What Does it Mean to Be a Woman in Sales? 16 Sales Experts Speak Out

The sales profession has long been dominated by men, with women facing significant barriers to entry and advancement. However, the tides are turning. Today, more women than ever are shattering ceilings, closing mega-deals, and rising to the top of their sales organizations.

In honor of International Women‘s Day, we reached out to 16 of the most successful women in the sales profession to hear their stories and insights. We asked them, "Which woman in sales do you admire most, and why?"

Their answers paint a picture of the triumphs, challenges, and untapped potential of women in the sales workforce. As a sales and marketing expert with over 20 years in the industry, I‘ll share my analysis of these insights, along with the latest research and data.

The State of Women in Sales

First, let‘s look at the current landscape. According to LinkedIn data, women represent 41% of the total sales workforce. However, female representation drops significantly in leadership roles:

Sales Role	Percentage of Women
VP of Sales	21%
Sales Manager	33%
Sales Rep	39%

Furthermore, women in sales face a substantial pay gap. A 2020 study by Xactly found that on average, women earn just 79 cents for every dollar earned by men in sales roles.

Despite these disparities, research shows that gender diversity is good for business. A recent McKinsey study found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than those in the bottom quartile.

Clearly, empowering more women to succeed and lead in sales isn‘t just the right thing to do – it‘s a business imperative. So what can we learn from the women who are already blazing trails and redefining what it means to be a woman in sales? Let‘s dive into their stories.

Wisdom from Women Sales Leaders

Empathy & Emotional Intelligence as Superpowers

Many of the sales leaders we spoke to highlighted empathy and emotional intelligence as key strengths women bring to the sales process. Tiffani Bova, Global Growth Evangelist at Salesforce, put it this way:

"The best salespeople are those who can put themselves in the shoes of their customer. They listen more than they talk. They ask questions to understand, not just to respond. These skills come naturally to many women who tend to lead with empathy and emotional intelligence. It‘s a superpower in today‘s world of sales."

Bova‘s insights are backed up by research. Studies have found that women tend to score higher on tests of emotional intelligence, which is linked to better sales performance. For example, a study by Salesforce found that reps with high emotional intelligence generated 29% more revenue than their peers with average scores.

Collaboration Over Competition

Another common theme that emerged was the tendency of women to take a collaborative vs competitive approach to sales. Lori Richardson, Founder and CEO of Women Sales Pros, shared:

"In my experience, women are more likely to share information, mentor each other, and forge connections across teams. They know success in sales is not a solo sport. When women come together to support and advocate for each other, incredible things happen."

This collaborative spirit can be a major asset in the complex world of B2B sales, which often requires coordinating multiple stakeholders across the organization. By building strong relationships both internally and externally, women are driving better alignment and results.

Challenging Stereotypes and Bias

Of course, the path to success for women in sales is still rife with obstacles, from blatant discrimination to more subtle forms of bias. Many of the women we spoke to shared stories of being underestimated, interrupted, or overlooked in the male-dominated world of sales.

Rakhi Voria, Director of Global Digital Sales Development at IBM, spoke about the importance of challenging these stereotypes head-on:

"Early in my career, I had a manager tell me that I was ‘too nice‘ to be in sales and that I lacked the ‘killer instinct.‘ Rather than change who I was, I set out to prove that you could succeed in sales by building authentic relationships and leading with a service mindset. I broke record after record, not by being someone I‘m not, but by leaning into my natural strengths as a woman."

Voria‘s experience underscores the need for women in sales to be unapologetically authentic and push back against antiquated notions of what a successful salesperson looks like.

Paying it Forward

Finally, a powerful thread woven through many of these stories was the drive to uplift and empower the next generation of women in sales. Leaders like Lauren Bailey, Founder of #GirlsClub, are taking action to build the pipeline of female sales talent:

"Representation matters. When aspiring young saleswomen look up their organization and see people who look like them thriving in leadership roles, they‘re more likely to stick with sales as a career. That‘s why I‘m so passionate about mentoring women in the early stages of their sales journey and connecting them to role models. We need more women at the top – and it starts by investing in the women at the bottom."

Bailey‘s organization has set an ambitious goal of mentoring 10,000 women in sales by 2025. Efforts like these, along with increased investment from sales organizations in recruiting, developing and promoting female talent, will be key to closing the gender gap.

Strategies for Success

As a sales leader, what can you do to empower the women on your team? Here are some research-backed strategies to consider:

1. Set specific, time-bound goals for increasing female representation, especially in leadership roles. Research by Gartner found that companies that set goals for gender diversity saw a 16.5% increase in female representation, compared to 6% for those without goals.

2. Establish mentoring and sponsorship programs to connect high-potential women with senior leaders who can open doors and advocate for their advancement. 70% of women in a Harvard Business Review study said they lacked access to senior-level sponsors.

3. Audit and standardize your pay structures to close wage gaps. Companies like Salesforce have invested millions in correcting pay disparities.

4. Provide unconscious bias training for managers, and track metrics like female participation in meetings, project assignments, and promotions to surface unintentional bias.

5. Partner with organizations like Women Sales Pros to build your pipeline of female sales talent.

For aspiring women in sales, the leaders we spoke to offered this advice:

• Own your unique strengths and use them to your advantage. Empathy is not a weakness.
• Speak up and make your voice heard. Your perspective matters.
• Seek out mentors and sponsors to champion your success.
• Never stop learning and growing. Continually sharpen your skills.
• Support other women and pay it forward as you climb.

The Future is Female

The sales landscape is evolving rapidly, and women are poised to play a vital role in shaping its future. As Bova notes:

"We‘re in the midst of a massive shift from transactional to consultative selling. It‘s less about aggressive tactics, and more about serving as a trusted advisor. This plays to the natural strengths of many women. Organizations that recognize and empower female talent will have a significant competitive advantage."

Indeed, the data shows that gender diversity isn‘t just a nice-to-have, but a must-have for modern sales organizations. Companies with gender-diverse sales teams consistently outperform their competitors. It‘s clear that the future of sales is female.

To all the women in sales – whether you‘re a seasoned executive or just starting your journey – know that you belong here. Your voice, your perspective, and your unique gifts are needed more than ever to drive the sales profession forward.

Let‘s continue to shatter ceilings, lift each other up, and rewrite the narrative of what it means to be a woman in sales. Together, there‘s no limit to what we can achieve.