In my 20 years plus career, I've been fortunate enough to have collaborated with great companies and to have learned a lot from some of the best professionals I've met. As such, I have countless instances of business advice that have helped me become a better professional.
In this blog post, I'm telling you more about two stories in particular which illustrate some of the best sales advice I've received in my professional life. These stories are completely real and happened to me at a certain point in my career.
These are the best sales advice I've received during my professional life:
Story 1
One of the first pieces of sales advice I received, and still use today, was this:
After one of my first business meetings of my life, with my manager and an important new business partner we were trying to win over (a meeting where I barely opened my mouth), my manager called me in for a debriefing, asking me what I thought of the meeting and suggesting what we should do next.
Then he gave me a piece of advice that has stayed with me to this day:
After an initial meeting, you should send an email to the partner thanking them for the meeting, summarising the main points discussed, and suggesting next steps.
Later you should also follow up on any outstanding actions.
This is my first advice, after a meeting, email the people you met with, thanking them for their time and clarifying next steps. It's something simple, logical, basic even, but which, if applied, it will make a difference.
This advice has stayed with me to this day and has helped me to communicate better with my partners and clients, and to be a better professional.
Story 2
One day I had a meeting with a channel partner 250 kilometres from Lisbon, a journey of about 3 hours by car each way (round trip 6 hours in total).
Keen to maximise this trip, I left the house at 5am, arrived at the meeting place at 8am, waited 1 hour for the partner to arrive, started the meeting at 9am, had several other meetings and visits to end customers, and finally returned home at 11pm, a full day - or at least, so I thought.
The next day, I tried to capitalise on my 'great capacity for work' and 'personal sacrifice' with my boss, to generate 'goodwill' and for him to see me as an excellent worker.
After my exhaustive description of the previous day (emphasising the large number of hours I spent working) my boss tells me - "Well, I really appreciate your effort, but it doesn't mean much to me. Did you manage to close any deals or achieve any tangible goals on your trip?"
Disappointed, I said no.
Then (here comes the advice) he said: I don't measure you by the hours you work, or by your effort, I measure you by your results and your effectiveness. You could have invested less than half the time in your action and been more effective.
What a great lesson, which I've been trying to apply in my professional life ever since.
These stories encapsulate the essence of the best sales advice I've received throughout my career – the power of thoughtful communication and the prioritization of results.
If you're eager to explore how these principles can elevate your sales endeavors, I invite you to get in touch with us.
Our expertise extends beyond these stories, and we're committed to helping you navigate the intricacies of international sales successfully.
Reach out today, and let's embark on a journey to amplify your sales effectiveness together. Email us at sales@unitedchannels.net
About the author
João Beato Esteves is the CEO of United Channels Consulting. He founded the company in 2017 after 20+ years of working in the IT and cybersecurity industries developing channels and leading sales teams for prominent companies such as Symantec and disruptive start-ups like Watchful Software.