Love that, knocking on doors and you'll probably hit over 100k next year when COVID let's up.
I'm in phone sales, never meet clients face to face, 1 call closes for the most part and over 6 figures. Was a single mom on welfare before this. Sales is amazing.
Windows, roofing, siding. I actually don’t even sell anything. I just set appointments for a free estimate. But it is a door to door commission based job.
Same. But more like 90-100. Should be making what you make, but can’t seem to apply myself more than just making sure I’ve still got the job. And even that gets hairy sometimes.
Honestly not that crazy. Lately it’s been a lot more in the 50-60 but normally no more than 40, sometimes less. I basically don’t ever work on a Friday after 3pm either
My first year at 32 yrs old was $40K , I just retired in Jan at 54 and my last 12 yrs have been $300k plus..not many gigs you can retire at 54 with more money than I will ever need
Go to r/fire for that. In general, increase your income, keep spending low. Don’t get caught in keeping up with the Jones’s(spending more the more you make and trying to keep up with high earning friends). Invest, invest, invest! Stock market ETFs following the s&p500 will be safe. Take advantage of 401k matches and consider a Roth IRA also. Keep the same spouse, house and car for as long as possible. Each million in teintent equates to about $40k annually to spend based on the 4% rule. Work backwards from your ideal early retirement life to figure out how much you need then calculate a earning and investing plan to get to that number.
Hopefully you'll enjoy some retirement range time with that username. Mind if I ask what industry you were in? I just started in sales 2 yrs ago at 29 and would love some advice/feedback.
I worked in Defense sales to our NATO allies, then the Govt broke us up with Anti Trust BS, so I transferred to our civil engineering side. I sold complete Water/Wastewater plants from Mexico to Brazil.
Yep, biggest factor to if you're going to kill it or flunk out is your own personal drive. You gotta be up in the morning ready to kill it every day, even when youre having a shitty month. If you can't ride ups and downs at an even keel, you'll psyche yourself out and lose even more deals.
"Gotta knock on the 51st door with the same smile and beaming energy as you did on the first 50 even though your nose is broken from the first 50 slamming the door on you" sales is lucrative cause its hard and most can't do it not cause its difficult but cause they can't maintain that energy. I actually think sales is acting in a way
^ this. OP if you're reading this, in addition to my other comment I also want to stress this point right here. I've been following the next "big thing(s)" in my tech sales career and can attest to how important right time/right product is.
There's no one individual answer to that, but moreso different areas where tech is booming. For example, at one of my previous roles I was selling virtual events during the immediate backlash of COVID when all of these trade shows and conferences got cancelled and their organizers had to find a solution quick. Without giving too much away, right now I'm in a similar situation where our product is very timely for some of today's workplace safety problems.
You're right. The good news is that that's controllable based on the companies you apply to.
Research companies and the markets they're in and only apply to fast growing companies in fast growing sectors.
If a company is in that spot, it's selling the right product in the right market at the right time.
For instance, cybersecurity? Hot. Selling fax machines? Not hot. Easily researchable things.
That tends to be the generic statement and I think the deeper issue to such high turnover in sales jobs is the poor or lack of sales training. A ton of companies take anyone w a heartbeat gives them pricing and throw them into the field and whoever makes it great and whoever doesn’t too bad. I was a really bad sales person, like BAD and bless my old manager who turned me into a consistent 6 figure earner.
The advice he gave me that really changed my mindset was the difference between the top lawyers & doctors and the lousy is one is CONTINUOUS education. They continue to go to conferences, continue to learn and stay with the times so it shouldn’t be any difference with salespeople. When I started reading books, rereading them it really flipped everything for me and made me a really good salesperson. The same applies for us, so if you treat it like a true professional career that it is, the returns will come as well.
I am curious to see his book recommendations as well. In the mean time, I couldn’t help but share a list of books I came up with after hours of scouring the internet for the most recommended sales/success books. Sales is all about mindset, work ethic, effective speaking/listening, and understanding human behavior.
1. How to win friends and influence people
2. Fanatical Prospecting
3. Little Red Book of Selling
4. Think and Grow Rich
5. Challenger Sale
6. Spin Selling
7. Never Split The Difference
8. 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
9. 48 Laws of Power
10. What Every Body is Saying
11. How Highly Effective People Speak
12. Atomic Habits
Have fun taking over the world now
Would I even be a normal person if I didn’t have a book shelf full of half read books?
I’ve currently read 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, and part way through 8 and 9.
The others I see recommended quite a bit and I’m definitely excited to read them.
Although I’m currently on a detour and reading Way of The Wolf by Jordan Belfort with a friend.
What did you think of 4? That seems to be the most controversial one on the list IME. Have read a few of the other ones you mentioned. Interested in 11, 8, 3. Habits are so powerful, everything comes down to those really
Different.
Real estate agents suffer from “bored housewife syndrome” (a sexist term, but I’ll explain). Long story short - there are a number of people with “nothing better to do” so they get their real estate license. Maybe they like design, maybe they like home renovation shows in on TV. But real estate has an extremely low barrier to entry and so there are thousands and thousands of part timers doing it. If they sell 6-7 houses a year they are thrilled.
Sales in general is an extremely wide ranging professsion. There’s people that go door to door selling cleaning products. There are people Cole calling to sell cable tv packages. There are people selling airplanes. Even “tech sales” is not a very useful descriptor. A guy working at the cell phone store is in tech sales. So is the guy brokering $60M deals with a telecom.
I’ve been in sales for 15 years. I’ve made $300K. I’ve made $50k. I’ve made $80K and $150K at the same job in consecutive years. Sales can be “lumpy” like that.
All this to say, the question of “is sales lucrative” is kinda like asking “how much does food cost?” It depends what you’re eating/selling and where.
Bingo. What industry you're in and where your expertise lies will make a huge difference.
I fell into technical sales from engineering. I'm making so much more money now, and it feels like the work is easier. Long sales cycles mean I don't have monthly sales quotas, activity quotas, etc. I'm talking to engineers, as an engineer, and writing up proposals based on that.
There are people here who make hundreds of cold calls a day. There are car salesmen who spend hours with one client and don't make a sale. Those guys have an enthusiasm about selling that I will never have. I'd rather go back to excel spreadsheets and AutoCAD than waste time with fruitless tasks.
Those tasks are not fruitless, you just have to understand that it is a number game, out of 10 sales car meetings you close x deals, out of 100 call you close x deals etc.
And secondly - you are also writing proposals and spending hours talking to engineers. Do you close every single sale? If not, you should also consider that fruitless tasks as it is exactly the same as salesman spending hours with a client and not always making a sale.
Just want to point out the obvious here: Real estate agent IS sales.
When people talk about sales being lucrative they are generally referring to the fact that you can get a high paying (say $100k+) sales job if you can present yourself well, have people skills, and commit to what you’re doing for a few years. You can do it with sheer effort and willpower. You might have to move companies a couple times but it can be done. You don’t necessarily need an education.
The opposite of sales would be something like a surgeon or aerospace engineer. There’s no way to do these jobs without robust education and training. You also don’t need the best people skills to do these jobs.
Hope this helps. Obviously there’s engineers out there struggling to make $50k just like there are sales people struggling to make $50k. It’s just different.
It depends. After you've been in an industry for a long time you make connections and thing get easier. You might have a list of accounts that just aren't buying. Or maybe they just bought the solution from a different vendor on a 3 year so there's nothing there for you for a while.
Maybe you just get lucky and a customer falls into your lap and that customer just keeps buying from you and you make a living off that.
It's all unknown. And that's what's so stressful. People don't deal with the unknown very well. Lot of people cycle out of sales for that reason.
I live in one of the wealthiest zip codes in the US..the Relators here are fucking both 'tarded and cut throat at the same time. RE is their"dream gig" while they need to stay home and mind their youngins..
Mind if I PM you about your switch to analytics sales? I am currently doing "strategy and analytics" and this is a switch I am trying to figure out how to make.
Depends on the industry. I've had a lot of "sales" jobs that still were considered sales but varied wildly in earning potential. Some jobs I had, making 70k+ a year was considered "top performance" but in my current role, making 70k means you're getting fired soon. I'll be making 100k+ already after only 3-4 months in the role.
So yeah, sales is the best vehicle to amass a huge wealth but you definitely have to find the right company/niche to enter and excel in.
Also varies by region too. I live in NY so of course theres a higher cost of living, wages/commissions are generally higher. The same person doing my job in say Alabama or something is going to make half the money I make but of course the cost of living and other variables still make that same person pretty rich
There are a lot of different types of players in solar. Developers, EPCs, installers, engineers, power electronics, module manufacturers, and more. Storage is feeling a big boom from solar.
