Sales vs. Creative - "Vee-ah" A Sales Rep
Ok, it's 2005 we should be all open to these types of conversations so what the hell.
I have been fortunate to work on two very different sides of media; Sales and Creative/Production. Each type of position holds distinct advantages. Por ejemplo, Sales Reps often have the demanding job of schmoozing clients all night until the ink hits the contract. "Creative Types" have the advantage of wearing sandals into the office - yes, even when it is snowing (CS).
The differences obviously do not stop with schmoozing vs. footwear. CiN Weekly has given me some interesting observations. Where I would say to someone, hey did you see that crappy movie with that guy who is in that show on NBC about casinos and stuff? Members of our staff would instead say, did you see Josh Duhamel from Las Vegas in The Picture of Dorian Grey (2002)...it was lackluster.
I can hear the cringes in the office when I ask a client, would you like me to send the information "Vee-ah" fax or e-mail. It is pronounced Vi-a, sales boy.
The creative teams always seem to be generally much more hip. There is an understanding that they may just be hipper than thou, and honestly it may be their job to be so. I wear the brand of the sales professional, not in a scarlet "S" on my lapel but instead with the tell tale "phone on your belt" fashion statement, a trend born out of utility and definitely not style. Unfortunately, I also use words like "hip".
In my last media sales gig, the graphic design team at an internet firm was most definitely plotting my impending death. I am just glad I moved on in time. I have not received any threats from that firm's design team for a few months now but I am still leery when walking on the side walk under their window - they are on the 20th floor after all.
Why is there always a rift between the creative and sales worlds? Are we sales professionals all wildly chasing the almighty dollar while being uncultured and unaware of our surroundings, pointing finger guns at people and making clicking noises out of the side of our mouths? Well...sometimes...some of us.
So what is this all about, I work in the same room as our writers, designers, and editors at CiN Weekly. You would think that there would be much more of a line of demarcation between us, but there isn't. There is in no way a marriage of Church and State (advertorial) at CiN but I still don't feel like anyone is plotting my untimely demise. I do get some pretty menacing looks from Corrie from time to time, but I am sure he means well with those scissors. What this co-habitation does for the sales rep is keep them honest, in-tune with the product and in some remote cases a bit more hip.
Believe me; I do not want to start any war of words with Sales vs. Creative types in Cincinnati, mainly because I try to pick my battles wisely. If anyone has any humorous experiences about working with "the other side" then you may know what I'm talking about.
I have been fortunate to work on two very different sides of media; Sales and Creative/Production. Each type of position holds distinct advantages. Por ejemplo, Sales Reps often have the demanding job of schmoozing clients all night until the ink hits the contract. "Creative Types" have the advantage of wearing sandals into the office - yes, even when it is snowing (CS).
The differences obviously do not stop with schmoozing vs. footwear. CiN Weekly has given me some interesting observations. Where I would say to someone, hey did you see that crappy movie with that guy who is in that show on NBC about casinos and stuff? Members of our staff would instead say, did you see Josh Duhamel from Las Vegas in The Picture of Dorian Grey (2002)...it was lackluster.
I can hear the cringes in the office when I ask a client, would you like me to send the information "Vee-ah" fax or e-mail. It is pronounced Vi-a, sales boy.
The creative teams always seem to be generally much more hip. There is an understanding that they may just be hipper than thou, and honestly it may be their job to be so. I wear the brand of the sales professional, not in a scarlet "S" on my lapel but instead with the tell tale "phone on your belt" fashion statement, a trend born out of utility and definitely not style. Unfortunately, I also use words like "hip".
In my last media sales gig, the graphic design team at an internet firm was most definitely plotting my impending death. I am just glad I moved on in time. I have not received any threats from that firm's design team for a few months now but I am still leery when walking on the side walk under their window - they are on the 20th floor after all.
Why is there always a rift between the creative and sales worlds? Are we sales professionals all wildly chasing the almighty dollar while being uncultured and unaware of our surroundings, pointing finger guns at people and making clicking noises out of the side of our mouths? Well...sometimes...some of us.
So what is this all about, I work in the same room as our writers, designers, and editors at CiN Weekly. You would think that there would be much more of a line of demarcation between us, but there isn't. There is in no way a marriage of Church and State (advertorial) at CiN but I still don't feel like anyone is plotting my untimely demise. I do get some pretty menacing looks from Corrie from time to time, but I am sure he means well with those scissors. What this co-habitation does for the sales rep is keep them honest, in-tune with the product and in some remote cases a bit more hip.
Believe me; I do not want to start any war of words with Sales vs. Creative types in Cincinnati, mainly because I try to pick my battles wisely. If anyone has any humorous experiences about working with "the other side" then you may know what I'm talking about.
3 Comments:
I'm just glad that sales people don't tell me I "Have" to get editorial in "Right Now" or else "Super Special Client" won't ever advertise again. That happens at trade publications that shall remain nameless.
And I say "vee-ah."
I have not had the pleasure of working in media, but in tech companies, let me tell you, it's much the same thing. Only, instead of "Creative vs. Sales," it's "Engineers vs. Just About Everyone Else."
I work in the publishing industry, in "editorial." The fact that you properly used the word "demarcation" indicates that you must be a smarter than average sales-type person . . . Just kidding (well a little). I have friends in our sales force and they are awesome and very smart. At my company I think any hostility stems mostly from the fact that we are VERY bottom-line driven and sales staff (even sometimes the not so successful and definitely not so smart members of sales staff) invariably gets promoted. Editorial types, not so much.
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