Sales: What's the big deal?

If you ask a salesperson why they are in sales, they'll probably say:

"I just fell into it."

So what makes them stick around?

What's the big deal about this role?

Could it be the commission? The rejection? A combination of both?

The best sellers I've ever worked with are the ones who realise that sales can be one of the most rewarding careers out there.

They stick around because the role gives them ENERGY.

This week's MySalesCoach poll was interesting:

Closing deals was right at the top of the list.

(Which came as no surprise!)

As Pete Wilkinson points out, it's a feeling that never gets old:

But here's the challenge with this result.

Only 18% of the sellers we polled said that growth and development gives them energy.

Why?

Because they don't believe in personal growth?

Probably not.

It's probably because traditional sales training is about the most draining thing you can put sellers through:

Even the most energetic session will be forgotten about in a months time.

The answer? Sales coaching. Right?

More recently we've seen that become a priority for leaders.

But let’s be honest—that's also pretty far from perfect right now.

The numbers don’t lie.

A measly 19% of reps think their coaching is actually useful. Meanwhile, 30% say it’s flat-out bad.

Why? Because most coaching feels like a one-size-fits-all approach.

It's not personalised.

And let’s face it, that’s never going to cut it.

So this week I spoke to some of the leadership team at MySalesCoach to get their POV:

Tom Boston : Why doesn't traditional sales coaching give sales reps energy?

Kevin Beales I think there are two perspectives, two different sides of the same mountain, of what coaching is. For a rep, they’re looking at their skills development and personal growth.

Sales leaders are looking at revenue and short-term outcomes, so those one-to-one conversations can feel more like coaching to a sales leader than they do to a sales rep.

“Sales leaders often view coaching as a quick fix for hitting short-term revenue goals, while reps are hungry for long-term development.”

Tom Boston : Why doesn't a "one-size-fits-all" approach work?

Kevin Beales : There's a huge disparity between SDRs and AEs, with AEs being 50% more likely than SDRs to report infrequent coaching.

"SDRs, especially in larger organisations, have managers focused on growth and development. The manager of an SDR team is not going to be spending time on pipelines or deals."

According to the stats, reps who rate their coaching as excellent are 50% more likely to hit their targets. And yet, despite all this, 14% of reps are getting no coaching at all.

Tom Boston : Why does sales coaching often feel generic?

Mark Ackers : Coaching can be perceived as poor when it’s not actionable.

"Too many managers, perhaps understandably, coach based on their own experience - 'if it worked for me, it must work for you'".

Surviving sales is a big deal.

Let's support the sellers that stick with it. 👊

For more insights on the state of sales coaching, download our report here: The State of Sales Coaching in 2025

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