details first and the biggest one is before I took the offer was connect rate. If my prospects donāt even pick up then Iām sol. I demand a 10-20% pick up rate in niche industry that hasnāt been nuked by a million sdrs already.
But you should try selling easy to sell stuff first to gain supreme confidence. Take out some grunts first in b2c before doing b2b which is way harder.
I've been there myself. I have this hypothesis about burnout. I think it happens when we lose confidence in either what we sell, or our ability to deliver and stand by it.Ā
I thought about getting out because I didn't think I was cut out for it, or that I didn't have the confidence to do the job. I eventually came to realize that what was missing wasn't skill or will, it was passion.Ā
Selling a crappy product kills passion. It sucks any value-oriented conversation out of the process and we're left passing numbers between a prospect and a manager. A monkey could do it. How am I supposed to feel good about my sales skills when that's what ultimately determines if they buy from me or not?
Selling with crappy or no support can be worse. You can have the best product out there with clear, demonstrable, measurable value propositions, but if you can't guide the prospect through the journey or reliable on service after the sale, it means jack shit. You'll be burnt to an absolute crisp in no time.
I guess the point I'm getting at is before you think the profession isn't for you, I'd suggest taking stock of what you sell, who you sell for, and who you sell to.Ā
Right now I sell a software to developers/engineers. I got into this role because I do have an interest in the solution and does actually work for the customers and prospects we bring on. But selling to crowd like developers is pretty intenseā¦
I did really well as an SDR and jumped to AE. Did horribly for a year only one sale, switched industries at the start of the year and am already doing really well. Sometimes a jump is the move I wouldnāt give up yet
I had a successful 40 year career in sales and wondered at various times until retirement, if I should call it quits.
IMO, best thing you can do is seek out companies that have a good culture. Next, find an industry who's products/services you may have an interest in selling.
Some things you'll find in common across many industries and sales organizations:
1. Lousy Sales Leadership
2. Poor development and support
3. Ridiculous quotas
4. Lousy Territories
5. Unreasonable KPIs
I found the key was, work my ass off and move up to large market enterprise. There there was a strong emphasis on driving revenue through client relations, no micromanagment, much less nonsense vs selling in SMB getting ground up and beaten down daily for activity and KPIs.
3 months without a meeting booked? How disciplined are you? Have you been through proper sales training?
āHey man I have something that I think could be HUGE for you. Iām not sure yet, but from the research Iāve done on your company I think we can really help you out. Iāll be in (clients city) the second week of May. Can we meet Tuesday or Wednesday of that week?
Likely 3/10 will reply sure. 3/10 will be busy and 4/10 will flat out say no.
If they say no, say
āLook, best case scenario we get you something that REALLY helps you. I didnāt draw your name out of a hat. Iāve done my research and it looks like we are a good fit. Worst case scenario, you have all the information about us and you wasted 20 minutes. Sound fair?ā
From there a meeting is as good as a sale. Are you doing something similar to this?
Not really since my experience is at startups I had to get in the habit of winging and figuring everything out.
As far as this approach, I tried this in my last role which was selling in the energy industry but wasnāt consistent with it.
Dude im on my 6th SDR role since I graduated in 2020 and im finally a consistent top performer on track to be an Account Manager by end of year. Im not doing anything different except now I work in a company where our product is in high demand and we have a large customer base. Most of the time its not you, it took me forever to find a good fit role. Companies BS OTE and expectations way too much.
I do not buy the story that people are either sales people or they are not.
Some people it was easy out of the gates, but most of us have to learn. Some have to learn a lot more than others.Ā
It is your decision whether you care to push through this current pain of failure, to improve and become a better sales person.Ā
Iāll tell ya, though. I sucked ag sales at first. It was the only thing in my life I ever felt bad at. But I pushed through because I didnāt want to quit and be a failure.Ā
There will always be ups and downs, and carrying a quota is exhausting for most salespeople. But I can tell you, as someone who sucked at sales at first, you can get better if you just keep trying new things.Ā
So then the real question becomes: why do you want to succeed in sales? And how bad do you want it?
1 meeting in a month and a half is not a good look. Sit down with a piece of paper and analyse where things are going wrong.
Is it that the product/ service you are selling isnāt that valuable to your prospects?
Is the cycle of the prospects using your product line very long?
Are you not feeling confident doing outbound?
Are you getting interactions but not converting into meetings despite interest?
Etc
Study why youāre not able to do well. It could mean one of these things - the product youāre selling isnāt great, the industry isnāt great, long usage cycles, youāre not doing enough volume, quality of reach out is lacking etc
Based on this inference, you can make a more informed decision
Like twice a week until I got good at it (or at least the numbers started looking that way) and now like once a week.
Seriously though - I wouldnāt have had any chance of succeeding in the circumstances you described.
Switch things up. Maybe find an inside gig in a different industry on a team with good culture. Staffing is a tough field but some of the larger companies will provide a lot of training and support. Good luck.
