Want to succeed in sales? Listen to a coach

Posted On December 16, 2019

We’ve all heard the saying: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.”

But is it true? And, more specifically, is it true about those who teach how to do sales?

There is a healthy amount of skepticism about the effectiveness of sales coaches, but in a recent episode of “What’s Working with Cam Marston,” we talked with one with a track record of success that shows teachers know their stuff.

Jeff Brinson, a professional sales coach with Southwestern Consulting, says anyone can do sales – and, in reality, we all already do.

“Everybody in the world is a salesperson,” says Brinson, who was a sales manager and top producer for two Fortune 500 companies for 20 years. “If you have a friend in life, you’ve sold somebody on why you’re a good friend.”

It’s not, however, necessarily easy to be a top producer, to keep a team of salespeople properly motivated, or to hire the right people for your sales positions. For this latter issue, in particular, Brinson says there is no magic pill.

“It’s a tough thing to do when we make relationship decisions,” he says. “Our recommendation is always to not hire for skills. Skills are trainable. We can teach someone the skills of the job. … We want to hire to character. We want to hire to culture. A cultural fit is way more important than the smartest kid in the room.”

Brinson, who got his start selling books door-to-door as a college student, shares how to find that fit, what the top three habits of top producers are, what “the success triangle” is and why it’s helpful, and why “fake it ‘til you make it” isn’t sustainable. Instead, he says, remember this: “the riches are in the niches.”

Join us for an energetic discussion about sales and how to succeed at it.

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