The Side of Sales They Don't Tell You About

Happy Wednesday Growth Flow Family!🌿

I hope you all are doing well.

Have you ever thought about what it’s like to be in the glamorous world of sales?

The endless hustle to close the deal, razor-sharp negotiation abilities that win over clients, a sense of self-confidence after closing a massive deal?

In the world of sales, there are a lot of lies and a lot of truths! 

In reality, the world of sales is full of struggles, cringe-worthy flops, embarrassing scenarios, and enough rejections to give anyone self-confidence issues.

As a startup founder and as someone who has always been involved in solo sales, and now with my team, I have seen the struggle & challenges up close and personal. 

AND….

I can confidently say that being a salesperson is hilarious in the most torturously the most looked down profession :) 

In this era, everyone is just faking it till we make it on an endless loop, masking our insecurities and internal panic with a bright smile. 

Strip away that thin sheet and you will see everybody questioning their career path and what they are doing. 

Don’t worry, you are not alone!

So, let me pull back the curtain and talk about the real, unfiltered realities and the hilarious struggles of every salesperson. 

To start with my favorite friend of all time…. Rejection :) 

• The Rejection Olympics🥉

Hmm.. the most difficult part is rejection. We all know rejection is just part of the course but it never gets easier to digest. As a founder or even as a salesperson, crafting every pitch with precision, only to be met with soul-crushing rejections can feel like a never-ending rollercoaster. 

One minute you are pouring your heart into the pitch, anticipating every potential Q&A, and the next moment you are cut off saying “Hard time.. This is not something related to our interest”. I know what you feel like.

And I also understand no matter how many times you brace yourself, rejection never gets easier. 

So how does a salesperson or a solo founder keep pushing through the endless cycle of rejection?

It doesn't get easier, but understanding each “no” is a stepping stone, a lesson learned, and an opportunity to refine your research & pitch, to deliver your vision more precisely. 

Celebrate the small wins that you get, look out for the same kind of people who showed interest in your product, and try to decode every feedback that you receive. I know it might not sound simple, but trust me this works. 

• The Pipeline Puzzle Nightmare 🧩

Managing a sales pipeline is like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube but being blindfolded and juggling between the pipelines. Promise to yourself that you have patiently nurtured and developed a great pipeline. 

When you believe you have finally got things right an inflow of new leads appears out of nowhere, challenging the entire situation. And all of this feels like playing a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. 

Last year, during this time, I thought I had figured it out. But then, my three greatest possible prospects collapsed spectacularly. Everything came crashing down, like a well-planned juggling gone wrong. But I learned a lesson that diversifying your pipeline is the best way to mitigate any single deal. 

But remember, the sales pipeline is a journey, not a destination, so focus on the value, and relationships and become a master to sort things out that are unpredictable.

• Mind Reading 🔮

If salespeople need anyone's superpower, it would be mind-reading abilities. As a founder and having a sales team, I know the essence of telepathically intuiting every prospect’s inner thoughts and wants is mandatory, but impossible :) 

We salespeople tend to analyze every small detail, every piece of body language and verbal communication to understand the customer's key objections but ... we fail

However, how can we get past failure?

Ask Insightful open-ended questions and try to learn the skill of active listening to discover those blindspot concerns before they cause you to lose your way. Encourage prospective customers to express any doubts they may have, no matter how silly or small they might be. These remarks usually reveal important information about how they are going to make the decision. 

Remember, make them your partners in creating a mutual understanding. Ask thoughtful follow-ups and check-ins when you sense there could be more benefit from this prospect. And just like that you crack the mind-reading game :)

• Follow up Phobia 🔄

This small little word (Follow-up) has always burned an anxious hole in every salesperson's pocket. We all do this follow-up thing, put reminders, and are desperate to avoid missing any potential opportunities…no matter how far-fetched.

I have wasted countless hours doubling and tripling down the leads. Unable to accept the silent “no” or even just an answer and one of the essential parts of sales is the follow-up. Follow-ups & creativity can make or break it.

But you must also understand that your most precious thing which is the time and energy guard them vigilantly. Develop a structured follow-up process with a smart CRM that can not only keep the pipeline on track but also the follow-up on track & one such great tool is Zixflow .

Zixflow not only helps you to store your data, and keep track of your leads but also helps you to automate your follow-ups, create personalized emails through AI, and get notified when a new lead gets into the pipeline… woah all in one. I know it’s amazing.

Check it out and try it for free.

To all my fellow sales warriors out there - I hope these sales struggles provide you with some comic relief yet valuable key points that will help you overcome the challenges. 

Remember

Keep pushing, keep learning, and keep refining your sales pitch. The rejections will keep coming, but so will the wins if you keep going :) 

That’s all for this newsletter folks! Subscribe for more such newsletters!

Let me know what keeps you motivated on the toughest days.

Comment down below!👇🏻

See you next week!

Prem Saini