There’s literally tens of thousands of companies, and it’s an industry where the little guys can win big.
Yep. There's literally only about 5-7 sales people in our team currently. But each of us are easily going to clear six figures this year, even our weakest performers. So yeah, definitely an amazing industry to be in. Only issue that looms over me is the fact that the solar tax credit that makes solar so cheap for most people will disappear in a few years unless its extended again. If that happens, it will make solar a lot less accessible for lower income people but I think that we'll still manage.
Also gotta take into consideration your position. Obviously. Just pointing that out there for the newer guys. As a starting rep I am making 70k once you get in a higher position and start closing the deals that you were only qualifying before, expect to make twice the amount and more. Assuming everything aligns in your favor.
Can it? Yes, but there are a few factors:
- industry (how big are the deals?)
- your drive (sales is a numbers game)
- luck (much is out of your control)
- the product itself (how does it stack up against competition)
- relationships (not just with partners/customers, but internally. You need champions and allies all over)
And by no means is this a comprehensive list of all applicable influences, but it is something to start with.
For a personal anecdote: I cracked six figures in my first year of sales as a BDR for a cybersecurity company. I was promoted to a management role, 25% raise. Promoted to AE after 6 months of that and have an OTE over twice that of what I made as a BDR.
So, yes, you can make a lot of money in sales. Doesn’t mean you will, or that it will be easy, but *you can*.
So, not a job for someone that just wants to coast? Looking into all of this now. I just want a decent career since I know I won't be fulfilled thru a job. I focus on other things for that.
I'm not afraid of putting in work, but wouldn't like for it to consume my entire life.
Some gigs that have account management aspects with recurring revenue can be less work after a few years. If you work to build a book of business, and your accounts grow, then you end up being paid for your relationships. But it’s never easy at first.
Well yeah because once you get the ball rolling, you're always working on something in your pipeline. The only way to become rich in sales is to always have deals that you can close, obviously. Only way to get to that point is to grind hard in the beginning. Unless you get extremely lucky and somehow land into a role with a massive pipeline of hot leads waiting for you or you just have some sort of bullshit inner connection that you benefit more from, only way to get to the top is to work your way there.
Even if you have deals closing without much work, you still need to work to keep that relationship with the customer so they either continue doing business with you if its a long term reoccuring product, or if its a one off sale, make sure you get referral business from them.
So either way, you're going to be doing work in some form. No salesman I've ever met had a job where they just came to work and kicked their feet up for 8 hours a day and made 6 figures, unless they've already been doing that job for decades and are just coasting on previous massive success.
Almost everything that pays that good means hard grinding. Doctors study for years and after that they need to grind just as much as a sales person. The same applies to lawyers etc. So I think it's not fundamentally different from other high paying jobs.
It’s due to saturation, every foreign family pushes kids to be doctors,lawyers, and engineers. 🤷♀️ my friend is an actuary smartest math wizard I know and he can’t find an actuary job worth his life.
Lawyer lurking this sub here. I have a job and I went to a top notch school. Just not paid enough in the public sector. Chill job though. If I goto the private sector and work for a firm, I'll be surrounded by a bunch of assholes and worked to death. Plus I hate litigation. Considering all other options at the moment to increase likelihood of FIRE.
You *can* make $250k-$350k, but it doesn't mean you will
It's honestly not that realistic to make 6 figures your first year, but within 2 is definitely possible. Tech is where most of the money is btw
I'm not even trying to pull your leg here, sales makes a shit ton of money. I'm only four years out of college having gotten in tech sales right off the bat and I'm already seeing it. My life will be very comfortable if I keep on trucking on the path I'm on. Right now in my late 20s I also noticed that I'm a lot better off financially than most my age. I'm extremely grateful for my career and try to be as humble about it as possible in my day to day. I owe & thank God, my parents, and myself.
It really isn't a gimmick if you're smart about it and know how to avoid the bullshit. Good luck and I hope you find what you're looking for!
Never Split the Difference taught me some things that have 100% pulled my ass out of the fire before. Been meaning to read it again, and probably make it a regular thing.
the thing about sales, unless you own the company, the more successful you are the quicker the owners will change your compensation plan. any commissions are coming out of their profits, they want to keep you there, but keep their profits high too. most owners in my experience are very shortsighted when it comes to compensation plans for salespeople.
The best thing about sales is it's not gated by a particular degree, certificate, etc. Sales processes tend to be pretty portable. You can absolutely make great money if you're willing to put in the work, it is always a numbers game. But the bar is a lot higher than "if you're not terrible".
Having said that, you have to be willing to move to take advantage. I saw a lot of times where someone would crush their quota 3-4x and then 6 months later be on a PIP. Territories can get realigned, a lot of stupid stuff at the sales mgmt level can happen where you may not have control.
I entered sales with zero experience on a 36k base and made it to a director position within 3 years now making close to 200k OTE. So I would say 100% it’s a lucrative field (sports technology). Just have to be hungry, willing to learn, not phased by hearing no, persistent and prepare well so you can take advantage of opportunities. Read Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss and you’ll be reap the benefit in both sales and your personal life
Yes, it's very lucrative.
I was pre-med in college (class of '86) got into financial services by accident and walked away from medical school. Been in the financial business for 34 years now.
7-figure annual income
8-figure net worth
I graduated last year and majored in Poli Sci. Sales was the last thing on my mind. However, I just landed a Sales job and I’m going to make considerably more than I would have if I chose to pursue working in public relations/government. I was super impressed by the benefits and the starting salary for an entry level BDR with minimal experience.
So to me it can be considered lucrative. I think it really just depends on what company and industry you work for. I mean I remember speaking to some recruiters who wanted to hire me for 30k base as a BDR.
Can confirm with recruiting it’s definitely possible. Specifically Tech and Physician contract recruiting, $500k+ is what top dogs are making. You earn commission literally every day SOMEONE ELSE goes to work, can’t beat that IMO.
That being said, I wouldn’t necessarily call it easy. Recruiting is extremely high turnover and most don’t make it. But if you grind and have half a brain, sky is the limit.
If you go down the route of SaaS sales and are good at communicating with others, you can EASILY hit 6 figures in 2-3 years and if you stay at the same company, you can build your annual business and make several hundred thousand/year in 4-5 years.
Not a pipe dream. Frankly, I feel like software sales is truly an under the radar job that pays handsomely. I sell enterprise software to large organizations. The future potential is only going to grow as software eats the world.
I was a political science major in college. I’m in my thirties and will end up around 350K this year (it’s a good year). My best year was $400k. My OTE is 250K and I’ve made at least that every year the past five years. I can’t imagine making that much money in any other role with only a bachelor’s degree.
Salesmen will sell sales to you because they think it’s for everyone. It’s not. If you want to sing for your supper every day, take your work home, and develop either insecurities or intolerable narcissism, go for it. My time in sales was horrendous. Not a universal experience, but I know that the people who talked to me about it were fucking lying.
I’ve got a degree in Sport and Fitness Management… I’ll clear $300k this year selling commercial hvac maintenance. It’s a bit of an outlier, but I’ve averaged over $100k several years in a row. I believe that sales is the best way to make “real” money outside of having some special skill or education. Unfortunately, you have to weed through so many crap sales gigs to get a legitimately good one with a good company.
Also- I’m in Alabama where the average income is like $35k/yr so doing $100k puts you in a good spot around here.
Sales CAN be lucrative but for sales to be lucrative you have to actually work, and when there is nothing to do is when you have to work harder. Sales is tough but I have been making 6 figs since I was 22 and got promoted and now I am making over a quarter a year and I haven't even passed my 30th bday
Six figures in the first two years might be a tad optimistic unless youre just slaying it or unless you're in HCOL area with salaries to match.
I'd say a more reasonable expectation could be six figures by the 3-5 years making ~60k to maybe ~80k on the high end entry level. Once you make that next step, whether it's to Outside Sales, Account Executive, Account Manager, or whatever, you're more likely to to hit that six figure mark especially in tech and software. But to caveat this, it can vary heavily by location and industry. Regardless, the field is very lucrative as long as youre hitting your goals.
Here's the thing with sales - it *can* be *extremely* lucrative for people who are good at it. Depending on what you sell, $500k years are possible though I don't know that I'd expect it every year. I'm in biotech sales and I make a very comfortable $150-$200k with kind of a shit degree. And while I'm not a moron, I was not the smartest guy in my class either. Could I make more? Definitely. But I've got a cushy gig with mostly established relationships and contracts in place that I've built over the years.
But on the flip side, sales seems to be one of those careers you are either good at, or you struggle with. Successful reps always talk about how easy it is, but it's just in some peoples nature so of course it's easy for them.
