Encouraging diversity in the workplace is increasingly seen as a way of making companies stronger in the modern business environment. One key area of diversity is encouraging women to enter and excel in traditionally male-dominated fields. Sales is one such arena.
NewBase 25 March 2024 Energy News issue - 1710 by Khaled Al Awadi_compress...
Women In Sales Awards, North America
1. Women in Sales Awards / North America 1
Women in Sales
Awards
The
Christina
Lammers,
the most
distinguished
sales woman
of 2015
May 2015
big deals and
high heels:
Why Women Are
Naturals at Selling
Believe
in yourself
Know the qualities you
bring to your role
Brianne Drewry
North america
WINNERS
2015Meet
the
2. 2 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
CONGRATULATIONS FROM BACARDÍ, PROUD SPONSORS
OF TONIGHT’S CELEBRATIONS.
T O T H O S E W H O ’ V E
GLASS
T H E B A R
RAISED
R A I S E A
3. Women in Sales Awards / North America 3
I
would like to start by saying thank you to everyone who attended and
supported the inaugural Women In Sales Awards, North America.
Awards such as this provide us with the opportunity to share our
experiences, learn from one another, and it contributes to the progress
of workplace diversity in a positive, cooperative manner.
I always enjoy our awards dinners because they offer a rare opportunity to
reflect upon the achievements and important contributions women have
made and continue to make toward sustaining and improving working
lives and our standards of living.
Congratulations to all the finalists and the winners. Your success at this
year’s event would not have been possible without the leadership and
foresight of your companies. The fact that they took the time to nominate
you shows their commitment to you and their confidence in your ability
as sales professionals. Thank you to all the companies who have shown
their support for the women in their sales teams.
Thank you to Bacardi who sponsor the drinks reception for the awards
globally, our media partners for their support in launching this inaugural
event and to my team for their tireless efforts in making sure the event
runs smoothly.
To all the finalists and winners we hope you will use your success to
encourage more women to consider careers within sales.
Thank you all and we look forward to seeing you in 2016.
Afi Ofori
Managing Director, Zars Media
Welcome
4. In this magazine
Believe in yourself.
Know the qualities
you bring to your role.
Brianne Drewry
A Tribute to Women in
Sales: 3 Game-Changing
Saleswomen
No One Majors in Sales
Women in Sales:
Moving Beyond
Outdated Thinking
on Your Path to Success
Judges Profiles & the
Judging process
2015 Women in Sales
Awards Finalists
Don't Be A Bull
Sales Recruitment –
Place Your Bets please…
Today Rainmakers
Are Sharing Online
Big Deals and High Heels:
Why Women Are Naturals
at Selling
Women in Sales: Common
Challenges and Common
Sense Solutions
Mind the Gender Gap!
Women in Sales: Starting
Your Career
Ace More Sales
The Winners
6.
8.
10.
12.
20.
24.
51.
14.
46.
48.
16.
54.
56.
58.
28.
Developing Tomorrow’s
Leaders
60.
Jason DeAmato is the Creator and Co-Author of the Amazon Bestseller,
The Pocket Guide for Sales Survival. Jason has worked in sales his whole life
starting in his mother's used clothing store when he was 13 years old. He is
currently the Vice President of Sales for Mesa Natural Gas Solutions. Prior
to that he was the Director of Sales Training at EF Education First, the world
leader in experiential learning and international education. He has held
Director roles in finance, medical equipment, and started his first outsourced
sales and marketing firm in his twenties. He has spoken all over the world
to audiences native to over 30 countries worldwide. His original idea for The
Pocket Guide for Sales Survival stemmed from feeling a desperate need to have
all the rules he learned in his sales career in one place. Jason adores talking
sales with other sales geeks and believes with the right attitude, instinct and
hard work you can be as successful as you desire. Fun Fact - The Pocket Guide
for Sales Survival has sold more in Russia, Europe and Asia than it has in the
United States.
Jason DeAmato
Vice President of Sales, Mesa Natural Gas Solutions
Creator and Co-Author of the Amazon Bestseller,
The Pocket Guide For Sales Survival
CEO and Founder - The Island of Sales
8.
16.
Keynotes
5. Women in Sales Awards / North America 5
Having spent close to two decades in direct (inside/outside) sales,Randy has
held roles as a field rep,inside sales rep,trainer,manager,district manager,
regional manager,Director of Sales,Vice President and Owner. His hands
on experience,coupled with his learning's from failing hundreds of times
along the way...is his greatest asset. Randy currently oversees the entire sales
engine for a High-Tech,Award winning software company in downtown
Boston,Curata,Inc. With two decades under his belt of selling and building
teams,his passion for sales continues to ensure a consistent and predictable
growth in his customer base at Curata as well as those companies he consults
for. Randy is the co-author of the Amazon Bestseller,The Pocket Guide
For Sales Survival which is used by sales managers and salespeople around
the world. Randy loves helping sales professionals increase their closing
percentages and confidence level. Fun Fact - The Pocket Guide for Sales
Survival was shot down by a handful of literary agents and publishers before
Jason and Randy decided to self-publish. Shortly thereafter,the book rose to
Amazon Bestseller status in multiple categories.
Randy Bernard
Head of Sales, Curata, Inc.
Co-Author of the Amazon Bestseller,
The Pocket Guide For Sales Survival
Vice President, The Island of Sales
Dana's career spans 20 high-performing years in senior
leadership, consultative technology sales, and business
development roles across North America, including
AT&T, Cisco WebEx, Vidyo, and PGi. She has
inspirationally led teams, big and small, while serving
valued customers across a multitude of industries from
lean start-ups to large Fortune 500's.
Dana earned her Master's Degree in Organizational
Management from University of Phoenix, and her
Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies from
California State University, Sacramento.
Dana Mata
Head of Business Development,
Zoom Video Communications
48.
56.28.
On The Cover:
Christina Lammers,
The Most Distiguished
Woman of 2015
8 Heathfield Court Fleet,
Hampshire GU51 5DX
England
Tel.: 01252612025
info@wisawards.com
The Women In Sales
Awards Magazine
is published
by Zars Media
Women in Sales
Awards
The
Christina
Lammers,
the most
distinguished
sales woman
of 2015
May 2015
big deals and
high heels:
Why Women Are
Naturals at Selling
Believe
in yourself
Know the qualities you
bring to your role
Brianne Drewry
North america
WINNERS
2015Meet
the
6. Tell us about your role at Bacardi?
I’m currently the Director of Commercial
Planning & Analysis, On Premise for
Bacardi’s U.S. business, which makes me
part of a larger Customer Marketing team.
Customer Marketing is a relatively new
function within the Bacardi organization
and it’s been exciting to get in on the
ground floor of a team that is integral to
changing how Bacardi goes to market with
its iconic portfolio of premium spirits. My
team is responsible for bridging the gap
between brand strategy and the sales team’s
commercial execution of the plan. No day
is the same in my role and I love being able
to work cross-functionally with colleagues in
multiple departments.
Have you always worked in sales?
I actually started in Finance right out of
college. However, I realized that I wanted
to work with tangible products rather than
financial instruments and have a more
impactful role in the revenue producing part
of a business. That decision took me toward
consumer packaged goods and eventually
spirits. I have worked in a variety of sales and
marketing roles during the past 10 years.
In your opinion, what’s the number 1 thing that
makes a woman successful in sales?
While there are many benefits of leadership
styles of women in sales, when faced with a
problem or a sales opportunity, women tend
to work toward a collaborative solve rather
than a one-sided solution.
What sales skills can women best cultivate to
work in the drinks industry?
The one piece of advice I give to any woman
starting out in her career is to familiarize
herself with the financial side of the business.
Financial acumen is not a gender specific skill,
but this is an area I often see women shy away
from more so than their male counterparts.
In order to really understand the business,
though, you need to understand the financial
metrics that drive profitability. That doesn’t
mean you need to be an expert but take the
time to familiarize yourself with the P&L.
What kind of career growth options do you
think women starting out in sales at Bacardi
should know about?
Since Bacardi is a family-owned company,
we tend to be more entrepreneurial. In such
a work environment, I’d counsel women to be
more open to new experiences and positions.
Brianne
Drewry
Director of Commercial
Planning & Analysis
– On Premise
Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.
Believe inKnow the qualities
6 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
7. Women in Sales Awards / North America 7
A career is a marathon, not a sprint. So
the best “next thing” for you might not be
your boss’s position or the role that adds
“Senior” in front of your current title. The
more diverse your base of experiences, the
better prepared you will be for a changing
landscape. Don’t be afraid to do a rotation in
Marketing or Customer Marketing or work
on a cross-functional project with Finance &
Operations.
We also have a great opportunity to participate
in the Women in Leadership group – our
management team has correctly identified
the women at Bacardi as a resource worth
developing – not just because it’s the right
thing to do, but because there is a tremendous
pool of talented women who are instrumental
in driving Bacardi’s growth.
What opportunities are available at
Bacardi for women in sales?
Bacardi offers a great combination to its
employees: it is large enough to offer a
diversity of projects and job options, but
small enough to prevent people getting lost
in the shuffle. This allows you to continue
challenging yourself by trying a new project
or even working in a new region or a new role.
The important thing to remember is you can’t
rely solely on your manager to come to you
with opportunities; if you are interested in
a project or a role, you should speak up and
ask about it. Of course, you should be open
to the possibility that your manager might
identify areas of development for you that you
weren’t necessarily contemplating previously,
but it will help them (and you) if you are first
purposeful and vocal about what you want to
do and where you want to go.
Do you think gender diversity is important in
sales & leadership?
Absolutely. Our consumers aren’t exclusively
men so a sales and leadership team shouldn’t
be either.
Any advice to women considering
a career in sales?
Be humble and hardworking, but don’t feel
like you need to be more aggressive or more
stereotypically male in order to succeed.
Believe in yourself. Know that the qualities
you bring to your role are most likely exactly
the ones that are needed. If you find yourself
in a room where you are the only woman, take
it as an opportunity to show the unique skill
set and perspective you bring to the team,
as well as help pave the road for the second
woman that makes it into the room.
