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7 Tips Every Salesman Should Know
Rich people buy time.
Poor people buy stuff.
Ambitious people buy skills.
Lazy people buy distraction.
Inside sales is an art form — and just like any other craft, mastering it takes a combination of knowledge and practice. The job of a salesperson is not just about pushing products but genuinely understanding people, adapting to challenges, and rolling up sleeves to get into whatever problem arises.
This willingness to get hands-on, combined with a structured approach to sales, is what turns good salesmen into great ones.
But here's the thing: knowledge can often be subject to gatekeeping by salespeople who want to protect their own advantages. Many sellers don’t even know where they stand compared to their peers, which limits the entire sales team from improving their skills and ultimately meeting goals more consistently.
To help break that barrier, we've gathered a few impactful insights on what it takes to succeed in sales and how you can create the type of environment where success is repeatable. You’ll find 7 crucial insights every salesman should know to improve their prospecting skills, boost conversion rates, and contribute meaningfully to the company's growth.
By the way, if you want to find out how sales people are wasting their time, read this. ✋
1️⃣ How Many Follow-Ups Needed?
Did you know that:
- 50% of sales reps give up after one ‘no’ ✅
- 25% after second getting-in-touch ✅
- 12% after 3rd getting-in-touch ✅
- Only 10% of the sales people contact their leads 3+ times ✅
or that…
- 2% of the sales happens after the first call
- 3% of the sales happens after the second call
- 5% of the sales happens after the third call
- 10% of the sales happens after the fourth call
- 80% of the sales happens after between 5th-12th call
80% of sales require 5 follow-up calls after initial contact, but calling leads fast should be your first priority. Once you someone booked a demo or filled out the form, make sure to react quick. Based on different researches, the best results are happening if you opt-in within a two minutes after they’ve booked a demo / filled out the form.
The ones that are most consistent will get the most out of their leads. People love attention, and for multiple times you’ll see that if you keep on trying to get the interest from a bit passive lead, the situation can quickly turn into positive.
So, keep following-up - because in sales, follow-up is as important as the initial contact.
2️⃣ On Competition
Source: The Brevet Group
Over 13% of all the jobs in the United States (1 in 8) are full-time sales positions.
Sales is not only a career; it’s a dynamic skill set that is always in demand.
However, this popularity means that competition is astronomic. You're not the only one trying to get a foot in the door.
If you believe you're the only one sending cold emails or LinkedIn messages, think again. Every day, your prospects are approached by numerous reps, all vying for their attention. Make your efforts stand out by being targeted, timely, and hyper-personalized. Give them a clear call to action that makes their next step easy - like clicking a link to schedule a call, watch a video, or request a demo.
The goal is to reduce any potential barriers and to make their experience with you seamless.
3️⃣ How To Use Social Media To Sell More
Source: Hootsuite
78% of salespeople engaging in social selling outperform their peers.
Social media is a powerful tool for connecting with your audience, but it's also a powerful lead-generation tool. Instead of chasing after cold leads, curate a social media feed that draws your ideal clients to you. Become the person they turn to for insights and solutions.
When your ideal prospects are following you, the battle is half-won. By creating content that they find valuable and that addresses their pain points, you build trust. And trust is the foundation for any successful sales relationship.
Worry about being better and bigger will take care of itself. ✅
4️⃣ Listen To Your Buyers’ Needs
Source: HubSpot
What do buyers want from sales professionals in the first call? 69% say, “Listen to my needs.”
Sales isn’t about talking; it’s about listening.
Too often, sales reps approach potential customers focused only on hitting their own KPIs or quotas. Buyers can tell. They want you to understand their unique needs and offer them solutions that fit.
Take a consultative approach. Listen to the prospect’s struggles and personalize your outreach to address their specific needs. It's more than being “fast and friendly”; it's about genuinely caring about their problem and showing that you're here to help them make the best decision.
People don’t trust you because you haven’t done anything yet. In the real world, the proof comes before the pudding.
Adopt a mindset of helping over selling, and your close rates will thank you.
5️⃣ Sales on AI Steroids
Source: Finance Digest
By 2025, 95% of customer interactions will be powered by AI.
Sales is evolving fast. Technology, especially AI, is driving most of the change, meaning that if you want to stay ahead, you need to adapt.
The modern buyer wants control - they want to interact with your product or service when it suits them, often with minimal human involvement. Provide prospects with avenues for self-service or a contact-free way to schedule time with you, such as through scheduling apps. Doing so gives them the flexibility they need and positions you as an ally, not just a seller.
6️⃣ What’s The Best Time To Maake A Phone Call?
Source: HubSpot
The best time to make a phone call? 📲
Wednesdays 4–5pm, or within an hour of their inquiry (or as we do, 2 minutes after opting-in).
Timing is everything in sales. To maximize response rates, call in the middle of the week - particularly on Wednesdays - when people are settled into their work routine.
When responding to an inquiry, don't wait. Contact them within an hour. Their interest is at its peak, and they’re thinking about your product. The faster you respond, the higher the chance of converting that lead.
And the best time to send an email?
10 AM - 12PM ☘️
1 PM - 3 PM ☘️
7️⃣ What Buyers Want?
Source: HubSpot
19% of buyers want to talk to a sales rep when first learning about a product.
When potential customers first learn about your product, they're excited but uncertain.
They want more information, and they want it from someone they can trust.
Make it easy for them to schedule a demo or conversation with your sales team. Embedding a scheduling tool on your website can help bridge that gap, allowing prospects to get the answers they need at the moment they're most curious.
Keep it simple. You’ll sell more. ✅
📦 Wrapping It Up
Sales are about persistence. We get it: you're busy, and so are your prospects. It can feel discouraging when someone doesn't respond right away, but remember that most sales require multiple touchpoints before a decision is made.
Make follow-ups a standard practice. The more consistent you are, the more likely it is that you'll eventually get a prospect to take the leap. A single follow-up rarely results in a closed-won sale, but five? That's where things change.
To make it easier, consider using an automated scheduling system like Calendly to remove friction from the back-and-forth that often occurs when trying to set meetings. Let your prospect know you're invested in their success - just like they're invested in making the best decision.
Don’t keep these insights to yourself. ❌
Share them with your team to start the discussion on what works and what doesn't. The more your team understands what drives success, the more they’ll grow and contribute towards achieving bigger, shared goals.
Sales isn't about pushing people; it's about guiding them. ✅
Sales it’s not about forcing a sale: it’s about providing a solution. ✅
Proof beats promises. Always.
P.S. Want to make sure your sales calls stand out from the competition? Check out our blog on How Sales People Are Wasting Time to identify what might be holding you back and how to overcome it.
Make sure to read these blogs as well:
✔️ What Is The Best Way To Generate Leads
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