Let me just say from the outset - I believe they are really important.
I believe we are all selling, all of the time.
Whether we realise it. Or not.
Whether we get paid for it. Or not.
Whether you're in:
A Job interview
or
Trying to persuade your partner to spend the rest of their lives with you
or
Whether you're actually selling something: a car, a phone system, whatever...
We are all selling, all the time.
So, Sales is really important and not just because I say so.
The father of Management Thinking - Peter Drucker - said this about sales:
Let's just say that again.
“Nothing happens until somebody sells something”
That's pretty profound when you think about it.
So often we're led to believe that sales is just a job you do because you couldn't get another job.
Sales is the job of last resort.
A Sales job beats starving to death I guess....but only just.
Well, I'm glad I'm in sales. Given I was never going to play mid-field for Chelsea, I wouldn't trade my career for any other.
Sales is nothing like how it's portrayed in movies like The Wolf of Wall Street
I strongly believe this:
Closing a sale is simply the natural conclusion to a well-qualified business conversation
Yes. Sales in 2023 - and beyond - is waaaay different to the way things used to be.
Prospects and customers are much more sophisticated and much better informed than they used to be.
Sales in the modern era means prospective customers pulling your product or service out of your hand, it certainly does not mean you shoving it down their throat.
Some of us have had negative or challenging experiences with salespeople and that undermines the entire profession of sales.
Did I say profession?
Yes, profession.
For me, the profession of Sales is not like that.
So, who is this Sales Masterclass series aimed at?
Well, I've created it to develop the most junior desk-based SDR or salesperson right through to experienced professionals who want to “amp up” their sales skills - I believe you'll all get something from this Masterclass series.
Even if sales isn't your main job function, as a senior person in your organisation, you are expected to influence others.
And that's what sales is...the power to influence
Sales is about bringing people closer to your position...or recognising early that that won’t be not possible.
So, sales is not just about selling per se, it's about whether you need to influence others, in doing your job. In Delivering!
And that's what I believe we all need to do.
Now, you're probably thinking: Well, exactly how are you qualified, Keith, to tell me about Sales and Influencing?
Well, I've been in sales (B2B and B2C) for 30-odd years.
And just in case you’re thinking:
Wow, that's before social media
that's even before the mobile phone
Yep. You're absolutely right.
The world worked pretty well even before those things - though I show people how they can become even more productive using modern day tools.
I've worked with some big brands such as BT, HP, EDS and a whole host of SMEs as well, mainly in technology and telecoms.
I've sold:
Broadband contracts at $45 a month
right up to Big, hairy software outsourcing deals worth well over $1 billion
...and pretty much everything in between.
Many times, I've been 100s % of my annual quota.
Twice, I delivered over 1,000%
I recently worked with a FTSE-100 and increased their sales 159% in 6 months.
And so that's the kind of experience that I want to bring to the table. You're in good hands.
I firmly believe that everyone should be in sales. And if you're not directly in sales, you should at least be supporting sales.
If that sounds like the direction you want your company to run in, well that's the kind of cultural change that I can help YOU bring about.
Want to chat? WhatsApp me +44 7473 760627 or
Email keith@salesmarvel.co.uk
Or, simply click here to find out more