“If you find
yourself in a
room where
you are the
only woman,
take it as an
opportunity
to show
the unique
skill set and
perspective
you bring
to the team”.
you bring to your role
yourself
8. 8 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
A Tribute
to Women in Sales:
The tide is turning. Although still a male-dominated
field, sales has seen a fundamental shift the last decade.
With the advent of insight and relationship based selling,
an interesting trend has emerged – not only are we seeing
more women in sales, on top of that, they’re bringing in
more money.
With that, a look at the trailblazing saleswomen of years
past and present.
Claim to fame: With $5000.00 of her own money
Mary Kay Ash set out to build a company in which
women were rewarded for top sales. Today, Mary Kay
Cosmetics employs over 2 million consultants around the
world and generates over $2 billion of sales per year.
Context: After being passed up for a promotion
in which she was the top performing employee, Ash
identified an underserved market in direct sales – women.
Praise: “Mary Kay dreamed of a company in which
women would be paid what they were worth and not
what the job was worth. She had an unshakable belief in
us and what we are capable of doing.” – Carolyn Ward
“Everyone has an invisible sign
hanging from their neck saying,
‘Make me feel important.’
Never forget this message when
working with people.”
Mary Kay Ash
Kayla Kozan
Marketing Coordinator at Ideal Candidate,
Social Seller, Writer, Early Adopter,
Content Creator
Twitter: @kaylakozan @recruit_smarter
8 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
9. Women in Sales Awards / North America 9
3Game-Changing
Saleswomen
Claim to fame: Top selling Bugatti Veyron
salesperson in the world. In 2012, Krizsan broke records
by successfully closing 11 sales, totalling over $15
million.
Context: With a price tag of over $2 million, most
Veyron salespeople consider themselves lucky to shift two
to three a year.
Praise: “Customers love her. It’s a big relationship job.
She’s put a little bit of magic into it. She understands the
customers and puts them at ease.” – Derek Bennett
“Aftersales is key to ensuring customers
keep coming back … A child can sell
a car once. We want to see them again.
We have a Bentley customer from
three years ago and we still call
to see if they’re OK.”
Claim to fame: Dubbed the “Piano Matchmaker“,
top salesperson in the Steinway & Sons. Netted record $4
million in 1999.
Context: With the average Steinway & Sons piano
approximately $25,000, that’s 160 very expensive pianos
a year.
Praise: “It is not unusual for Feidner’s customers to
describe her as a force of nature. This is not because
they feel pressured by her but because after they meet
her many soon find themselves in the grip of musical
ambitions they never knew they harbored.” – The New
Yorker
“Every piano has a personality.
They’re born that way.”
Erica VanderLinde
Feidner
Anita Krizsan
Women in Sales Awards / North America 9
10. 10 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
No One
Majors
in Sales
11. Women in Sales Awards / North America 11
“A sales career plays
to a woman’s natural
strengths of connection,
collaboration and
preparation.”
Jill Konrath, author of AGILE SELLING
U
pon watching LinkedIn’s
‘Picture Yourself’
campaign, I was moved
to tears and tried to recall
what my energetic 10-year-
old self would have said. It
could have been a lot of things— Teacher,
Interior Designer, Hotel Manager—
three professions that require educating
and nurturing, creativity and planning,
coupled with organization and strong
communication skills. Flash forward
sixteen years later, and based on my
childhood dreams, I believe my career in
sales makes perfect sense. Why?
Wearethe sum of alllife’s
experiences
Let’s throw it out there — no one
majors in sales. Upon my freshman
year orientation at Butler University, I
wasn’t signing up for Sales 101 or Cold
Calling 107. If you were like me and
attended a Liberal Arts University, you
were probably signing up for classes
you didn’t think you needed. Classes
like Speech and Sociology—or the eye
opener, ‘Change and Tradition’. While
these classes didn’t make sense at the
time, it was here I gained confidence as a
communicator, expanded my knowledge
of human behavior and enlarged my
vision as a young woman; all crucial
skills in understanding the sales process.
Women are changingthe story
My sales career has allowed me and many
women to carve our own plans and venture
off the beaten path. Our confidence and
leadership ability has broken down the
fear of getting lost, and we are confidently
‘leaning in’ to new experiences. This
approach has provided a perfect forum for
a confident woman to venture away from
historically female dominated career paths
such as: Education, Communications and
Psychology. After college we’ve taken
the skills we learned in these fields and
stepped outside the box.
Jill Konrath, author of AGILE SELLING
affirms, “A sales career plays to a
woman’s natural strengths of connection,
collaboration and preparation.” Naturally,
women know how to read people and
forecast outcomes before they’ve even
happened. I’m the furthest person from a
scientist, but I strongly believe a woman’s
intuition is a “sixth sense” and huge
leverage in the sales process. In this recent
article, “Theories suggest that women
have an enhanced ability at reading facial
expressions and emotions; we are much
more likely to pick up on subtle emotional
messages and read things like tone of
voice and body language much better
than men.” This attribute is absolutely
transferable in helping women connect
with people, foster relationships, and
build rapport — all critical to a strong
foundation with a client.
Women are team players
We’ve uncovered the value of professional
relationships with other women and the
importance of building each other up, rather
than tearing each other down. I firmly
believe watching other women succeed has
turned me into a more confidant woman
in my own sales career. When my current
manager and pseudo life mentor, Lisa Killeen
co-founded Women at LinkedIn (W@LI)
she knew she wanted to build a support
network where women can face challenges
together. Whether it’s being a Mom for the
first time, being great at your job, or just
gathering another level of support that helps
you succeed, Lisa recognized the importance
of strong female relationships and having
champions on your side in the workplace.
Coupled with relationship building, my sales
career has allowed me to harness the key
foundational skills of good communication.
Whether it’s being consultative, showing
compassion or simply being prompt–
many studies argue women, in general,
communicate better. Whether it’s with a
spouse, partner, friend or client—women
have set the bar as effective communicators
while also embracing the power of a strong
social network.
Jill Rowley, Chief Evangelist and social seller
puts a spin on the ABC’s, “ABC = Always
Be Connecting. Your Network is Your Net
Worth.” I relate to this approach entirely as
a handful of people in my life started with
a 140 character conversation on Twitter or
an InMail on LinkedIn. Many meet cups
and cups of coffee later, my sales career has
grown exponentially due to the network I’ve
acquired.
While career paths for women continue
to evolve, my advice to other female
professionals is simple. Your life belongs to
you, and your career is your choice! If a career
path in sales interests you, stay up-to-date
with leading advice from other inspiring
#WomenInSales and share your thoughts,
questions or comments in the LinkedIn Sales
Solutions Group and by using the hashtag
#WomenInSales on Twitter. Don’t be afraid
to explore the unknown, gals; sometimes
venturing away from an intended career path
opens exciting doors.
How many times have
you been asked,
“What do you want to
be when you grow up?”
Likely the answer is too many
to count, and frankly it’s not
important. What is important
is that we are still pursuing
this question in our adult
lives, or at least a piece of it.
Abigail Dorsett
Renewal Specialist at LinkedIn
12. 12 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
E
arlier this year I had the pleasure and privilege of speaking
at a Woman in Sales dinner. In attendance were about 125
top female sales executives. I heard from the organizers
that some of the women invited didn't want to attend, since
they felt women should not be singled out from their male
colleagues. I disagree with that view, though I respect it.
In the end, I think the evening was well received, and the attendees
appreciated the value of women coming out to support each other.
I'd like to share some of the remarks I made that night pertaining
to the qualities of a great sales leader -- regardless of gender -- and
discuss a study that shatters some myths about gender stereotypes. In
a second installment, I'll relate what I hear from women across our
global sales organization about the challenges they face both in their
daily work and in advancing their careers, and offer my advice.
As more women advance in the workplace, it's becoming clear that
corporations seeking to achieve a balanced leadership agenda are
better off not trying to make women think and act like men. Instead,
they should be leveraging women's natural strengths. The received
wisdom seems to be that women typically excel in "soft" skills such
as collaboration, communication, empathy, rewards, and recognition,
while men are more about performance, pushing through obstacles,
and crisis management.
But a recent study published in the Harvard Business Review debunks
these polarizing stereotypes. The study surveyed 7,280 leaders and
ranked their effectiveness. It turns out women's advantages were not
confined to "soft" categories:
"At every level, more women were rated by their peers, their bosses, their
direct reports, and their other associates as better overall leaders than their
male counterparts--and the higher the level, the wider that gap grows.
Specifically, at all levels, women are rated higher in fully 12 of the 16
competencies that go into outstanding leadership. And two of the traits
where women outscored men to the highest degree-taking initiative and
driving for results-have long been thought of as particularly male strengths."
In other words, there's no reason for women to feel any less naturally
talented or suited to sales than their male colleagues. Nor should
women feel they need to stand on the strengths of empathy and
listening skills.
Now that we know both women and men can thrive equally in the sales
environment, let me share with you some steps you can take to succeed.
Have a positive
attitude
Great sales leaders have what I call
"followership," which comes from having
the kind of positive attitude that inspires
others. This doesn't mean being naïve while
facing complex situations. Rather, it's about
putting things in perspective and reminding
people we all have the tools we need to
succeed. Former New York City mayor
Rudy Giuliani speaks of having a positive
attitude even when faced with incredible
uncertainty -- and he should know.
1Start
Success
Debra Walton
Chief Content Officer at Thomson Reuters
Debra Walton is currently the Chief Content
Officer at Thomson Reuters and an executive
sponsor of the Thomson Reuters Women’s
Network. All views expressed are her own.
Follow her on Twitter @DebraAWalton
12 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
Women
Moving Beyond
on Your Path
13. Women in Sales Awards / North America 13
in Sales:
Outdated Thinking
to Success
Have a plan
It's difficult to create followership and
inspire others unless you have a clear set
of objectives and a solid plan to achieve
them. Numbers are often less impressive
than a clear and well-articulated story
about how they will be achieved.
Set Metrics
On the other hand, if you cannot
measure it, you cannot manage it. As
my colleagues know, I'm a bit of a drill
sergeant when it comes to sales metrics.
People may grumble about having to
produce them on a routine basis, but it
forces them to come up with a plan. For
a sales leader, plans and metrics are a
sign of engagement.