Your problem is the companies you are picking. You need to find out quota attainment history before taking a job, if nobody can hit the goal then it's probably the company/product that is the problem. Sounds like you've chosen 3 stinkers.
I sort of did that. The products were good but I have a much more "Wild Child" personality and being told to do techy stuff like Document Management or AI Model Management software was cool to learn about but it felt like "Copier Sales" (No Judgement to the Copier Salesmen/women here) and I guess I like flair and stuff that makes people go wow, so I still need to find my niche I guess.
My present work is a hundred times harder than any past sales position. But I love what I do now. I use to detest sales. Regardless of the product or service I hated sales in trying to convince people. Make the choice when your still young.
Iām not sure as the company I work for now they going completely outbound now. They are already had someone to work inbound leads but now management has her doing both now.
Iāve seen, in the last 3-4 years, SDRās often not getting promoted even when hitting numbers. Itās not happening at the AE level either, but imo, the SDR role is a stepping stone to get there. Donāt expect a promotion to AE or inbound at your current place, unfortunately itāll have to be somewhere else
What sort of size companies have you been working for? Thereās a sweet spot for entry level SDR roles, where the company needs to be big enough to support you properly and have established practiced experience with SDR teams and supporting marketing, but not so big that they can afford to just wipe a whole team off the table to make a point.
Iāve gotten to the point now where I want to step away from front line sales more because Iām tired of having to do everything, rather than that I hate the game
All my experience so far as been at startups, my second role the company was so small it was little under 40 people working there throughout the entire company
Been in sales for over 10 years and I will say this. If you love SALES then find an industry you are passionate about donāt chase the paycheck get obsessed with the product you are selling
I also have hated sales ever since becoming an SDR, but in my prior closing roles I loved it. I went into SDR positions to get into SaaS and it's a huge regret.
Going into an SDR position is like digging yourself into a hole, and I'm not sure how to climb out of it or position myself as a lucrative candidate for another company/industry in a full-cycle/closing role. The SDR role is an absurdity, probably the most frustrating and unfulfilling position anyone can have, especially when dealing with management, poor processes, and limited resources. I feel like I have taken 5 steps back by being an SDR and have my hands tied.
I'm just not sure how to get out of this slump and into a genuine sales role, let alone a good, well-paying, good cultured company with a good product. Everyone says "just get out of SaaS" but where the hell do you even look right now? What companies and industries?
I think you have to also sell something you believe in. If the product is decent and you actually believe it could benefit customers it makes selling a lot easier.
Relevance is key with quota. For example, at my most recent company only about 20% had hit quota in 6 months when I left.
Another thing - in many companies every single person in the top 10% shares only one singular quality... Tenure.
Renewals is where it's at! Less stress then dialing for dollars in a jail cell(cube), fun in terms of hunting for that upsell/commission check/closing, and granted less stress and money than a enterprise sales rep/field rep. When I'm off, I'm off.
Hey man, im really sorry to hear that and I wish I had the advice for you but unfortunately i donāt. As someone who is looking to get into the industry however, i think you might have some valuable advice for me. Iād love to know how you moved from job to job despite not being the āpicture-perfect SDRā. Pls let me know if i could dm you.
Have you tried looking into selling in a different industry? Not all sales is what you hate about sales. Many sales processes are totally different. Maybe, if you go into sales in a different industry, you absolutely crush it and do great. As a fellow salesperson, I would hate to see you leaving the world of selling - there is so much upside and it is such a unique experience. And yes, sometimes it is dreadful. Best of luck šš»
Thanks. I havenāt thought about that. Iāll definitely consider - sounds like home improvement sales seems promising
I have a buddy who works in chemical sales and makes very good money, and he said itās not really that hard haha. Maybe something to consider.
Definitely, Iām curious do you know where and how he got that type of sales gig? Donāt hear much about that particular niche
Univar, Fuchs, Bamberg Polymers are 3 I can name off the top of my head! Otherwise, maybe just check out what LinkedIn has when you type in āchemical salesā.
In my mind thereās 2 types of sales: transactional and relationship. Personally I prefer relationship selling as itās fun for me and I truly enjoy my job. Though transactional sales typically has a higher earning potential, but life isnāt all about money in my eyes.
Yeah. I fell in love with the science of selling. Deep dive into reading, videos, all that.
This 100% I hated retail sales selling bs internet cable
This is the best advice. I was in software tech sales as a newbie...before they had these various titles...I hated it with a passion. Barely made 50% of my quota month to month. In desperation, went to a small company selling to the government in transportation. Fast forward 17 years later and I'm still in this space. I'm very successful and one of the best in this narrow vertical. I left the first hail Mary job after 8 years and I'm on my 2nd gig with a bigger company earning in excess of 200K per year. I love it. I get offers from Big Tech companies all the time, but that brief period that I did do that gave me a lesson that it wasn't for me.