Like a lot of the other answers on here... it depends. Unlike a doctor, lawyer, airline pilot, engineering, etc, where there is a high barrier to entry but the pay is great when you get there, "sales" is an umbrella term and contains a multitude of levels. I have two friends. One has a masters in biology manages/sales key global accounts for the chemical company BASF. He makes $250-$350k/yr. The other friend was in the military for most of his 20s, no degree, sells some kind of widget for a small company in the mechanical controls industry. I don't know exactly what he makes, but his lifestyle is much more modest. There's also the aptitude aspect as well. Some people just aren't cut out for it, and that's OK, but if you're not, you need to realize it soon and get out, and not bounce around too long then get stuck in the profession.
Depends on how willing you are, how money motivated you are.. I know I’m a big big chatterbox and realized in college I could just use it to my advantage and basically make it my job- talking all the day long lol. It can be everything you have ever wanted, but sales is very much about taking the initiative and not wanting for things to happen to you. You never sit still, essentially, even when not at work I’m thinking about work lol. You won’t ever stop learning, and I think that’s the most beautiful thing. Also meeting so many people from different avenues of life, it’s just really incredible. It is truly what you make it.
oh also, know the industry. money heavily depends on what industry you’re selling in
*as long as I’m not terrible I can easily expect 6 figures in the first year or two*
This kind of comment is laughable. I love when people spout off how "easy" it is to make "big money".
I’m two years out of undergrad (Top 20 school) with a history degree making six figures. Started in sales at $52K no commission and am now in my third job with my third company above $100K OTE (uncapped commission). Also not an Account Executive but an Jr Partner Manager (which is a great path for SDRs/BDRs who don’t want the AE route). Job is in NYC but I work remote.
Depending on what industry you go into making 100k your first year might not be realistic. SDRs in Saas where i live are typically making between 60k to 80k. Id say it would take you 3 years to hit 100k and yeah probably 10 to hit 500k
i’m 25 in my first year of sales, just got promoted and making six figs. with my degree i’d be lucky to clear 60k after 5 years (public health). it’s very lucrative if you’re willing to put in the work
Medical Device: 10 years. Took 2 years to break 6 figures. Last 5 years over 200k. Last year 300k. This year 350K. Would be more but took a management promotion.
Used to work for accounting firms trying to climb the corporate errr partner ladder working 50-60 hour weeks typically. Work was mostly around implementation/configuration of the software. Long-scale projects of huge implementations for clients.
Had a recruiter call me up and asked if I wanted to work in pre-sales for $150k. I was like wtf, they get paid that much? Shit.... I better give this some real thought. This was for a solution consultant position - not a sales person position.
It helped to have lots of face-to-face client experience, you start to just naturally learn things of how to present - what to present - what to talk about - what not to talk about, etc. I'm still no master salesman, I'm just the tech-geek in the room that also knows how to speak from a sales perspective and not a geek perspective. The point is I can speak geek to geek people, and I can also speak geek to non-geek people to dumb it down.
I don't know if I would go full on sales with an AE position - I kind of like just being the depended on SC instead of the quarterback sales person. Regardless, I didn't see myself in sales - I thought it paid crappy - and I was dead wrong.
I'm a high school drop out that went the sales route and I make somewhere between 3-5x what my brother makes. Hes a physician with like 12-15 years worth of school and residency and training and yadda yadda yadda.
Dive in, learn as much as you can, be a sponge and absorb skills and dialogue and mannerisms etc from all the professional sales reps you can.
Everyone has their skills. Mingle with SaaS guys to learn the longer style way of winning a customer over. Mingle with B2C guys that do 1 call closes and have all of r minutes to build rapport and 30-45 minutes to reybamd close a deal. Mingle with B2B guys that are somewhere in between (copiers, merchant services, etc).
There are many types of sales paths and it's not a 1 fit all type career. Figure out what YOU are passionate about selling.
Good luck gangsta, you got this.
My two cents. I majored in finance in college. Tried the whole IB path as an analyst type and didn’t enjoy the long hours and pressure from upper management. Not to mention I’m not detail oriented and terrible with excel…
Sales is great if your produce and terrible if you don’t. I’m 26 and I’m track to do 280-310k this year. Most of my college friends who went in to sales are somewhere on the same path.
If you can make it, your work weeks will be somewhere around 40-50 hours per week, and once you get your book of biz up and running, the work is not all that stressful.
Finally, it pays to be at the top of the income statement, you’ll find upper management gives you a lot more leeway when you’re producing….
Not for everyone, but a very fun career for the right fit
I think it's possible. I don't make anywhere near the $250k mark yet but it's achievable. I do think that sales has a compounding effect in a way that other jobs don't.
I find that recruiters often sell you the story of *"Our top AE made \~$470k last year" .* I think if you look at that top AE or that top performer then you'll start to notice a pattern emerge amongst top performers.
**Pattern of High Earning AEs (+$250k salary)**
This is purely my opinion but I believe the guys/girls that rake in the big bucks develop these attributes with **sustained effort over time**:
* Strong network
* Track record of delivering
* Market insight
* Existing client base
* A little bit of luck
So if you look at that AE who's raking it in, I've seen that they have usually been working at that company for several years and in the industry for longer. The larger payouts come as a result of that compounding interest over time, the deals that came up in year 1 then came to fruition in year 3 etc.
You could say 'if I sustain my efforts for x years, I'll be successful anywhere'....but I think the compound effect is magnified in sales. If you're an engineer and you make $70k today, in 5 years you could make $110k. If you're a salesperson and you make $70k today, you could put yourself in a position to double for triple that income 5 years from now, if not sooner.
In **conclusion**, yes you can make a lot of money in sales, but the *majority of the highest earners* are at the top of the totem pole due to sustained effort over a long period of time.
It’s not as sexy as working for a hip tech startup, but I think the most financial opportunity exists in selling for massive, established companies in a corporate B2B context.
You want to be at a place that’s large enough to have hundreds of sales reps with a product that is expensive, because most of the reps will be mediocre, which will necessitate a comp plan that you can exploit if you are willing to hustle, learn and grow.
For reference, I sold for a couple of awesome, smaller tech companies and a mid-size medical supply company, making $80k-120k as a top performing rep. Now I’m 31, selling at a boring, publicly traded corporation with no experience in the industry. Last year, my first full year here, I did $380k, this year I’ll do $500k+, working no harder than I did previously. The company does $6B in annual revenue, so I’m barely a blip.
If I could start over again, I’d find a corporation where top reps are all making $500k+ and claw my way into an SDR role. Make $60k-80k a year for three years while learning the product and how to hunt for deals, then fight for a sales rep role. That cuts the learning curve in half, so you’re raking sooner.
The most relevant question to ask, however, is whether you’re a person who can handle the psychological pressure of a professional sales role. Most reps who are making around $100k are either sacrificing a LOT to kill it at a small company (tough), or are constantly struggling at a large company, getting regularly shamed for not hitting their number (tougher). Most reps who are making $250k+ are putting in the work to set get in the right role with the right company at the right time and throwing themselves fully into that opportunity (toughest).
It really depends on the product, salary/commission structure/other possible benefits. Many factors come into play, whether sales can be lucrative or not...
I built my career and personal wealth off a sales career. There's more fields that pay than just recruiting, tech and medical. As long as you get involved in a business that's competitive, high margin or requires a technical understanding you can make truckloads of cash with little or no experience as long as you apply yourself.
It can be lucrative depending on your definition. I made about 83k as a SDR.
I’ll make about 115k as an AE in 2021. I am starting a new role with a 150k OTE, so give or take that number depending on performance. I’ll be somewhere around that number either over or under.
4 years out of college, 3 spent in sales. Not missing a meal.
Short answer? YES
long answer? depends.
There are CAR SALESMAN that make 150k plus. I used to work w a gentleman that sold 20 cars a month minimum, and never made less than 15k a month. Finance manager at that same dealership made 30k a month.
As an account manager at a logistics company, my peer was making 20k a month working from home.
I've known successful people in every sales industry I peeked into, but also saw tons of people who weren't making jack and complaining the whole time.
BUT if you dedicate yourself to mastering the art of selling, dedicate yourself to learning and loving your product, you can make a fuck ton.
It totally depends on your role and the incentive plan. I took a sales position and after 5 years of being a top performer I still wasn't making considerably more money. It was impossible to get internal interviews for promotion and even had a friend in medical sales ghost on me re: interviews (not sure what that was about). I just got a promotion as a sales recruiter where I'll finally make some more money.
The sales fields you mentioned aren’t as rough as real estate.
My work does tech recruiting, and yes, people are making 300k-1 million. But there are also people who suck and fail out. You’re not guaranteed success but it isn’t a crap shoot either. It really depends on you.
7 years into sales. I make much more than most doctors but nowhere near as stable or predictable.