Be a coach
Taking on a leadership role does
not mean a sales person should step
back from customer -- and staff --
engagement. Too many sales managers
spend time in the office working on
administrative matters instead of going
out on sales calls with their staff. The
greatest sales leaders are great coaches,
and many, such as IBM chief executive
Ginny Rometty, were once teachers.
Be curious
This is a big picture idea. It's important
to be curious about your customers and
their business, but also about the company
you work for and what it has to offer.
Thomson Reuters customers want us to
listen to their needs, engage in dialogue,
and understand the business challenges
they face - but they want us to do so as
an informed participant able to bring our
knowledge and assets to the table. Sales
success often boils down to connecting
customer needs with your company's
capabilities. In the mix are curiosity,
learning, and engagement. Incidentally,
this also applies to the world outside the
office. Stay on top of current business
trends and world affairs, as these things
could well be affecting your clients'
businesses, and your familiarity with them
could give you an edge in the market.
Have fun
Leadership is about inspiring people
to want to come to work. Take time to
make work fun.
2 3
4
56
Women in Sales Awards / North America 13
14. 14 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
This past month I had the privilege to review the credentials of 10
dynamic women in sales. These accomplished women all were Aces.
They reaffirmed what I know to be true about how to “ACE” more sales.
Ace
Are you an Ace in sales? Do you engage
in systematic maneuvers to win the sales
engagement? How do you consistently
increase sales in today’s ever changing
marketplace?
More
Sales
14 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
15. Women in Sales Awards / North America 15
Imagine for a moment visiting the doctor with a headache. The physician
immediately orders you to undergo brain surgery without any X-Rays.,
MRIs or other diagnostic assessments. Would you heed the doctor’s
recommendation or quickly leave to find another doctor?
Top sales women engage in assessing the current situation as well as what
led up to it by researching the past. They do not jump in feet first thinking
they know where the bottom is.
This assessment process involves many factors and is not just relegated
to the current sales lead. Assessments extend into the sales team, the
operations of the business and current market conditions and even
sometimes the competition.
From the assessment, clarity evolves. Now the Ace saleswomen
know what to do and when it must be done. They also know how to
communicate what to do to the different departments or operations within
their respective organizations including:
• Customer service (customer retention)
• Marketing
• Management
• Outside vendors
• Sales
• Supply chain
Clarifying also requires collaboration and commitment from everyone else
who is part of the sales team. To ensure these other 2 Cs – collaboration
and commitment happen, Ace saleswomen apply emotional intelligence.
As sales leaders, emotional intelligence is becoming more and more
essential because as Zig Ziglar said “sales is the transfer of feelings.”
http://bit.ly/9FBtBX or Call 219.508.2859 CST-USA
and mention Women in Sales Awards.
The People & Process Problem Solver
www.increase-sales-coach.com
sales@processspecialist.com
Having clarity provides the opportunity for exceptional execution.
The time invested in assessing and clarifying reduces costly miss steps
and simultaneously wins more sales.
Results are the actions of execution in sales these results can be easily
measured. This is how established sales quotas are not only achieved,
but exceeded.
Leanne Hoagland-Smith
is THE People and
Process Problem Solver.
Clarify
Execute
Assess Women in sales know how to ace the
sales process. They are consistently
assessing, clarifying and executing
daily actions to stay on target and
ahead of the flow.
What was gratifying as I read the
resumes, the application and even the
LinkedIn profiles, I realized that today
there are a lot more women in sales
who truly are Aces. These women have
learned from their peers, their mentors
and their past experiences. They have
elevated B2B sales to a higher position
and in the process demonstrated
women can truly achieve sustainable
business growth for any organization
in any industry.
Note: The ACE Model is designed
and developed by Leanne Hoagland-
Smith. This simple model allows
business professional to separate the
symptoms from the hidden problems
and avoid costly miss steps that reduce
profits and impeded sustainable
business growth.
Do you want to ACE more sales?
Take this special offer to learn what you do well
and begin to monetize sales new opportunities.
For the last 18 years, she has supported forward
thinking leaders in bridging the gaps between the
two problems restricting strategic business growth
– people and processes.
Leanne can be reached at 219.508.2859 central
time USA. Follow her on Twitter or check out
her profile on LinkedIn.
16. 16 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
Why Women
Are Naturals
at Selling
and
16 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
17. Women in Sales Awards / North America 17
P
icture a recent college grad—a
painfully shy, young woman
who never dreamed she’d
have a successful sales career
spanning more than 35 years.
I was that girl. I believed
salespeople were life-of-the-party types. I
wasn’t like that, and I´m still not.
Thankfully, I had sales all wrong.
Salespeople build relationships. We’re not
the center of attention. We ask probing
questions, listen intently, have engaging
conversations, and make connections—
which is why women are great at sales. We
know how to build relationships. We are
hardwired to be nurturers, connectors, and
collaborators. So we don’t have to think
or act like men to become rainmakers. In
fact, many salesmen could take a lesson or
two from us.
Salesmen Understand Women’s
Greatness—and so Do Scientists
"The best salespeople I know are women."
That's what men tell me. Why? Because
women:
• Have intuition and actually trust it.
• See the complexities in a deal and dig
deeper to find the best solution for each
client.
• Build strong relationships and earn trust.
Neuroscience
backs up what
salesmen tell
me about
women.
Our brains
are wired
differently,
starting with
the corpus
callosum—the
center of the
brain. The
right and left
hemispheres in
women’s brains
have more
connective
tissue, so we move more easily between
right and left brain functions—in other
words, between thinking and feeling.
Our brains are always "on,” and we see
the big picture.
Women also build relationships differently
than men. We love to share stories and
delight in hearing the details, rather than
getting straight to the point or being told to
“net it out.” That's because the pre-frontal
cortex—the part of the brain responsible
for decision-making and consequential
thinking—is larger in women. We tend
Sales leaders know women have what it takes to
succeed in sales. According to the 2013 Xactly
Insights Gender Study of Sales, women in sales
outperform their male counterparts in:
• Loyalty (staying in their roles for nearly one year
longer than men)
• Quota attainment (70% vs. 67%)
• Overall leadership effectiveness (55% vs. 52%)
• Leadership effectiveness in sales (67% vs. 63%)
On average, however, men receive higher commission
rates than women (4.1% vs. 4.8%), and women receive
lower total variable and base pay. The math doesn’t
add up. After all the social progress of the last 50
years, why are leaders still undervaluing women’s
contributions?
And what can we do about it?
Figure 1 Female at rest Figure 2 Male at rest
to consider the long-term implications of
any decision, where men tend to focus on
results and completing tasks.
We are also curious creatures; we love to
“peel the onion” and get to the root cause
of a problem. Maybe that comes from
being mothers and aunts. When talking
to children, we rarely take the first words
out of their mouths as gospel. We ask
questions, put the pieces together, fill in
the gaps, figure out what really happened,
and find a solution—another ability that
serves us well in sales.
Women in Sales:
The Math Doesn’t Add Up
70%
55%
67%
67%
52%
63%
Quota attainment
Overall leadership effectivenes
Leadership effectiveness in sales
18. 18 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
Gender discrimination isn’t nearly as overt as it was years
ago. Now instead of being harassed or insulted, women
are more likely to be overlooked. To eliminate these subtle
gender barriers, leaders and hiring managers must identify
and address any hidden biases they have towards women.
Just as importantly, women must take their careers into
their own hands. It’s up to us to demonstrate behaviors
that change perceptions, contribute to company goals, and
accelerate our own success.
Ready to change your sales future?
Here’s how to start:
#1
Get your voice heard.
Your ideas and insights are just as valid as the next person’s.
Yet, every woman I’ve spoken with shares this story: “I’m
at a meeting, and I offer a perfect solution to the problem
being discussed. No one comments. Then 10 minutes later,
a man says almost the same thing, and everyone thinks it’s
a terrific idea.”
One of my colleagues, a partner in a national CPA firm,
has her response ready whenever this scenario occurs. She
immediately says, “I’m so glad you liked my idea.” That
shuts people up fast, while putting her in a position of
leadership and strength.
#2
Ask for advice from people you
respect—men or women.
Listen carefully and adopt what makes sense. We all need
advice and guidance, and women are way more open to
asking for help. We also like to give help. I never thought
of myself as a mentor until a fellow author challenged me
on this. “We are mentors for everyone,” she told me. “We
write profusely and speak about sales. People take wisdom
and insights from what we share.”
How do you find a mentor? Ask. People aren't mind-
readers. Find someone you trust and admire, and start
building a relationship.
#3
Step out of your comfort zone
and test new ways of working.
It’s better to apologize (if appropriate) than to ask for
permission. Always ask why you are selling the way you are
selling. If your current sales plan is working, keep doing it.
Otherwise, change it up. What works well for one salesperson
might not be the right style for you. Find your own groove.
#4
Make time for yourself and
people you care about.
Don’t let the corporate world gobble up all your energy
and dull your creativity. To be successful in sales, you’ll
need plenty of both.
Successful sales organizations in the 21st century will
facilitate teams that leverage the strengths of both men
and women. Smart sales leaders want diverse teams who
bring different skills, experiences, and perspectives to the
table. Women are just plain naturals at selling. We know
that. Now it's time to tap into our innate strengths, build
our confidence, and get out of our own way.
Ready to Change the Game?
19. Women in Sales Awards / North America 19
Joanne S. Black
Ready For Some
Girl Talk?Joanne’s dynamic, interactive presentation — Big Deals and
High Heels: Why Women Are Naturals at
Selling — gives women the power to seek out advice from
mentors, step out of their comfort zones, and get their voices heard.
• How men and women are wired differently, and
why that matters
• The advantages women have over men in sales
• How intuition, questioning, and stories drive
sales
• Why we need to challenge traditional thinking
and innovate
The industry you sell to doesn’t matter. Your women do.
Engage Joanne to speak to the women on your sales teams.
And yes, men are most welcome.
Joanne Black is America’s leading authority on referral selling and a sales executive with contrarian points of view. An innovative sales advisor and
captivating speaker, Joanne is a member of the National Speakers Association and author of NO MORE COLD CALLINGTM
: The Breakthrough
System That Will Leave Your Competition in the Dust and PICK UP THE DAMN PHONE!: How People, Not Technology, Seal the Deal.
