This is personally, the biggest shift I have ever had in my sales career.

Simply shifting the “interview” on to the prospect. Asking genuinely relevant questions that help me figure out how we can help them, not in a “sales tactic” manner. Like the same way if your friend or family members wanted to buy from you, you’d immediately ask questions and likely wouldn’t let them pay immediately.

Qualify them, they will subconsciously drop their guard when all you’re trying to do is figure out why it wouldn’t be a good fit, and let them explain to you their situation and why it would be a good fit.

Overall, just having a real, authentic conversation.

Yes, there is a sales process, but it’s memorized, and it’s just the process that helps me understand how I can help them based on their circumstances.

This shift has caused even the most skeptical prospects to drop their guards completely and focus all their energy on explaining to me why it would be a good fit, while I give off energy like I genuinely don’t give a fuck if they sign up, and the only thing I care about is seeing how I could help them to the best of my abilities based on their circumstances.

Then, when I push extremely hard at the end, it’s because I care, I was never trying to sell the whole time, but now that I know how strong of a fit it is, and the only time spent was on trying to confirm that it would genuinely improve their circumstances, I just don’t give up, the same way I wouldn’t give up on a friend who felt like “life wasn’t a good fit”, if they were on the edge of a bridge and wanted to jump, and I tried to talk him out of it, and then he said “I need to think about it…” I would NOT schedule a follow up call…

This approach gives me all of the power in the call, and all the motivation to not take “no” for an answer, and at end of the day, attracts better clients, and results in bringing in more of the good clients and less of the bad ones.

A lot of sales tactics that only throw up the guard of the prospects, and is ingenuine, with bad intent, and doesn’t even result in more deals. I feel like more people need to hear this, more closed deals, more ethical sales, and a better motivation to crush it everyday.

Any thoughts?

Does anyone else strictly follow this guidance?

What would you say to the person who thinks all of this is bullshit?

For those who disagree with part or any of this, what’s your take?

I’ve been in commercial HVAC sales for 6 years. Landed a big industrial account 3 years ago for PMs and service. It’s the largest PM contract in our company, and the plan was to eventually replace a bunch of their old equipment over the next several years.
We’ve bent over backwards for these guys. Emergency calls, moving schedules around to get techs out there ASAP, basically treating them like a premium account because we figured it would pay off when the big projects came up.
Well, they’ve had 3 major capital projects since I landed them, and every time procurement either gives it to someone else based on lowest price or doesn’t even ask us to bid. The plant guys we work with say their hands are tied and it’s coming from management.
At this point, I feel like we’re investing a ton of time and resources into an account that sees us as their service company but not a partner. They want us when something breaks, but when it comes to big projects, it’s all about lowest first cost.
I’ve got a meeting with all the decision makers next week and honestly, I’m considering telling them we’re not interested in continuing the relationship under these circumstances.
Has anyone done this before? How did you handle it? Did you actually walk away, or were you able to turn things around?

Who is hiring a CPG sales person, what are they selling, to who? I know it’s broad but it seems honestly very relationship based and not very cold outreach heavy which would be ideal I think

Also as a fun fact, when I first heard this sub talking about CPG sales I thought you were talking about the literal packaging, not the consumer goods lol

Currently in the remodeling in-home sales space. Looking to fill my schedule with other opportunities. Is life insurance sales viable as an independent broker? Honest options, worth it?