I'm thinking about doing the brutal honesty thing for a bit, even if it's not what people want to hear. Anyone ever done this? Across the board or just with particular individuals?

1/12/2010 2:41:26 PM

kinda like that one Jim Carrey move, amirite ?

1/12/2010 2:42:18 PM

That Jim Carey Boston Crab?

1/12/2010 2:42:47 PM

I realize this thread is about those who have started their own brutal honesty campaign.... which I have not. Hear me out, maybe I can offer some insight.

I am in outside sales, which is currently salary+commission, but will move into straight commission starting at the beginning of July 2010. I have been in this position since July 2009. I have competition from several direct manufacturing sales reps, large distributors, and local distributors. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each:

Direct Advantages: Immediate knowledge of new technology, no middle man mark up, one shipping bill (paid by manufacturer or buyer of goods), access to larger range of non-commodity items, control inventory, have access to many distributors that can effectively sell their goods which increases market share, and set prices of commodity they manufacture.

Direct disadvantages: Typically have 1-3 sales reps per region (i.e. southeast, mid-atlantic, northeast, etc.) limiting the number of accounts they can successfully manage/cold-call, lack physical customer service or physical technical service available to or affordable for smaller users or altogether, are sometimes not trustworthy because they will go in behind their distributors that sell their commodity to one account in large quantities (i.e. they missed a big account, and have found out about it through a distributor selling their particular product) which leads to the distributor not selling their product anymore, have too many distributors selling the product ultimately driving the set price down through deviations, possibly rely on distributors to actually sell the product, and competition from other direct sources.

Large distributor advantages: have access to other commodities that go hand in hand with other manufacturers (poor example- grocery stores sell milk as well as cereal), get direct pricing, many locations regionally or nationally easing the shipping burden of buyers with multiple locations, personal service either customer or technical, many sales reps that are able to cover a broader territory, access to multiple manufacturers of the same commodity allowing to keep prices in check, service programs that smaller companies can't offer and direct providers can't match in price or value, and experts of many many commodities as opposed to one or a few.

Large distributor disadvantages: smaller local distributors creating price wars (think Michael Scott Paper Co vs Dunder-Mifflin), direct mfg's going in behind and stealing business, limited access to all of the mfg's (you won't find Harris Teeter name brands in Food Lion and visa versa), can't truly set prices because it's based on both supply and demand, territory management, and tough growth prospects in slower economies (this is true for direct as well really)

Local distributor advantages: Typically a good ol' boy setting where the seller and the buyer know each other for years (this does happen at all levels, but mostly at the local level), local folks are right down the street and can be used in emergencies, if the local guy buys at high enough volumes then there is no shipping charge to the end user, and access to both direct mfg's and large distributors.

Local distributor disadvantages: easily beaten in price, array of commodities, array of technology, lack of trained staff, low cash flow, etc etc etc.

This is what I have noticed in my six months, I am sure there are plenty more that need mentioning. The way I am setting myself apart as a sales person is this: I go after the big accounts right now while I am new. The big accounts, if I land them, will take care of me while I am new and building a customer base. The money made off of those allows me to focus free time on smaller accounts that get me higher margins. I build up big accounts, I would like to have 5-10 of these, then get 20-30 medium accounts. If I lose 1 or 2 big accounts, the 20-30 medium accounts keep me afloat while I go after new big accounts. I don't really waste time on small accounts simply because they basically pay for breakfast or something really small.

I will say this, if you can't get a big account in the first 6-8 months (assuming you have cash flow that you can ride this long) you could be in a world of trouble. If you can get one, it will really make going after the others a lot more enjoyable and less stressful. It's simply just very exhausting wasting any time on anything other than big accounts in the very beginning. You work just as hard on the medium sized accounts and see 1/3 to 1/36 of the money in my situation.

If you have any other questions, you can PM me. I hope this helps in the slightest!

1/12/2010 2:43:42 PM

I engage in these campaigns when I get hammered.

1/12/2010 2:43:43 PM

i believe in being honest but not being an asshole

^^???

