Sales is the work of helping a buyer solve a problem by exchanging a product or service for money. In a business context, sales covers every activity that turns potential customers into paying customers, from prospecting and the first conversation to closing deals and keeping current customers coming back. It is the one business function that directly brings revenue into a company.
This guide is for new and aspiring sellers, career changers, seasoned pros, sales managers and business leaders who want a complete answer to the question “what is sales?” You’ll get the definition, how to break into a sales role, how sales jobs pay, the main types of sales and the jobs inside them, the strategies and terms every seller should know, how to build a sales team, the full sales process, and the tools and methodologies top teams use to compete and win.
My most famous line as an influencer, the one used in the Salesforce film “The Story of Sales,” is: “Sales is the Art of Helping.” That sums up the profession in six words.
I’ve spent over 25 years in this industry. I got my first big break at 19 as a telemarketer (now called an SDR) at a software company. Within 6 months, I was promoted from telemarketer to Jr. Account Executive. That year, I learned from some of the greatest sales managers, and I’m still friends with many of them today.
Before that, I worked in consumer sales at a retail shop called Ritz Camera Centers. If you’re over 45, you probably remember dropping off 35mm film for processing. I started as a photo finishing developer, and I kept selling more cameras than the full-time associates. When my district manager asked me how, I walked him through it: I showed customers why their photos failed, asked how they would use the camera and recommended the right gear. His answer stuck with me. In effect, he said I was simply helping the customer, and that’s what sales is all about. He promoted me to sales associate, and I used the money I earned to pay for my entire first year of college.
What Is Sales?
Sales can be defined as the activities related to the exchange of a product or service for a monetary value from a seller to a consumer or business. A sale is the result of a mutually beneficial agreement between a seller offering a specific product or service and a buyer who is eager to invest in it. To finalize a sale, both parties must agree on the details of the transaction, such as price, quantity, delivery method and delivery time.
The purpose of sales is to provide solutions that solve a customer’s need or want. Successful sellers focus on understanding customer needs and providing tailored solutions, rather than simply trying to convince people to buy. In this way, selling is about building trust and fostering long-term relationships with customers through core sales activities, which leads to increased revenue and business growth.
When I’m pressed, I call sales 51% science and 49% art (some days it flips). The science is what you need to know: is there budget, who signs, when is that person on vacation. The art is getting that information inside a real conversation that helps both people. Picture someone who falls down. One person yells, “Are you OK?” hears “Yeah, I think so” and moves on. That’s science. Another person says, “Hold on, let me help you.” That’s art. Be the second person.
Why Sales Matters to Every Business
Sales is the only business function that directly generates revenue. It provides the primary cash flow for a business and keeps the lights on. For any company, high or growing sales figures also prove that a company’s business model works.
Consistent sales growth lets a company reinvest in research, new products and new markets. Strong sales also drive jobs and economic activity. And because sales people talk with buyers every day, they gather customer insights that help the whole company improve.
Sales vs. Marketing: What’s the Difference?
Marketing creates awareness and generates leads. Sales turns those interested leads into customers. The marketing team nurtures leads until they are ready to talk with a seller, and the seller takes it from there through discovery, the sales pitch and the close.
The best companies don’t treat these as two separate worlds. When sales and marketing work together, customer engagement and satisfaction go up. Sales teams feed valuable insights from buyer conversations back to marketing, and that feedback loop improves messaging, campaigns and even the product itself. I like to say: think like a marketer, act like a seller.
How to Get Into a Sales Role?
To get into a sales role, you need the right skills, experience and attitude, and successful sales professionals pair hands-on experience with strong communication skills. Some B2B sales roles ask for a Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing or a related field, along with relevant sales experience, interpersonal skills and comfort with tools like Microsoft Office and a CRM. The same requirement doesn’t usually apply to direct sales roles or to outside sales representatives for product companies, such as door-to-door solar companies.