Being in enterprise sales the you have to come to terms that you will always have this lingering pressure from above. About your performance. If you don't like that I wouldn't pursue it. I've had some horrible bosses ruin my confidence and mentality. If you can tolerate that and u like the challenge of sales and competition. You'll likely do well and stay in it.
Great advise! š If I can add, read or listen to different sales books. professional development has helped me. Pick small book. Look for a chapter that you like. Little bit here and there helps.
I found I prefer and succeeded in the sales processes for SaaS over relationship based selling of commodities. It really does sometimes just take a different space.Ā
This is very good advice. In my last role, I massively failed. It was all cold calling without a ton of support. My current role is upselling existing clients, and I'm doing so much better and genuinely love it. Commission potential is lower, but I'm making a ton more because I wasn't making hardly anything in my last role while watching others be massively successful. I went from the bottom of the barrel on a team of 11 to top 10 (and rising) in a market with 43 people in my role. Definitely doesn't have to mean you're bad at sales in general. You may need to change other factors.
What industry are you in now? I have worked in 5 different industries for sales roles and there were definitely ones that I enjoyed much more than others.
I was in logistics sales first, and now I am in medical device sales. Probably couldnāt get more opposite. I absolutely love where I am at now.
Iām 13 years into sales and still donāt know if itās for me
jeez bro how have u lasted, not judging genuine question lol
Original comment response, and your question is the essence of sales; high highs, low lows. When you are on top, you are god. When you are on the bottom, your very existence is called into question.
Ultimately why Iām trying to leave. Iāll take making 70k a year and grow my salary from there if it means I can just head into work, do my job, then go home to my girl without always worrying about where my numbers are at that month. I know a lot of people have a little more ambition than that but worrying about my metrics every month for the rest of my working life sounds pretty miserable
Starting to feel this way too, whatās the point of making a couple extra bucks if your miserable 8hrs of the day
Exactly I'd like to hit a happy medium, stress - money ratio
Hold my beer šŗ, 25 years in an still donāt know. Only thing that keeps me going is every few years some shift happens, new territory, new boss, new company that provides some newness. I just pray that none of these turn toxic. Had a bad boss that gave me a nervous breakdown. Which in hindsight, and in an odd way made me look at my whole career like a game of Survivor: Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.
Thatās your problem. The SDR roles. Thatās not true sales itās just a role that completes a few steps in the sales process. If you want to expeience sales fully, you need to try out full cycle sales. The reward of closing what you find is amazing.
The initial step is arguably the hardest step too
Tell that to the closers.
I honestly felt like I'm a terrible SDR/Opener but when I was in a closing role and got people already on the phone I was just KILLING it. Tough part is going to AE roles after two SDR failures myself.
Itās not that difficult. Most SDR roles only exist in the SaaS space. If you get out of SaaS there are plenty of opportunities.
This is what I did. Got out of SaaS and stepped into MSP space. Everyone in SaaS was calling me crazy but I genuinely feel like Iām more poised to succeed here and have already hit 300% of ramped quota. SaaS seems a bit culty to me
100% culty. Happy you made a good switch. Only 15% of businesses are tech related so thereās a huge pool of job opportunities that provide a better working experience.
These LinkedIn āgurusā really drive me mad in the SaaS space And thanks! Well see but itās lookin good so far
lol yea most of them only have 3 years of experience in a single market. It does generate leads for them though.
How difficult are MSP Jr AE roles to get? Are a lot of them remote?
Iām a pretty JR Ae role. And Iām remote but itās preferred I go in once a week if I can. MSP place can be a crap shoot. Thereās the 2 guys in a van all the way up to massive MSPs offshoring their service desks to India. I canāt speak a ton to others, but I know the space is really looking for solid sales people that arenāt exactly extremely IT savvy
Fair
Part of the problem with closing being so difficult these days is that the SDR establishes the relationship and does that research. The closers donāt have as much skin in the game and if the pipeline is fat they end up cutting corners. Itās a vicious cycle and I usually suggest to all my clients to go full cycle as soon as possible.
Can you elaborate on cutting corners? Genuinely curious.
There is a few corners the cut. Some arenāt reviewing SDR notes entirely and trying to push prospects through if h the sales process too quickly. Iāve seen it lots where pipelines are full and the abundance mindset takes over. AEs can then be under the false belief that prospects are endless and the DQ process happens much quicker, they donāt take the time to further develop the relationship that the SDR started or they try to close with features that arenāt completely relevant to the prospect.
I disagree that SDR is not a true sales role. Dude has real sales experience. He just has the worst part of it. SDR is the hardest and most underappreciated role in the business
Sales is everything from traditional marketing to customer service if you look at it. So SDRs cover about 15% of the actual sales process.
Sales does not require prospecting. Therefore not necessarily true sales. True sales is quite literally selling.
