In Sales, The Money Is Good, Except When It Isn’t

Sales representatives in high-paid industries, like the medical and pharmaceutical fields, know that income potential is very good. Sales can be a great career. On the other hand, if you are currently struggling to make quota – as nearly all sales reps do at one time or another in their careers – there might be another side to the story.

Making quota

Your success is only as good as next month’s or next quarter’s results. What you did in the past means something, but what do you in the future matters even more. Plenty of once-successful sales reps have found themselves on “performance improvement plans” because they’re no longer making quota.

Sales reps are some of the hardest working people in the country.

The job requires that you persevere under demanding conditions. Inside sales reps “dial for dollars,” spending long hours on the phone. Outside, field reps spend their days traveling and meeting with prospective customers. Both types of jobs impose the same thing: quotas. If you aren’t meeting all the projected numbers, you might be out of a job.

A disability or injury may cause you to struggle

You could have the best work ethic in the world, but that may not guarantee success. In fact, your occupational demands may lead to burnout and depression, along with physical problems like back pain and fatigue.

Hubspot, in its infographic about the day-in-the-life of B2B sales reps, states “information overload” as one pressure-inducing factor. Hubspot also cites a survey indicating that only 41 percent of a salesperson’s time is spent actually selling to current and prospective customers – the other part of the day is spent on research, meetings, and administrative tasks.

The considerable challenges can have a very tangible impact on sales reps’ health and well being.

Filing a claim for disability benefits

Ultimately, though you may not like to admit it, a problem with drugs or alcohol, depression, fatigue, back pain, or any of a number of issues, could affect your ability to do your occupation successfully.

Not every sales representatives will experience these problems, but many do, and they should seek the help they need. At DarrasLaw, filing a claim for long-term disability insurance benefits may be what you need to help get you back on your feet. The problems you’re having may only be temporary. They may be permanent. Either way, we will help you navigate the arduous claims process.