Sales roles can be broadly grouped into inside sales and outside sales (also called field sales). There are also business development, sales development, business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C), eCommerce and direct selling roles.
If your goal is to land a selling opportunity, here are some ways to get into a sales role:
- Check online job boards such as Indeed and Glassdoor.
- Attend job fairs and networking events.
- Contact recruitment agencies that specialize in sales positions.
- Search for sales job openings on company websites.
- Use social media platforms like LinkedIn to connect with recruiters and companies.
- Ask for referrals from employees at the target company, or from friends, family and colleagues in sales.
- Check professional sales organizations for job postings and resources.
- Attend industry conferences and events to network and learn about job opportunities.
- Reach out to sales managers directly by email or phone to ask about openings.
- Sign up for LinkedIn Premium and source selling roles from the jobs board.
- Optimize your LinkedIn profile so you can be found by someone using LinkedIn Recruiter.
Is Sales Hard?
Sales can be a complex and challenging field. Sellers face competition, limited time for selling (aka admin time), prospects who don’t respond, long sales cycles, too few qualified inbound sales leads, and rejection. Salesforce’s State of Sales research found that sales reps spend 60% of their time on non-selling tasks. There is no doubt that whether you sell to consumers or businesses, sales people take on some of the toughest roles out there.
Consider this: hitting quota doesn’t just affect a seller’s income. It affects their mortgage, their car payment, their health benefits and even what’s on the dinner table. And that’s true no matter what outside forces are at play, like pricing pressure, buyer interest or purchase requirements.
However, with the right training and support, sales can also be the most rewarding career choice. It offers the satisfaction of helping customers, the potential for high earnings, the chance to build relationships, and the ability to work independently.
Ultimately, the key to success in sales lies in perseverance, resilience and adapting to ever-changing market conditions, company changes and customer needs. Persistence is what gets you through rejection.
How Are Sales Representatives Paid?
Sales representatives may be paid through commission, salary, or a combination of both. A common structure is base salary plus commission. This plan gives sales representatives a stable base salary plus extra financial motivation to hit or beat their sales targets. That variable pay can add up to a big share of a top seller’s earnings.
This model rewards sales representatives for performance, which motivates them to excel and contribute to the company’s overall success. Some companies also give reps a business credit card to cover client meetings and travel, which supports their sales efforts.
However, many outside sales representatives work in commission-only roles. This means you only get paid for goods sold! It’s also the payment model of a small business owner. I was on this plan too when I first started my small business here at Vengreso. In other words, you eat what you kill.
Which Sales Jobs Pay the Most?
The highest paying sales jobs are often found in industries such as technology, pharmaceuticals and consulting. Industry, experience and location all affect a salesperson’s salary. Enterprise sales jobs that sell large, complex deals to major corporations usually sit at the top of the pay range.
Other lucrative sales positions include consumer packaged goods sales, solar sales representative and pre-sales systems engineer. If you want a high-paying sales job, keep building your skills, your network and your industry knowledge so you stay competitive in the job market.
Types of Sales Functions
In the sales world, there are several different approaches, each built to fit specific business needs and customer preferences. Understanding the types of sales helps sales professionals decide which area fits them best. It also helps companies choose the go-to-market motion for marketing and selling their product or service. That leads to better results for both sellers and the company they represent.
Some of the most common types of sales include inside sales, outside sales, inbound sales, outbound sales, B2B, B2C, enterprise sales, eCommerce and direct selling. Each has its own strengths and challenges.
Inside Sales vs. Outside Sales (aka Field Sales)
Inside sales is a remote sales approach in which virtual sales teams work with prospects and customers by phone, email, video and LinkedIn instead of in person. This can also be called virtual selling.
Outside sales, on the other hand, is a face-to-face sales approach where salespeople meet potential customers in the field.
Inside sales saves time and money and makes it easier to serve more customers. Field selling builds personal connections that foster trust and loyalty. Outside reps also visit existing customers to keep relationships strong and win repeat business, and they bring back direct customer feedback that helps refine the sales process.