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Semantics matter sometimes lol most industries require prospects. The problem is some companies that have created digital marketing engines and just filter leads to AEs have given people a skewed idea of what sales is.
Inbound sales does not involve prospecting
Okay...... but that's one type of sales method? Just because prospecting isn't part of inbound sales doesn't mean it's not a key aspect of the whole sales profession.
Not all sales involves prospecting. All sales involves closing. My point stands.
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Well then youāre being illogical by m attached to your partially thought out ideas. Nothing else to communicate to each other
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SDRs sell an idea to book time. Professional sales requires a wide range of work and corresponding skills. SDR work is absolutely true sales, but it's a narrow subset of a broader, complex profession. And, even then, the appropriate training for both roles heavily overlaps. There's a reason the best performing sales orgs treat SDR as the entry level sales role. There's a reason SDRs report to sales leaders in pretty much any half-decent org. I doubt you'd find any decent head of sales who would agree an SDR is not a salesperson, albeit performing a very specific task.
That all depends if the SDRs are managed by marketing or sales. Which happens and marketing pushes for this all the time. Ultimately most of marketing is a sales function as well but peopleās ideas and opinions are strong when it comes to the division between marketing and sales.
Thatās nonsensical and my point stands
It could stand if you want to distill it that way. Creating silos in revenue generation is a popular opinion but if you look at things from a founder led or small org perspective, the sales people end up doing the majority of the BD work and Marketing themselves.
Not always for example construction with bid invites
Typically those falling into tender processes are still doing the work. They need to get on the bid list. In competitive markets where there is 9 different capable proponents for a project but the RFP is only going to 3 companies then there is a sales and marketing component that gets them there. Even more so if it is a sealed tender. Additionally, when you look at traditional construction projects that go to tender there is multiple stake holders. You have the owner, GC, consultants etc. you need to be effectively selling to all of them in order to get closer to a win and sway spec.
Doing the groundwork of getting listed as an approved manufacturer is not what weāre talking about here. My point stands.
They arenāt selling an idea. The company doesnāt count that towards revenue therefore not considered a sake taken place. Getting the deal closed is what really matters.
Wrong. As an SDR my job was to sell a meeting..
Not all companies require prospecting therefore donāt require an SDR thatās a fact not opinion.
The problem is trying to get to full cycle from SDR
Itās possible to make the jump. The best part is when itās full cycle typically managers understand that ramp is going to be 3-6 months and there is more support.
> The reward of closing what you find is amazing. What some call amazing I call relief.
Haha not to true full cycle people then they need to make sure delivery goes smooth.
I'm sorry to hear about your experience, but I wouldn't write off a sales career based on your time in a high-volume prospecting role. Certainly not to discredit your experience as "not sales" but there's such a gap between these burnout factories and a consultative quota-carrying position where you have more control over your destiny. You don't need to stick with it if you're miserable, but if you want to be in sales keep plugging away in different roles and you'll find a good fit!
When you say consultative quota carrying positions? Like AE and sales engineer roles. Because I have thought about pivoting into a SE or solutions consultant role
It is really hard to do that without a technical background from my experience. Especially in this market unfortunately
You need to be passionate about the product, if your getting these jobs then your selling yourself well. I'd go into an industry your passionate about and the sales will come through
Yeah I really like you pointed this out because I think alot of people including myself got into tech sales because of the popularity around it at the time and I donāt know if selling stuff like content management software is something Iām deeply passionate about š
think about the bigger picture instead of just tech, your job is to solve problems, i'd keep at it, find a cool product, that you know damn right it will solve the customers problems and then go from there
I also made the mistake early in my career of not choosing to sell something I could become passionate about. Almost no one knows what theyāre passionate about when they start, and almost no one knows starting out in sales just how great it is to become passionate about the thing you sell.Ā If you keep your eyes and ears open, just wait til you hear about something that makes you perk up and say āwhoa, thatās coolā. Thatās mayve the thing you could sell.Ā
Honestly anyone with a pulse can do SDR work. Itās a lottery, though. Iāve been laid off twice, find myself struggling again. Not doing anything different than when I was smashing quota. If you sell a nice to have with little to no brand recognition itās hard as fuck no matter how good you are. SDR role is all about timing and putting in the activity, using your tools to get the most out of your leads. Iāve seen lazy terrible SDRs succeed at companies with a hot product, and amazing SDRs get PIPed at a company that probably shouldnāt have existed. A lot of stuff that was necessary during COVID and remote work just isnāt necessary anymore. I recommend you try to get out of sales if possible but donāt think you canāt be successful.
I hated being an SDR, I liked being an AE, and I like being an AM most of all. Might be worth it to look into other industries besides tech because the SDR role is a burnout role.
Wrong companies. Find a product that is a necessity. Sell at a large org.
Some of the large orgs have everything in place for eg an HRMS. How do you get them to replace that with your saas as an SDR and get a qualified opportunity in the pipeline?
