Do Men or Women Make Better Salespeople?

This question has often plagued my mind as I have researched the sales industry. A recent study found that men account for 52% of the sales force while women are recorded at 48%. While the business world is predominantly male, the rise of women in the workforce may show different results than what one thinks. According to Mark Hunt of The Sales Hunter, “My first opinion is women are much better listeners than men.  Women are far more prone to listen to customers.  Why? I’m not sure, but my belief is they come by listening and communication more naturally than men do. Also, women are very open to learning, and one way they do this is by listening to others.” Women thrive off of relational investments rather than monetary.

However, Hunt believes that men are better at developing and closing a sale than women. Hunt insists that women are far more interested in listening and engaging in a relational contract with their prospects than competing to close a deal. Although women take a longer time to close a deal, Hunt’s research and experience shows that women more likely get a more profitable sale then men.

Whether women are making cold calls or in-person sales pitches, Hunt believes that they are better with prospects than men. Hunt states, “What is interesting is I notice how women are able to get out of prospects information that men can’t get.  Why? Good question! The only reason I’ve been able to determine is that women can come across as less threatening than men.” Hunt even admits in his own experience, that he prefers a female prospector over a male. Personally, I agree with Hunt and believe that women appear less competitive and cut throat in nature. Rather than quickly close the deal, women appear to be concerned with the longevity of the sales relationship than the monetary value.