These two worlds blended during COVID. In my opinion, both roles are now just part of the sales department, and the salesperson’s focus is often the same.
Inbound Sales vs. Outbound Sales
Inbound sales starts when the buyer reaches out first, after finding you through search, content, social media or a referral. Customer behavior drives the sales process, and the seller’s job is to respond fast, qualify the lead and help.
Outbound sales starts with the seller. Reps research target accounts and reach out first through cold calls, email, LinkedIn and video. Sales teams need both. Inbound is the warmer path, but outbound is how you reach buyers who don’t know you exist yet.
Business to Business (B2B) vs. Business to Consumer (B2C) Sales
B2B sales is when a business sells to another company. The process is often more complex, involves more decision makers and has longer sales cycles. B2C sales is when a business sells to individual consumers, and those sales are usually simpler and more transactional.
B2B sales rely more on relationships and trust. B2C sales focus on the preferences and needs of individual consumers. B2B sellers also work a smaller group of prospects, while B2C companies have a much larger pool of potential customers. That makes each sales approach different in strategy and execution.
Enterprise Sales and SaaS Sales
Enterprise sales is the high end of B2B. It involves large, complex transactions with major corporations, many stakeholders and long buying cycles. SaaS sales is a common B2B model built around subscription-based software. In SaaS, the first deal is only the start, because renewals, upsells and customer success drive long-term revenue.
Transactional Sales and Referral Sales
Transactional sales are quick, one-time exchanges with little relationship building, like buying a phone charger. Referral sales use happy existing customers to introduce you to new clients. A warm introduction from a customer gives you borrowed trust with a new buyer.
eCommerce Sales
eCommerce sales refer to buying and selling goods or services through websites, mobile apps and social media. This type of sale lets both established and new brands reach a broader audience without a physical store, and it lets customers enjoy the convenience of online shopping from home.
With the rise of online shopping, eCommerce has become part of many businesses’ sales strategies. Frankly, believe it or not, it is still a small slice of retail. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that e-commerce made up 17.1 percent of total U.S. retail sales in the second quarter of 2026.
The Difference Between B2B Sales and Direct Selling
B2B sales usually involve larger transactions and longer sales cycles. Direct selling is usually smaller in scale. It means selling products directly to individual consumers, without a retail store or other middleman, often through a network of independent sales representatives. Direct sales is a commission-based, one-on-one approach common in cosmetics, nutrition and household products.
Both share the same goal of generating revenue, but their strategies and techniques are very different. That’s why sales pros need to understand and adapt to the needs of their own sales setting.
What Are the Different Sales Roles?
In sales, each role needs a unique set of skills to excel. Understanding the differences matters for employers building a successful sales team and for anyone growing a career in sales.
Some of the most common roles include account executive, account manager, account director, client partner, customer success manager, SDR and BDR.
Business Development vs. Sales Development
Business development focuses on long-term growth and strategy, while sales development focuses on generating short-term revenue. In many companies, business development representatives prioritize outbound leads and new markets, while sales development representatives qualify inbound interested leads and create revenue for the organization. I have also seen the exact opposite at many companies, where the BDR manages inbound and the SDR manages outbound. Whatever the marketing or sales department calls the role, the skills don’t change: one focuses on inbound and one on outbound.
Both roles drive business growth, but they need different skill sets. Business development includes studying new markets, identifying potential customers and creating partnerships. Sales development often centers on outbound sales through lead qualification, cold calling and other proactive outreach, plus booking meetings for sales presentations.
Account Executive vs. Account Manager
An account executive is responsible for generating new business, while account managers focus on keeping and growing relationships with current customers. Both work closely with customers and provide tailored solutions. Account executives usually have more experience and higher salaries. Compared to account managers, they usually have a higher TTC (total target compensation) and a higher quota for new business.
Knowing these differences helps sales professionals match their skills and career goals to the right position.