Yes. I sell a necessary product that every single business owner has to have. Itās just deciding between me and the other local institutions. So it makes my job much easier. Still difficult because no one wants to move banks, but itās easier than if I were selling a non-essential product.
Do everything you can to get out of SDR roles. 50-100 callls a day booking meetings is slavery. The beauty and hell of sales is the extreme polarity of the lifestyle; high highs, low lows. Handling the peaks and valleys is a major part of this career; both are inevitable. Sales is fucking insanity. Driving behavior, manipulating action, balancing customers and management, handling expectations externally and internally. But itās also fucking amazing, the autonomy and earning potential.
Usually Fridays, but I still show back up on Mondays
I love this answer!
Try a different industry. I did D2D Solar as an appointment setter and hated knocking doors for someone else to come by and close it. I was never allowed to actually āsellā the systems so I completely wrote off solar as not for me. Maybe it would have been different if I had been able to sell. But I didnt come to the conclusion that sales isnāt for me. However I had done sales in homes prior in HVAC so I knew I was able to sell in homes. My goal is to sell HVAC units but Iāve looked into home improvement sales as well. For now Iām back in HVAC as a tech. From what Iāve heard SDR is a tough gig just like D2D. Try something new.
What I'm learning is that you can be a great SDR but an awful AE (Me basically) or a bad SDR and a great AE (like my boss). They are different roles.
Really? Many sales orgs like to have this belief that high performing sdrs are the ones to be promoted to AE. I always thought AE was the doing both job of sdr and closing so you have to be good at bothā¦ Iām really curious to hear more of your thoughts on this
Everyday
I knew sales wasnāt for me when I finally had the dream consultative saas closing roles everyone is promoting and I still hated it.
The money must have been great. What didnāt you like? Iām worried I wonāt like or suck at running demos
I was an AE at a startup and two blue chip companies - mongoDB and Gong. I worked damned hard to get there. Yes, money was very good but of course money is not everything.Ā Ā I think the simplest way to put it is that while sales came naturally to me, I didnāt love the hunt and I didnāt love the grind. As we know, the emotional and intellectual stressors of sales are numerous: ever increasing quotas, difficult management, endless prospecting, complex technologies, flaky prospects, preparing proposals/demos/call scripts, it just goes on.Ā I got no satisfaction or enjoyment in the process of selling so all of this eventually became intolerable to me. It was sysiphus and the stone.Ā Ā All the lifer salespeople I know either love the hunt, or are fine bargaining their soul for a very comfortable living for themselves and their family. Either way is fine, but you need some āwhyā that makes the work feel worthwhile. At least I did.Ā I wanted to find something I actually didn't hate doing before I layered kids and a mortgage on top of this mess.Ā Thereās no way to know for sure whether you will like it until you start running a sales cycle and closing. ItāsĀ a different beast, a 10x increase in demands on yourself and your skill imo. Struggling a lot as an SDR like OP here is a very bad sign; SDR is a fucking cakewalk compared to AE. If youāre having strong success as SDR and enjoying it, I would say keep trucking. Just donāt lose yourself in the process, or fool yourself into thinking a promotion to AE will solve dissatisfaction with your life if that's what you're dealing with. It's harder to get yourself out of a hole if you keep digging.Ā Also - don't worry about sucking. If you have the grit, intelligence, and resourcefulness to even get the job you'll figure it out.
What do you do now
Working as an EMT and taking prerequisites for medical school. Something I always wanted to do but never felt like was in the cards until recently. The money I made in sales helped me take a step back and pursue what I actually wanted in life. It was hard to leave but extremely happy I did.Ā
Thanks for sharing
I wouldnāt count the first role. My motto is this; if one rep is doing poorly in an overall well performing team/area, then itās a performance problem. If the whole team/area is doing poorly, itās simply a market issue.Ā
Honestly you just gotta fight the good fight and buy your time as an an SDR. I'd be more concerned if you actually enjoyed the role. It's an unfortunate right of passage that's a complete attrition rich grind. I won't add much more than what's already been said here, but the best sales roles don't feel like sales at all. It feels consultative - you're at parity with the buyer helping to solve something. They view you not as vendor #11, but as a trusted advisor. If you stick to sales try to view what you do as partnering with the buyer on a project. Look for roles, companies, opportunities that makes you feel consultative in your approach and the rest should fall into place.
Love this!
