Any INFJ/INTJ salesmen and saleswomen

[Sensiko]

Anyone in sales or another extroverted career?

So about a year ago I was in between teaching jobs and my father in law invited me to join the family business. I would get to work with my husband and be close to home! Yesss! The catch? High dollar sales! Down and dirty cold calls, meet n greets, high pressure sales tactics in an industry I knew zero about. I sold makeup behind the counter in college and hated every second of it. So I agreed and I had a the feeling everyone including myself didn't think I'd last. I gave it a go for my husband's sake because we've always wanted to work together but never had the opportunity.

So I've been at it now a little over a year and I'm doing really well, god willing! I'm kicking everyone's butts and am #1 in sales. I attribute my success to the same personality that shyed away from sales. My customers say I'm genuine, easygoing, and am very organized. It also helps that I'm a younger girl in an old boy's club. People my age and women would rather work with me. It's hard to be an introvert in such an outgoing career, but it can be done when push comes to shove if the reward is worth it.

Anyone else have a story?

 

[bickelz]

I work retail as one of my jobs. I hate trying to sell people stuff they don't need even though i know I could do it well if I put effort into it but instead I work in the back with the boxes, much better.

 

[invisible]

i work in retail. i don't like the sales component at all. i'm a worker drone in a large store where i don't have to be concerned with budgets. i previously worked in a small shop and i truly hated it. when i was in a a good mood i would make better sales than anyone, but after my mood turned a bit sour and i had decided i wanted to leave my job in the store my sales became the worst. even though it was a not-for-profit that i was working for i still couldn't maintain that positive attitude, i just lost it. customer service is totally fine, i just hate actively selling. i'm lucky to work in a large bookstore that does fantastic business by default mainly due to its location and presentation so i can concentrate on making the shelf locations attractive and organised.

do you believe in the integrity of the product you're selling? do you ever feel worn down or tired out?

 

[Sensiko]

do you believe in the integrity of the product you're selling?

I don't sell a pre-existing product, we produce pretty much a custom product. Unlike teaching, I have to relinquish responsibility of production to others, which drives me crazy because 80% of the time they f*** it up even with all of the protocol that's set up. It seems as though I'm constantly forced sell s** I'm not happy with and because I'm new and don't have clout, I have to sell it. I've been pushed to my red zone so many times about this, which so stressful and emotionally draining b/c I have to call out and confront people. It sucks especially when I first started, but I feel a better person for it because I can deal with arguments so much more effectively. For me I have to anticipate what they'll say and formulate my counters beforehand as well as backing up everything in writing. I get too emotional otherwise and looking "weak" is not an option. That happened once and I will not allow myself to act that way again.

do you ever feel worn down or tired out?

Yes! Going to any job is "acting" for me. It's a character I play and I should get an Academy Award, but it's very draining. When I was teaching this was more so true, but I was still more or less in character as the "warm and fuzzy" teacher. But in my current situation, I really have to stand up for myself because unlike education, the rest of the working world will steamroll over you. So I have a new character to play, the bitch. Playing her is much more difficult and draining, but once I perfect her, I'll have people jumping around to get my jobs done right. I'm already seeing the difference in attention to my jobs than when I started out. It's just how it works in this industry.

 

[Lerxst]

Funny thing is, I've always argued I'm a great salesperson, but my bosses hate me. I can make a genuine connection with the people I'm selling to, but if I disagree with the product, procedure, quality, etc. I'll intentionally not sell something or down-sell an item.

People used to ask me for computer advice and what they should get while I was working as a tech and I'd always give them the cheapest alternative that my company sold. Questions like, "Should I upgrade to the 10Mb connection?" when I could see they spent minimal time online only checking e-mail, I'd give them the honest answer to, "You'd just be wasting your money."

Customers loved me for this! I got so many "kudos" sent up to my managers every week, you would have thought I would have been Employee of the Month. Instead, I'd usually end up getting penalized, reprimanded and/or written up at the end of each month for "not handling the situation(s) properly".

Cold-calling, direct marketing, "pushing" people into purchases to me, are a waste of words. I like writing, reading and even giving presentations and speeches, but each word out of my mouth has some greater meaning and purpose behind it - there's an end-goal in mind that usually involves a "cause" of some sort. The only "cause" I ever found in sales was to make money and I could never justify the emotional cost of selling out everything I believed in for a paycheck.

 

[justeccentricnotinsane]

I was good at sales. I did a trial period. They offered me the job. I told them where to go. It depends what kind of sales you're doing. My experience was essentially just of exploiting the lonely and depressed. It was door to door sales. These are the people that want someone to talk to.

 

[Faye]

As part of my job last summer I had to sell stuff.

I hated it, and I pray I never have to do it again. I need a job where I don't have to work so much with customers or spend so much time talking on the phone.

 

[technics]

I don't think I'm good in selling goods, but I can sell plans/strategies. And if they don't buy it, I use it against them. QED.

 

[jupiterswoon]

I have this great ability to be sincere, creative, and very emotive, which are relatable traits for customers. If I believe in what I am selling, I can sell it with great gusto- if I don't then I am lack-luster, and have an impossible time getting excited about whatever it is- specifically warranties.... I can sell cameras like crazy though.

When I worked in a cafe, I always resisted selling drinks that have high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils, I also didn't like up selling bigger drink sizes because I was worried about the health of the individuals I saw everyday. I created great bonds with the customers, and people really loved me and remembered me years later when I worked at different jobs.

As far as selling goes in general, I have realized that it is a necessary skill, and the one thing is energy- how do I maintain it? Usually I get drained and tired of speaking to customers/coworkers. What I do every day is during lunch I go for a walk and get my joints moving, and then get an americano or a latte, and take some deep breaths. I go back to work energized, make it through the day, then walk or bike home from work, take a good half an hour to an hour, and then I'm fine. It's all about taking that time for myself and processing my thoughts, then keeping up with my passion- whatever my passion is, if I lose my passion and I don't get time for myself I get very depressed and lack luster. It's that simple, it's just a job after all.

 

[KNiFe]

I was expecting a visit from ISP because I moved recemtly. Well, there was a person behind my door at that time frame. I let him in and it turned out to be door to door vacuum salesman.

Well, he started immediatiately and I was frustrated. I decided to fool him and acted as I was intrested in that. That stuff was so much full of BS. Incredibly expensive stuff for just about nothing! I feel kind of bad about faking it but it killed some time. Actually mainstream sales speech is absolute turn off for me.

That kind of job graves for very low moral values and disreagard others well being. I would rather kill myself than do kind of job. For more regular non pushy sales that is a different story.