No More
cold callingBuild Your Business Through Referrals
Call 415-461-8763
joanne@nomorecoldcalling.com
www.nomorecoldcalling.com/deals
20. 20 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
Who are the judges?
Where do they come from?
Zars Media invites judges from
all over North America. Judges
may be executives with social
innovation expertise, business
people, educators and university
administrators and leading
practitioners in the field.
The Judging process
The judges were organized into 5
groups; each group was made up of
3 judges and interviewed a number
of finalists within their assigned
categories. Finalists’ nomination
and any supporting documents were
reviewed by the judges. The next
stage of the process was a 20 minute
interview with the judges.
Scoring Criteria
The judges used the following criteria
to score the finalists; Opening
presentation, Building rapport,
The ability to listen, Confidence,
Persuasiveness, Articulate,
Questioning skills, Competitiveness,
Leadership qualities and Passion
about sales.
How do you choose the judges?
We usually look for executives
with sales backgrounds and
with more than 15 years sales
experience. We actively recruit
and also take suggestions from
partners and past judges.
What do the judges evaluate?
Judges will review all the entries
within their assigned categories
and give their scores as per the
guidelines. This will include
reviewing the nomination
forms and any confidential
supplemental documents and
project information that is
included in the application.
Is the judging by invitation
only,or can I apply to be a judge?
We recruit judges after screening
their profiles using LinkedIn
and other news sources. We are
happy to consider suggestions.
If you'd like to be considered,
or suggest future judges, please
emailjudges@wisawards.com
FAQ's
The Judges
A group of 15 senior executives from
various industries were carefully
selected as an evaluation panel of
independent judges. Their objective
is to review the nominations and
interview each of the finalists.
Why An Interview
With The Judges?
An interview allows the judges to
further assess each finalist’s sales
skills, strategies and process etc.
The interview also complements
their review of the submitted
nomination forms.
JudgesProfiles
&The Judging
Process
Sales manager and sales director
finaists were scored on Coaching and
motivation skills as well.
Finalists Time
With The Judges
This is an opportunity for the finalists
to engage the judges by telling them
the story of their success. Each judge
awarded points across the same
criteria.
After the interview, all finalists
answered one final question: “why
should you win the award in your
category?”
Each finalist’s overall score was the
sum of the scores from all 3 judges.
The finalist with the highest score
in each category was selected as the
winner in that category.
21. Women in Sales Awards / North America 21
Gwilym Jones
SVP of Global Sales at GfK
Boutique Research & VP of
N.A. Sales at GfK
Robyn Abrahams
Group VP, Business
Development, Oracle
Barbara W. Mazziotti
Sales Enablement Director,
GE Corporate
Commercial COE
Guido Tamburini
MD Sales Financial
Services North America,
Accenture
Dana Mata
Head of Business
Development,
ZoomVideo Communications
Amy Mathisen
Regional Sales Manager,
NASDAQ
Mary Jo Alving
Sr Manager, Renewal Sales,
EMC
Paula Collins
Head of Sales for New
England, DHL Express US
Lori Richardson
Inside Sales Speaker, Author,
Social Selling & Prospecting
Consultant
Jacques Sciammas
President & CEO,
Selling to Executives
Ronnette Earle
Senior Director, Sales
Operations Business
Services, Comcast Cable
Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Chief Results Officer,
Advanced Systems
Emily Lyons
Head of Market
Development, Americas
Thomson Reuters
Nancy Hannigan McNeill
Head of Global Sales,
Professional Information
Business, Dow Jones
23. Go to SalesMasteryMag.com/wisa-na to redeem
your complimentary subscription by July 3, 2015
Please accept our gift of a One Year
Complimentary Subscription to
Sales Mastery magazine to continue
your journey of excellence.
Congratulations to
the nominees and winners of
the Women in sales awards
– North America in its
inaugural year
Your sales excellence
is an examPle for all
of us who asPire to
be our best.
24. 24 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
Women
Meet
North America
Finalists
the ����
in Sales
Awards
25. Women in Sales Awards / North America 25
Francesca Dugger Angela Brownlee
Megan Voosen
Lenys Alcoreza
Laura Koch
Sheena Larson
Alexia Clements
“It’s not about
having the
skill to do
something.
It’s about
having the will,
desire, and
commitment
to be your best.”
Robert Hernandez
"The only
way to do
great work
is to love
what
you do"
Steve Jobs
Elizabeth Laliberte
“You may have
to fight a battle
more than once
to win it.”
Margaret Thatcher
Lisa Rowsell
“Leap, and
the net will
appear”
Zen Saying
Elizabeth Grande
Recipe to Inspire,
Encourage, and
Empower Women…
Take all your Passion,
add equal parts of
Tenacity, Perseverance,
and Courage, Fold
in Empathy, Cut in
Humor, Saute’ with
Humility & Gratitude,
Dredge in Vision,
Drizzle with Tolerance,
Garnish with a Smile
and Serve in Heels
“Persistence is
the antidote
for resistance.”
“Success
doesn’t come
to you, you
go to it.”
Marva Collins
“Si se puede”
(Yes you can!)
Cesar Chávez
“There are no
failures - just
experiences
and your
reactions to
them”
Tom Krause
Shamala Balasubramaniam
“You only live
once, but if you
do it right, once
is enough.”
Mae West
Tammy Robertson-Orr
“Every moment
wasted looking
back, keeps us
from moving
forward.”
Hillary Clinton
"There are no
secrets to success.
It is the result
of preparation,
hard work, and
learning from
failure”
Colin Powell
26. 26 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015Lindsay Paxton Ellen Dowd
Cynthia Clark
Rhonda Eiffe
Jenifer Bond Tatiana Erger Lanette Richardson
Latane Conant
"You can't build
a reputation on
what you are
going to do"
Henry Ford
“Being a leader
is like being a
lady… if you
have to tell
people you
are, then you
aren’t”
Margaret Thatcher
“I've learned that
people will forget
what you said,
people will
forget what
you did, but
people will
never forget
how you
made them
feel”.
Maya Angelou
“There is
limitless
potential in
sales. It is
our job to
maximize it”
“If there's a
book you really
want to read,
but it hasn't
been written
yet, then you
must write it.”
Toni Morrison
“You can
have it all.
Just not
all at once.”
Oprah Winfrey
“We’ve seen again
and again that
when you invest
in women and
girls, you invest
in the people who
invest in
everyone else”
Unknown
Christina Lammers
Liliana DavidsonBrenee Staples
“Luck is what
happens when
preparation
meets
opportunity”
Seneca
“My biggest sense
of accomplishment
is my partnership
with my clients and
seeing their success
and being part of a
team who constantly
innovates and
inspires. Loving
what you do,
even on your
most difficult
days is incredible”
“One must create
one’s own reality. I
greet each morning
enthusiastically
asking how my
talents and skills can
be best used to serve
others….and success
seems to take care of
itself.”
“Success is liking
yourself, liking
what you do,
and liking how
you do it”.
Maya Angelou
Diana Dorobek
“A leader
is one who
knows the
way, goes
the way,
and shows
the way”
27. Women in Sales Awards / North America 27
“Approach
everything
with a positive
attitude and
don’t be the
person that
complains… be
the person that
comes up with
solutions”
Julie Drimel
“Always put the
shoe on the other
foot – I find
everything
else seems
to fall into
place nicely
after that”
Deirdre Hogan
"It is not
because things
are difficult
that we do
not dare; it is
because we do
not dare that
things are
difficult."
Seneca
Kendall Williams
Danielle Lopez Heeter
“I do not think there is any
other quality so essential to
success of any kind
as the quality of
perseverance.
It overcomes
almost
everything,
even nature.”
John
D. Rockefeller
congratulations
from Zars Media
proud host and organiser
of The Women In Sales
Awards
Interested in nominating for 2016?
Please email info@wisawardsna.com for more information
28. 28 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
29. Women in Sales Awards / North America 29
the
Win
nersThe inaugural women in sales awards attracted nominations from
some of the leading organisations in North America and Canada.
After hours of application reviews and a day of judges’ interviews…
please meet the 2015 Women In Sales, North America Super Stars!
30. 30 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
31. Women in Sales Awards / North America 31
Best Woman
Inside Sales
The first thing when I heard the news that I had been
shortlisted as a finalist was call my Husband and my kids.
I really couldn't believe it. I was just so flattered to be
nominated I really never imagined that I would be named
a finalist.
I am ecstatic that I have won tonight, this is totally the
crowning jewel to a long career as a Woman in Sales. In
my opinion the highest honour I can receive.
The women in my company are mostly young, so with
this award I want to show them that they can do anything
they set their mind to. My company is heavily male
dominated and being a woman feels like we get lost in the
pack sometimes, but this type of achievement just proves
that women can lead the way. I hope to be that example
to help them achieve their dreams.
Taking part in the awards has been an amazing adventure.
I have had almost all the women in my company come
seek me out, it’s so uncommon that people act like you’re
a superstar or something, so it’s a little odd. But when
I see their faces and the sincerity I feel like I have some
pretty big shoes to fill. I need to really step it up and lead
the way while I have the chance to make a difference. It’s
pretty amazing. Honestly I've been a little embarrassed by
all the attention but it’s just such an honour that I have
been nominated and named a finalist. These things usually
happen to other people so I never thought in my wildest
dreams that what I did was really making a difference and
that people really noticed. My heart is full and I am truly
so honoured.
This has been a once in a life time event and I would
certainly advise my company to take part again in 2016.
You can never give a greater compliment to someone than
to stand up and say, we think she is amazing and everyone
should know.
If you are a company considering nominating in 2016;
be sincere in who you nominate, let the other women in
the organization get involved and support your nominee
and you will foster more good will and a stronger bond
amongst your team than you can imagine.
LANETTE
RICHARDSONNorth America 2015 Winner
Regional Sales Manager, InsideSales
32. 32 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
33. Women in Sales Awards / North America 33
Best Woman
Field Sales
When I first learned that I had been selected as I finalist, it was hard to believe
initially, so I verified the status with my company to be certain before calling my
husband and best friend to share the news.
Understanding the talent that is being considered for this award, winning in my
category has been a true honour. I work hard and do not expect special recognition
as a female, but it is exciting to be considered among such a talented group of sales
professionals.
