Black Sales Journal

This is always one of my most popular post, probably not because it is a question that many want to ask.  In a world of tattoos, hair styles, and social media, so many want to be ‘individuals’.  I rerun it because I want you to be yourself, but also be employed.  Sales may not be unique in its level of internal and eternal visibility, but it is special.  Check it out!

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This is an interesting topic, and that is why we would like to cover it here.  God has given us the gift of being different.  We come from so many backgrounds that it is difficult to point them all out.  There are as many variations in our culture as there are reasons to rejoice about it.

I am going to give a definition of your culture that is slightly shortened from Webster’s Online Dictionary (Definition of Culture):

The integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations.  Additionally, the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social groups.

In other words, that which is part of you because of your surroundings and your past including that which is learned and absorbed, and that which you will be passing on to others.

This is a broad interpretation.  I think you will agree that it is interesting that culture, in the form of one’s diverse background can actually be a lightening rod for criticism or even a reason for exclusion in the world of corporate employment.  Comfort, likeability, even preference is affected by one’s background, color, and certainly culture.  Now these are not synonymous at all, they just blend to make a concoction that many employers avoid drinking.

Decisions on hiring, promotion, and even things as simple as who gets referrals and redistributions are done on the basis of how you are perceived.  Is it always fair?  I am more than certain that it is not!

What Are You Suppressing?

It is always wise to be yourself while in the office or work environment, as it is easier that way.  But…the self you need to be is the one that not only got you hired, but the one that can sustain your employment.  I am not saying you should be a chameleon.  You need to know how to be you, the business professional during the hours that you are selling the services and products that provide your living.

The workplace is a vessel of many principles and traditions.  You don’t have to conform to all of them, yet need to know which ones are important enough to follow so that you don’t damage your chances of success.

Suppress your culture?  Suppress it only if your culture runs afoul of the principles and traditions of your customers and your employer, and then, you only need to suppress it at work.  Should you wear your culture on your sleeve while you are at work?  I think you will agree that the answer is a resounding NO!

Let’s be Practical

Here is a brief look at some of the situations that commonly occur just to give some practical perspective.

Promotion - Your interview for a promotion is much anticipated.  You are working, in a conservative industry (commercial banking), for a conservative bank.  What do they expect from you in terms of your delivery, your approach to customers, your educational background, and your appearance?

Job Interview - You are in search of a position fitting your years of experience and your success in the past.  You are known as a solid sales professional and you want to move up in position by taking a sales manager role.  In addition to all else, your results have indicated that you are the likely candidate.  What will get you hired in this coveted position?

Reduction in Force - You are a solid performer, yet you recognize that they are considering layoffs in your sales department.  You feel you are a key performer, yet realize that there are others who have done a good job as well.  Your numbers are solid, and your product and industry knowledge are exemplary.  How are they going to make that decision as to who stays and who goes?

In each of these examples, there are two common denominators.  One is the fact that you are competing against others.  The other is that you still have a customer who has expectations from a business standpoint.

In each of the above, you could have problems if you stray from being race neutral in your approach.  Also note that you still deal with the forces of the 3P’s, Perceptions, Preference and Prejudice. Cultural diversity can and will sensitize this.  Whether you are black, brown, tan, yellow, or white, you need to recognize that if you are race neutral in your professional manner, you have a better chance of professional success.

I don’t care whether you are white or brown, if your organization has a policy against dreadlocks, braids, and Mohawks, you may want to avoid fighting it, and consider a profession or employer who does not care.  Keep your individuality, and exercise it when you are on your own time.

If tattoos and piercings are part of your culture or appearance, you should consider a sales career where those things don’t matter.  Most sales careers are not the place to be too different as there is a customer out there who will make the decision on degree of difference.

There is no doubt that you need to be the image of the consummate professional in the customer’s eyes.

Is this selling out?

This is a good question.  What I am actually saying is that you must play the professional role in this theater.  Be as different as you want during your off hours.  Your alternatives to conforming are self-employment and other careers.  You are not selling out by being the professional.

One Last Word

You can be an activist in the street, a militant about social issues, or a pacifist about conflict.  I am advocating that when it comes to professional sales, be the consummate professional (while at work) who is also an activist in the street, a militant about social issues, or a pacifist about conflict.

It can be done.  It is done in sports and in many other arenas.

Be the best!

Your comments are welcome.

It does not matter what race, ethnic group, or color you are, there is always the possibility of injustice.  You may think it is less prevalent now, but it still happens.  When and if it happens, you might be looking for an ally.  Read this.

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Sales will continue to be a difficult, but rewarding position.  We have had an opportunity to cover issues regarding the Black sales professional, the customer, and the employer, and their interactions in the course of business.  This is a complex relationship.

