Are You Good-Looking Enough to Sell Magazine Ads?

You might not like this.

A recent poll of Cafepharma visitors, a Web site for salespeople in the pharmaceutical industry, asked how a salesperson's physical attractiveness affects their selling. The survey was posted with a big helping of skeptical humor, with only three possible answers to "Which type of rep gets the best results?":

1. An average looking rep that knows their products and can sell.

2. Doesn't matter. Too many other factors come into play regarding sales.

3. A super attractive rep that is an idiot and can't sell.

A bit over 17 percent, about one in six, picked #3.

Some may find this funny, some not. But it raises a serious question of how we as individual salespeople differentiate ourselves in the field. If what we sell and how we sell it becomes a commodity ... what's left?

Do you have to attractive to be a media sales rep? I don't think so. But many may disagree.

[IMAGE CREDIT: UsWeekly]

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By Josh Gordon -- Josh Gordon is president of Smarter Media Sales.com where he works with publishers to maximize their online and print revenue through training, consulting, and representation.

COMMENTS/DISCUSS: 2

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The Stereotypes Are Alive and Well

Submitted by Handsome Enough? on Tue, 05/13/2008 - 14:43.

I was interviewed in the 80s by Carol Taber for a sales position with Working Woman Magazine. I had a pretty good feeling what type of sales person Carol was seeking so I flirted my way through the interview. You could still do this in the 80s. Once I made it through Carol, I had to meet with the president of the company for the final decision and job offer. I met with Dale Lang for about 10 minutes. After listening to Dale talk about his fast cars and airplanes for about 8 minutes, he spent the last two minutes telling me that in the 70s he "only hired attractive young women for sales position because all of the media buyers at the agencies were young to middle-aged men, but today (in the 80s) I only hired young attractive men because all of the media buyers at the agencies are young to middle-aged women." I'm not sure if either Carol, Dale or Working Woman Magazine are still around, but I'm sure the stereotypes still are alive and well.

The Look

Submitted by Blond Ambition on Wed, 05/14/2008 - 17:10.

Maybe things have changed but I don't think so. In the 90s, each major publishing company had "The Look" they were seeking in their hiring process. Conde Nast had their "metro sexual, British" look under Wasp-want-to-be Florio and Mad-Dog Becker. Time had their "white button down and rep stripe tie, IBM corporate" look. Hearst had their "hunt club, country, club, yacht club" (anything Ralph Lauren) look. Hachette had their "sleazy Italian, Euro-trash" look. And that was just for the men. Most recently the women have to have at least two buttons open on their blouses and pointed shoes that can deflate a male media buyer's ego with one swift kick. And an attitude to boot!

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