Key Selling Behaviors for Success

Hey sales leaders: After working with 5,000 sales teams, I've noticed 5 habits that separate great salespeople from good ones. I’ve spent 15 years inside the walls of sales teams: • InsideSales.com • Gong • Today at pclub.io It's been a front-row seat to the inner workings of more sales teams than anyone I know. 5 habits that separate great from good: 1. Great sellers know where their territory is “high propensity.” They focus first on Ideal Customer Profile. And they over-invest in getting in front of those buyers. A great enterprise seller might be assigned 200 accounts. But they’re only pursuing 20. They’ve learned a truth most sellers never do: No process, product, or skill can save you if you spend time with low-propensity buyers. In sales, “who” comes before “what” or “how.” 2. Great sellers (truly) sell outcomes & problem resolution. 99% of sellers 'think' they do this. They don't. They treat customers like transactions: • qualify • present • negotiate • “close” Great salespeople don't think of a deal as a transaction. They are the first leg of customer value creation. And they know it. They think of deals as the beginning of value delivery. That shows up in how they talk. They don't say: "Let's wrap this up and get it done!" Done? You think the signature is "done"? That's how good salespeople think. Not great ones. 3. Great sellers obsess over the blend of people. Bad sellers single-thread. Good sellers multi-thread with anyone who will talk to them. Great sellers DESIGN their multi-threading. • Who to win over first, second, third. • Who to box out entirely. • Who needs to feel ownership. • Who needs to be challenged. Most “deal strategy” is actually people strategy. Great sellers don’t just manage mutual action plans. They manage political dynamics. 4. Great sellers have rock solid business acumen. Every one of them. When you hear great sellers talk about business? You don’t think, “salesperson.” You think, “investor.” Good sellers rarely talk about business. Not because they don’t want to. Because they can’t. They see themselves as salespeople. Not a trusted business advisor. It’s a different self-concept entirely. 5. Great sellers unlock demand. Good sellers only capture it. Only ~3% of a market is “buying” at any given time. Good sellers obsess over being in those conversations. As they should. But great sellers invest upstream to nurture their ICPs. They nurture buyers who aren’t ready yet with: • reframes on problems • compelling narratives • priority elevation • new mental models They change how buyers think. Then when the demand-dam breaks? They’re standing by themselves with a bucket. Great sellers don’t wait for demand. They unlock it. Ok. If you lead a sales team: I’d love to hear which habit that stands out most across your org.

The Best Salespeople Don't Sell More… They Help Better. The phrase "Sell Anything to Anyone" may sound like traditional sales advice, but the principles behind this infographic tell a very different story. Modern sales is no longer about convincing customers. It's about earning trust, understanding needs, and creating measurable value. Five principles stand out: ✅ 1. Build Trust Before You Sell Trust is the currency of every successful sales relationship. Customers buy from professionals they believe understand their business, not from those delivering the most polished sales pitch. ✅ 2. Listen More Than You Speak Great discovery creates great opportunities. The best sales conversations begin with thoughtful questions and active listening—not product presentations. When you understand the customer's challenges, your solution becomes relevant instead of promotional. ✅ 3. Treat Rejection as Feedback Every lost opportunity teaches something valuable. Top-performing sales professionals don't fear rejection—they analyze it, learn from it, and continuously improve their approach. Growth comes from reflection, not perfection. ✅ 4. Deliver Value Before Asking for Commitment Whether it's sharing industry insights, solving a business problem, or providing useful recommendations, value should come before the proposal. When customers see value early, decisions become much easier. ✅ 5. Stay Agile Markets change. Customer expectations evolve. Competition becomes stronger. The sales professionals who continue learning, adapting, and embracing new technologies will always outperform those relying on yesterday's methods. My Perspective After years in sales leadership, one lesson has remained constant: Customers rarely remember the best presentation. They remember the salesperson who genuinely helped them make a better business decision. Products can be copied. Pricing can change. Technology evolves. But trust, credibility, and the ability to solve customer problems remain lasting competitive advantages. Sales is not about closing deals. It's about opening long-term relationships built on trust, value, and consistent execution. Which of these five principles do you believe has the greatest impact on long-term sales success?