Account Director vs. Client Partner
An account director oversees an account and makes sure the client is satisfied. A client partner guides clients toward their business goals and looks for ways to grow revenue together.
Both roles require understanding customer requirements and providing tailored solutions. A client partner usually focuses more on advice and counsel, while an account director focuses on managing the overall relationship.
That said, in many companies the account director and the client partner are the same role, and there is no real difference in the function.
Customer Success Manager
Customer success managers help customers get value from what they bought. They lead onboarding, check in on results and spot renewal and upsell opportunities. In subscription businesses, customer success protects revenue the sales team already won and brings in repeat business.
Essential Sales Strategies for Insane Results
Sales professionals need a well-rounded set of strategies to win. Master the essentials and you’ll work more efficiently, close more deals and help your organization grow.
Two essential sales strategies are consultative selling and account-based sales. Both put the customer’s needs first, build trust and deliver customized solutions. Use them to build your sales plan and hit your targets.
Consultative Selling (Consultative Sales)
Consultative selling is a sales approach built on understanding the customer’s requirements and providing solutions that address them. In consultative sales, the seller digs into specific pain points before recommending anything. You give potential clients tailored advice instead of simply trying to persuade them to buy.
Today’s buyer has already done a ton of research before talking to a seller. Often they come to you looking for validation. Validating what a buyer tells you (“Wow, that sounds challenging”) before your next question shows them they’re heard. That builds trust, and trust leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
When I was a manager at a Fortune 16 company, I handled numerous contracts and closed over $100 million in business, managing and expanding the company’s accounts. I still vividly remember a CIO describing consultative selling to me. He said, “It is when the salesperson can tell me what is happening with my competitors in the industry and identify what I must do to stay ahead of the competition.”
Account-Based Sales
Account-based prospecting is a sales approach that targets specific accounts and builds relationships with key decision makers inside them. It treats each high-value account like its own market. By focusing on high-value accounts and creating more customized sales strategies, account-based sales can lead to better efficiency, stronger customer relationships and higher conversion rates. Account-based sales should not be confused with account-based marketing. They go hand in hand, but they are different.
This targeted approach helps salespeople close deals more effectively and gives the company a real competitive advantage in its best accounts.
Want the best sales prospecting outreach hack ever? Watch the following video. In it, I share a personal experience where a LinkedIn connection request from Caleb Parsons, an account executive at Oracle Commercial Cloud, showed the power of personalization and clear communication. You’ll see how personalized messages help you stand out in a crowded market.
9 Common Sales Terms Defined
Salespeople use a lot of shorthand. Understanding these terms is essential for clear communication, collaboration and success in sales.
The nine common sales terms are prospect, deal, sales pipeline, sales plan, sales forecasting, sales mindset, sales cycle, sales pitch and social selling. Learning them will sharpen your selling techniques, improve your sales etiquette and deepen your understanding of the sales process.
Prospect
A prospect is a person or organization that a salesperson has identified as a potential customer for their products or services. Prospects come from sales referrals, networking or marketing campaigns, and they are a key part of the sales pipeline. They can come in as an inbound lead or from an outbound targeted campaign.
Salespeople drive revenue and growth by finding and connecting with potential customers, then converting them into buyers.
I created this prospecting guide for you. It’s the longest blog on our website and walks you through every phase of how to prospect.
Deal
In sales, a deal is a mutually beneficial agreement between a buyer and seller to exchange goods or services for a set price. The stages of a deal include lead nurturing, first contact, assessing the prospect’s needs, presenting solutions, handling sales objections and asking for the sale.
Closing the deal is a pivotal step in the sales process. It decides whether the sales negotiation succeeds and how much revenue and growth the company gets.
Sales Pipeline
A sales pipeline is a visual view of every deal and the stage it’s in, from the first prospecting touch to the final sale. Sales leadership uses it to track how leads move through the sales funnel and where deals get stuck.
Manage your pipeline well and you’ll optimize your sales process and win more. Helping reps do this is a core job of a sales effectiveness team, also known as a sales enablement function.