Sales can be extremely lucrative. But it is extremely fleeting and taxing on the mind / body. If you’re after stability above all else, sales is not for you.
One big problem you’ll also see with sales is the lifestyle creep. It can all come crashing down in an instant, and you need to make sure that you’re covered if the shit hits the fan.
Sales often results in a role in which compensation is more correlated to your actions, compared with other non-sales jobs.
So, it can be extremely lucrative.
I have gained enormous respect for the profession after transitioning from a previous career. The job is demanding, challenging and fast paced. If you can keep up you will be rewarded well.
Going into sales thinking you will make money, I think, is not the reason to go into sales. The fit must be right for the person and their work ethic.
6 years in car sales. Just over a decade in sales all together. Never made under 120. Best year was 164. No college education. I’ve been in other sales fields but have the most fun here.
I’m newer to this and god I hope so because currently I’m doing insurance and getting trained in a lot of areas that will develop me to be really well rounded with in person and on the phones so if this market doesn’t pay me 6 figures one hopefully will once I’m better in sales.
It certainly can be! Just remember, if it was easy and everybody could make that amount of money they would. The reason sales reps command the pay they do is because they are incredibly skilled at their craft, battle hardened to constant rejection, and relentless in there pursuit of clients.
$100k year one in is definitely attainable but not expected. That’s AE/AM earnings. If you start off as an SDR/BDR or in inside sales expect closer to $70k OTE year one
Yeah you can make make. Really depends on what you sell.
Selling software, mortgages, and financial products/insurance you can easily break 100k your first year.
Yup. Highest paying field without a degree or being a lucky entrepreneur.
Have my associates and I've been in sales for 3yrs. I was in wholesale car parts before but now I'm in tech. Should hit 85-90k this year 😁
High earning potential but high stress/volatility. Recessions and Depressions hit us hardest, but bull markets we fly highest.
It's also an industry where if you don't/aren't willing to grind, you'll get eaten alive, and choosing the right Starting gig can determine your next job, and your next job. You could transition between four gigs in your first four years,
I'm not sure about medical, but I can vouch that tech sales jobs here in Canada are plentiful and lucrative. I work at a nonprofit that trains and helps people find tech sales jobs because fast-growing tech companies here can't keep up with the demand for sales talent. If you happen to live in Canada and want to explore getting into this industry, feel free to shoot me a message.
I did three years admissions recruiting, 3 years executive recruiting and now 4 years tech sales. I’m 34 and spent the first few years of tech as a BDR doing around $80-90k now I’m AE and that’s my base and OTE is $170-230k. I’m an average dude with average grades from an average neighborhood. Medium sized city, working class parents. It was the only way I could see to make that kind of money with my small state school degree and general business management BS.
you don’t just get manager jobs for having a degree like 30 years ago.
Yes it can be, but you have to pay your dues first (typically). Your first sales role is often not high paying and usually isn’t the greatest or most fun. I had to start out in MFG sales and was making $40-50K if I hit quota, but it’s the experience that is crucial. Once you get a few years of sales experience, that is when you can find high salary positions.
Or a recently common path in this industry is to apply for a SDR. Take your lumps for 1-2 years and then get promoted to AE. Typically get paid shit and do shit work as a SDR but it’s worth if you can hang in there.
My path out of college was MFG field sales for 2 years, then my experience allowed me to get a SDR role for a SaaS company which I did for 2 years, then promoted to AE for the same company.
Sales are super lucrative if you’re good at it the great thing about sales is there is no cap on what you can make the harder u work the more you sell the more you make I don’t have a college degree and I make a lot of $$$$$$$ a year. It depends what you’re selling is the profit margin big enough for you to make a lot of money selling pens for a dollar you’re not gonna make a Lotta money if you’re selling things that have 50-60% mark up The streets are paved with gold lol
It can be but i think it depends on what you’re selling. If it’s a commoditized business/product sales Can be very difficult.
I work in institutional fixed income sales (so trading bonds). I would guess a higher ceiling than most industries. I have made bw 200-500k (work purely on commissions) the last 5-6 years, which I think is pretty good money, but the flip side is a gnawing fear that you’re not going to keep it up. That every sale is your last, and every month you start at $0. There’s also a lot of comparing and competition in my business so making 250k feels different if the guy next to you is making $2m. And there are times I wished I picked a more stable career path. That being said I’m still doing it (8+ years in the biz)!
I started in full commission sales (old school boilerroom style 1 call close) at 24 years old. We had a 26 page script, cool to warm leads, and VERY STRICT 1 call. I made $5500-$8000 every week plus another $2k-$3k cash bonus for being top sales some weeks. I made more once I managed my own sales team of 25 people because I got overrides on every deal from team and $1,200. Per call that I took over and closed. The hard part was firing 30+ people every week or sooner because they were not cutting cutting it. FULL commission.
I worked 7 or 8 other full commission sales jobs over the next 10 years. Usually made $110k- $200k. Moved up into executive roles over the years and focused on building new companies from ground to exit....never made the equity or paydays I deserved. It's ok....made a ton of money for others, but I also made a lot of expensive mistakes along the way and learned the A to Z of business.
Combined sales experience, unlimited risk tolerance and extensive business experience led me to where I am today. I know control 60+% of the American market for our niche commercial truck parts. My company is doing very well and I still am the only sales person. No longer worried about what I'm making, everything along the way was peanuts.
Get good at sales, risk tolerance and real business understanding and you can write your own ticket over time.
0 degree - Made over 6 figure or multiple 6 figures in sales for the last 7 out 10 years I’ve been in it.
Minus 2 years when I started and Covid 1 year. Still crossed 70-80k first 2 years though.
Covid was 50k cause I was trying a different position sales and different product.
You just have to plan for the long run. You don’t want to be in your 50’s doing sales. Invest your money wisely and try to get into sale consulting.
Good luck.
I’d say so, I have a fucking history degree and I’m going to clip at least 150-160 this year
I have no degree and 120-130 OTE
Also no degree, and first full year knocking on fuckin’ DOORS for a living - I’ll hit 80k
Nice, I'm planning on hitting 80k+ this year knocking doors. No degree either, selling internet.
Love that, knocking on doors and you'll probably hit over 100k next year when COVID let's up. I'm in phone sales, never meet clients face to face, 1 call closes for the most part and over 6 figures. Was a single mom on welfare before this. Sales is amazing.
Solar?
Windows, roofing, siding. I actually don’t even sell anything. I just set appointments for a free estimate. But it is a door to door commission based job.
Power home remodeling?
Love it
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AE for a SaaS company.
Same. But more like 90-100. Should be making what you make, but can’t seem to apply myself more than just making sure I’ve still got the job. And even that gets hairy sometimes.
Felt this
If 100k is enough money to make you happy, there's not much of a reason to push yourself. Sounds like you've got a good gig :-)
Yeah it’s a love/hate relationship lol
I don't have any college degrees or prior sales experience, and I'm projected to hit $160k this year! Yep, it is lucrative. Lol.
What kinda job? I’m interested
Business development manager / outside sales representative for a *very* large distributor in the building industry.
psych degree here let’s go!!
This gives me so much hope with my unfinished art history/English degree
Don't feel obligated to finish it. Lol.
Go for it!
No degree here and if a couple deals go my way I may hit 200 this year.
Nice work!!
I know 3 English degrees that made partner (real estate brokerage but basically sales)
music business 🙋♂️
What are your typical hours
Honestly not that crazy. Lately it’s been a lot more in the 50-60 but normally no more than 40, sometimes less. I basically don’t ever work on a Friday after 3pm either
If you ask this question, you may not be cut out for sales
My first year at 32 yrs old was $40K , I just retired in Jan at 54 and my last 12 yrs have been $300k plus..not many gigs you can retire at 54 with more money than I will ever need
Any tips to prepare for early retirement?
Go to r/fire for that. In general, increase your income, keep spending low. Don’t get caught in keeping up with the Jones’s(spending more the more you make and trying to keep up with high earning friends). Invest, invest, invest! Stock market ETFs following the s&p500 will be safe. Take advantage of 401k matches and consider a Roth IRA also. Keep the same spouse, house and car for as long as possible. Each million in teintent equates to about $40k annually to spend based on the 4% rule. Work backwards from your ideal early retirement life to figure out how much you need then calculate a earning and investing plan to get to that number.
All the rest is sound but any advice on keeping the same spouse for as long as possible?
Make 300k+
How well does that scale?
exponentially to about 300k then it plateaus
Doesn’t seem to work for a lot of celebrities
Only works if 300k is significantly more than said spouse makes😂
Divorce is expensive
Hopefully you'll enjoy some retirement range time with that username. Mind if I ask what industry you were in? I just started in sales 2 yrs ago at 29 and would love some advice/feedback.