I plan to use this win to continue to help message the importance of diversity in
our workplace. I am a believer that diversity of opinion will challenge our way of
thinking and make us better. Man or woman, we do the same job, but it is important
to acknowledge that there are often unique challenges in our same role. Awareness is
key, and winning WISA is a great catalyst for discussion.
The experience of participating in the WISA process has been a great opportunity to
connect with both internal and external sales leaders.
I would recommend that our company continue to submit nominations in 2016 and
in years to come. Regardless of the outcome, it promotes healthy conversation and
it's an amazing way to spark important conversations.
For companies considering submitting nominations for the first time, I would ask “why
not”? It is a great opportunity for your sales leaders and for the company as a whole.
LINDSAY
PAXTONNorth America 2015 Winner
Sales Representative, Stryker
34. 34 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
35. Women in Sales Awards / North America 35
Best Woman
Financial Sales
The first thing I did after hearing the news that I had been selected
as a finalist……..I looked up from my computer, raised my hand in
the air, pulled it down and quietly yelled “YES.” For me, moving to
the final stage was national recognition that the gamble I took in
2007 was the right decision. Growing up, I had two roles models,
Doctors and Lawyers. I chose the latter with the understanding that
a law degree was a great foundation for business. What I did not fully
appreciate was the fact that the practice of law did not harness my
natural talents, interests and passions. As I was leaving law, Minnesota
Law and Politics notified me that I was a Rising Star for 2007. I
told my parents, and my father said, “that’s great Elizabeth, we just
don’t know where you are rising too!” I took the time between jobs
to follow my passion, Bikram Yoga. I spent 9 weeks in Hawaii and
taught full time for a year. I did not intend for yoga to be my job,
but it was 2007/2008 and switching careers and in particular from
law to sales was not an easy task. I eventually found a job legal sales
(as well as a 50% pay cut) and from there I took every opportunity
to advance my career. In 2012, I sat next to my now manager on a
plane, overheard his conversation and when he was done commented
that, “I wanted to work for him.” Two months later, I was working at
Thomson Reuters, two years later, I was the top salesperson 11 out of
12 months (2014) and one of two CEO Circle Award Winners for
2014 on the national team.
After quietly screaming yes, I reached out to my parents who
provided the support and encouragement to take risks, fail big and
win bigger!
Winning this award is going to give me a larger platform to
demonstrate and emphasize the value of true leadership. Leadership
on our individual sales teams, our larger organizations and with our
clients. Leadership does not identify males or females, it recognizes
those who have embraced themselves and their inherent skills fully.
“No leader sets out to be a leader. People set out to live their lives,
expressing themselves fully. When that expression is of value, they
become leaders. The point is not to become a leader. The point
is to become yourself, to use yourself completely – all your skills,
gifts, and energies…” -Warren Bennis. Women across the board
still struggle with how to embrace themselves fully in a historical
business world which recognize the skills inherent to men. The
good news, is that overall this is changing. The skills inherent to
women, inclusion, empathy, relationships as familial not hierarchical
are driving businesses to greater success. These skills drive both men
and women.
Winning this award means another female leader at Thomson
Reuters in the Financial Business Unit. There are not a lot of
women in my role. There are even fewer at the top. This is going
to recognize the effort and priority the company is making to
emphasize gender equality in leadership.
I intend to use this award to fully engage men and women to
embrace themselves fully, to encourage individuals to take risks and
to fail, and to advocate for diversity in teams across the board.
I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Women in Sales
Awards. It has pushed me to view myself as a female leader and
nudged me to open my eyes to where I want to go and how I see my
inherent skills helpings others. It has affirmed that taking risks is not
only scary but exciting and rewarding. I have followed the Leaders
and Success page in the Investors Business Journal since I was High
School. I have read numerous stories about how successful individuals
failed at least twice as many times as they win. I am now realizing
that this too can apply to me.
I will absolutely advice Thomson Reuters to nominate other women
in 2016, all people can benefit from positive reinforcement and
public recognition. This is a fantastic venue to acknowledge the hard
work and positive skill set women bring to workforce.
For companies considering submitting nominations in 2016…..do
it, and do it now! I can’t think of a better way to bring collegiality
amongst women within individual organizations and across
organizations nationally. Phrases like, “the boy’s club,” the “glass
ceiling,” the “grass ceiling” are there for a reason, men frequently
support one another. On the other hand, women are not always that
nice to one another and are frequently very competitive. This is an
inclusive opportunity to drive excitement and support for one another.
It has already happen amongst the finalists from Thomson Reuters,
and it feels awesome!
Elizabeth
GrandeNorth America 2015 Winner
Account Director, Thomson Reuters
36. 36 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
37. Women in Sales Awards / North America 37
Best Woman
Healthcare Sales
When I read the news of the finalist announcement
I actually re-read it a few times over to take it all in
when I realised that I had been selected as a finalist.
I felt extremely honoured.
It is an unbelievable honour winning tonight! Most of
the time, we compare are sales numbers and gauge our
successes against those within our own organization or
our immediate competition. This award means a lot to
me because it will show that my sales accomplishments
stack up against other women in the healthcare industry
as a whole.
I plan to continue to help mentor and serve as an example
of a woman who can start from the ground in a highly
competitive sales position, while still having a family and
good work/life balance. The Stryker Corporation allows
salespersons to have a great deal of autonomy, which helps
maintain that balance. Every person, male or female, has
the ability to create their own business plan and strategies
that work for them.
DANIELLE
LOPEZ HEETER
North America 2015 Winner
The 14 years I have spent in the healthcare industry,
more specifically, Stryker Corporation, has allowed me
to show a proven track record of performance over time.
Healthcare reform and the decline in the economy made
business growth even more challenging. My experience
and customer relationships prepared me for the challenges
and extra ingenuity that was going to be needed during
this time to sustain and grow the business.
I would absolutely advice for Stryker to nominate other
women in 2016. It is important to show how women can
succeed in this industry and how we compare to our peers
from other companies. It is motivational in many aspects
to see this recognition.
To a salesperson, recognition is a big driving factor.
Companies that take the time to submit their employees
for special recognition are going a long way in showing
they value the individual and the work they have done for
the company.
Sales Representative, Stryker
38. 38 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
39. Women in Sales Awards / North America 39
Best Woman
IT Sales
I was so surprised and excited to learn I had been selected as a
finalist, truly unexpected - I didn't even realize that I was even
nominated!
I am truly honoured and humbled to have won tonight so
many amazing women are finalists.
I would like to use this as a catalyst to start a group at Appirio,
for women to collaborate, share experiences, and cheer on our
successes!
It has been thrilling taking part in the event! I will encourage
Appirio to nominate again in 2016, it is an amazing
recognition, tremendous to have this listed as an accolade,
and a great way to network with other successful women.
For companies considering submitting nominations in 2016
it is an incredible way to celebrate women's achievement in
your organization - this is something a nominee will never
forget.
Laura
KochNorth America 2015 Winner
Partner, Appirio
40. 40 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
41. Women in Sales Awards / North America 41
Best Woman
Sales Manager
The first thing I did after hearing the news that I had been
selected as a finalist was I thanked my boss then called my
husband. They are both huge supporters of my career and
everything I do. My husband and I enjoyed some sparkling
cider (since we are expecting) that night!
It is an absolute honour that I have won tonight. This is not
just something remarkable tied to my name, but taking this
back to Oracle and my team who are the real reason I have
won.
We have several women’s groups at Oracle that I’m involved
in. I believe having the opportunity to share this experience
with these networking groups is going to be an amazing
and humbling experience. I also feel that this award can
and will inspire my male colleagues. I believe spreading
awareness about diversity and equality in technology is
important for all genders!
The experience taking part in the awards has been a really
fun and exciting engagement. I was surprised at how
nervous I was to complete the virtual interview. It really
showed me how important this is to me and to those
around me.
I will absolutely advise Oracle to take part again in 2016!
I already have emails from several colleagues advising
their interest in competing next year. It will be so fun to
take part in supporting another incredible woman from
Oracle.
For companies considering submitting nominations in
2016 promote the event early. This is an opportunity for
women to really shine and collaborate together so the
sooner the word is out the more candidates you may find
that deserve a nomination.
Christina
LammersNorth America 2015 Winner
Most Distinguished Sales Woman Of The Year&
Regional Manager Emerging Markets, Oracle
42. 42 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
43. Women in Sales Awards / North America 43
Best Woman
Sales Director
ELLEN
DOWDNorth America 2015 Winner
When I first learned that I was a finalist, I quickly reached
out to the two people at my company who were responsible
for nominating me. One of my amazing peers brought the
award to the attention of our Executive Leadership Team,
and my boss wrote a heartfelt and humbling testimonial
for my nomination. I am so incredibly grateful to both of
them for their recognition and support, and I wanted to
share the news with them immediately. The second thing I
did was to go to the website to see the list of other finalists.
I was so excited to see all of these impressive women being
rewarded for their results, and I wanted to be inspired by
their many accomplishments.
I am definitely looking at this experience as more of a
journey than a destination, I consider it an honour winning
tonight. This is going to be a huge vote of confidence and
validation, not just for me but for the amazing team of
professionals with whom I work every day. By building
recognition, exposure and personal brand, we earn capital
within our companies. That capital can be leveraged to
promote diversity and make investments in our people.
Being a finalist has already been a huge win for the women
in my company, and taking this trophy to the office is
only going to increase the impact. My sponsor has done
a fantastic job of communicating the news throughout all
levels of the organization, and the response I have gotten —
particularly from the women in the company — has been
overwhelming. I have received so many emails, texts, and
social posts congratulating me and expressing enthusiasm
for the recognition for one of our own. When they see
me being supported by the company and recognized by
the industry, they feel supported themselves. This is a huge
motivator for them and for me as a leader.
This experience has been overwhelmingly positive from
start to finish. The staff has been extremely helpful and
gracious, and I truly enjoyed my conversation with the
judges. I have been so impressed with the organization —
both in terms of the overall mission and how that mission
is executed. The team has been wonderful about promoting
all of the finalists through social media and staying
connected with us. It has been great meeting some of my
fellow finalists tonight.
Would I advise my company to nominate other women in
2016… unequivocally, yes. In fact, I will being carrying the
torch for this award and will absolutely be encouraging our
company to nominate other women for years to come.