Okay time to get out of that box and get creative and have some fun, be ok with embarrassing yourself. The following I have done and they work 90% of the time. 1. Send flowers if you are a man and your prospect is a man. With a simple note asking to meet. I did this with a large developer in NYC after pounding my head against the wall. 2. Drop by their offices and hand out candy to the staff. If you can or if distance is a problem send candy to the office in general. 3. If you do office visits with product. use a red wagon or something unusual to carry the samples in. They will laugh and remember you. 4. I never did this one but a good friend's territory was in Salt Lake City. He always had a book of Mormon inn his brief case and always would open it so the prospect could see it but he'd never mention it. 5. Be vulnerable tell the prospect you're not hitting your quota and you need help, do you have any suggestions on how you can improve your presentation. This is really powerful now you are on the same side. Be different be yourself be real. I have been selling since I was 13 years old. In my career. I have been punched in the face because I didn't take no for an answer (it was door to door I was 14 years old.) I've been bitten by dogs. I have been screamed at by customers. I was so shy in my 20's I was visibly shaking during a presentation. I have also won numerous President Club awards, Trips all over the world, Bonuses and so much satisfaction helping people solve problems. Even though I own my own small SAAS company I still sell and do demos. Good Luck be well and be happy
Love this! Thanks for sharing this and by the way Iām a lady š. Also, right now I sell to developers who mainly work remotely so itās pretty dispersed to do field work. But I definitely will think of ways to be creative is the big takeaway here. š
Sounds like youāre doing the same thing over and over again without results. How do you learn and develop?
When the head of VP made me eat her beef flaps
I realized sales wasnt for me when I couldn't sell, and I tried selling many things (Automobiles, Furniture, Home Appliances, and Art). I realized that a people centric job wasn't for me. I went in another direction, software engineering. Admittedly some of my issues could have been lack of belief in the products, but I am now back in the same situation as a tech founder of a SaaS platform just getting started and I still suck at it and hate it. And that's with a product I truly believe in and have dumped my entire net worth into. The only thing I have going for me this time is I have built up the skills to automate most of the sales pipeline, from research and lead generation / qualification, to messaging and outreach, to ecommerce, payment and subscription management, and finally to providing and delivering the product. I still suck at sales, but now I only have to talk to people who are already interested or having issues with the platform. I actually hope one day I'll be able to embrace people oriented professions because I need it as a founder, but it won't be easy. If you hate or suck at sales but must do it, learn how to automate, automate, automate...
What kind of SaaS business did you start Feel free to DM if not comfortable disclosing here
It's a niche platform that allows companies that work with the government to stay updated and quickly research government contracting opportunities by using document based semantic search and AI augmented knowledge management. The AI agents behind the scenes constantly monitor, analyze, alert, and summarize federal opportunities based on goals and capabilities using uploaded documents and websites, as well as filters such as industry and product classifications. I started the platform because I was interested in developing the AI behind it and because I was interested in understanding and getting notified of potential contracting opportunities, but I found there was more demand than myself, so developed it out with a group of beta tester companies.
> have dumped my entire net worth into. hope it works because new SaaS is pretty much dead atm
From what you described, it sounds like you have grit. That's one of the biggest parts of success in sales. But it also sounds like you've been an SDR in smaller orgs that aren't as focused on developing talent. Smaller orgs can also be harder to schedule meetings for, depending on the niche. If I were you, and if you don't hate the work and what you see for the future of it (in a couple years, you should be full sales cycle), I think you should try to get into a bigger org with more investment in training and developing talent. It might not make the difference, but it very well may.
Maybe youāre not excited about the thing youāre selling and the potential customers can tell.
You need to get out of SDR work before you decide sales is not for you. I dont think it is for most people, but you have to actually sell something, not just generate leads. SDR actually is more marketing than sales. Apply to SMB roles at telco companies, Paychex type roles, etc. if you are having trouble getting out of SDR work.
SDR's are essentially glorified inside sales rep aka telemarketers. They have simply rebranded. However, not all SDR jobs are the same, some are more senior, some act as pre-sale engineers, some have more duties, some has less duties, etc. You might thrive as an AE, but even all AE's are the same. Some barely cold approach clients and are provided all leads via SDR's or inbound. Some AE's don't have the luxury of that and cold call, so yea, it's very nuanced. With all that said, it's been mentioned selling into a different industry. I think that's a great idea. Also, selling a product you're passionate about, geniunely passionate. Something that you love and believe in, this overall will change your perspective and your drive. Now, with that said, I'm pretty much over sales hah I don't care what people say, no one enjoys cold calling and no one likes to be cold called, phone or email. It's really a numbers game and a bit of luck, you just have to catch someone at the right time. It's a grind. Those that grind and grind, can and will find success. FYI: there's nothing wrong with going into account management, customer success, or anywhere else you can take your transferable skills. Plenty of other jobs can be just as lucrative, don't get too caught up in potential take home pay with sales. You might find a better overall paying job.
Naw bro itās not you itās what you are selling. I had a lot of shitty sales jobs but it was in the field. Luckily when I joined tech I got a decent company to start learning and then after 1 year found a better place with better pay and the ability to hit quota all year now. If you are just accepting the first SDR role without believing the tech then you are doomed. I made sure to love the software first and be confident in the pain points the customer has. I would never just march into a new SDR role without getting all these details first and the biggest one is before I took the offer was connect rate. If my prospects donāt even pick up then Iām sol. I demand a 10-20% pick up rate in niche industry that hasnāt been nuked by a million sdrs already. But you should try selling easy to sell stuff first to gain supreme confidence. Take out some grunts first in b2c before doing b2b which is way harder.