Get more insights on how to build a sales pipeline in this guide.
Sales Plan
A sales plan is a strategic document that sets the goals, objectives and strategies for a company’s sales team. It’s the roadmap the team follows to hit its targets and drive revenue growth.
A sales plan usually includes an analysis of the target market, the competition and customer needs. It also spells out each person’s responsibilities, the sales goals and the strategies to reach them.
A good plan also includes a timeline and a budget. For any small business or large enterprise, it’s an essential tool for managing and improving sales performance.
Read our full sales plan guide and listen to the podcast on this very topic.
Sales Forecasting
Sales forecasting means estimating future sales from historical data, market trends and other factors. Accurate forecasts help companies make smart decisions about production, inventory, hiring and resources. They also help leaders set realistic goals, spot problems early and plan to maximize revenue.
One common method is time series analysis, which looks at past sales data to find patterns and trends. It assumes those patterns will continue. Another method uses market research on customer preferences, market conditions and competitor activity to predict future sales. Many companies combine both, along with expert opinions, surveys and statistical models.
Seasonality, price, the economy and surprise events can all throw off a forecast. That’s why you should review and update your forecasts regularly.
Read the entire guide to sales forecasting to learn how to master it.
Sales Mindset
A sales mindset is focused on achieving success: reaching sales goals, generating revenue and building strong relationships with customers. A top salesperson’s mindset includes a positive sales attitude, persistence and a strong belief in the value of what they sell. It’s about being proactive, taking initiative and always looking for new opportunities. With a sales mindset, you’re always looking for ways to improve, learn and grow.
Sales Cycle
The sales cycle is the series of steps a potential customer goes through before making a purchase. It starts with awareness, when the buyer first learns about the product or service. Then comes consideration, when the buyer compares options. Finally, there’s the decision stage, when the buyer makes the purchase. Optimize each stage and give buyers a smooth experience, and you’ll win more business.
Every sales organization describes the selling process in different phases. I like to think of it as a spectrum: pre-hello to hello, and hello to close. Whether you sell in the field, in direct sales, as a sales associate in consumer goods, in inside sales or as a small business owner, you need to understand how your buyer makes a purchase. Then you’ll know when to engage and how to turn that interest into a sale.
Sales Pitch
A sales pitch is how you show potential customers the value of your product or service. A good pitch is short and clear. It captures attention, speaks to the buyer’s needs and gives them a reason to act now.
Ready to master the art of the sales pitch? Start with this guide.
Social Selling
Social selling means using social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, to find buyers, engage with them and build relationships that lead to sales conversations. It’s a skill every salesperson should master.
Social selling gives sellers a competitive advantage because it lets you provide value before you ever ask for a meeting. It’s not the same as social media marketing. Done right, it builds trust and credibility and makes your outreach personal instead of generic. Commenting on a buyer’s posts is an easy place to start. FlyMSG’s LinkedIn Comment Generator drafts a comment in your voice. You edit it, then post. A Chrome Web Store reviewer describes the same habit:
“Interacting effectively on Social Media means writing creative and engaging responses on other people’s post. I don’t know how I did before FlyMSG.”
Liz Heiman, Chrome Web Store reviewer
Take action today. Don’t worry, we have a complete guide to social selling right here for you!
Building and Managing an Effective Sales Team
A skilled sales team brings in revenue and keeps customers coming back.
To build and manage an effective sales team, hire the right sales representatives and give them the training and development they need. Here’s how to create a winning sales force and sales culture.
Hiring the Right Sales Representative
Hiring the right people is the first step in building a successful sales team. When you picture the perfect candidate, think about the skills needed to thrive in the role, like communication skills, empathy, product knowledge and grit, the personality traits that fit the team, and values that match the company’s mission and culture.
A good job description gives a short overview of the role, lists the responsibilities, outlines the qualifications and spells out the benefits. Posting on job boards and asking for referrals helps you attract top talent.