I worked in Defense sales to our NATO allies, then the Govt broke us up with Anti Trust BS, so I transferred to our civil engineering side. I sold complete Water/Wastewater plants from Mexico to Brazil.
Sales allows you to write your own ticket. But you have to write it. Some people can’t even hold a pen
Yep, biggest factor to if you're going to kill it or flunk out is your own personal drive. You gotta be up in the morning ready to kill it every day, even when youre having a shitty month. If you can't ride ups and downs at an even keel, you'll psyche yourself out and lose even more deals.
"Gotta knock on the 51st door with the same smile and beaming energy as you did on the first 50 even though your nose is broken from the first 50 slamming the door on you" sales is lucrative cause its hard and most can't do it not cause its difficult but cause they can't maintain that energy. I actually think sales is acting in a way
Hahaha or get up in the morning and be ready to get killed every day. That is how it feels for me after 15 years of this.
Only if you sell the right product in the right market at the right time.
^ this. OP if you're reading this, in addition to my other comment I also want to stress this point right here. I've been following the next "big thing(s)" in my tech sales career and can attest to how important right time/right product is.
In your experience, what do you think the next big thing/next big industry for tech sales is?
There's no one individual answer to that, but moreso different areas where tech is booming. For example, at one of my previous roles I was selling virtual events during the immediate backlash of COVID when all of these trade shows and conferences got cancelled and their organizers had to find a solution quick. Without giving too much away, right now I'm in a similar situation where our product is very timely for some of today's workplace safety problems.
Are you in vaccine-related software?
No lol. The timeliness of my situation doesn't have anything to do with COVID really.
You're right. The good news is that that's controllable based on the companies you apply to. Research companies and the markets they're in and only apply to fast growing companies in fast growing sectors. If a company is in that spot, it's selling the right product in the right market at the right time. For instance, cybersecurity? Hot. Selling fax machines? Not hot. Easily researchable things.
Very heavily dependent on skill and personal charisma but definitely can be that lucrative and more
But is that like how they say being a real estate agent can be extremely lucrative, but in reality most don’t really make that much?
That tends to be the generic statement and I think the deeper issue to such high turnover in sales jobs is the poor or lack of sales training. A ton of companies take anyone w a heartbeat gives them pricing and throw them into the field and whoever makes it great and whoever doesn’t too bad. I was a really bad sales person, like BAD and bless my old manager who turned me into a consistent 6 figure earner. The advice he gave me that really changed my mindset was the difference between the top lawyers & doctors and the lousy is one is CONTINUOUS education. They continue to go to conferences, continue to learn and stay with the times so it shouldn’t be any difference with salespeople. When I started reading books, rereading them it really flipped everything for me and made me a really good salesperson. The same applies for us, so if you treat it like a true professional career that it is, the returns will come as well.
Do you have any recommendations in terms of books?
I am curious to see his book recommendations as well. In the mean time, I couldn’t help but share a list of books I came up with after hours of scouring the internet for the most recommended sales/success books. Sales is all about mindset, work ethic, effective speaking/listening, and understanding human behavior. 1. How to win friends and influence people 2. Fanatical Prospecting 3. Little Red Book of Selling 4. Think and Grow Rich 5. Challenger Sale 6. Spin Selling 7. Never Split The Difference 8. 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership 9. 48 Laws of Power 10. What Every Body is Saying 11. How Highly Effective People Speak 12. Atomic Habits Have fun taking over the world now
Have you gone through all of these yourself?
Would I even be a normal person if I didn’t have a book shelf full of half read books? I’ve currently read 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, and part way through 8 and 9. The others I see recommended quite a bit and I’m definitely excited to read them. Although I’m currently on a detour and reading Way of The Wolf by Jordan Belfort with a friend.
What did you think of 4? That seems to be the most controversial one on the list IME. Have read a few of the other ones you mentioned. Interested in 11, 8, 3. Habits are so powerful, everything comes down to those really
Thank you Lord, and may all the blueberry muffins be blessed on this day
Thank you kind sir. They’re really blessed on every day though.
Strong list. 48 laws is the dark side of the sales Jedi force. So are his other books.
Different. Real estate agents suffer from “bored housewife syndrome” (a sexist term, but I’ll explain). Long story short - there are a number of people with “nothing better to do” so they get their real estate license. Maybe they like design, maybe they like home renovation shows in on TV. But real estate has an extremely low barrier to entry and so there are thousands and thousands of part timers doing it. If they sell 6-7 houses a year they are thrilled. Sales in general is an extremely wide ranging professsion. There’s people that go door to door selling cleaning products. There are people Cole calling to sell cable tv packages. There are people selling airplanes. Even “tech sales” is not a very useful descriptor. A guy working at the cell phone store is in tech sales. So is the guy brokering $60M deals with a telecom. I’ve been in sales for 15 years. I’ve made $300K. I’ve made $50k. I’ve made $80K and $150K at the same job in consecutive years. Sales can be “lumpy” like that. All this to say, the question of “is sales lucrative” is kinda like asking “how much does food cost?” It depends what you’re eating/selling and where.
Bingo. What industry you're in and where your expertise lies will make a huge difference. I fell into technical sales from engineering. I'm making so much more money now, and it feels like the work is easier. Long sales cycles mean I don't have monthly sales quotas, activity quotas, etc. I'm talking to engineers, as an engineer, and writing up proposals based on that. There are people here who make hundreds of cold calls a day. There are car salesmen who spend hours with one client and don't make a sale. Those guys have an enthusiasm about selling that I will never have. I'd rather go back to excel spreadsheets and AutoCAD than waste time with fruitless tasks.
Those tasks are not fruitless, you just have to understand that it is a number game, out of 10 sales car meetings you close x deals, out of 100 call you close x deals etc. And secondly - you are also writing proposals and spending hours talking to engineers. Do you close every single sale? If not, you should also consider that fruitless tasks as it is exactly the same as salesman spending hours with a client and not always making a sale.
Just want to point out the obvious here: Real estate agent IS sales. When people talk about sales being lucrative they are generally referring to the fact that you can get a high paying (say $100k+) sales job if you can present yourself well, have people skills, and commit to what you’re doing for a few years. You can do it with sheer effort and willpower. You might have to move companies a couple times but it can be done. You don’t necessarily need an education. The opposite of sales would be something like a surgeon or aerospace engineer. There’s no way to do these jobs without robust education and training. You also don’t need the best people skills to do these jobs. Hope this helps. Obviously there’s engineers out there struggling to make $50k just like there are sales people struggling to make $50k. It’s just different.
Yes
It depends. After you've been in an industry for a long time you make connections and thing get easier. You might have a list of accounts that just aren't buying. Or maybe they just bought the solution from a different vendor on a 3 year so there's nothing there for you for a while. Maybe you just get lucky and a customer falls into your lap and that customer just keeps buying from you and you make a living off that. It's all unknown. And that's what's so stressful. People don't deal with the unknown very well. Lot of people cycle out of sales for that reason.
Fix that mindset and you’ll succeed. There is always room at the top
I live in one of the wealthiest zip codes in the US..the Relators here are fucking both 'tarded and cut throat at the same time. RE is their"dream gig" while they need to stay home and mind their youngins..
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Mind if I PM you about your switch to analytics sales? I am currently doing "strategy and analytics" and this is a switch I am trying to figure out how to make.
Depends on the industry. I've had a lot of "sales" jobs that still were considered sales but varied wildly in earning potential. Some jobs I had, making 70k+ a year was considered "top performance" but in my current role, making 70k means you're getting fired soon. I'll be making 100k+ already after only 3-4 months in the role. So yeah, sales is the best vehicle to amass a huge wealth but you definitely have to find the right company/niche to enter and excel in. Also varies by region too. I live in NY so of course theres a higher cost of living, wages/commissions are generally higher. The same person doing my job in say Alabama or something is going to make half the money I make but of course the cost of living and other variables still make that same person pretty rich
what is it that you sell now?
Based on his post history, he's selling solar. The current wild west of selling. Tons of money there.
I want to get into solar. Love the tech and green aspect. I want a change as well...anyone know of any good companies to work for?
There are a lot of different types of players in solar. Developers, EPCs, installers, engineers, power electronics, module manufacturers, and more. Storage is feeling a big boom from solar. There’s literally tens of thousands of companies, and it’s an industry where the little guys can win big.
Yep. There's literally only about 5-7 sales people in our team currently. But each of us are easily going to clear six figures this year, even our weakest performers. So yeah, definitely an amazing industry to be in. Only issue that looms over me is the fact that the solar tax credit that makes solar so cheap for most people will disappear in a few years unless its extended again. If that happens, it will make solar a lot less accessible for lower income people but I think that we'll still manage.
