And why that’s a dumb thing to do...
When I first started out in salesI bought into a lot of the clichés about sales people. Stepping into a field that somehow never made it into my academic management courses (and I still can’t figure out why), I eagerly absorbed the wisdom of seasoned sales veterans. Some advice stuck with me - like never using a client’s parking lot as your personal restroom - but other stories left me feeling a little uneasy. One rep boasted from a former job, “We purposely targeted non-ICP clients just to get kicked out of meetings - three times a day for two weeks straight. By the end, we were so numb that we could sell anything to anyone.”
Hearing tales like this made me question the effectiveness of such tactics. My first real lesson in B2B sales was: It’s super hard - buying centers are complex and staffed with well-educated professionals. These people aren’t looking to be bullied into a deal; they want genuine solutions from vendors who know their stuff. After all there will always be innovation and with it the need for people to explain and present this innovation to adopters and users. To me though, the idea that a pushy, relentless approach could work seemed far-fetched.
Every now and then, you come across some truly valuable insights from other sales leaders, beyond the usual “only talk to decision-makers” (a personal favorite for stating the obvious) or “sell value, not features.” A podcast with Pritu Detemple was the game-changer that reshaped my perspective.
Embracing a new sales philosophy
The world of B2B sales is evolving, and with it, the strategies that drive success. Gone are the days when salespeople operated as lone wolves, closing deals through sheer force of personality and persuasion. Today, the landscape requires a more nuanced, collaborative approach. With enterprises having to evaluate vendor solutions on a number of levels like data processing, encryption, rights and roles, usability etc., sales organizations have to make efforts meeting these diverse areas of interest. In other words, it takes a diverse team covering numerous skills and expertise to convince a potential buyer about your solution. In the mentioned podcast Pritu calls for a paradigm shift in modern B2B sales. And as a result, this new approach isn’t just about making the sale; it’s about building lasting relationships, fostering trust, and ensuring mutual success. It moreover emphasizes the need to align your authentic self with your professional persona. This approach recognizes that both personal and business relationships are fundamentally human interactions.
Moving beyond dated sales role models
Traditional sales methods often glorify the image of the solitary salesperson - a figure who battles objections, overcomes resistance, and ultimately triumphs by closing the deal. Frankly, I have experienced this as well. Celebrated reps closing deals left and right were not held so dear anymore once not hitting their quota any longer. While this approach has its roots in the high-pressure sales environments of the past, it no longer serves the needs of modern B2B transactions. You could argue that in times of more linear offerings, the opportunity for sales individuals to strike and elevate themselves on mount revenue was simply greater. Pritu, however, states that today’s complex sales processes demand a team-based approach, where diverse perspectives and interdisciplinary skills come together to address the multifaceted needs of the client.
In this new model, the salesperson is not a warrior but a collaborator, working alongside colleagues from different departments - technical experts, customer success managers, and even marketing teams - to deliver a comprehensive solution. And it makes a lot of sense. In SaaS for example, many software offerings entail an implementation effort that is either carried out by an internal customer success team or outsourced to a consultancy. In any case, implementation happens after the sale, conducted by a project team. Including those people already during the sales process ensures a smooth transition from deal to project; nevertheless, it means the sales team has to be organized accordingly. This shift not only improves the chances of success but also enriches the customer experience, making them feel understood and valued at every stage of the process.
The Power of diverse sales teams
One pillar of Pritu’s philosophy I’d like to stress is the importance of diversity within sales teams. He emphasizes that sales is no longer a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Clients today come from diverse backgrounds and have varied perspectives and needs. To effectively engage with them, sales teams must mirror this diversity. This thinking has huge implications for hiring sales people too. To this day I often hear a phrase about the likelihood of a good sales match: “If you’ve succeeded in selling one product, you’ll be able to sell anything.” While this statement is not necessarily false, meaning you can benefit from mastering a certain set of sales relevant skills, solutions and clients still vary dramatically across industries. Having that adaptability and sense of knowing when to involve who within your organization, will be the key skill to look out for in future sales hirings.