The effects of the 3Ps often have a role in the relationship.  For a refresher, the 3Ps play into the relationship in varying degrees; sometimes just below the surface, and sometimes playing a much more prominent role.  Today we will cover the reaction of the employer when prejudice rears its ugly head in the customer relationship, and how you might be affected.

The 3Ps Revisited

The 3Ps represent the untold in the workplace, beliefs, attitudes, and practices that can make it more difficult to succeed.  I will draw from the Inaugural Post of Black Sales Journal 11/2010, when they were first discussed.  Specifically, I termed it the “X” factor.

The 3Ps are:

• Perceptions
• Preferences
• Prejudices

Perceptions are hard to change, yet they are based on ones background, mindset, and their seat in the arena of life.

Preferences, quite simply, are what a person leans toward in their relationships, where their comfort level lies.

Prejudices are deep, often fueled by perceptions and one’s past, are deep enough to be actionable and problematic.

We went on to talk about the effect of these on your customer in Black Sales Journal – Preference, Prejudice, Perceptions and Your Customer).  This post covered how you can work with your customer when one or all of the 3Ps are evident.

The most striking statement in the post was that of the elements of the 3Ps, the most insidious is Prejudice. It is the most problematic of the 3Ps, mainly because there is little that can be done about it. Take a moment to review The Inaugural Post of Black Sales Journal and you will see that when it comes to the customer and the 3Ps, prejudice has little or no solutions.

When Prejudice Rears Its Ugly Head

There is always a possibility that a new sales relationship can go south because of Prejudice and its effects.  When and if things go wrong, you will be faced with being in a ‘sandwich’ between an employer who wants to satisfy a customer, continue to reap revenue, and hopefully, wants to support their sales professional.

Your employer’s reactions will obviously be affected by his or her own 3Ps, and you should expect that will be a factor (Black Sales Journal 12/30/2011 Preference, Perceptions, Prejudice, and Your Employer).  As a matter of fact, Prejudice sometimes is unmasked when customers and prospects are handed out to a Black sales professional.  No one has an idea of how receptive the customer will be to the new relationship unless the customer has made statements or taken actions that reveal it.  I would rather see this distribution of business to the Black sales representative than have the employer avoid giving them the best prospects to others in anticipation of a negative response.

When the customer reacts unfavorably, you will get an education, as you will get an opportunity to see whether your employer stands behind you.

An Real Example

I was a sales representative in B2B sales who was assigned an account to service and hopefully sell additional business.  I was more than willing to accept, and take a chance on, any reassigned account, as it was a way to increase sales revenue.  I needed the account badly.

The account was medium in size, and although complicated, well within my capabilities as a sales representative.  After much preparation I made my first visit to the account to make my introduction and discuss a change in pricing on the account.  My sales manager accompanied me on the call as making changing pricing at that time was a touchy issue.

After the introduction it was obvious that the call was not going to be warm and fuzzy.  The customer, who was an older individual, sat motionless with a foul expression even before the increase in price was discussed. Once pricing was discussed, the customer slammed his hand down on the desk  and said, “This is bull _ _ _ _ , you are trying to put me out of business!”.  “I will not accept this!  Get the hell out of my office!” he ranted.  We made a feeble attempt to explain the pricing but were told again to “Get out now!”

We gathered our materials and made a hasty retreat.  The buyer followed us through the open office, full of his employees, ranting at us.

On our drive back to the office, my manager and I discussed the call and it was obvious that neither of us expected the reaction, price increases were happening everywhere and ours was modest compared to others.

Upon arriving at the office the Regional Sales Manager (my sales manager’s boss) called me to discuss.  The customer had called him and advised that he was ticked  and that they were going to move their business if a change was not made.   I told the Regional Sales Manager that I had done everything possible on the pricing.  He said to me “It is not the pricing that he wants to change, he wants you off of the account.  He advised that he was not going to work with you based on your race.”  I knew from the conversation that he was sparing me the actual comments made.

Then came a statement that changed my life.  He indicated that he told the account that if that is the way you feel, “He is our sales representative, and if you work with us, you will work with Michael.  If not, we will, at your suggestion, terminate your account.” The account ‘fired us’ later that day he indicated that he was moving his business and never would return.

It was a modest loss of business for my company but a huge boost in my confidence.  My company had stood behind me!  Quite frankly, I appreciate what the sales manager did and I will never forget it.  There is no greater endorsement of a professional than to have the support of their employer.

Conclusion

I know that this example is unlike others, yet in backing a business resource, a devoted employee, I tend to think that the employer made out well.

Every situation and every company are different.  When I managed sales professionals, my actions had a sympathy to the sales professional involved as well as the customer.

Lesson learned:  Customers are always important, but the customer is not always right!

I appreciate your responses.