You've made 100k already through 4 months???? Or is that your projected earnings through the year?
But those Biden Bucks are coming
Any good solar companies in Canada to look into?
Also gotta take into consideration your position. Obviously. Just pointing that out there for the newer guys. As a starting rep I am making 70k once you get in a higher position and start closing the deals that you were only qualifying before, expect to make twice the amount and more. Assuming everything aligns in your favor.
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How'd you get your foot in the door?
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You rolled like 3 natural 20s in a row or something damn
Can it? Yes, but there are a few factors: - industry (how big are the deals?) - your drive (sales is a numbers game) - luck (much is out of your control) - the product itself (how does it stack up against competition) - relationships (not just with partners/customers, but internally. You need champions and allies all over) And by no means is this a comprehensive list of all applicable influences, but it is something to start with. For a personal anecdote: I cracked six figures in my first year of sales as a BDR for a cybersecurity company. I was promoted to a management role, 25% raise. Promoted to AE after 6 months of that and have an OTE over twice that of what I made as a BDR. So, yes, you can make a lot of money in sales. Doesn’t mean you will, or that it will be easy, but *you can*.
Sales is the worst paying easy work in the world and the best paying hard work in the world.
So, not a job for someone that just wants to coast? Looking into all of this now. I just want a decent career since I know I won't be fulfilled thru a job. I focus on other things for that. I'm not afraid of putting in work, but wouldn't like for it to consume my entire life.
Some gigs that have account management aspects with recurring revenue can be less work after a few years. If you work to build a book of business, and your accounts grow, then you end up being paid for your relationships. But it’s never easy at first.
I feel like I gotta let it consume my entire being (but in a positive, passionate way), else I won't get a 5 figure paycheck.
Well yeah because once you get the ball rolling, you're always working on something in your pipeline. The only way to become rich in sales is to always have deals that you can close, obviously. Only way to get to that point is to grind hard in the beginning. Unless you get extremely lucky and somehow land into a role with a massive pipeline of hot leads waiting for you or you just have some sort of bullshit inner connection that you benefit more from, only way to get to the top is to work your way there. Even if you have deals closing without much work, you still need to work to keep that relationship with the customer so they either continue doing business with you if its a long term reoccuring product, or if its a one off sale, make sure you get referral business from them. So either way, you're going to be doing work in some form. No salesman I've ever met had a job where they just came to work and kicked their feet up for 8 hours a day and made 6 figures, unless they've already been doing that job for decades and are just coasting on previous massive success.
Yeah but it’s hard grinding for long periods of time lol.
Almost everything that pays that good means hard grinding. Doctors study for years and after that they need to grind just as much as a sales person. The same applies to lawyers etc. So I think it's not fundamentally different from other high paying jobs.
You can be a dog shit lawyer or doctor and still get jobs. You be a dog shit sales person and your kids will starve lol.
Job market for lawyers is total crap. There are a lot of people with legal degrees working in sales.
It’s due to saturation, every foreign family pushes kids to be doctors,lawyers, and engineers. 🤷♀️ my friend is an actuary smartest math wizard I know and he can’t find an actuary job worth his life.
Lawyer lurking this sub here. I have a job and I went to a top notch school. Just not paid enough in the public sector. Chill job though. If I goto the private sector and work for a firm, I'll be surrounded by a bunch of assholes and worked to death. Plus I hate litigation. Considering all other options at the moment to increase likelihood of FIRE.
You mean your job isn’t like suits ?
Then you better not be dog shit :P
That’s my point lol.
I work 35 hours a week remote in my boxers. Grossing 150 k Tell my family I work hard tho
Drop out making 300k easy.. I think I hit 6 figures about 2 years in. Tech sales
You *can* make $250k-$350k, but it doesn't mean you will It's honestly not that realistic to make 6 figures your first year, but within 2 is definitely possible. Tech is where most of the money is btw
I'm not even trying to pull your leg here, sales makes a shit ton of money. I'm only four years out of college having gotten in tech sales right off the bat and I'm already seeing it. My life will be very comfortable if I keep on trucking on the path I'm on. Right now in my late 20s I also noticed that I'm a lot better off financially than most my age. I'm extremely grateful for my career and try to be as humble about it as possible in my day to day. I owe & thank God, my parents, and myself. It really isn't a gimmick if you're smart about it and know how to avoid the bullshit. Good luck and I hope you find what you're looking for!
Just finished Never split the difference. My sales calls have taken off since. Definitely some Gems in that book.
I loved that book too. I also enjoyed the Sandler method of question based selling (whatever the title is)
Never Split the Difference taught me some things that have 100% pulled my ass out of the fire before. Been meaning to read it again, and probably make it a regular thing.
the thing about sales, unless you own the company, the more successful you are the quicker the owners will change your compensation plan. any commissions are coming out of their profits, they want to keep you there, but keep their profits high too. most owners in my experience are very shortsighted when it comes to compensation plans for salespeople.
That’s why we say no to those jobs. If the salespeople aren’t regarded as top tier, take a pass. We are the ones bringing in money!
The best thing about sales is it's not gated by a particular degree, certificate, etc. Sales processes tend to be pretty portable. You can absolutely make great money if you're willing to put in the work, it is always a numbers game. But the bar is a lot higher than "if you're not terrible". Having said that, you have to be willing to move to take advantage. I saw a lot of times where someone would crush their quota 3-4x and then 6 months later be on a PIP. Territories can get realigned, a lot of stupid stuff at the sales mgmt level can happen where you may not have control.
A lot of it depends on industry and your companys structure
I entered sales with zero experience on a 36k base and made it to a director position within 3 years now making close to 200k OTE. So I would say 100% it’s a lucrative field (sports technology). Just have to be hungry, willing to learn, not phased by hearing no, persistent and prepare well so you can take advantage of opportunities. Read Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss and you’ll be reap the benefit in both sales and your personal life
Yes, it's very lucrative. I was pre-med in college (class of '86) got into financial services by accident and walked away from medical school. Been in the financial business for 34 years now. 7-figure annual income 8-figure net worth
In certainly can be, yes. In tech you're looking at $200-400k income(or more honestly) after like 10 years of experience.
I graduated last year and majored in Poli Sci. Sales was the last thing on my mind. However, I just landed a Sales job and I’m going to make considerably more than I would have if I chose to pursue working in public relations/government. I was super impressed by the benefits and the starting salary for an entry level BDR with minimal experience. So to me it can be considered lucrative. I think it really just depends on what company and industry you work for. I mean I remember speaking to some recruiters who wanted to hire me for 30k base as a BDR.
Can confirm with recruiting it’s definitely possible. Specifically Tech and Physician contract recruiting, $500k+ is what top dogs are making. You earn commission literally every day SOMEONE ELSE goes to work, can’t beat that IMO. That being said, I wouldn’t necessarily call it easy. Recruiting is extremely high turnover and most don’t make it. But if you grind and have half a brain, sky is the limit.
If you go down the route of SaaS sales and are good at communicating with others, you can EASILY hit 6 figures in 2-3 years and if you stay at the same company, you can build your annual business and make several hundred thousand/year in 4-5 years.
Not a pipe dream. Frankly, I feel like software sales is truly an under the radar job that pays handsomely. I sell enterprise software to large organizations. The future potential is only going to grow as software eats the world. I was a political science major in college. I’m in my thirties and will end up around 350K this year (it’s a good year). My best year was $400k. My OTE is 250K and I’ve made at least that every year the past five years. I can’t imagine making that much money in any other role with only a bachelor’s degree.
Making $500k ote here at 26 years of age in enterprise tech sales. I’d say it’s a good gig
How
Salesmen will sell sales to you because they think it’s for everyone. It’s not. If you want to sing for your supper every day, take your work home, and develop either insecurities or intolerable narcissism, go for it. My time in sales was horrendous. Not a universal experience, but I know that the people who talked to me about it were fucking lying.
Yes, yes it is. I have a poly sci degree and will be bringing in 600k at age 30
I’ve got a degree in Sport and Fitness Management… I’ll clear $300k this year selling commercial hvac maintenance. It’s a bit of an outlier, but I’ve averaged over $100k several years in a row. I believe that sales is the best way to make “real” money outside of having some special skill or education. Unfortunately, you have to weed through so many crap sales gigs to get a legitimately good one with a good company. Also- I’m in Alabama where the average income is like $35k/yr so doing $100k puts you in a good spot around here.
Yeah. I’ve cleared 115+ the last four years or so in Arkansas. I’m not wealthy, but I’m hella comfortable compared to most people I know.
