TennisandSales profile picture
TennisandSales profile picture

TennisandSales

Head Of Sales

Politicker
Acclaimed Answer
Executive
+9

Is everything we know wrong????

this is a little rant about how I am seeing SOOOOO much content thats all around this idea of "you have been doing it wrong your whole life"


Sales leaders are always trying to reinvent the wheel and tell us that:

  1. you have been doing demos wrong
  2. cold calling wrong
  3. emailing wrong
  4. breathing wrong
  5. updating pipe wrong

like what the hell? can you just tell me you have a way to make it better?


I also see this outside of sales:

"you have been dieting wrong"

"you have been stretching all wrong"

"you have been parenting wrong"


idk i think my biggest problem is that its fear based maybe?


its even worse when it comes from people who are in no way an expert.

🐱 Off-Topic
😡 rant
20

17 comments

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GingerBarbarian
Opinionated
8
Lead Sales
Part of it is a marketing tactic, part of it is the truth.

Let me put it this way, sales is fairly new. The first really popular sales book came out in 1936 (Win Friends and Influence.) There was zero large scale research done in this book. No case studies. It was just the best practices from one highly charismatic man.

There was not a single sales book written by a real researcher until either Influence by Robert Cialdini in 1982 or SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham in 1988. Selling as a science, and not an art, is only about as old as the Ninja Turtles. These were the first sales book written by actuall researchers who recorded and documented tens of thousands of sales calls.
Pachacuti
Politicker
6
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
It’s click bait - fear -vs- faith. And fear will always get the click.

If they said that you were doing it just fine but there’s a better way to do it, you probably wouldn’t click on it. But by telling you you were doing something wrong, you are more likely to click on whatever they want to sell you.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
5
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
"You're doing it wrong" must be the new buzzphrase.

The concept isn't new; reinvention is often the theme.

"Thinking outside the box" was a HUGE theme for a while.
"Disrupt" was big for a few years - maybe a decade.
"Lean in" had its day in the sun.

Now we are all wrong.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
3
🦊
Lean in always rubbed me the wrong way.
punishedlad
Tycoon
1
Business Development Team Lead
Well these people are wrong for marketing their content under the "you're doing it wrong" banner!
SaaSsy
Politicker
5
AE
Completely agree! There’s nothing worse than some sales bro thinking he invented the only way to sell. I find myself constantly explaining to my founders that you hired sales PEOPLE for a reason - it’s an art and you need to trust us to read a room and be flexible with processes to serve prospects. Lots of leaders think there’s 1 silver bullet and everything can be standardized “the right way” but they lose sight of the human element.
antiASKHOLE
Tycoon
4
Bravado's Resident Asshole
Weird Al Pondered this thought back in the 90's.. seems so relevant in today's society.

https://youtu.be/KThlYHfIVa8
Sunbunny31
Politicker
2
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Weird Al is a treasure.
antiASKHOLE
Tycoon
1
Bravado's Resident Asshole
Fun fact, Bad Hair Day was the first cassette/album I ever owned. I used to slam it in my walkman and go out on my paper route.
ThatNewAE
Big Shot
3
Account Executive - Mid enterprise
I get triggered - really triggered - when I am being pointed out at, for basic things. I know there's a 'better' to everything, agreed. But if I am getting the job done just fine - just leave me be!!!

I also understand that all of us are trying to make sense out of our jobs, our roles in others lives and just 'living' in general. But it gets really annoying when I can get done things this way - but because they believe there's a better way, they point it out.

If it's really valid and I am failing, I get it! But if I am not failing and doing it just fine - LEAVE ME BEEE! !
GingerBarbarian
Opinionated
2
Lead Sales
I get that. No process is perfect, and they all have their pros and cons. None of us are perfect, but so many of us are trying to help too. Take the advice you like. Smile and nod at the rest.
braintank
Politicker
2
Enterprise Account Executive
Easy title for new year fluff content. Everyone looking to reinvent stuff.
Diablo
Politicker
2
Sr. AE
Easy eyeballs 👀
Trends keep changing and this one of them. Leverage what’s selling 😀
butwhy
Politicker
1
Solutions Engineer
Everyone wants to be an influencer, and then we wonder why imposter syndrome is rampant.
Gasty
Notable Contributor
1
War Room Community Manager
On LinkedIn, Yes !
Gyro25
Notorious Answer
1
Account Executive
I feel this. Every new product enhancement we've tried to come out with feels like we're trying to reinvent the damn wheel...
Justatitle
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
The funny part is the ones that tell you what’s wrong and get you thinking it might be wrong have usually never sold or their product has dominated the market so selling was different… essentially Posers.

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