This question was asked by one of the hundreds of B2B sales leaders in attendance at the Sales 3.0 Conference last year. I was a panelist onstage (along with Jillian Blackwell, Microsoft consultant services executive to the Department of Defense and U.S. Navy). Our discussion, “Beyond Lip Service: Attracting Women in Sales with Policies That (Really) Support Their Success,” was moderated by Cynthia Barnes, founder and CEO of the National Association of Women Sales Professionals (NAWSP).
What attracts women to sales?
That’s a good question and one a lot of sales leaders are asking these days. Personally, I started in sales when I was eight years old. Imagine a child— dressed in her purple church dress, black patent leather shoes and ruffled white socks—knocking on doors and demonstrating the miraculous ZIF Spray cleanser (manufactured by Bestline) using a piece of carpet on a clipboard and a crayon. Like magic, the stain would disappear. My father was quite the sales strategist: he would drop me off in the “rich” side of the neighborhood and send me back two weeks later with a different product to sell.
Despite this, I never dreamed of being a salesperson. In fact, I don’t know too many little girls who say, “I want to be a salesperson when I grow up!” Maybe that has something to do with perception. Let’s face it: when we imagine a seller, we generally imagine a man who wears a suit and carries a briefcase. Or we think of the used car salesman. (I’ve never heard of a “used car saleswoman”—have you?)
What’s it really like to be a woman in sales?
At the same time, I was raised to be and do whatever I put my mind to. When it comes to gender equality, I never felt discriminated against or thought sales positions were only for men. In my first job out of college, I was a customer service representative for a B2B computer and office supplies company, which quickly led to sales and sales leadership positions. Our salesforce was 95 percent women; together, we grew the company to $100 million and gained the attention of many competitors.
I didn’t realize that sales in general, or the industry I was in, was male dominated until a large corporation purchased that company. Then I felt the inequity—the need to work longer, harder and smarter than my male counterparts to earn their respect and have equal opportunity. I was often the only female sales leader in the room.
Even today, the sales profession continues to be dominated by men. This is particularly true at the executive level. According to CEB, now Gartner, women hold just one in five sales leadership positions and only one in four midlevel sales manager roles. The percentage of women in frontline sales management has remained flat for more than 10 years. A few years ago, LinkedIn examined its own data and found just 21 percent of all sales vice presidents on its site are women. »
Are women or men better at selling?
Data suggests women are very good at selling. Gartner says women’s average quota attainment is 70 percent, while men’s is 67 percent. And according to the results of the 2013 Xactly Insights Gender Study of Sales, women in sales achieve higher quotas and usually remain in their roles longer; and companies with gender parity see above-average revenue, market share and profitability. I also know of at least one study—from Gong.io, based on data related to more than 30,000 sales calls—which shows women are more successful at closing deals than men.
At the Sales 3.0 Conference, we had a lively discussion about how sales leaders can launch initiatives and create policies to attract, hire and retain top female sales talent. Here’s what was revealed.
#1: Make sure your sales culture is female friendly
What do your company’s brand and image represent? Think about it: does your culture welcome diversity, inclusion and change? If not, you may need a concerted effort with actionable measures to rebrand or change your culture to attract female talent. Ask women to provide input as you write job descriptions and create hiring profiles.
#2: Review your hiring and interview processes and policies
Smart, savvy, skilled female saleswomen are highly competitive and sought-after. Some 78 percent of the Fortune 500 have initiatives to attract more women to sales, which means there is fierce hiring competition. You must set goals and commit to finding, interviewing and hiring women.
During the interview process, eliminate your personal frame of reference or stereotypes that could cloud your judgment or narrow your vision for women in sales. Interview the candidate for job skills, not gender.
To find female candidates for your open sales positions, contact professional associations such as NAWSP’s job board, or create a partnership with top schools with specialized sales programs.
#3: Take steps to retain your women sellers
After you hire women, make sure you have a strategy in place to retain them. Provide growth opportunities and invest in their success. One way to do this is to promote women to sales executive and leadership positions.
Having more women in leadership roles will help you attract more women in entry-level positions. Gartner Inc. found that, on average, female-led sales teams are 50 percent female, while male-led teams are only 25 percent female.
All highly successful people have mentors. Implement mentorship or mastermind programs specifically designed to address the concerns, needs and preferences of women. Eleven years ago, I co-founded nonprofit Office Products Women in Leadership for just that reason. Today, we remain a strong advocate for women in sales and leadership within the ever-expanding office products industry. Check us out and get involved.
Make sure your company policies, programs and initiatives appeal to and support women. Onsite daycare can help support the productivity of your women sellers who have young children. Flextime can help the women on your sales team manage their schedules more effectively, in ways that suit them. When it comes to planning team building activities or offsite events, consider activities other than golf, hunting or cigar and whiskey tastings. Try a wine-and-cheese event instead of happy hour at a sports bar. Invite spouses and children to join you at conferences or sales kickoffs, and sponsor activities the entire family can engage in and enjoy.
If you are serious about closing the gap for women in sales, then creating new systems and policies is essential. With sales constantly evolving, embracing different perspectives with gender diversity can only advance your company.