Marius Kola - Membership Sales Account Executive at Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment

In this sudden, everchanging world of ours, industries across the spectrum have been transitioning towards more digitized, automated, and artificial approaches in regards to building relationships with their clientele. However, there is still one in particular that strives in creating personal relationships in order o further promote their businesses and exceed revenue year-over-year - Sports Sales.

In this discussion, we reached out to Marius Kola: Membership Sales Account Executive at Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment to provide his input on becoming a standout in this industry, and what it takes to remain successful in this unusual time of ours. Marius is a graduate from East Stroudsburg University, and has been working in sport sales ever since. Like most starting off in sales, he encountered many obstacles and had to prove his abilities to generate & create revenue.

We like to thank Marius for taking the time out of his hectic schedule to provide input on this and to support the next wave of sports sales leaders! If you would like to attend a New Jersey Devils game or learn more about how Marius can help you experience amazing events with Harris Sports & Entertainment, contact him at (973) 982-6327.

Give us what a typical day looks like in the shoes of Marius Kola.

Since working from home, my day-to-day has changed but the bulk of it is still making calls and taking care of clients. I wake up around 8:00 a.m., get ready for the day, and then go straight to my laptop to check my calendar. My calendar is one of the most valuable assets in my line of work. My calendar keeps me organized and determines what my day is going to look like. I then proceed to go through my emails, answering the most important ones as my priority. I set a specific time aside to check my emails again so it doesn’t distract from my main goal, which is driving revenue for the company. The remainder of my

day usually consists of meetings, appointments, calling new clients, and free time for personal development.

The demands for skilled sales professionals has become an absolute necessity among all industries, however, the quality of entry-level positions are worrisome for those entering the workforce (i.e. low starting salaries, long hours, etc.). What are some things you did that supported your abilities to overcome these obstacles at a young age?

I think the first thing you must do is understand the position you are in and change your mindset. Most people leave school thinking that they deserve a high paying job because they have a piece of paper from a university. Today's market is more about who you know rather than what you know. If you don’t know someone that can throw you into a high-level position, then you will have to make some sacrifices. You’re going to have to take that job that has long hours, a low starting salary, and a non-ideal location. Sacrifice early to succeed later in life!

Once you find a job, make sure you do your best in that position. Although it might not be your ideal position and/or company, it will be the stepping stool

for the future. So, you must make the most of it.

In less than 40 characters, describe what one needs in order to succeed in sales. You've been working in the sports & entertainment industry since graduating from ESU. A lot has changed in your field over the past years that most of us did not expect would occur this immediate including the merging interests in growing areas such as the VR Gaming sector. With these incremental changes happening overnight, what should incoming professionals expect, and what is your team doing to adapt?

The approach to sales is always changing and will continue to change, but there are two things that will always stay constant: effort and volume. If you want to have a good sales base, understand that if you are putting in more time and reaching out to more clients, then your counterpart you will start with a

leg up on them.

You should expect to run into problems and objections you have never experienced before, therefore you must be flexible and creative. Be a consultative seller by truly listening to what your clients pain points are and work with them to solve it with your product.

Sales is one of those professions where you have moderate work-weeks throughout certain parts of the year, but then usually takes a 360-degree turn and you're putting in 80-100 hours a week for 3-4 months straight. Are there any techniques you have taken to prepare for those forthcoming weeks? How do you remain focused on the end-goal?

Sales is one of the most hectic positions to be in, and sports sales, can be even worse. During the season, you can run into a week where you have four games back-to-back that you have to work, an endless amount of meetings, and

clients to tend to at the same time. The best thing you can do for yourself is spend time preparing for the week that weekend before and putting everything on your calendar. The more organized you are, the less surprised you will be. Overall, this will bring your anxiety down tremendously.

There are two things I do to keep my eye on the prize. One is putting smaller goals in front of me and writing it down. When you don’t hit your goals for weeks, months, or years it can be deflating. If you have smaller goals that you can cross off a piece of paper or delete on your phone, it will give you that small dose of serotonin to keep you going. Second, I figure out my “why”. Why am I putting myself through this stress and hard work? Anytime I am tired or unmotivated, I revisit that and it gives me the energy to push on.

What makes you excited about working in sales and what should others look for in a sales department when applying to open positions? As always, we like to ask this question to see how others in our generations perceive our position in society. For some, they believe there is a shadow over millennials and younger generations in that we are "lazy" or "dependent" on others, and we are not striving to become tomorrow's leaders. What can you say to steer this perception into a positive picture for us all?

One thing that excites me about sales is the endless possibilities where a call can go. In sales, you always start with a blank slate and use your own creativity to find a way to solve a client’s problem with your product. The opportunities in each call is endless; with upselling, cross selling, or creating something completely new if your company gives you that flexibility. Another factor is the feeling you get

when you finally get that sale. Each sale is like a duel in which you don’t win often, but then you finally get one! That feeling never gets old and still excites me after being in sales for more than three years.

When looking at a sales department you should search for three things: how their leadership is, how much they value listening to their sellers and being able to adapt their selling process, and whether or not they give you the tools to be able to move up the company ladder.

I think this view on the younger generation is a product of misunderstanding. The older generations had a certain view of what “hard work” looks like. They see the new ways that our generation makes money and innovates and think it is easy, but they don’t see the hours we put in, the creativity involved, and the new and constant information we take in. I think this is just a revolving door in which each

generation thinks the next has it easier and one day we will say the same to our kids.

Are there any other tips or suggestions you have for others out there?

I hope if there are only three things you take from what I’ve written today, it is that you need to network, take in and search for as much information as you can in your field, and sacrifice early. Network with as many people as possible because now it is more about who you know than what you know. Always be open to learning because in today’s time, information is coming in fast and is always changing, so get as much of it in your profession because information is king. Sacrifice early because having those long hours and low paying jobs now could be the stepping stool towards an amazing career. It is a lot easier working long hours and being poor in your 20's than it is in your 30's and older.