This business has a market for just about anyone. That is a major appeal of it. You don't have to fit a "mold" to be successful. There are so many different types that appeal to so many people. The big thing as others have mentioned is simply keep working and you'll do alright.
I have trouble selling in the Jewish and Gentile communities near me. Also seem to be having difficulty with While, Black and Hispanic. Asians don't seem to like me either. Native Americans won't talk to me.
Men hate me and women hate me more. I have a face for phone sales but my personality turns people off.
Good thing I'm self-employed.
Rick
What about transvestites? They are very underrepresented...
Chumps, you know that I like you, but it doesn't all even out.
Let's assume that the US consists of four ethnic groups 10% are black, 10% are Hispanic, 10% are Asian and the rest are European. Let's further assume that each group only does business with sales people who are part of their group and that no one says no to a member of their own ethnic group.
The black, Hispanic and Asian agents will only have a 10% chance of making a sale unless they figure out some way to target their ethnic group. The European agents have a 60% chance.
Obviously most of us are willing to do business with member of other ethnic groups, but the agents who are in the majority ethnic group has a better shot of making a sale.
The math works about the same if only 10% (which is, I hope and pray, closer to the actual number of idiots) of each group decides that they only want to do business with those like them. The sales people in the majority or plurality group are going to have a little bit of an easier job making sales.
To say that a minority can't make it is obviously false, but to say that it is a completely level playing field is also false.
I understand where you are coming from, Alston, but I am also a big believer in this.
Perception becomes reality.
If you believe people won't work with you because of skin color, accent, baldness, pot belly, stature, religion, etc. then that becomes your reality.
Most of my clients are Caucasian but that is not be design, just the way it shakes out. Most of my clients are women, but again, that is just how it happens.
If I thought women would never buy from me I would have missed out on 85% of my sales.
Somarco, I'm with you for the most part. I'm just saying that when I meet a stranger they don't assume that I'm a small business owner, a Mensa member, a white collar worker or even a homeowner.
In the 80s and 90s all of my sales came from face-to-face sales, so I'm not saying that there was a brick wall in the middle of my road, just a speed bump that many people don't have to deal with.
I still play basketball when I can. I'm not as good as I used to be, but I can hold my own with much younger players. When I go to a new court, I have to overcome the impression that comes with the gray hair. After I've played a game with the new group, I can expect to be treated better the next time I come to that court.
In certain social and sales situations it is similar; I may have to prove myself just to get to be treated the same way that everyone else is treated automatically.
This will probably be my last post on this subject. I don't want every one to think that I believe that race is a determining factor in sales or success in life.
In 2009 it's just a speed bump for most of us although for some it is still a brick wall.
The answer depends greatly on whether your accent presents difficulty to the party you are attempting to do business with. If the language barrier is too great, then folks may decide not to scale that mountain. It may be a convenience thing, not a prejudice issue at all.
One of the tenents of sales... try to emulate (relate to) the folks that you are presenting to. If they talk NASCAR, then you talk NASCAR. If you can't, then maybe you aren't their cup of tea; (type of person). There are lots of folks that I can't relate to, consequently my conversion rate with those folks are low. If I can cross that line of social or mental connection, my odds immediately go up, no matter what I am selling.
So the question moreover is, can you relate to the prospect, and does the prospect know that you are in step with them...? If there is a language barrier, that will likely hamper your batting average, IMO.
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"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." David Brinkley
I have trouble selling in the Jewish and Gentile communities near me. Also seem to be having difficulty with While, Black and Hispanic. Asians don't seem to like me either. Native Americans won't talk to me.
Men hate me and women hate me more. I have a face for phone sales but my personality turns people off.
Good thing I'm self-employed.
Rick
Rick,
I think your main problem is the size of your target market: the Libertarian Party Chapter in Fair Oaks, CA.
Accents may create a barrier for some, but DICTION is (in my mind at least) more important. If English is not your native language, I think most people are willing to overlook the communication issue. Accents are interesting, but when you can't understand what is being said without subtitles, there is a problem.
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Rick, don't pay any attention to Full Throttle. Size doesn't matter.
Last edited by somarco : 10-05-2009 at 07:45 PM.
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Re: Is There Prejudice in Insurance...
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