For companies considering submitting nominations in 2016,
go for it—nominate your rock star women and make sure
that you promote and communicate the news within the
company. Regardless of what happens, the nominees will be
gratified and gain confidence, and all of your employees will
be motivated by the recognition they receive.
Vice President, Hitachi Consulting
44. 44 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
Congratulations to everybody
involved with this year’s
Women In Sales Awards
WE’LL BE SEEING YOU NEXT MONTH IN OUR JULY ISSUE…
Look out for interviews with many of tonight’s participants plus a full report of this year’s Awards.
THE INTERNATIONAL
Journal of Sales
Transformation
is the new publication exclusively
focused on the promotion of sales
excellence among global corporates.
Our content is a mix of quality
journalism, insightful opinion
and research by current sales
leaders and academics.
Our mission is to help enhance
the professionalism of sales
organisations by bridging the gap
between businesses and academic
research to offer the best of both
worlds.
Find out more at: www.journalofsalestransformation.com
To receive a free trial copy, please email editor@journalofsalestransformation.com
ASSOCIATION OF
PROFESSIONAL SALES
45. Women in Sales Awards / North America 45
CLoud Video Conferencing
Simple Online Meetings
Group Messaging
46. 46 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
Don't
Be
a Bull...By Dana Mata
Head of Business Development at Zoom Video Communications
46 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
47. Women in Sales Awards / North America 47
A
s a woman in sales, I’ve
thoroughly enjoyed 25
rewarding years selling and
leading in Silicon Valley.
With incredible mentors,
I quickly climbed (and
sometimes cracked) the “corporate ladder”
from telemarketer to CEO, each step
witnessing a wide diversity gap for women
in sales in all roles, especially leadership.
Yes, past and present – women represent
the minority in the room – like many
others. Next, I’ll share how I got started in
sales, how the sales role has collaboratively
evolved, my recipe for sales career success,
and simple solutions to help narrow the
gender diversity gap together.
Ready, Set…
As a woman and single-mother, I knew
that sales would be a natural fit for
me. I love people, teamwork, solving
problems, and technology. In my first
inside sales role at AT&T, I received
world-class foundational sales training
emphasizing consultative-solution style
selling vs. products and features. I learned
to listen carefully, discover deeply, and
share insightfully, always focusing on
maximizing value. Placing customer
needs and objectives ahead of my own
personal gain, and being passionately
committed to identifying and solving
business problems with relevant value-
driven solutions, have always been my
priorities. More important than “closing
deals,” is being recognized as a “valued
consultant and trusted advisor,” being the
ultimate reward, compliment, and vote
of customer confidence, while building
trustworthy and transparent long-
standing relationships.
ThePerfectPartnershipStorm
We now live in a fact based, data driven,
decision making world where having –
and knowing what do with – the right
knowledge and skills are critical. Buyers
are astutely aware of market offerings
prior to any sales engagement. They
already know what your product is. They
want to know what it does and how it
(you!) can help transform the way they do
business and drive immediate measurable
value. Overly aggressive sales people with
a self-centered “bull in a china shop”
approach will no longer make it through
the door physically or virtually. It’s now
imperative for sellers to be agile with deep
and adaptive situational fluency while
customizing and consistently directing
the flow of relevant information and
thought leadership.
Go-to Recipe for Sales Career Success
I truly believe that selling – like life – is a collaborative team sport and a fulfilling
career for women – anyone – if:
• You’re CURIOUS, with an insatiable desire to learn and openness to change.
• You’re CONNECTED, and fully leverage social selling to expand mindshare.
• You’re MOTIVATED, with the ability to set goals and execute to strategy…
repeatedly.
• You’re INSIGHTFUL, with visionary and analytic perspectives clearly
communicated.
• You’re DETERMINED, with focus and resiliency in pursuit of excellence and
ultimate customer satisfaction.
• Your “SOFT SKILLS” are refined, including effective communication,
collaboration, emotional intelligence (EQ ), social graces, and positivity. Indeed,
soft skills are sexy again and here to stay, giving women – and anyone who masters
them – a distinctly competitive, authentic, and transparent edge.
Simple Solutions to Narrow
the Gender Diversity Gap
Organizational Changes
1. Mirror Image? Don’t always hire “the man in the mirror.” Pun intended. Instead,
complement your teams with diverse recruiting efforts highlighting differentiated
strengths and skills based upon key profiles for individual, team, and company
success. Reflect, look, and think outside of the mirrored box and act responsibly,
including eradicating gender biased job descriptions, such as “ninja,” “dragon
slayer,” “whale hunter…” Sounds dangerous? Weapon and costume required?
2. Transparent Diversification and Inclusivity. Champion diverse networks, groups,
and actively participate in discussions that bring focus to helping women -any
minority- further advance in sales and leadership roles. Let’s address this hefty
“elephant in the room,” put a colorful bow on it, and have openly mindful,
inclusive, collaborative, and productive discussions, like LinkedIn’s Koka Sexton
and Alex Hisaka have done!
3. Develop. Encourage and implement leadership development programs within your
(sales) organization. It starts with hiring, developing, and promoting qualified and
diverse talent. Make your company an awesome place to work and grow. Invest
now.
Individual Changes… (Listen up ladies – well, everyone!)
1. Stretch. Remove self-imposed boundaries. Seek out and apply for stretch assignments
and roles that will grow you and your (sales) career. No one is a “100% perfect match”
for any job description. We all have shortfalls…initially. Don’t let that stop you from
applying. Do seek solutions to rapidly augment potential skill gaps. Go!
2. Communicate and Leverage. Promote and sell yourself directly and indirectly through
executive sponsors and mentors. Share your aspirational goals and how much you value
their expert guidance and advocacy. Fully leverage your network – especially LinkedIn!
Seek to understand. Mentor. Get engaged. Stay connected. Yes, “Lean In”
3. Learn. Continue to enhance your knowledge and expertise. Read, learn, attend
seminars-webinars, obtain specialized degrees or certifications, and offer valuable and
insightful comments on blogs and posts such as this one. Start now!
4. Share. My eyes, ears, and soul are wide open and welcome your valued voice and below
perspectives on other creative and collaborative ways to help narrow the gender diversity
gap for “Women In Sales,” through this amazing Linked(In)clusive open forum.
Overly aggressive sales people with
a self-centered “bull in a china shop”
approach will no longer make it through
the door physically or virtually.
48. 48 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
Touches customers
across multiple dimensions
• Across time: day-in, day-out - over
the weekend and during weekdays
• On a variety of topics: Different yet
related to helping clients solve their
problems
• Through various media: Video, blog
posts, visuals, and white board
sessions
• Across multi-platforms: LinkedIn,
Twitter, G+
• To reach different audiences within a
company: From CxO, VP, to end-user
We love the TV series “Breaking Bad.”
Great show. And no, we aren’t going to
suggest that you run your sales team like
a methamphetamine production racket.
What we would like to point out is that
we don’t know what network Breaking
Bad ran on. It’s just on the web now.
Because of the internet no one cares
where good content comes from. It only
matters if it is good content, and the
result of this has been an explosion in
quality programming.
This is happening in the B2B world as
well. Customers expect to find great
content at their fingertips. And they don’t
want a ton of branding and promotion
around it. For better or worse, this is the
standard to which you are being held.
The good news is that if the old saying
about content being king applies, then
creating good content holds the keys to
the kingdom.
This is why
we believe that
the new sales
rainmaker is a
content creator.
Clients look for insights on the
problem they are experiencing
Today clients are looking online
for content that helps them educate
themselves on the problem at hand and
to experience the AHA moment. Your
company needs to provide customers with
the insights that lead to that moment.
Some of the insights have to come from
marketing and some have to come from
sales.
Using traditional marketing and sales
expertise, in which you are distributing
traditional content in an online format,
powered by online tools that allow you to
knock on more doors, does NOT make
you an online sales organization.
We suggest looking at the problem
differently and to use not only online
distribution platforms, but create online
content that starts a conversation, and
train a team of professionals on the skills
needed to develop conversations - online.
Sales to lead the conversation
Let me ask you, if you walk into a room
full of people interested in your services,
who from your team do you expect to
lead the conversation? Sales, right? You
would expect them to ask questions,
listen, and provide insights on how
other clients who have been dealing with
similar problems have found solutions.
Who on your team is having that
conversation online? In a modern
SaaS organization you should put that
responsibility in the hands of the online
sales professional. They should listen
to clients online via twitter - be able to
share their stories via blog posts - meet
up at events in LinkedIn groups, and lead
conversations within their network. They
should do this day-in and day-out as a
natural part of their personality. In the
online world content that relays insights
and educates a customer on a problems
acts as the outbound sales call.
Today
Rainmakers are
The use of content as outbound sales
call and the rise of a new generation
of rainmakers
Sharing
Online
49. Women in Sales Awards / North America 49
Shares valuable
insights
• Personal observations
from working with clients
• Relevant to today, not what
happened 5 years ago
• Thought provoking
• Applicable immediately
• Absolutely not selling hard
Develop their
own content
• Content that renders well
on a mobile
• Is easy to engage with; like,
share, comment, forward by
email
• Shoots a short video with the
iPhone to explain a use-case
• Draws on a whiteboard to
explain where the problem
originates
Master tools that act
as a force multiplier
• LinkedIn to initiate and develop a
network of professionals
• Blog to share their insights
• Twitter, Google+, BufferApp to listen to
the beat of the streat
• Video portals, demo sites to provide
engaging insights into the probel
Intimately knows their
audience and where to find
them
• LinkedIn where everyone seems
to be these days
• Twitter where Marketing professionals
are
• Instagram where End Users are
• Zuora where people look for answers
• Google+ where Engineers roam around
• Wordpress where Product Managers
hang out
• Slideshare where Corporate Marketers
gravitate towards
Is a scholar in online sales skills
• Understands the impacts of likes, shares,
comments, and how to generate them
• Writes a 800 word blog post on a topic in
an engaging way
• Shoots 60-90 second explainer videos
• Can visualize a problem with a single
picture
Well if today's client is online, and the
new outbound call is content then it
makes sense for your sales professional to
be the new content creator. Importantly,
they need the tools, skill training, and
online process for this.
