We often have a stereotypical image of what salespeople are like. Depending on your background, you may picture a used car salesman using outdated sales techniques or Don Draper from Madmen. But we’re here to break that myth.
Meet Beau, one of our top German Sales Representative at Leadinfo. He joined the Leadinfo team in 2020, and this is what inspires him to do what he does every day.
I read the job description and felt compelled to apply. And my chat with our Founder, Han, reaffirmed the good feeling in my gut. Within the first ten minutes, we just clicked. I liked that the bulk of the responsibilities focused on being in touch with people. From initially connecting with someone to helping a team make the best out of our tool, you’re continually in touch and helping individuals and I quite like that. I was also eager to work in a dynamic environment associated with startups and be able to contribute and be a part of a growing community.
I studied International Business and Languages. So from the beginning, I knew I wanted a job where I could talk with people. During my studies, I did an internship in the field of online marketing, but the responsibilities felt pretty isolating. So, after university, I started a sales job in the food industry. However, the company was severely affected by COVID-19, so the time was right to take the next steps in my career.
The sales cycle starts by talking to people, making them aware of your product and showing them that there is an opportunity at hand to make their sales process easier. So I’m that guy. I reach out to people via phone, uncover what they need or currently struggle with, and provide them with a tailored solution using the Leadinfo software.
The best part of my job is product demos and closing calls. I enjoy demos because I get to coach teams by showing them all of our functionalities, specifically one’s that may be of interest to them. I also like seeing people’s reactions to our solution live. From being blown away to hearing about new perspectives and features I have never considered, it’s great to receive direct feedback. And then closing calls, well, it’s terrific to see your hard work pay off and to make a sale. I get an adrenaline rush from it!
What I love the most about working here is the freedom I get. As it’s not a corporate environment at all, I feel like I can be myself, dress however I like, approach any of my colleagues, even our founder, with a question or idea. This freedom gives me complete control over my schedule and how I choose to approach people. So I’ve done some research and experimented with new communication methods and tactics. This has been a really interesting journey that has helped me further my communication and interpersonal skills.
This is going to sound cliche, but I’m going to say, just do it. A lot of people think you need to be a smooth talker. But actually, that’s the last thing you should be as those guys are all words and no action. You can be the quiet one in a room and still make sales as empathy and listening are crucial elements in sales. Also, I find being on the phone a lot less intimidating than public speaking, an activity I despise. Because I get to talk to people one on one and it’s easier to disconnect and brush off the odd encounter by hanging up and focusing on the positive environment around me.
I’m an active guy, so apart from switching between sitting and standing throughout the day, I play football, go on large rides with my race bike and lift weights at the gym. I find that movement clears my head after a long day of work. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t sit down and enjoy a good book. I aim to read one book a month. My favourite is “Incerto” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a book series which changed my perspective on life. The author’s witty and intelligent take on the complexity and randomness of the world is a must-read for everyone.
I studied languages and I am a social person so it’s almost predictable if I say that I love foreign languages. I speak Dutch and English fluently, I learned German for this job and I also speak Spanish which I learned while studying and interning in Valencia and now maintain via frequent visits to language cafés and during my frequent trips to Spain.
If you want to ask Beau more questions, feel free to email him at beau@leadinfo.com. We’re always on the hunt for new talent. So whether you’re a developer, marketing specialist or sales pro, we want to hear from you! Check out our vacancies or contact our corporate recruiter Valerie via valerie@leadinfo.com and come work at one of the fastest-growing scale-ups in Rotterdam.