I’ve seen commission payouts for 100s of enterprise salespeople. Every AE earning over $750,000/yr had mastered 7 key selling skills: 1. Ruthless Disqualification Great selling starts with spending time with prospects who can buy and be successful with their solution. This means the most important thing is recognizing if a “love connection” is possible. Does the account match the ICP? Is there a compelling event? Are the right resources in place to be successful? If yes, they invest time. If not, they recognize it quickly and put it in nurture. 2. Always-on Discovery Big sales come from building big value, and big value comes from constantly doing discovery and understanding client needs. Discovery isn’t something to rush through, it’s always on, every conversation should involve some discovery. You can also uncover another clue on how to make your client successful. 3. Deliver Value Up Top (And Often) Having said that… salespeople can make the mistake of focusing *exclusively* on discovery early, because they know it’s important. You have to balance discovery with bringing value, or clients get bored and feel like it’s a one-sided relationship. Great salespeople bring value with unique perspectives on the market, competitors, the clients' challenges, etc. 4. Build a Reference Network of Similar Buyers The highest earners build a network of similar buyers, who trust them, and who are available to connect with new prospects. This is a super-advanced skill which takes time to cultivate, but when in place is game-changing. 5. Give To Get Mentality Prospects will ask for a lot through a sales cycle. On one hand, this show’s engagement, on the other, it does not mean they are committing the resources necessary to become a customer. Examples: When a prospect asks for a demo, ask to make sure all the right people are going to be present to evaluate. When a prospect asks for a trial, ask for the right level of executive engagement to make sure it’s set up for success. 6. Confidence To Ask For A Big (Fair) Numbers Too many salespeople are quick to discount. They’ve spent months building value, believe in a solution that’s important for their clients, and then forget about all the value. This hurts them, the company they work for, and ultimately their customer because they’ve created a dynamic that isn’t sustainable, a losing money proposition. Ask for what’s fair to support a win/win sustainable relationship with your customer. 7. Refuses To Ghost After the Sale The best salespeople are available and stay involved after the sale to make sure the client is wildly successful. This gives them credibility in understanding how to make others successful, builds their network, and makes their companies successful. --- What do YOU think are high W2 enterprise sales skills?

Most salespeople don’t struggle because they lack talent. They struggle because they practice the wrong habits. I didn’t get better when I learned more scripts. I got better when I fixed how I showed up in conversations. These 5 habits changed everything for me: 1. I stopped talking and started listening. Real selling begins when you actually hear what the other person is saying — not when you’re waiting for your turn to speak. 2. I slowed down my pace. Speaking slower and with control made me sound more confident, more certain, and more trustworthy. 3. I summarized before I sold. Before pitching anything, I repeated back what I heard. When people feel understood, they lean in. 4. I detached from the outcome. Desperation repels. Confidence attracts. When I stopped needing the deal, I started closing more of them. 5. I asked for the sale — clearly and assumptively. No vague endings. No soft exits. I confidently guided them to the next step. This is what actually determines your success in sales. If you feel stuck, inconsistent, or like you’re “doing a lot but not closing”… It’s probably not a script problem. It’s a habit problem. Read that again. Pick one habit. Fix it. Then stack the next one. 📩 Save this for later and send it to someone who needs to hear it.

You rarely lose deals because your product is weak. You lose them because you speak the wrong language. Selling isn’t persuasion, it’s translation. Most sellers pitch the same way to everyone. Very few adapt to how people actually think. Real sales mastery looks like this 1. From Emotion → To Evidence (The Analytical) They trust data, not vibes. Show charts, logic, comparisons, and proof that stands strong on its own. 2. From Story → To Straight Line (The Driver) They want speed, clarity, and outcomes. Be concise. Lead with ROI. Remove all fluff. 3. From Pitching → To Listening (The Amiable) They buy from people they trust. Slow down. Build rapport. Offer reassurance and simplicity. 4. From Details → To Vision (The Expressive) They think in possibilities. Paint the big picture. Use stories and future outcomes. 5. From Value → To Cost Logic (The Price-Focused) They watch the numbers closely. Break down long-term savings, tiers, and cost justification. 6. From Discounts → To Quality (The Value Buyer) They want the best, not the cheapest. Show transformations, premium outcomes, and long-term wins. 7. From Promises → To Proof (The Skeptical) They need evidence, not excitement. Show testimonials, demos, guarantees. Remove every risk. 8. From Process → To Ease (The Impulsive) They move fast and follow emotion. Highlight benefits, create urgency, and remove friction from checkout. Because the real secret isn’t changing your product, it’s changing your approach. Match the message to the mindset, and every sale becomes smoother, faster, and far more predictable. Follow Mark Mehok for more Business Insights like this

The best salespeople don’t win because they’re the loudest. They win because they do the quiet things everyone else overlooks. Sales isn’t just charisma, follow-ups, and closing lines. The real pros know it’s a discipline and most of it happens behind the scenes. Here are 10 quiet sales habits that change everything 👇🏼 1. Silent Research ↳ 10 minutes of prep before every call ↳ Know their world before asking them to know yours 2. Precise Questioning ↳ Lead with “What’s your biggest friction point right now?” ↳ Stop guessing, start targeting 3. Intentional Follow-Up ↳ Personalized 30-second check-ins, not generic templates ↳ Consistency builds trust 4. Listening More Than Talking ↳ 70/30 rule in every conversation ↳ Prospects buy understanding, not pitch decks 5. Thoughtful Pacing ↳ Slow down the front end so the back end closes faster ↳ Rushed deals become ghosted deals 6. Pipeline Hygiene ↳ Weekly cleanup: remove the dead leads ↳ Clutter kills clarity 7. Value Drips ↳ Share one useful insight per week with key contacts ↳ Stay top-of-mind without being “salesy” 8. Emotional Neutrality ↳ Celebrate wins privately, don’t chase from fear ↳ Detachment = better decisions 9. Meeting Debriefs ↳ 60 seconds after every call: What worked? What didn’t? ↳ This builds mastery faster than any training 10. Long Game Thinking ↳ See relationships as assets, not transactions ↳ The best leads arrive years after the first hello