Hiring is as much an art as it is a science. I highly recommend this guide to sales hiring for more help.
Training and Development
Training and development give sales representatives the skills and knowledge they need to excel. Corporate sales training can include on-the-job training, classroom instruction, virtual sales training with online courses, simulations and roleplay, LinkedIn Sales Navigator training and mentoring.
Coaching matters. Salesforce’s State of Sales research found that 75% of sales reps say they’re more likely to hit their targets with a coach or mentor. Investing in ongoing learning helps reps communicate better with clients, understand their unique needs and offer customized solutions. It also prepares them to become tomorrow’s sales managers and business leaders. And learning sales never stops, no matter how many years you’ve carried a bag.
A sales process is a repeatable set of steps that turns leads into customers. Navigating the sales process from prospecting to closing is the backbone of any successful sales strategy. Guide prospects well through each stage of the sales funnel and you’ll close more deals.
A strong selling process isn’t rigid. It adapts to your market, your product and your customer’s needs.
The 7 Stages of the Sales Process
Sales organizations vary, but a common version of the sales process has seven stages:
- Prospecting: Find potential customers who fit your ideal buyer.
- Preparation and research: Learn about the person, the company and their likely challenges.
- Approach: Make first contact by phone, email, LinkedIn or video and earn the first conversation.
- Discovery and presentation: Ask questions, listen, then show how your product or service solves their problem.
- Handling objections: Address concerns about price, timing or fit.
- Closing: Ask for the business and agree on terms.
- Follow-up: Onboard the customer, check on results and earn repeat business and referrals.
The first three stages are the pre-hello to the hello. Stages four through seven are the hello to close. In my experience, pre-hello to hello is about 30% of the effort but 70% of the difficulty. That’s why prospecting is the hard part.
Identifying Prospective Customers
Identifying prospective customers is the first step in the sales process. Sales professionals use market research, customer surveys and data analysis to find potential buyers, and they stay aligned with the marketing team on who to target and how to qualify leads. They also tap their own networks and contacts to expand their reach.
When you know who your prospective customers are and what they need, you can tailor your approach and close more deals.
Managing the Sales Pipeline
Managing the sales pipeline means tracking and analyzing leads, managing customer interactions and forecasting revenue. Sales professionals collect data on each lead, such as contact information, interests and buying habits, to track progress through the pipeline. Sales managers should also teach their team members how to use buyer intent data.
Technology like a CRM and sales automation tools helps streamline the sales process and keeps leads moving.
Here are 10 ways sales managers, directors and VPs can manage the sales pipeline more efficiently:
- Regularly review and update the sales pipeline to keep it accurate and spot gaps or bottlenecks.
- Provide ongoing training and support so the team can move deals through the pipeline.
- Use a clear, standard sales process with defined steps and milestones for each stage.
- Encourage open communication so the team shares insights and best practices.
- Use CRM software to track and analyze sales data for better forecasting and decisions.
- Set clear sales targets and goals for motivation and accountability.
- Meet one-on-one with each sales person to review their pipeline and provide guidance and sales coaching.
- Run regular pipeline reviews with the whole team to find issues and areas to improve.
- Monitor the pipeline for trends and make data-driven adjustments.
- Reward the team for accurate and timely pipeline updates.
Leveraging Technology in Sales
Technology helps sales professionals do less admin and more selling. This section covers CRM, sales automation tools and AI tools like ChatGPT.
We’ve also created some very rich guides on sales tools. Start with how to calculate the ROI of your sales tools, then explore our lists of sales enablement tools and sales prospecting tools.
CRM for Sales Success
A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is essential for scale and growth. A CRM gives sales professionals one central database, tracks every interaction with prospects, improves customer service and shares information across the sales team. A CRM can also help a seller leverage intent data, so you focus on real buyers who are ready to buy your product or service.
Use your CRM well and you’ll build stronger customer relationships, work more efficiently and drive revenue growth.