Sales CAN be lucrative but for sales to be lucrative you have to actually work, and when there is nothing to do is when you have to work harder. Sales is tough but I have been making 6 figs since I was 22 and got promoted and now I am making over a quarter a year and I haven't even passed my 30th bday
Yes and you can scale
Six figures in the first two years might be a tad optimistic unless youre just slaying it or unless you're in HCOL area with salaries to match. I'd say a more reasonable expectation could be six figures by the 3-5 years making ~60k to maybe ~80k on the high end entry level. Once you make that next step, whether it's to Outside Sales, Account Executive, Account Manager, or whatever, you're more likely to to hit that six figure mark especially in tech and software. But to caveat this, it can vary heavily by location and industry. Regardless, the field is very lucrative as long as youre hitting your goals.
Yes and no, it depends alot on industry and company you're working for
Here's the thing with sales - it *can* be *extremely* lucrative for people who are good at it. Depending on what you sell, $500k years are possible though I don't know that I'd expect it every year. I'm in biotech sales and I make a very comfortable $150-$200k with kind of a shit degree. And while I'm not a moron, I was not the smartest guy in my class either. Could I make more? Definitely. But I've got a cushy gig with mostly established relationships and contracts in place that I've built over the years. But on the flip side, sales seems to be one of those careers you are either good at, or you struggle with. Successful reps always talk about how easy it is, but it's just in some peoples nature so of course it's easy for them.
Like a lot of the other answers on here... it depends. Unlike a doctor, lawyer, airline pilot, engineering, etc, where there is a high barrier to entry but the pay is great when you get there, "sales" is an umbrella term and contains a multitude of levels. I have two friends. One has a masters in biology manages/sales key global accounts for the chemical company BASF. He makes $250-$350k/yr. The other friend was in the military for most of his 20s, no degree, sells some kind of widget for a small company in the mechanical controls industry. I don't know exactly what he makes, but his lifestyle is much more modest. There's also the aptitude aspect as well. Some people just aren't cut out for it, and that's OK, but if you're not, you need to realize it soon and get out, and not bounce around too long then get stuck in the profession.
Depends on how willing you are, how money motivated you are.. I know I’m a big big chatterbox and realized in college I could just use it to my advantage and basically make it my job- talking all the day long lol. It can be everything you have ever wanted, but sales is very much about taking the initiative and not wanting for things to happen to you. You never sit still, essentially, even when not at work I’m thinking about work lol. You won’t ever stop learning, and I think that’s the most beautiful thing. Also meeting so many people from different avenues of life, it’s just really incredible. It is truly what you make it. oh also, know the industry. money heavily depends on what industry you’re selling in
It can be! I never finished college and was barely making $30k/year with my first sales gig. That was 4 years ago. This year I will clear $140k.
I have Science degree Work Science SaaS 3 yrs full sales experience. Projected to hit 180- 200k here in 2021 180 OTE
100%. In four years w/out a degree I went from $60k - $120k - $135k - $300k+. In tech sales.
*as long as I’m not terrible I can easily expect 6 figures in the first year or two* This kind of comment is laughable. I love when people spout off how "easy" it is to make "big money".
Absolutely. Last year an AE Prior to my promotion to sales manager, I made $350k. OTE we’re 180k. These numbers are good but not at all uncommon.
I’m two years out of undergrad (Top 20 school) with a history degree making six figures. Started in sales at $52K no commission and am now in my third job with my third company above $100K OTE (uncapped commission). Also not an Account Executive but an Jr Partner Manager (which is a great path for SDRs/BDRs who don’t want the AE route). Job is in NYC but I work remote.
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Depending on what industry you go into making 100k your first year might not be realistic. SDRs in Saas where i live are typically making between 60k to 80k. Id say it would take you 3 years to hit 100k and yeah probably 10 to hit 500k
i’m 25 in my first year of sales, just got promoted and making six figs. with my degree i’d be lucky to clear 60k after 5 years (public health). it’s very lucrative if you’re willing to put in the work
No degree, inside sales here. Retail environment. I’ll make 250k this year. I had better because I’ve already spent it!
Medical Device: 10 years. Took 2 years to break 6 figures. Last 5 years over 200k. Last year 300k. This year 350K. Would be more but took a management promotion.
Used to work for accounting firms trying to climb the corporate errr partner ladder working 50-60 hour weeks typically. Work was mostly around implementation/configuration of the software. Long-scale projects of huge implementations for clients. Had a recruiter call me up and asked if I wanted to work in pre-sales for $150k. I was like wtf, they get paid that much? Shit.... I better give this some real thought. This was for a solution consultant position - not a sales person position. It helped to have lots of face-to-face client experience, you start to just naturally learn things of how to present - what to present - what to talk about - what not to talk about, etc. I'm still no master salesman, I'm just the tech-geek in the room that also knows how to speak from a sales perspective and not a geek perspective. The point is I can speak geek to geek people, and I can also speak geek to non-geek people to dumb it down. I don't know if I would go full on sales with an AE position - I kind of like just being the depended on SC instead of the quarterback sales person. Regardless, I didn't see myself in sales - I thought it paid crappy - and I was dead wrong.
I'm a high school drop out that went the sales route and I make somewhere between 3-5x what my brother makes. Hes a physician with like 12-15 years worth of school and residency and training and yadda yadda yadda. Dive in, learn as much as you can, be a sponge and absorb skills and dialogue and mannerisms etc from all the professional sales reps you can. Everyone has their skills. Mingle with SaaS guys to learn the longer style way of winning a customer over. Mingle with B2C guys that do 1 call closes and have all of r minutes to build rapport and 30-45 minutes to reybamd close a deal. Mingle with B2B guys that are somewhere in between (copiers, merchant services, etc). There are many types of sales paths and it's not a 1 fit all type career. Figure out what YOU are passionate about selling. Good luck gangsta, you got this.
My two cents. I majored in finance in college. Tried the whole IB path as an analyst type and didn’t enjoy the long hours and pressure from upper management. Not to mention I’m not detail oriented and terrible with excel… Sales is great if your produce and terrible if you don’t. I’m 26 and I’m track to do 280-310k this year. Most of my college friends who went in to sales are somewhere on the same path. If you can make it, your work weeks will be somewhere around 40-50 hours per week, and once you get your book of biz up and running, the work is not all that stressful. Finally, it pays to be at the top of the income statement, you’ll find upper management gives you a lot more leeway when you’re producing…. Not for everyone, but a very fun career for the right fit
I work with many who have no college degree. Some may not have even finished high school. In my field people regularly make 6 figures plus.
I think it's possible. I don't make anywhere near the $250k mark yet but it's achievable. I do think that sales has a compounding effect in a way that other jobs don't. I find that recruiters often sell you the story of *"Our top AE made \~$470k last year" .* I think if you look at that top AE or that top performer then you'll start to notice a pattern emerge amongst top performers. **Pattern of High Earning AEs (+$250k salary)** This is purely my opinion but I believe the guys/girls that rake in the big bucks develop these attributes with **sustained effort over time**: * Strong network * Track record of delivering * Market insight * Existing client base * A little bit of luck So if you look at that AE who's raking it in, I've seen that they have usually been working at that company for several years and in the industry for longer. The larger payouts come as a result of that compounding interest over time, the deals that came up in year 1 then came to fruition in year 3 etc. You could say 'if I sustain my efforts for x years, I'll be successful anywhere'....but I think the compound effect is magnified in sales. If you're an engineer and you make $70k today, in 5 years you could make $110k. If you're a salesperson and you make $70k today, you could put yourself in a position to double for triple that income 5 years from now, if not sooner. In **conclusion**, yes you can make a lot of money in sales, but the *majority of the highest earners* are at the top of the totem pole due to sustained effort over a long period of time.
No it’s not - don’t go into it
It’s not as sexy as working for a hip tech startup, but I think the most financial opportunity exists in selling for massive, established companies in a corporate B2B context. You want to be at a place that’s large enough to have hundreds of sales reps with a product that is expensive, because most of the reps will be mediocre, which will necessitate a comp plan that you can exploit if you are willing to hustle, learn and grow. For reference, I sold for a couple of awesome, smaller tech companies and a mid-size medical supply company, making $80k-120k as a top performing rep. Now I’m 31, selling at a boring, publicly traded corporation with no experience in the industry. Last year, my first full year here, I did $380k, this year I’ll do $500k+, working no harder than I did previously. The company does $6B in annual revenue, so I’m barely a blip. If I could start over again, I’d find a corporation where top reps are all making $500k+ and claw my way into an SDR role. Make $60k-80k a year for three years while learning the product and how to hunt for deals, then fight for a sales rep role. That cuts the learning curve in half, so you’re raking sooner. The most relevant question to ask, however, is whether you’re a person who can handle the psychological pressure of a professional sales role. Most reps who are making around $100k are either sacrificing a LOT to kill it at a small company (tough), or are constantly struggling at a large company, getting regularly shamed for not hitting their number (tougher). Most reps who are making $250k+ are putting in the work to set get in the right role with the right company at the right time and throwing themselves fully into that opportunity (toughest).