By bringing together individuals with different experiences, backgrounds, and expertise, sales teams can better understand and address the unique challenges faced by their clients. This not only leads to more successful outcomes but also fosters innovation within the sales process, as team members bring new ideas and approaches to the table.
Ethics in sales? The company bank account will disagree
There can be situations when sales managers hesitate to involve their necessary colleagues for a deal. One reason being that they fear an extended sales cycle. After all, full transparency towards colleagues might also reveal particular promises with regard to Go-Live or features that might have been made to a client. This is where ethics comes into play. At the heart of Pritu’s philosophy is a commitment to ethical sales practices. He argues that the goal of sales should not be to merely close a deal at any cost, but to ensure that the solution being offered genuinely meets the client’s needs and requirements. This requires a shift from a transactional mindset to one that is focused on building long-term, value-driven relationships. It also translates into full transparency about the sales dialogue towards internal stakeholders that might be affected, e.g. product or implementation. It might sound straightforward, but many startups fall into the trap of promising features during sales conversations that end up having little benefit to users and completely messing up the product roadmap.
In practice, this means being transparent with clients, setting realistic expectations from the start, and prioritizing their long-term success over short-term gains. In fact, I remember a situation where a client specifically pointed out the deciding factor for our solution was the openness about an internal clash of resources that we communicated early to them. Enterprises especially have a history of being disappointed by IT-projects due to false promises and unrealistic timelines from vendors. When sales teams operate with integrity, they build trust with their clients, which in turn leads to more sustainable business relationships. Clients are more likely to return for future purchases and to recommend the company to others, driving organic growth.
Sales for the Modern Era
The outlined ideas do represent a significant shift from traditional sales methods to a more holistic, ethical, and collaborative approach. The good news: Adapting this approach, your company is more likely to increase revenue than by sticking to old paradigms because customers will appreciate it! Prospects looking to buy don’t really think in phases like sales-phase and implementation. They want to be guided along the entire journey which for them in its entirety makes up the project to solving a specific business issue. Those who are willing to apply a holistic approach will consequently be better equipped to navigate the complexities of modern B2B transactions, ultimately transforming sales from a transactional activity into a true partnership. And this benefits both seller and buyer.
What it did to me
So after getting to know this alternative sales framework, or philosophy really, what changed for me personally? To be honest, I’ve had a bit of an “aha” moment. First off, I realized I don’t need to put on some superhero sales cape and play the stereotypical salesperson role to be successful. Before, I was tending to channel my inner “Wolf of Wall Street,” but it turns out just being myself works a lot better. Clients can sense when you’re genuine. Here's one piece of advice: Let your sales conversations be driven by genuine curiosity. If that’s hard to come by, you might want to rethink your industry. But when you ask your customers questions fueled by curiosity, rather than sticking to a rigid, robotic qualification script, you’ll get richer, more valuable insights!
I further discovered the art of not chasing lost causes. We all have situations when new leads are a little dry or you’re hitting that summer slump. I used to be that person who would then pursue a non-ICP inbound lead - heavenly sent of course - like a dog chasing a car. Except in my case, the car would drive off, and I’d still be barking down the road. Now I know when to let those leads go. And it was really tough for me at first. Especially when you’re aching to have any kind of customer conversation. However, it’s actually freeing to stop wasting time on mismatched prospects and focus on those that actually fit. It allows you to invest more time confirming real ICP-fit. Of course, this might require some extra effort upfront to find that perfect lead. However, you'll be grateful later on, as it will save you from prolonged rejection or, even worse, getting stuck in a decision-making deadlock.
Here’s the kicker - clients really seem to dig the change. By taking a consultative approach and ditching the hard sell, they appreciate that I’m there to genuinely help solve their problems, not just push another product. Just recently a former client of mine reached out to me about a piece of information she needed for her specific project. She began the message saying “I just realized you don’t work there anymore…” and still she asked for my advice. For me, sales turned from an awkward first date into something that feels more like a trusted partnership, and guess what? Closing deals feels easier when you’re both on the same page.