Sales Automation Tools
Sales automation tools take repetitive tasks off a seller’s plate, like sending follow-up emails, running email sequences or assigning tasks based on rules. CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot include some sales automation.
FlyMSG helps with the writing side of the job. Its Auto Text Expander turns your best messages into short FlyCuts you can drop into any email, LinkedIn message or CRM field in seconds. With the right tools, salespeople save time, make fewer mistakes and spend more time building relationships and closing deals.
How to Use ChatGPT and AI in Sales
ChatGPT, created by OpenAI, uses natural language processing (NLP) to produce conversational responses that sound human. In sales, it can help you research accounts, prepare for calls and draft emails, including sequences. Chatbots built on AI can also answer customer inquiries, share product information and help customers through the order process.
AI works best when a human stays in charge. Use it for a first draft, then add your own voice and the personal details only you know. FlyMSG’s AI writing assistant features work right inside the browser: the AI Grammar Checker polishes every message, Paragraph Rewrite changes the tone, and the LinkedIn Comment Generator helps you engage with buyers’ posts in your own voice. For more options, see our list of AI writing assistants, and grab these ChatGPT prompts for sales.
Types of Sales Methodologies
If you want to run a successful sales organization, you need a solid sales process in place. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Lucky for you, there are plenty of sales methodologies that sales departments use to get the job done.
Our favorite, of course, is the PVC Sales Methodology. Admittedly, it covers only how you engage a buyer through sales messaging. The methodologies below cover the rest of the sale.
These are some of the top ones I’ve seen work wonders. Take notes!
- PVC Sales Methodology: Vengreso’s 3-step method (Personalization, Value, Call to action) for turning prospects into sales conversations.
- Solution Selling: Solution selling leads with the problem the buyer needs to solve and the benefits a product, service or solution delivers. It assumes prospects are informed decision makers who have done their research.
- SPIN Selling: SPIN centers on four types of questions to ask prospective clients: Situation, Problem, Implication and Need-Payoff. These questions uncover the prospect’s pain points and help the salesperson build rapport with the buyer.
- N.E.A.T. Selling: A framework for qualifying leads. N.E.A.T. stands for Need, Economic impact, Access to authority and Timeline.
- Conceptual Selling: Conceptual selling, originally developed by the Miller Heiman Group, has salespeople understand the customer’s needs and goals and present a solution that fits them. Rather than pushing a product or service, it aims for a deeper understanding of the customer’s business and how the solution helps them reach their desired outcomes.
- SNAP Selling: Developed by my friend Jill Konrath, SNAP stands for: keep it Simple, be iNvaluable, always Align and raise Priorities.
- Gap Selling: Gap selling was developed by Keenan, CEO of A Sales Guy Inc. It focuses on the gap between the prospect’s current state and their desired state.
- The Challenger Sale: The Challenger Sale, developed by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson, follows a teach, tailor, take control process. It says the best salespeople challenge their customers’ thinking and lead them to a better solution.
- Customer Centric Selling: Customer centric selling puts the customer’s needs and preferences at the center of the sales process. It requires a deep understanding of the customer’s industry and pain points and how your product or service solves them. The key is listening and tailoring your offer to their specific needs.
- MEDDIC: MEDDIC is a structured sales methodology that technology companies often use to sell complex solutions. It stands for Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain and Champion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sales in a business context?
In a business context, sales is the exchange of goods or services for money or other compensation. It covers every activity that leads a customer to buy, from prospecting to closing, and it produces the company’s revenue. Sales happen through many channels, including online, channel partners, affiliates, retail stores and sales teams.
What is sales in simple words?
Sales is helping someone buy something that solves their problem. If someone asks “what is sales?”, my six-word answer is: sales is the art of helping. You find people who need what you offer, learn what they need, show them how you can help and agree on a price. Everything else in sales builds on those basics.
What are common types of sales?
