Establishing a Salesand Marketing career

[mm]

After a Master degree of my first love, a natural science subject
which I told myself that I'd never use to make a living since I wanted
to be in business, I ended up studying IT. After the recuperation
from illness that started during the study, I am getting no where with
IT job - as a female, I didn't aim at getting a job for a contract
less than 1 year when I was looking for any contract.

Now following the resolution I made last year summer to not pursue IT
career anymore, I am trying to enter sales and marketing arena.
Currently, I am being recruited by a sales and marketing company that
will train me. I still have to go through some more interviews/
preliminary screening.

Noting that my background is technical, I lack exposure in such
business arena but I am not a total geek. Having come from the family
background of business-oriented mindset though the economic system
back home was not advanced, I want to succeed in the business world
but I do not have. Would love to get into Pharmaceutical sales
eventually though I may change my mind if i get into something just as
good.

BTW, is B2B considered outside sales? if not what are the
differences. What's the best way to build outside sales experience w/
o struggling to live on commission pay only?

Though good looking as a petite, as a non-white female (Asian), what
are my chances of making a decent career in Sales and Marketing?

[Scott Jensen]

After a Master degree of my first love, a natural science subject...

What specifically was the degree in?

BTW, is B2B considered outside sales?

Yes. However, terminology in marketing isn't chiseled in stone.
Inside sales usually means selling additional services/products to a
current customer and outside sales means getting a new customer. If
they use the terms "internal", it means you're essentially selling
whatever you're selling to another part of your company.

What's the best way to build outside sales experience
w/o struggling to live on commission pay only?

Getting a sale job with a "base salary plus commission". This is the
most common form of engagement. If you want to sell pharmaceuticals,
you're trying to sell to the upper-middle class market so consider
being a salesperson of luxury cars, yachts, and mansions as a resume
stuffer.

Be VERY cautious about "commission only" sales jobs. If some company
is trying to sell you on working for them that way, it can be a rip-
off. If that's the case, they have to PROVE to you that you will
makes sales. You are risking your own time and money to sell for
them. They are essentially getting you for free. If you don't sell
anything, they don't pay you anything. It is the dream situation for
any company but the opposite for you.

As for proving to you that you will make sales, they should already be
employing commission-only sales people for their company. If they
aren't, that is another red flag. If they are, go and talk to those
sales people and try to get them to talk honestly to you. You may
have to read between the lines. If the company is giving some of
their sales force base salary plus commission and not you, you need to
find out why they are getting that and you aren't. One thing you MUST
keep in mind is that YOU are in the driver's seat when it comes to
commission-only positions. The company is not. Not in the
slightest. Get that firmly fixed in your head before dealing with
them. If they act in any way like you are inferior to them, smack
them up the side of the head and tell them who's boss. No, I'm not
joking. You are not an employee of theirs. Realize that. You are a
partner of theirs. I don't care if they're IBM, you two are equals
and you have to treat them that way and they should treat you that
way. If anyone is in the superior position, it is YOU and not them.
You are the one taking the risk, not them. Your commission rate
should be a high percentage. At least double digits. ESPECIALLY if
it is external/outside sales work. That is the hardest type of sales
work. The easiest is internal. Second easiest is inside.

And what you should demand is that when you make a sale, they pay you
your commission when you hand in the paperwork. If they say they will
only pay you when the customer pays them, that should raise a BIG red
flag and you should then demand at least a 50% sales commission since
now you're also floating the company a loan. A loan on what they owe
you in commission. Realize that some corporate clients take up to a
half year or longer before paying what they owe. And if they want to
pay you when they get paid, you MUST have a lawyer read over your job
contract to insure you will get paid and not ripped off.

Though good looking as a petite, as a non-white female (Asian), what
are my chances of making a decent career in Sales and Marketing?

If you're attractive, it will help you make sales. Period.
Fortunately for you, Asian women are the flavor of the day these days
so that's in your favor. Invest into your looks. Don't have
SuperCuts do your hair but a really good stylist. Get cosmetic dental
work done. Keep up with fashion. Your body is a sales tool. Realize
that. Also, so is how you talk, act, and behave. The more lucrative
the sales position, the more upper-middle class you need to be. If
you're not from the upper-middle class, consider getting a speech
coach to make you sound the part and taking etiquette classes. Read
up on body language. Half the messages you need to be able to read
will be non-verbal. There are numerous books on body language.
Always be reading one. I would also suggest you read "The Double Win"
by Denis Waitley as good reputation translates into repeat sales.

Good luck!

Scott