It’s FUN to sell FUN!
Deb Thiessen, Sales Representative, Voyager RV
I have been RVing my whole life! First in my parents’ borrowed Airstream, then in their motorhome. With my own family, we started in a 20-year-old tent trailer when the kids are small. From there, we upgraded to a newer tent trailer, then hybrid then an even bigger trailer. You’ll notice the natural progression to “bigger” trailer as the kids grew. We eventually found a beautiful 5th wheel.
We just love being outdoors. We used to rent out our house for the summer and take off wherever our hearts desired. Sometimes, we’d camp for as long as 60 days. My Kids loved not being scheduled and I loved the feeling of being unplugged. This is why when families come in looking to buy their first or 4th RV, I’m always happy to help them find the perfect one for their unique situation. I have been in their shoes and it’s fun to be a part of their journey!
In my early days here at Voyager RV, it was a bit intimidating to deal with trucker-type customers. The truckers were mostly men interested in motorhomes and toy haulers. In digging deeper, I realized my insecurity stemmed from lack of confidence. I consider myself knowledgeable with all types of RVs but did not project that outwardly. As a salesperson, I need to be able to help any customer that comes into the dealership. Gradually, I focused on my experience as an RVer and the knowledge I have acquired to overcome self-doubt. I have learned a lot and can now discuss generators, tag axels, hitch weight, equalizers, and payload among other things with anyone. I know my stuff!
I have a line I use when a husband is shopping without his wife, I ask him “do you have a note from your wife?” It usually gets a laugh as we both know it’s true. Buying an RV is like purchasing a home, it’s a joint decision to purchase.
I always look forward to meeting and working with different types of customers. We see “snowbirds” looking to upgrade or those that are near or newly retired looking to get into the snowbird lifestyle. We have also seen more of the “RV nomads.” They want to have it all, travel, work, and live life fully. It can be more challenging to find the right four-season unit on a budget for these customers, but very rewarding when I can make it happen for them.
When I started over five years ago, I was the only woman in sales with nine men. Now, we have three women and seven men in sales. The future looks bright for women in RV sales.
