Men Are Better at Selling than Women

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  1

  Ian P

  06/25/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Men Are Better at Selling than Women

  I have a slightly different take on this topic, based on pure observation.
  Over the years I guess that the male/female ratio of sales reps approaching my company is about 60% men and 40% women and their success ratio is roughly in line. (This is a general perception as I have never really kept count).
  However over the past 20 or so years I have had to fire 9 members of my various purchasing teams for corrupt practices that seriously affected the company.
  3 men for taking large bribes and allowing it to affect their judgment on key buying issues. The sales staff giving the bribes were also men. 6 women for allowing sexual relationships with male sales reps to affect their decisions in a serious way.
  The obvious inference here is that male buyers are corrupted by money and women by sex. This is counterintuitive based on common perceptions that a good looking female will always win in sales.
  In practice what happens is that men buyers tend to look at a gorgeous female rep (and there are many) and get distracted for a limited period, but gradually realign their attitude and end up 'taking the money'. The women however tend to see a hunky rep as an opportunity and 'play for keeps'.
  I have to say that in all cases I did not treat the taking of money or sexual favours as the reason for dismissal, it was the hurt to the business of corrupt decision making that caused me to release all 9.
  
  So to get back to Geoffreys post. As all the sales reps involved were men, they are clearly more effective at corrupting the sales process than women.
  
  Ian

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  2

  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  06/25/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Men Are Better at Selling than Women

  Re: Note 1:
  Interesting. I usually don't think about corruption in a context of gender. I do think that using a false promise of sexual contact is manipulative behavior, though. That's not the same thing, of course, as simply looking attractive and dressing well. I mean, what's the alternative? Wearing a fright wig? It's when general attractiveness slips over into fake flirting that it becomes inappropriate.
  
  The whole thing about bribes I don't get at all. Making money by taking a bribe is like winning a game by cheating. It's not really winning, so where's the satisfaction? I suppose if my family were starving, I'd consider it, but anybody who's even moderately good at sales can earn a living, even a bad economy. So what's with the bribes? Doesn't make any sense.

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  3

  Sid Herron

  06/25/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Men Are Better at Selling than Women

  Wish you'd had a "neither" choice on your poll..

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  4

  kjphillips

  06/25/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Men Are Better at Selling than Women

  I'd like to know why, in this day and age, we are even bringing up the difference in gender?

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  5

  Ian P

  06/26/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Men Are Better at Selling than Women

  Ref note 2
  Bribery isnt about satisfaction - to the salesman it may be about winning but to the corrupt buyer, who often initiates the transaction through sly hints and even outright demands, its about the 'flash' lifestyle, believing you will always get away with it and personal hubris. Just take a look at the UK's parliament for a quick view on what 'believing you are worth it' has done to the personal standards of so many.

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  6

  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  06/26/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Men Are Better at Selling than Women

  Re Note 5:
  Gee, and here I thought people ran for Parliament because they wanted to yell loudly in the background during meetings without having Tourette's.