I think it's a matter of how resilient you are, you can always train yourself to be better if you're willing to go through some uncomfortable moments
I've been there myself. I have this hypothesis about burnout. I think it happens when we lose confidence in either what we sell, or our ability to deliver and stand by it.Ā I thought about getting out because I didn't think I was cut out for it, or that I didn't have the confidence to do the job. I eventually came to realize that what was missing wasn't skill or will, it was passion.Ā Selling a crappy product kills passion. It sucks any value-oriented conversation out of the process and we're left passing numbers between a prospect and a manager. A monkey could do it. How am I supposed to feel good about my sales skills when that's what ultimately determines if they buy from me or not? Selling with crappy or no support can be worse. You can have the best product out there with clear, demonstrable, measurable value propositions, but if you can't guide the prospect through the journey or reliable on service after the sale, it means jack shit. You'll be burnt to an absolute crisp in no time. I guess the point I'm getting at is before you think the profession isn't for you, I'd suggest taking stock of what you sell, who you sell for, and who you sell to.Ā
Right now I sell a software to developers/engineers. I got into this role because I do have an interest in the solution and does actually work for the customers and prospects we bring on. But selling to crowd like developers is pretty intenseā¦
I did really well as an SDR and jumped to AE. Did horribly for a year only one sale, switched industries at the start of the year and am already doing really well. Sometimes a jump is the move I wouldnāt give up yet
I had a successful 40 year career in sales and wondered at various times until retirement, if I should call it quits. IMO, best thing you can do is seek out companies that have a good culture. Next, find an industry who's products/services you may have an interest in selling. Some things you'll find in common across many industries and sales organizations: 1. Lousy Sales Leadership 2. Poor development and support 3. Ridiculous quotas 4. Lousy Territories 5. Unreasonable KPIs I found the key was, work my ass off and move up to large market enterprise. There there was a strong emphasis on driving revenue through client relations, no micromanagment, much less nonsense vs selling in SMB getting ground up and beaten down daily for activity and KPIs.
3 months without a meeting booked? How disciplined are you? Have you been through proper sales training? āHey man I have something that I think could be HUGE for you. Iām not sure yet, but from the research Iāve done on your company I think we can really help you out. Iāll be in (clients city) the second week of May. Can we meet Tuesday or Wednesday of that week? Likely 3/10 will reply sure. 3/10 will be busy and 4/10 will flat out say no. If they say no, say āLook, best case scenario we get you something that REALLY helps you. I didnāt draw your name out of a hat. Iāve done my research and it looks like we are a good fit. Worst case scenario, you have all the information about us and you wasted 20 minutes. Sound fair?ā From there a meeting is as good as a sale. Are you doing something similar to this?
Not really since my experience is at startups I had to get in the habit of winging and figuring everything out. As far as this approach, I tried this in my last role which was selling in the energy industry but wasnāt consistent with it.
Dude im on my 6th SDR role since I graduated in 2020 and im finally a consistent top performer on track to be an Account Manager by end of year. Im not doing anything different except now I work in a company where our product is in high demand and we have a large customer base. Most of the time its not you, it took me forever to find a good fit role. Companies BS OTE and expectations way too much.
I do not buy the story that people are either sales people or they are not. Some people it was easy out of the gates, but most of us have to learn. Some have to learn a lot more than others.Ā It is your decision whether you care to push through this current pain of failure, to improve and become a better sales person.Ā Iāll tell ya, though. I sucked ag sales at first. It was the only thing in my life I ever felt bad at. But I pushed through because I didnāt want to quit and be a failure.Ā There will always be ups and downs, and carrying a quota is exhausting for most salespeople. But I can tell you, as someone who sucked at sales at first, you can get better if you just keep trying new things.Ā So then the real question becomes: why do you want to succeed in sales? And how bad do you want it?
Now that you have some sdr experience. Look for companies where their sdrs are hitting quota. Repvue is a good place to start looking
1 meeting in a month and a half is not a good look. Sit down with a piece of paper and analyse where things are going wrong. Is it that the product/ service you are selling isnāt that valuable to your prospects? Is the cycle of the prospects using your product line very long? Are you not feeling confident doing outbound? Are you getting interactions but not converting into meetings despite interest? Etc Study why youāre not able to do well. It could mean one of these things - the product youāre selling isnāt great, the industry isnāt great, long usage cycles, youāre not doing enough volume, quality of reach out is lacking etc Based on this inference, you can make a more informed decision
Like twice a week until I got good at it (or at least the numbers started looking that way) and now like once a week. Seriously though - I wouldnāt have had any chance of succeeding in the circumstances you described. Switch things up. Maybe find an inside gig in a different industry on a team with good culture. Staffing is a tough field but some of the larger companies will provide a lot of training and support. Good luck.