Common types of sales include inside sales, outside sales, inbound sales, outbound sales, B2B, B2C, enterprise sales, SaaS sales, eCommerce and direct selling. Selling styles are often grouped as transactional, solution, consultative, provocative and collaborative. Transactional sales are quick, one-time purchases, while solution and consultative sales solve a deeper problem over a longer process.
What are the 7 stages of sales?
The 7 stages of sales are prospecting, preparation and research, approach, discovery and presentation, handling objections, closing and follow-up. The first three stages earn you the first conversation. The last four turn that conversation into a customer and keep them coming back.
What is the 3-3-3 rule in sales?
There isn’t one official 3-3-3 rule in sales. Trainers use the name for different quick checklists. A simple version you can use for prospecting: spend 3 minutes researching each buyer, find 3 relevant facts about them, and plan 3 ways to reach out, such as LinkedIn, email and phone. It keeps your research fast and your outreach personal.
How can you improve sales performance?
Start with clear sales goals and a repeatable sales process. Coach every rep regularly, review the pipeline weekly and train on the skills that matter most, especially prospecting. Give reps tools that cut admin work so they spend more time selling, and track the activities that lead to wins.
What is the best sales podcast to listen to for training and education?
In my opinion, there are many good ones. However, one stands out at the top as the best sales podcast, and that is The Modern Selling Podcast.
How can you create diversity in sales?
We’ve got you covered on diversity in sales too! One of my favorite episodes I hosted is on this very topic. Listen in.
What are the best sales books I should consider reading?
We’ve got you covered there too! I’ve curated 55 of the best sales books for your reading pleasure!
How Vengreso Helps Sellers Get More Hellos
Vengreso is different. We focus on the pre-hello to the hello: everything it takes to earn the first conversation, including LinkedIn prospecting, referrals, cold calls, video and email. Hello-to-close methodology firms like Miller Heiman Group, ValueSelling Associates and Sandler franchisees have hired us to teach their own people how to prospect. In fact, Miller Heiman Group, then the world’s largest sales training company, hired an outside training company for the first time in its 44-year history, and it was Vengreso.
One of their sales performance experts described our prospecting program this way:
“As a native sales trainer and sales enablement and learning development expert where I teach every day and help large organizations develop their own curricula, let me just say wow! … it helped me create more sales conversations, prospect smarter and better helped me humanize the social engagement to convert more connections into conversations.”
Carle Lopez, Sales Performance Expert, Miller Heiman/Korn Ferry
Vengreso is a 6-time Gold Stevie Award winner, and we’ve trained 100,000+ sales reps. Today our sales prospecting training lives inside FlyMSG, the all-in-one AI productivity and engagement platform.
For Sales Teams
For sales leaders, FlyMSG Business Pro Enterprise and Enterprise+ wrap the FlyLearning curriculum and our PVC methodology around AI Sales Roleplay and Coaching, so reps learn, practice and execute in one place. Business Pro Enterprise includes LinkedIn Profile Makeover for Sales Teams and monthly live community training. Enterprise+ adds a half-day sales prospecting training workshop or sales kickoff keynote each contract year, plus expanded roleplay practice.
Liz Bishop, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer at Heffernan Insurance, said of our training: “It literally has been the BEST training program we have done in over 10 years.” You can also see how a cybersecurity sales team built pipeline with sales prospecting training. If you lead a team of 10 or more sellers, talk to us about Business Pro Enterprise.
For Individual Sales Reps
FlyMSG Business Pro gives individual sellers the training and the tools in one place. It includes FlyLearning, our 15 hours of on-demand sales prospecting training, plus the LinkedIn Comment Generator, the LinkedIn Post Generator, the Auto Text Expander, the AI Grammar Checker, Paragraph Rewrite and AI Sales Roleplay and Coaching to try with limited practice sessions. FlyMSG users have saved 284,539+ hours with the platform.
Install FlyMSG on Chrome or Edge and start with the free plan.
Ready to go beyond the free plan? Use code 20PercentYr1 at checkout to get 20% off your first year on an annual paid plan.
