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Toby Buttle has joined AFCO Systems as executive sales manager. He brings 25 years of sales experience to his new role. The Farmingdale firm makes enclosures for data centers that feature resource management systems, which allow for more efficient cooling of equipment.
Buttle will be responsible for all inside and outside sales activities and for directing the sales team to maximize growth, leadership and profitability for the company.
According to Buttle, this is the most technical product he has sold to date. “But once you get a grasp on the concept, it’s easy to explain it to potential customers,” he said.
To accept the position at AFCO, Buttle relocated from Texas, where he worked for BlueScope Steel. He has never lived on Long Island before.
“The humidity is an improvement over Texas, and there’s a lot to do here within easy reach,” he said. “But the traffic is horrendous.”
Buttle graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. “At the time, I was interested in attending the Naval Academy because it offered a free education,” he said. “I didn’t enjoy it very much while I was there, but, looking back, it was probably the best decision I have made.”
After fulfilling his five-year commitment with the U.S. Marine Corps, Buttle was ready for civilian life and got into sales at the suggestion of a college friend. His first sales job was with Sensormatic, a provider of retail security solutions.
Buttle said he learned a lot from every position he has held. “You can’t succeed in this business without taking a little constructive criticism,” he said. “I always say that sales is like having a tool: the more you use it, the better you will do with it.”
Motivating sales professionals is an important part of Buttle’s role. “When you lead people, sometimes you have to make them do what they don’t want to do,” he said. “But by setting realistic goals and objectives, you can improve performance a little bit at a time.”
For those starting out in sales, Buttle suggests finding a mentor who is very successful. “Learn as much from that person as you can,” he said. “It’s easy to form bad habits, but the salespeople who are the most successful are the ones who work the hardest and the smartest.”