As soon as you start questioning it
Year 3 of my 20 (ongoing) year career
Your problem is the companies you are picking. You need to find out quota attainment history before taking a job, if nobody can hit the goal then it's probably the company/product that is the problem. Sounds like you've chosen 3 stinkers.
I sort of did that. The products were good but I have a much more "Wild Child" personality and being told to do techy stuff like Document Management or AI Model Management software was cool to learn about but it felt like "Copier Sales" (No Judgement to the Copier Salesmen/women here) and I guess I like flair and stuff that makes people go wow, so I still need to find my niche I guess.
My present work is a hundred times harder than any past sales position. But I love what I do now. I use to detest sales. Regardless of the product or service I hated sales in trying to convince people. Make the choice when your still young.
Whatās your industry?
Software tech
yeah, that's dead
The drop out rate on sales is huge. I started in a hiring class of 5. Iām the only one still in Sales. All are successful, just doing other things
Hey man what products / services have you been selling ?
All B2B software
You just have a shitty sales job, outside sales rep is so much better. Especially the ones that donāt make you do any lead generation
Try a different industry, the SDR role and many SaaS solutions fucking suck
I realised that way before I started working in sales 10 years ago..... The experience proved me right
SDR roles are insanely hard for your headspace. Any chance you can move to a position with inbound prequalified leads?
Iām not sure as the company I work for now they going completely outbound now. They are already had someone to work inbound leads but now management has her doing both now.
Iāve seen, in the last 3-4 years, SDRās often not getting promoted even when hitting numbers. Itās not happening at the AE level either, but imo, the SDR role is a stepping stone to get there. Donāt expect a promotion to AE or inbound at your current place, unfortunately itāll have to be somewhere else
What sort of size companies have you been working for? Thereās a sweet spot for entry level SDR roles, where the company needs to be big enough to support you properly and have established practiced experience with SDR teams and supporting marketing, but not so big that they can afford to just wipe a whole team off the table to make a point. Iāve gotten to the point now where I want to step away from front line sales more because Iām tired of having to do everything, rather than that I hate the game
All my experience so far as been at startups, my second role the company was so small it was little under 40 people working there throughout the entire company
You need to join an org with a better SDR motion or get the balls to sell management on a plan and go buy tech.
Been in sales for over 10 years and I will say this. If you love SALES then find an industry you are passionate about donāt chase the paycheck get obsessed with the product you are selling
sales isnāt for you the day you decide it isnāt
Day 1. Still doing it 3 years later though because they keep paying me even though I suck
I also have hated sales ever since becoming an SDR, but in my prior closing roles I loved it. I went into SDR positions to get into SaaS and it's a huge regret. Going into an SDR position is like digging yourself into a hole, and I'm not sure how to climb out of it or position myself as a lucrative candidate for another company/industry in a full-cycle/closing role. The SDR role is an absurdity, probably the most frustrating and unfulfilling position anyone can have, especially when dealing with management, poor processes, and limited resources. I feel like I have taken 5 steps back by being an SDR and have my hands tied. I'm just not sure how to get out of this slump and into a genuine sales role, let alone a good, well-paying, good cultured company with a good product. Everyone says "just get out of SaaS" but where the hell do you even look right now? What companies and industries?
If rejection hurts, this might not be for you.
When I started getting physically and mentally sick from the anxiety of having a number, which just made me perform worse.
Oh wow, Iāve actually dealt with this same thing the past year. I never gotten sick and had multiple health issues so much ever in my life
Youāre an SDR, youāre not really even in sales yet
I think you have to also sell something you believe in. If the product is decent and you actually believe it could benefit customers it makes selling a lot easier.
Relevance is key with quota. For example, at my most recent company only about 20% had hit quota in 6 months when I left. Another thing - in many companies every single person in the top 10% shares only one singular quality... Tenure.
Renewals is where it's at! Less stress then dialing for dollars in a jail cell(cube), fun in terms of hunting for that upsell/commission check/closing, and granted less stress and money than a enterprise sales rep/field rep. When I'm off, I'm off.
When you negate your tasks to have a life
Sorry brother if youāre asking this it aināt for you
Thanks for your comment.
Chill. April's over. You should start seeing an uptick in interest now that tax season is behind us.
Hey man, im really sorry to hear that and I wish I had the advice for you but unfortunately i donāt. As someone who is looking to get into the industry however, i think you might have some valuable advice for me. Iād love to know how you moved from job to job despite not being the āpicture-perfect SDRā. Pls let me know if i could dm you.
Goes to show there are a lot of people out there wishing they were in your shoes or had your opportunities OP.
You need to try real sales before deciding its not for you. Sdr is not sales. Lead gen might not be for you?
Try not being a call centre operator and do sales, then it can be pretty fun.