Lessons from 17 years in sales

Gal Aga outlines nine practical lessons from 17 years in sales leadership:

Buyers close deals, not you

• Focus on what buyers need to make decisions internally.

• Align your efforts with their key steps to build consensus.

• Don’t sell—enable them to buy.

Your sales process isn’t enough

• Your process is only a small part of the buyer’s journey.

• Act as a project manager for their buying process.

• Provide tools and structure, but adapt to their needs.

Sync meetings don’t drive deals

• Weekly check-ins with champions often create an illusion of progress.

• Equip champions with content and tools to advocate for your solution.

• Momentum happens when buyers move forward internally.

Budget isn’t the real blocker

• Stop disqualifying based on budget early on.

• “No budget” often means “no justification yet.”

• Show value to create urgency for buyers to allocate resources.

Multithreading done right

• Build relationships with multiple stakeholders based on their roles.

• Don’t just add people to calls or emails—tailor your approach to their specific concerns.

• True multithreading supports decision-making from every angle.

Execs hate long discovery calls

• Use stories and insights to engage executives quickly.

• Teach them something new to capture attention.

• Avoid deep discovery questions—they lose patience fast.

Outbound calls need insights

• Lead with insights, not questions, in outbound prospecting.

• Use slides or demos early if they help guide discovery.

• Focus on delivering value to open meaningful conversations.

Forget perfect discovery

• Avoid rigid frameworks in discovery calls.

• Center conversations on “why now,” “why you,” and “why anything.”

• Perfect discovery comes later—focus on next steps first.

Speed drives urgency

• Respond to emails quickly, even from your phone.

• Offer immediate next steps, like a call the next day.

• Recap timelines and agreed actions in every follow-up.

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How to hit quota for five consecutive years

Theo Gottschalk has over 20 years of sales experience, transitioning from copier sales to tech sales 11 years ago. He is a top producer at AWS, delivering $35 million in contracts in 2024 with 42% growth. He has hit quota every year for five consecutive years.

Here are the key points from his interview with Ian Koniak:

Focus on strategic selling

• Build relationships by understanding client needs deeply.

• Follow up consistently to stay "top of mind."

• Organize your process to navigate long sales cycles efficiently.

Earn trust with decision-makers

• Be transparent and show genuine curiosity about their challenges.

• Schedule regular check-ins to build stronger relationships.

• Position yourself as a trusted partner, not just a salesperson.

Make your meetings impactful

• Always bring useful resources to enhance credibility.

• Shift the conversation to solving business problems, not pitching products.

• Listen carefully and tailor solutions to their exact needs.

Manage your time wisely

• Plan your day to focus on high-value prospects and deals.

• Balance work and family by sticking to a disciplined schedule.

• Invest your earnings into wealth-building opportunities like real estate.

Keep learning and improving

• Read books on leadership and sales strategies.

• Use podcasts and coaching to stay sharp and informed.

• Apply fresh insights to help clients solve new challenges.

Climb to the top 20%

Brian Tracy highlights three qualities that distinguish top sales professionals. These traits focus on ambition, resilience, and unwavering commitment.

1. Be ambitious
⇢ Aim to be in the top 20% of earners in your field.
⇢ Learn from and admire successful people instead of criticizing them.
⇢ Remember, every top salesperson started from the bottom—progress is achievable through learning and effort.

2. Overcome fear of rejection
⇢ Embrace rejection as part of the process. Seek out "no" to get closer to "yes."
⇢ Make 100 calls to eliminate fear and build confidence.
⇢ Treat rejection as a necessary step to finding success.

3. Commit 100% to success
⇢ Dedicate yourself fully to your sales career. Half-hearted efforts lead to failure.
⇢ Don’t keep one foot out the door—commit to doing whatever it takes to succeed.
⇢ Stay consistent and persistent—success becomes inevitable when you don’t quit.

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