Success in sales isn’t about luck or timing—it’s about ownership, discipline, and consistency. I see it all the time: salespeople wait for the “perfect moment” to reach out, or they think too much instead of taking action. Here’s the truth—the only bad call is the one you never make. Prospecting isn’t something you do “when you have time.” It’s a daily habit, like a muscle that gets stronger the more you work it. The more consistent you are, the more momentum you build, and the more confidence you gain. Planning ahead matters too. End your day by mapping out tomorrow—who you’ll reach, what your message will be, and what the next step looks like. Preparation removes hesitation and keeps you moving forward. Every interaction should bring value. Don’t just sell features—help your prospects think differently about their business. Follow up, bring insights, and show them you understand their challenges. And above all, check your attitude. Focus on helping others succeed, and your results will follow. Success in sales isn’t given—it’s earned by showing up, taking action, and creating momentum every single day.

I used sales to become financially free at 42* Here are 8 behaviors done consistently that helped: BACKGROUND In 2006, I started out making around $45K (that was after commissions) as an Account Manager. That was my first dedicated job in sales. It didn’t go so well... As an introvert, I was so anxious I had a panic attack in front of a client. I stuck it out there for a bit, but eventually moved on. Fast forward... In 2019, I earned $1.5M (with $1.2M coming from commissions). I sold transformation deals to Fortune 100-level companies. I could command a room. I even stayed in the $1M+ W2 earners club 3 years in a row. Then in 2022, I was able to retire from the corporate world to launch my own business. Here are the behaviors that fueled my growth (human + seller): 1/ Got comfortable being uncomfortable My best learning experiences always came from trying. Not over-thinking and staying in a safe box. 2/ Repurposed weaknesses as strengths When I started, I was told sales wasn’t an industry suited for introverted people like me. But being quiet had its advantages. It made me a better listener—a key component to winning trust and providing better solutions. 3/ Focused on what was in my control When it came to meetings... I focused on starting and ending well. I let go of the rest and trusted in my instincts, knowing a solid start and ending with an emotional high could carry me well through most meetings. 4/ Reframed imposter syndrome I learned it was a healthy sign, not a character flaw. It showed I was making progress and reaching new levels. 5/ Mastered the breath The #1 tool we all have to regulate our nervous system is controlled, mindful breathing. It comes in handy during moments of stress. Use it. 6/ Prioritized energy Introverts get drained from social interaction. Healthy routines and good habits kept energy high. 7/ Wrote often Writing is the safe place for sellers like me. But it also had the benefit of making my ideas crisp in person. Staying consistent was like good therapy. 8/ Kept living expenses under my base salary By not inflating my lifestyle, it meant my additional earnings (commissions, bonuses, RSUs) could be used as strategic levers of growth. Stepping into solopreneurship was a lot more freeing without the burden of financial pressure. My creativity did the talking, not my desperation. 🐝 P.S. I’ve traded the boardroom for my bike. Now, most of my mornings look like this. P.P.S. If you enjoyed this post, you'll like the weekly lessons I drop every Wednesday: https://lnkd.in/eXTuBrdH (Next week we start our next learning path, "Design A World-Class Buying Experience") -- *Financially free is generally accepted as having a Total Term of 25+ years. Total Term = # of years you could live on your current assets if they did not grow (ignoring inflation, taxes, and fees). This includes cash, investments, business equity, and real estate equity.

7 Sales Lessons from Buffett & Munger Success in sales isn’t about shortcuts. It’s about reputation, discipline, and long-term thinking. Here’s what every serious sales professional should remember: 1️⃣ Protect Your Reputation One wrong commitment can damage years of credibility. In industrial sales, trust is everything. 2️⃣ Invert the Problem Instead of asking “How do I win this deal?” Ask “Why do deals like this get lost?” Study losses harder than wins. 3️⃣ Say No Not every RFQ is worth chasing. Not every customer is ideal. Protect your time and focus on quality opportunities. 4️⃣ Deserve the Business Earn the meeting. Deliver value before asking for the order. 5️⃣ Integrity First Skills without integrity are dangerous. One overpromise can cost a lifetime relationship. 6️⃣ Teach, Don’t Pitch Buyers trust experts who make them smarter. Share insights. Explain process improvements. Sell through knowledge. 7️⃣ Plant Trees In project sales, today’s “No” can become next year’s upgrade order. Relationships compound over time. Sales is not about quarterly thinking. It’s about building a name that customers remember positively. Short-term tactics close deals. Long-term reputation builds careers. #Sales #B2BSales #IndustrialSales #BusinessDevelopment #Integrity #LongTermThinking #ConsultativeSelling #RelationshipBuilding #SalesLeadership