[Edited on January 12, 2010 at 2:46 PM. Reason : ]

1/12/2010 2:43:56 PM

Yeah i do that... Its called Tourretts.

1/12/2010 2:44:03 PM

Quote :

"I engage in these campaigns when I get hammered."

i was at my friend's wedding - who i thought was making a huge mistake getting married - and i seemed to have engaged in one of those campaigns

whoops

(btw i wasnt the only one who thought this)

1/12/2010 2:44:44 PM

shotgun wedding

1/12/2010 2:46:44 PM

lol @ Shadowrunner's post

1/12/2010 2:51:23 PM

Ive been thinking of doing this too; mostly because I would rather know what people really think of me, so I assume that they would want the same respect.

Im starting to realize that sometimes its best just to keep your mouth shut though

1/12/2010 3:44:29 PM

Shadowrunner FTW!

1/12/2010 3:46:38 PM

I've wanted to engage in a brutal honesty campaign many times...but I have my two little conscience monkeys always telling me not to

those two monkeys would be my husband and my best friend...damn them!!

1/12/2010 3:48:29 PM

you can definitely be honest, respectful, and constructive at the same time. when you think you may cross the line into berating and insulting the person then yes, it is probably best to keep your words to yourself.

1/12/2010 3:50:47 PM

I've been engaging in one of these for years now

1/12/2010 3:51:31 PM

I think that's just my lifestyle.

Of course, I don't have many friends and often wonder if I'm socially retarded.

1/12/2010 4:04:14 PM

Quote :

"I realize this thread is about those who have started their own brutal honesty campaign.... which I have not. Hear me out, maybe I can offer some insight. I am in outside sales, which is currently salary+commission, but will move into straight commission starting at the beginning of July 2010. I have been in this position since July 2009. I have competition from several direct manufacturing sales reps, large distributors, and local distributors. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each: Direct Advantages: Immediate knowledge of new technology, no middle man mark up, one shipping bill (paid by manufacturer or buyer of goods), access to larger range of non-commodity items, control inventory, have access to many distributors that can effectively sell their goods which increases market share, and set prices of commodity they manufacture. Direct disadvantages: Typically have 1-3 sales reps per region (i.e. southeast, mid-atlantic, northeast, etc.) limiting the number of accounts they can successfully manage/cold-call, lack physical customer service or physical technical service available to or affordable for smaller users or altogether, are sometimes not trustworthy because they will go in behind their distributors that sell their commodity to one account in large quantities (i.e. they missed a big account, and have found out about it through a distributor selling their particular product) which leads to the distributor not selling their product anymore, have too many distributors selling the product ultimately driving the set price down through deviations, possibly rely on distributors to actually sell the product, and competition from other direct sources. Large distributor advantages: have access to other commodities that go hand in hand with other manufacturers (poor example- grocery stores sell milk as well as cereal), get direct pricing, many locations regionally or nationally easing the shipping burden of buyers with multiple locations, personal service either customer or technical, many sales reps that are able to cover a broader territory, access to multiple manufacturers of the same commodity allowing to keep prices in check, service programs that smaller companies can't offer and direct providers can't match in price or value, and experts of many many commodities as opposed to one or a few. Large distributor disadvantages: smaller local distributors creating price wars (think Michael Scott Paper Co vs Dunder-Mifflin), direct mfg's going in behind and stealing business, limited access to all of the mfg's (you won't find Harris Teeter name brands in Food Lion and visa versa), can't truly set prices because it's based on both supply and demand, territory management, and tough growth prospects in slower economies (this is true for direct as well really) Local distributor advantages: Typically a good ol' boy setting where the seller and the buyer know each other for years (this does happen at all levels, but mostly at the local level), local folks are right down the street and can be used in emergencies, if the local guy buys at high enough volumes then there is no shipping charge to the end user, and access to both direct mfg's and large distributors. Local distributor disadvantages: easily beaten in price, array of commodities, array of technology, lack of trained staff, low cash flow, etc etc etc. This is what I have noticed in my six months, I am sure there are plenty more that need mentioning. The way I am setting myself apart as a sales person is this: I go after the big accounts right now while I am new. The big accounts, if I land them, will take care of me while I am new and building a customer base. The money made off of those allows me to focus free time on smaller accounts that get me higher margins. I build up big accounts, I would like to have 5-10 of these, then get 20-30 medium accounts. If I lose 1 or 2 big accounts, the 20-30 medium accounts keep me afloat while I go after new big accounts. I don't really waste time on small accounts simply because they basically pay for breakfast or something really small. I will say this, if you can't get a big account in the first 6-8 months (assuming you have cash flow that you can ride this long) you could be in a world of trouble. If you can get one, it will really make going after the others a lot more enjoyable and less stressful. It's simply just very exhausting wasting any time on anything other than big accounts in the very beginning. You work just as hard on the medium sized accounts and see 1/3 to 1/36 of the money in my situation. If you have any other questions, you can PM me. I hope this helps in the slightest!"

