30 best pieces of sales advice by experts 

Sales advice is like pizza toppings – everyone has an opinion on what constitutes the “best” combo. But when it comes to sales, there is no one right answer. What works for one person might not work for another. 

With that in mind, we asked 30 sales experts for their best piece of advice, and boy did they deliver! From cold calling tips to negotiation tactics, these experts have covered it all. So whether you’re a first-time salesperson or a seasoned pro, read on to learn some new tricks of the trade. You never know – one of these 30 best pieces of sales advice might just be the key to your next big sale!

1. Be professional and behave like an educated person who has a great knowledge of the industry. 
2. Always be prepared. Have your elevator pitch ready, and know your product inside and out.
3. Create a personal connection with your customers. Get to know them and their needs.
4. Follow up with leads promptly, and always be responsive to questions and concerns.
5. Stay positive, upbeat, and enthusiastic in all interactions with potential customers.
6. Present your product in a clear and concise manner, highlighting the benefits for the customer.
7. Price your product fairly and competitively, but don’t be afraid to negotiate terms if necessary.
8. Use every opportunity to close the sale, including follow-up calls, emails, social media interactions, etc.
9. Don’t be afraid to reach out to new prospective customers – the worst that can happen is that they say no!
10. Always be prepared with materials and a great elevator pitch for why someone should do business with you.
11. Be knowledgeable about your product or service, and be able to answer any questions a potential customer may have.
12. Say thank you after meeting someone or sending them information – a quick email or phone call can make all the difference.

Sales Advice: Cold call sales tips

13. Make sure you’re clear on what the next steps are in the sales process, so there are no misunderstandings further down the line.
14. Keep track of your conversations and emails with potential customers 
15. Start with a strong opening that captures the buyer’s attention and gets them interested in what you have to say.
16. Be clear, concise, and direct in your messaging. Don’t beat around the bush or waste the buyer’s time.
17. Stay positive and upbeat throughout the call, even if the buyer is being difficult or hostile.
18. Reinforce the benefits of doing business with you and make it easy for the buyer to say yes.

Sales script tips

19. Anticipate objections and be prepared to address them head-on.
20. Qualify your leads using a qualifying questions sheet to figure out if they’re a good fit for your product or service. 
21. Personalize your sales pitch to make it relevant to the lead you’re talking to. For example, if you are making a sales pitch to a company’s CEO, your sales pitch must be personalized to his company and him. Many company’s CEO use a sales crm tool to boost their sales.
22. Research your leads before you call them so you can ask informed questions and sound knowledgeable about their business. 
23. Start with open-ended questions that allow the lead to talk as much as possible, then follow up with closed-ended questions that will help you understand their needs and desires better. 
24. Don’t bombard leads with too many questions at once – take your time and let the conversation flow naturally.

Sales Advice: After making the sales 

25. Offer additional assistance if the customer needs it.
26. Solicit feedback from the customer about their experience purchasing from you.
27. Keep in touch with the customer after they’ve made a purchase to see if they need anything else or have any questions.
28. Go above and beyond to help the customer if they need it.
29. Thank the customer for their business again and let them know you hope to do business with them in the future.
30. Keep track of what products/services the customer purchased from you and make suggestions for future purchases based on that

Understand the difference between sales qualified & marketing qualified lead

The main difference between a sales qualified lead and a marketing qualified lead is that a sales qualified lead is more likely to be interested in your product or service and is, therefore, further down the sales funnel. A marketing qualified lead, on the other hand, may not be as interested but has shown some sort of intent or engagement that indicates they could be further down the funnel with a little more nurturing. 

Sales qualified leads are typically created when a potential customer raised their hand in some way to indicate they’re interested. This could be something like requesting more information about your product, signing up for a free trial, or attending one of your webinars.

The Top 30 Sales Advice: Conclusion

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Check out our condensed list of the 30 best pieces of sales advice from industry experts to help jump start your selling career. From “always be closing” to understanding your customer, these tips will set you up for success. How have these tips worked for you?