Use-case how content won a deal,
and generated plenty of leads
March 30th, 2015 Dan an Account
Executive as a SaaS company was
informed by his client via email that that
he had lost the deal they had worked on
together. Dan remembered a Winning
By Design class he recently attended. In
this class he learned about the use of video
to communicate with a client to increase
engagement with a customer. Since Dan
had nothing to lose, he shot a 90 second
spot in which he shared several insights for
the client's benefit. Impressed, the client
changed his mind. But Dan did not stop
here, he then shared the entire experience
in a blog post which was viewed a 1,000
times, liked - 65 times, and with - 11
comments to boot. In 24 hours Dan
had secured a deal, and his blog post had
generated numerous new qualified leads.
Winning
By Design
This article is an
excerpt from the
newly published book
“Blueprints for a SaaS
sales organization”. In this coffee table
book Jacco van der Kooij and Fernando
Pizarro, who love Breaking Bad, share
their best practices in twelve detailed
blueprints, gained from working with 50+
SaaS sales organizations over the past 18
months. The book can be ordered at
www.winningbydesign.com
50. 50 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
51. Women in Sales Awards / North America 51
Most UK organisations end up
disappointed with recruited sales
executives while only a minority
turn to third party methodologies
and out-of-house expert advice to
alleviate the problem.
At the same time, the vast majority
of these companies stick doggedly
to what can now been seen as
out-dated, ineffective and inflexible
recruitment processes that end up
becoming little more than a game
of chance.
These are the alarming findings of
a national survey in the practices
of sales executive recruitment run
jointly by the British Institute of
Learning & Development (BILD)
and the Universal Sales Skills
Audit (USSA).
– place your bets
please…
Sales
Recruitment
Source: Combined survey of BILD members
and the Sales Initiative Community,
347 respondents, April 2015.
Women in Sales Awards / North America 51
52. 52 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
T
hefindingspointtoaworrying
reliance on old-fashioned
attitudes to sales recruitment
and training when employing
sales executives with more
than 58% of employers
believing that “sales people should know
what they are doing.” This value was then
rather unsurprisingly repeated when just
over 58% of employers also reported that
“Maybe some [sales executives] aren’t as
good as we would like.”
Meanwhile 87% allow simple assessments
of a candidate's CV to influence their
decision while a further 62.5% admit to
adhering rigidly to in-house formally
structured interviews – approaches
that can miss unusual talent and play
to candidates well briefed in traditional
interview techniques.
These approaches persist despite less
than half, 45.83%, believing their own
methods provide a detailed picture of
candidates' sales skills while just 33% say
their processes are effective in reducing
hire failure rates.
Still more worrying, many sales
organisations adopt a seat-of-the-pants
approach to training with 41.67% using
just the interviews to identify areas for
training development while only 33.33%
use a formalised training methodology
and still less, 29.17%, employ a third party
assessment of skills gaps.
Yet, having identified problems with
recruited sales staff, only 16.67% of
companies admit to shedding under-
performers leaving a large number of
under-achievers still in place and under
trained.
It is clear that for a profession that can
literally make or break the biggest of
corporations, the study has revealed
fundamental cracks in the way many
employers placed new hires, and a fairly
cavalier attitude toward how a new
recruit was expected to perform in their
probationary period.
In the past few years a lot has been said
about the need to professionalise the sales
industry. There is a need for qualifications
and a somewhat more formal entrance to a
career in sales other than being handed a
list of prospects and a telephone. However,
if you assume that more than half of the
sales managers recruiting new executives
entered sales through this very same door
you begin to realise the problem here – we
gravitate towards those like us, the ‘that’s
the way I started and it worked for me’
mentality. Now you begin to realise the
magnitude of the problem and the size of
the oil tanker the industry is trying to turn
around.
What other professions do you know where
it is acceptable practice to “drop someone
in and see if they work out?” Perhaps in
the example of a manual labouring job
with zero customer contact, we might
accept that all that was at risk would be
the outgoing wage for a few weeks and
minor disruption to a production chain
somewhere. But for sales, the risk factors
treble with wasted salary (often high), loss
of projected revenues, and the potentially
pointing of once loyal customers towards
alternative suppliers.
However, it is encouraging to note
that 42% of the organisations surveyed
did recognise there was room for
improvement in their sales recruitment
procedures, so the door for change is ajar.
54% of recruiters stated that they
“rigorously follow up all their references,”
but with employment laws dictating how
so many of these references are worded,
do you really trust them? And how many
employers do you know that have done
their utmost to help a troublesome sales
executive out of their door and into the
clutches of a competitor?
It seems that, for a profession that lacks
an academic paper trail, skills assessment
has to be the way forward when recruiting
sales people?
45% of recruiters
surveyed conducted
some form of assessment
when hiring sales
executives, leaving that
rather worrying 55%
standing by their game
of “suck it and see.”
In the survey, only 38% of companies
surveyed stated that “Our sales
performance has consistently enabled us
to meet or exceed our sales targets for the
company over the last three years" the
message seems to be clear: there is still
too much guesswork being employed
in sales recruitment and this is a totally
unacceptable risk given the difference to
performance that sales skills assessment
tools make.
About the USSA
The USSA operates worldwide,
analysing the skills of customer
contact/sales staff and compares
them to a global benchmark for
effective sales performance.
The assessment modules align to
published academic standards for
sales skills. Their 'Core Sales Skills'
covers the five most fundamental
sales skills modules. These skills
are required by all sales people,
regardless of their specific sales role.
www.universalsalesskillsaudit.com
About BILD
The British Institute for Learning &
Development®
is a registered charity.
Their vision is to achieve excellence
and recognition in Learning and
Development for individuals,
organisations and the profession as
a whole.
www.thebild.org
54. 54 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
Common
Challenges
and
Common
Sense
Solutions
By Debra Walton
Chief Content Officer at Thomson Reuters
Follow her on Twitter @DebraAWalton
Women in Sales:
54 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
55. Women in Sales Awards / North America 55
I
n my previous installment, I
discussed some of the qualities
that make a great sales leader. Now
I'd like to talk about some of the
challenges faced by women in sales.
These are concerns I've heard from
women not just at Thomson Reuters, but
from those I've met at various women's
forums all around the world.
The biggest issue seems to be the
perception that men have a greater
opportunity to connect with customers
on a social level. I hear time and time
again the unfortunate lament "Men can
hang out after work at the pub, or play
a round of golf. Women tend to have
commitments at home that hamper
their flexibility to participate in these
gatherings." The other big issue is the
notion that companies are "boy's clubs"
that make it difficult for women to rise to
the next level.
One of the remaining challenges for most
companies seeking diversity and balanced
leadership is getting past "unconscious
bias." Fortunately, most high-performing
companies have moved beyond the days
when overt discrimination was tolerated;
they rightly base hiring and promotion on
business performance. But the "invisible"
challenge of male leaders continuing to
hire in their own image still persists as
an obstacle to building diverse leadership
teams.
What many successful companies are
discovering and exploiting is that getting
more women into sales leadership roles is
not only good for business, but is critical
for paving the way for them to ascend to
the highest executive ranks. A McKinsey
study found that sales experience is a
must for people seeking the so-called
"line jobs" - those with profit and loss
accountability - that are a pipeline to
the C-suite. Though 62 percent of the
women in large corporations are in staff
jobs, many of these provide service and
assistance but don't directly generate
revenue - and thus don't lead to top
jobs in senior management. In contrast,
65 percent of the men on executive
committees hold line jobs, a fact that
may explain why so many more of them
are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies,
of which only about 3 percent are led by
women.
So what can women do to boost that
three percent?
Removing Unconscious Bias
When it comes to eradicating unconscious
bias, enlisting a male sponsor is one of the
best approaches. A sponsor, as opposed to
a mentor, is an avowed supporter willing
to use his or her connections and political
capital to help advance your career.
Women can also seek a female sponsor,
but think for a moment how effective
we can be at tackling the problem of
unconscious bias if we can enlist as many
of our senior male colleagues as possible
in the cause.
It's important to remember that the most
effective sponsors come from natural
relationships. So don't sit back and
wait for a corporate sponsor program
to miraculously appear - take action on
your own to find one. A former manager
with whom you've had a productive
relationship is a great place to start.
Leveraging External
Networks
Another opportunity is to leverage
external connections with other women.
There are many incredible senior women
in our customer firms, and while they
may not directly be our clients, it's still
worth the effort to forge relationships
with them and use that as means to build
a broader, more holistic relationship
with the customer. In most industries
today there are a number of women's
organizations that nurture the formation
of solid business connections, and I
highly recommend this as an important
extra-curricular activity. On a personal
level, I have been a longstanding member
of the Women's Bond Club and today
some of my most valued friendships come
from the connections I made through
that organization.
Client Engagement Isn't Just
About Golf
Finally, when it comes to entertaining
clients, I believe the notion our male
colleagues have an advantage is an
outdated myth. If you're in sales you have
to accept that a certain level of entertaining
is beneficial to your relationship with your
customers, and to keeping them engaged.
With the right amount of planning,
most of us can manage to schedule the
occasional social event with clients. From
my experience, male colleagues are just as
concerned about time away from home and
their family commitments as women. And
I know many top sales women who are as
effective, if not more so, than their male
colleagues at building client relationships.
There is nothing to stop women from
playing golf. Those who feel that not doing
so is a career impediment should simply
get out there and learn. I'm an avid golfer,
and becoming good was really worth the
effort. Spending a few hours on the golf
course with a client is an amazing way to
build a relationship. Last year I was the
only woman in a golf tournament with
our clients. This year I've challenged the
organizers to field at least two women
on each team, hopefully doing my bit for
breaking the stereotype.
That said, sometimes I feel as if socializing
with clients is overplayed. It isn't that it's
not valuable, but my experience is that
people higher up the executive ladder
in the C-suite place more emphasis on
service than on corporate hospitality.
At the end of the day, I think the real
issue is a matter of confidence - or lack of
it. I've spoken before about the "imposter
syndrome" in which women feel they're
not qualified to be in higher positions.
Male colleagues also experience this -
but because they typically have a higher
risk tolerance than women, they power
through these feelings of being out of their
depth. What I say to women (and men) is
that the "imposter" feeling is a natural one
if you are really stretching yourself. So I
would be more worried, in fact, if I weren't
feeling at times a little "over my skis."