ISWYDT

1/12/2010 4:07:46 PM

What is Shadowrunner's post? I don't get it.

1/12/2010 4:09:24 PM

you have to read every 4th letter...

1/12/2010 4:11:23 PM

Quote :

"I think that's just my lifestyle. Of course, I don't have many friends and often wonder if I'm socially retarded. "

maybe you have asd!

1/12/2010 4:11:34 PM

I wasn't the first to do it... gotta give credit to BHS.

1/12/2010 5:31:45 PM

no doubt

classic though

1/12/2010 5:32:25 PM

^^^ Maybe I've just got "too fly to give a fuck".

Is that real or did I just make it up? I like to get drunk and read medical publications, so sometimes I have no idea.

1/12/2010 5:34:26 PM

people still do this after they graduate from high school?

1/12/2010 5:38:16 PM

...and in swoops McDanger with the brutal honesty.

I'm not signing his yearbook.

1/12/2010 5:43:27 PM

1/12/2010 5:47:39 PM

I feel like I'm missing something here

1/12/2010 6:02:21 PM

A few years ago I broke up my then-girlfriend, and she said "Is there anything I can do to make you change your mind?"

I decided to be brutally honest. "Yeah, there is. See, the main problem is that you dress like a slob, and it makes you unattractive. But when you wear nice clothes, you're really attractive. So if you could just start wearing nicer clothes on a regular basis, we could still date."

This did NOT work

3 months later she was engaged to my best friend

1/12/2010 6:17:04 PM

Well played Shadowrunner

[Edited on January 12, 2010 at 6:21 PM. Reason : /]

1/12/2010 6:21:08 PM

Quote :

" "Yeah, there is. See, the main problem is that you dress like a slob, and it makes you unattractive. But when you wear nice clothes, you're really attractive. So if you could just start wearing nicer clothes on a regular basis, we could still date." This did NOT work 3 months later she was engaged to my best friend"

lmao way to go dummy

1/12/2010 6:25:29 PM

1/12/2010 6:29:41 PM

a valuable lesson, though

even when a woman asks for honesty, she usually doesn't want it

1/12/2010 6:41:21 PM

i bet she considered it in her future relationship though

1/12/2010 6:53:19 PM

women and brutal honesty, not exactly peas in a pod

1/12/2010 6:58:10 PM

oh yeah, she did start to dress a bit nicer after that

but it was my friend, not me, who had the pleasure of taking those nicer clothes off her

1/12/2010 6:58:45 PM

are you still best friends? Doesn't that violate some kind of man law.. or is that only if the chick breaks up with you?

1/12/2010 7:00:40 PM

yeah, we're still best friends....as a general rule, it's only if the chick breaks up with you, although it really varies from circumstance to circumstance

I was pissed about it for awhile, but they hit it off like no couple I've ever seen, and ultimately I cared about them both too much to grudge them their happiness

1/12/2010 7:03:23 PM

Maturity itt. Wolfweb surprised me again!

1/12/2010 7:07:25 PM

1/12/2010 7:08:04 PM

Quote :

"ultimately I cared about them both too much to grudge them their happiness"

You also get to say "I've fucked your wife's face" if he ever pisses you off.

1/12/2010 7:09:37 PM

^win

1/12/2010 8:50:39 PM