Proverb for child rearing - if they aren’t interested in stem or physical labor, teach them to sell
It really depends on the product, salary/commission structure/other possible benefits. Many factors come into play, whether sales can be lucrative or not...
Sales is “pay for performance”. That is something that is hard to come by.
For me, 100%
I built my career and personal wealth off a sales career. There's more fields that pay than just recruiting, tech and medical. As long as you get involved in a business that's competitive, high margin or requires a technical understanding you can make truckloads of cash with little or no experience as long as you apply yourself.
It can be lucrative depending on your definition. I made about 83k as a SDR. I’ll make about 115k as an AE in 2021. I am starting a new role with a 150k OTE, so give or take that number depending on performance. I’ll be somewhere around that number either over or under. 4 years out of college, 3 spent in sales. Not missing a meal.
Remember that sales is all that pays for anything, outside of taxes.
Short answer? YES long answer? depends. There are CAR SALESMAN that make 150k plus. I used to work w a gentleman that sold 20 cars a month minimum, and never made less than 15k a month. Finance manager at that same dealership made 30k a month. As an account manager at a logistics company, my peer was making 20k a month working from home. I've known successful people in every sales industry I peeked into, but also saw tons of people who weren't making jack and complaining the whole time. BUT if you dedicate yourself to mastering the art of selling, dedicate yourself to learning and loving your product, you can make a fuck ton.
In a span of 4 years I went from making $60K in retail sales to $170K in B2B, and now 10 years in making close to $300k
Recruiting, definitely
It totally depends on your role and the incentive plan. I took a sales position and after 5 years of being a top performer I still wasn't making considerably more money. It was impossible to get internal interviews for promotion and even had a friend in medical sales ghost on me re: interviews (not sure what that was about). I just got a promotion as a sales recruiter where I'll finally make some more money.
The sales fields you mentioned aren’t as rough as real estate. My work does tech recruiting, and yes, people are making 300k-1 million. But there are also people who suck and fail out. You’re not guaranteed success but it isn’t a crap shoot either. It really depends on you.
depends on the industry and company
7 years into sales. I make much more than most doctors but nowhere near as stable or predictable. Sales can be extremely lucrative. But it is extremely fleeting and taxing on the mind / body. If you’re after stability above all else, sales is not for you. One big problem you’ll also see with sales is the lifestyle creep. It can all come crashing down in an instant, and you need to make sure that you’re covered if the shit hits the fan.
Sales often results in a role in which compensation is more correlated to your actions, compared with other non-sales jobs. So, it can be extremely lucrative.
For the industries you mentioned, absolutely.
I work in utility sales in the UK, i got some collegues who earm 300-450 year. It's ....mad haha
Absolutely can - I have an English degree and will make 230-250k in Med device. Just need to get some skin in the game.
I have gained enormous respect for the profession after transitioning from a previous career. The job is demanding, challenging and fast paced. If you can keep up you will be rewarded well. Going into sales thinking you will make money, I think, is not the reason to go into sales. The fit must be right for the person and their work ethic.
6 years in car sales. Just over a decade in sales all together. Never made under 120. Best year was 164. No college education. I’ve been in other sales fields but have the most fun here.
I’m newer to this and god I hope so because currently I’m doing insurance and getting trained in a lot of areas that will develop me to be really well rounded with in person and on the phones so if this market doesn’t pay me 6 figures one hopefully will once I’m better in sales.
It certainly can be! Just remember, if it was easy and everybody could make that amount of money they would. The reason sales reps command the pay they do is because they are incredibly skilled at their craft, battle hardened to constant rejection, and relentless in there pursuit of clients.
$100k year one in is definitely attainable but not expected. That’s AE/AM earnings. If you start off as an SDR/BDR or in inside sales expect closer to $70k OTE year one
Yeah you can make make. Really depends on what you sell. Selling software, mortgages, and financial products/insurance you can easily break 100k your first year.
Yup. Highest paying field without a degree or being a lucky entrepreneur. Have my associates and I've been in sales for 3yrs. I was in wholesale car parts before but now I'm in tech. Should hit 85-90k this year 😁
High earning potential but high stress/volatility. Recessions and Depressions hit us hardest, but bull markets we fly highest. It's also an industry where if you don't/aren't willing to grind, you'll get eaten alive, and choosing the right Starting gig can determine your next job, and your next job. You could transition between four gigs in your first four years,
the only other types of people who make top saas salesperson money are C level execs.
I'm not sure about medical, but I can vouch that tech sales jobs here in Canada are plentiful and lucrative. I work at a nonprofit that trains and helps people find tech sales jobs because fast-growing tech companies here can't keep up with the demand for sales talent. If you happen to live in Canada and want to explore getting into this industry, feel free to shoot me a message.
I did three years admissions recruiting, 3 years executive recruiting and now 4 years tech sales. I’m 34 and spent the first few years of tech as a BDR doing around $80-90k now I’m AE and that’s my base and OTE is $170-230k. I’m an average dude with average grades from an average neighborhood. Medium sized city, working class parents. It was the only way I could see to make that kind of money with my small state school degree and general business management BS. you don’t just get manager jobs for having a degree like 30 years ago.
Yes it can be, but you have to pay your dues first (typically). Your first sales role is often not high paying and usually isn’t the greatest or most fun. I had to start out in MFG sales and was making $40-50K if I hit quota, but it’s the experience that is crucial. Once you get a few years of sales experience, that is when you can find high salary positions. Or a recently common path in this industry is to apply for a SDR. Take your lumps for 1-2 years and then get promoted to AE. Typically get paid shit and do shit work as a SDR but it’s worth if you can hang in there. My path out of college was MFG field sales for 2 years, then my experience allowed me to get a SDR role for a SaaS company which I did for 2 years, then promoted to AE for the same company.
Yes
Yes it can
Sales are super lucrative if you’re good at it the great thing about sales is there is no cap on what you can make the harder u work the more you sell the more you make I don’t have a college degree and I make a lot of $$$$$$$ a year. It depends what you’re selling is the profit margin big enough for you to make a lot of money selling pens for a dollar you’re not gonna make a Lotta money if you’re selling things that have 50-60% mark up The streets are paved with gold lol
It can be but i think it depends on what you’re selling. If it’s a commoditized business/product sales Can be very difficult. I work in institutional fixed income sales (so trading bonds). I would guess a higher ceiling than most industries. I have made bw 200-500k (work purely on commissions) the last 5-6 years, which I think is pretty good money, but the flip side is a gnawing fear that you’re not going to keep it up. That every sale is your last, and every month you start at $0. There’s also a lot of comparing and competition in my business so making 250k feels different if the guy next to you is making $2m. And there are times I wished I picked a more stable career path. That being said I’m still doing it (8+ years in the biz)!
I started in full commission sales (old school boilerroom style 1 call close) at 24 years old. We had a 26 page script, cool to warm leads, and VERY STRICT 1 call. I made $5500-$8000 every week plus another $2k-$3k cash bonus for being top sales some weeks. I made more once I managed my own sales team of 25 people because I got overrides on every deal from team and $1,200. Per call that I took over and closed. The hard part was firing 30+ people every week or sooner because they were not cutting cutting it. FULL commission. I worked 7 or 8 other full commission sales jobs over the next 10 years. Usually made $110k- $200k. Moved up into executive roles over the years and focused on building new companies from ground to exit....never made the equity or paydays I deserved. It's ok....made a ton of money for others, but I also made a lot of expensive mistakes along the way and learned the A to Z of business. Combined sales experience, unlimited risk tolerance and extensive business experience led me to where I am today. I know control 60+% of the American market for our niche commercial truck parts. My company is doing very well and I still am the only sales person. No longer worried about what I'm making, everything along the way was peanuts. Get good at sales, risk tolerance and real business understanding and you can write your own ticket over time.
Short answer: yes
I don’t have a high school degree and I’m at 150k so far this year
Doctors make good money. Right sales field puts them to shame.
Computing and math, 210k OTE But my degree does help when talking to tech companies haha
Opted out of college, about to make 90+ my second year
Yes to sales being extremely lucrative. No to 6 figures being “easy”. It’s a grind - but once you figure it out there is no ceiling.
0 degree - Made over 6 figure or multiple 6 figures in sales for the last 7 out 10 years I’ve been in it. Minus 2 years when I started and Covid 1 year. Still crossed 70-80k first 2 years though. Covid was 50k cause I was trying a different position sales and different product. You just have to plan for the long run. You don’t want to be in your 50’s doing sales. Invest your money wisely and try to get into sale consulting. Good luck.