62%
65%
3%
of the women are
in staff jobs
of the men on
executive committees
hold line jobs
of the women are CEOs of
Fortune 500 companies
56. 56 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
Mind the
Gender
Gap!
57. Women in Sales Awards / North America 57
W
omen drive the
world economy;
they account for
half the global
labour supply
and about 70%
of global consumption demand,
according to Laura D’Andrea Tyson,
a professor in the Haas School
of Business, at the University of
California, Berkeley and a former
chair of the US President’s Council of
Economic Advisers.
In an essay for the McKinsey Global
Institute, she argues: “Greater
gender equality in educational and
employment opportunities fosters
faster, more inclusive growth, not only
because women are half of the world’s
population but also because they are
more likely than men to invest in the
human capital of their families.”
Of course, women are not only
consumers; they make a formidable
contribution to business. But all is
not as it should be; the glass ceiling
remains stubbornly intact.
Women comprise half the talent pool
in the population and perform well
in education, yet the gender balance
across many industries and roles
remains distinctly lopsided. The 2013
report from the Center for Women
in Business, Advancing Women to
the Top suggests progress remains
sluggish when it comes to the “power
seats,” particularly in the C-suite and
on corporate boards. Women currently
hold just 4.2% of CEO positions in
Fortune 1000 companies.
In sales, the gender divide is
particularly obvious, especially as we
look further up the organisation…
Saleslagsbehind
By analysing 2014 data supplied
by professional social networking
site LinkedIn, we can see how
women are represented by job
function: they accounted for 74% of
individuals in administrative roles
and, perhaps unsurprisingly, as few
as 16% in military roles; maybe more
surprisingly, they represented only
39% of the entire sales workforce.
Overall, on LinkedIn, women
represented 41% of the active
workforce, increasing from 37% over
the past ten years. At the same time,
the percentage of women in sales
roles increased from 36% to 39%.
The average percentage of women in
director-level roles and above among
the LinkedIn population was 30%;
the corresponding figure for women
in sales leader roles was lagging
further behind at 27%.
The healthcare and pharma industries
had the greatest proportion of women
across all functions; in contrast, the
technology hardware sector had the
least percentage of women across
all functions. Only in media and
professional services was there a
higher proportion of women in
sales roles compared with women
in all roles. This was also the case at
leadership level: the media industry
filled 38% of sales director roles
with women compared with 33% of
all director roles; the corresponding
figures for professional services were
46% and 35% respectively.
These data underline the imbalance
that we all know exists: that women
are under-represented both in certain
sectors and across senior business roles
more generally. And this is despite
their achievements, their ability
to perform and their demographic
representation in society – which is
why the Women in Sales Awards are
so important.
Celebratingwomen in sales
Here at the International Journal of
Sales Transformation we are seeking
to drive professionalism among the
global sales community by focusing
on the best of selling and sales
leadership, an ambition we share with
Afi and her colleagues at the Awards
programme. We will be celebrating
the achievements of female sales
leaders, canvassing your views and
featuring your thought-leadership on
a regular basis.
In our second edition, we look
forward to highlighting some of the
US winners of the Women in Sales
Awards. You’ll also find valuable
research and contributions from the
likes of: McKinsey & Co; Professor
Zak Tormala of Stanford Graduate
School of Business; and Angie Dixey,
a researcher and expert on coaching.
They appear alongside senior business
leaders such as Karen Jackson, MD
of CPM UK; and Andy Tosney, the
Global Head of Sales for Mondelēz
International.
If you’d like a free copy of the latest
edition of the Journal, please email me via
editor@journalofsalestransformation.com
and we’ll send across a PDF.
As selling evolves, can it throw off its
caveman image, asks Nick de Cent?
Nick de Cent
Editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Sales
Transformation and also edits the Raconteur “Sales
Performance” supplement in The Times. He has been writing
about sales and other business issues for over 30 years and
contributes to numerous publications online and in print.
58. 58 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
T
he road to sales can be a
winding one, especially
for female professionals
like me who are fresh
additions to the post-
college workforce. Had
you asked me two years ago where
I would find myself after graduating
from Harvard, I would have told you
in full confidence that I would be
well on my way to a career in law.
Today, I am proudly a woman in
sales, wielding my relationships with
clients – instead of the law – to make
a positive impact on businesses and
clients with LinkedIn Marketing
Solutions. So what inspired me to go
from law to sales? Read on to gather
insight from my professional leap
and LinkedIn’s unique sales culture
that could be applied to any young
professional’s experience in sales and
beyond.
KnowYourValues
Success as a young professional in
sales or in business comes from firm
foundation and values. You don’t
have to be an expert in the role you
take on but you should have a clear
idea of what drives you on the basic
level. This ensures that any skills and
experiences you build on have an
authentic foundation at their root. I
knew early on in my college career
that I enjoyed assisting others in
overcoming difficulties. This inherent
desire to help others translated into a
major in psychology and, eventually,
led me to think that practicing law
could positively impact people at a
larger scale. However, I recognized
roadblocks in the law’s innate system
of loopholes and precedent that
muddied my resolve and steered me
away from that path. Realizing that
law may be not be the right career for
me, I asked myself, “What other path
could my interests align with?” The
search for authenticity is a common
thread in our professional lives
(especially for those of us who went
to liberal arts schools).
As a company, LinkedIn operates
with the value of “Members First”
and boasts of a sales culture rooted in
collaboration. Thus, when I was given
the opportunity to join LinkedIn’s
rotational program, I jumped at the
chance to try on a variety of hats
becauseIknewmyvaluesalignedwith
the company’s culture. LinkedIn’s
Sales organization is a natural
extension of these values, allowing
salespeople like myself to take on the
role of consultants for our clients and
placing emphasis on making a positive
impact on their businesses with the
help of our solutions. When I am
on the phone with clients, I am not
thinking of how to close a deal, but,
instead of the relationship that can
be fostered through our partnership.
The next time you are on a sales call
or trying to evangelize your idea or
project, ask yourself, “How can I
make a difference instead of trying
to sell myself?” When you approach
the sales process as a relationship to
be nourished through collaboration,
listening, and problem solving, the
end result will always translate into
a more positive experience for the
client and long lasting partnership
for you.
Women in Sales:
Starting Your Career
To find your
True North, ask
yourself:
• What is it that
I want in a
different role?
• How can I take
my skills and
experiences and
apply them
elsewhere?
• What company
can reinforce
my values and
invest in my
professional
development?
59. Women in Sales Awards / North America 59
I’ve been fortunate to have fantastic role
models in my life, both men and women,
who have invested in my professional
development and shaped my career. I
have always kept an eye out for women
paving the way for those like me, either
just starting out or with ample potential
to do more. Aligning yourself with
women who inspire you either in their
achievements or with the ease that they
accomplish huge feats is an excellent idea,
no matter if you are an intern or a vice
president.
Try to do this in the most organic way
possible but invest your time in getting
to know the women who inspire you.
Build meaningful relationships with
them that allow them to become a part
of your personal development. Allowing
inspiring professionals to be stakeholders
in your career path will sow the seeds for
your long term success.
As a Sales Development Specialist, I
spend most of my time talking to Vice
Presidents of healthcare and financial
services companies — not the easiest
thing to do when you’re in your first
post-college job! When the going gets
rough, I take a breath and remind
myself that, when it comes to my sales
domain, I hold the higher ground by
virtue of talking to other players and
competitors in their industry. Rather
than get intimidated, be assertive and
hold your ground. Draw confidence from
your skills and experiences and use that
to drive the conversation with customers
and prospects. After all, if they were open
enough to have a conversation with you,
then you probably have a nugget or two
of knowledge up your sleeve to blow them
away.
I have yet to be proven wrong on this one.
When it comes to sales or any other work
experience, having the support of a team
will undoubtedly set you up for success
much better than if you were to go at it
alone. In sales, especially, the wrongful
notion of “individual contributor” has
steered too many professionals toward
untimely setbacks. After all, with the
strength of the team, you uncover the
lessons from hundreds of phone calls,
objections and successes that you may
never get the chance to experience
yourself. Understand your teammates’
strengths and weaknesses, grow from
those better than you, be a resource for
those who can further develop, and
add your own experiences to the team’s
collective knowledge. In the end, both
you and the team will reap the successes
together and will make that much bigger
of an impact on your organization and
company. If you are a woman, what
skills and experiences have you picked
up to get ahead and help build a more
diverse workplace? Share your answer in
the LinkedIn Sales Solutions Group and
by using the hashtag #WomeninSales on
Twitter.
Darya Slavina
Sales Development Specialist at LinkedIn
At the time this article was written, Darya Slavina was beginning her
sales career with LinkedIn by focusing on the financial services industry.
Darya has since been promoted twice and is now one of the rising
star Account Executives with LinkedIn Marketing Solutions. Darya
graduated from Harvard College and currently resides in New York City.
Recently, LinkedIn Sales Solutions
launched a campaign called “Trends
of Women in Sales,” uncovering
some surprising disparities in the
representation of female leaders in the
sales workforce. As a millennial sales
professional and a woman, I think
there are some inherent advantages that
females should leverage in order to draw
the most of the experience in sales and
build a solid foundation for the rest of
their careers. Regardless of where you
are in your professional journey, here are
some words of advice:
3to Get Ahead
in Your Career
Tips
Buildrelationshipswith
womenthatinspireyou
Don’t get intimidated
Position yourself
aspartof a team
1
2
3
60. 60 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015
Developing
Tomorrow’s
LeadersIt’s no secret that the industry of Inside Sales continues to grow rapidly in
terms of number of new jobs created. A recent study indicated that 250,000
new jobs will be created in the next 3-4 years. With that comes more and
more openings for women as frontline managers, directors, and senior
leaders. The title of VP of In- side Sales was a rarity only a few years ago.
Today, recruiters are struggling to find experienced-enough leaders to take
on these more senior roles. In addition, there is a particular gap in terms of
women in mid- to senior- level Inside Sales leadership positions. Like many
other professions, leadership here tends to be male dominated. The AA-ISP
is trying to address some of these gaps through our Mentor Program and
Women in Sales round tables, yet more needs to be done.
60 Women in Sales Awards / North america - June 2015