TLDR: Adding the $ flair to TRP will save men's lives. Go get a real job selling a thing to a guy.

Body:

I work in sales. Old-school B2B sales. I call, email, and show up at dealers and get them to order $10k-$100k of our products on the spot. If I do my job right, they continue to retail our product, and I collect a healthy, low-effort commission. This is very difficult, but I'm very good at it.

Here's what is happening in the world of sales:

Millions of soft millennial men are entering the workforce and occupying/creating sales roles in software, training, and compliance services. They are not approaching the Aluminum Doofalator Valve Inc and asking them what it takes to get in on the ground floor.

During the California gold rush, two kinds of companies exploded: mining operations, and pickaxe outfitters. Similarly, the modern sales world has become cluttered with thousands of companies that focus of boosting efficiency (selling pickaxes). I'm not knocking efficiency, but somebody has to go sell brake calipers and HVAC systems.

This generational gap between old-school product distributors/manufacturers/importers and the weak-willed beta male sales force has left you with an incredible opportunity. You can get a job selling a real thing to other people in person and make great money doing it.

Here's how you do it:

I consume sales material voraciously. I participate in sales networking, I read books, I attend seminars, I have a mentor. All that said, the most important two areas of focus were Persistence and Listening.

Persistence:

Persistence is an old-school trait of successful salespeople. Its the workaround to an anemic marketing budget, and a hard skill to learn. In my and other industries, regular visits and calls help remind your potential clients that you are here to stay, and want to earn their business. There's a fine line between persistence and annoyance, which will become easier when you righteously believe in the potential you product has to solve problems or create a benefit. How can you know if your product is really what the customer needs? Qualify through listening.

Listening:

Shut the fuck up. Ask a few good questions that will get your prospect talking and shut the fuck up. Listen to what they have to say, think about why they are saying it, and don't talk until you have something worth saying. Let them say no at least once. Acknowledge that 'no' is a pre-requisite for yes, just like failure is a pre-requisite for success. Your sales success will come down to your ability to qualify customers through in-depth listening, needs assessment, and a short customized sales pitch.

If you can master these two skill sets, you will have built 80% of your sales process in a few weeks. Additionally, you should do the following:

  • Sell a product that isn't slimy. No MLM or Pyramid Scheme shit. It's 2016 and your reputation is like a credit score. No snake oil.
  • Focus on customer service. Keeping customers is cheaper than getting new ones.
  • Avoid inbound marketing bullshit. Learn to prospect, call and visit. If you get leads, great. Go make your own leads too.
  • Ask for the sale at least twice. If it feels scummy, think about how your prospect could benefit from your product and ask righteously.
  • Ask for referrals. If you are good at your job and your product is quality, ask your customers to help you grow. Consider a referral bonus.

Conclusion If you keep selling SaaS in a cubicle in Michigan, your soul will die and your kids will have soft heads. If you are up for it, kicking in an auto mechanic's door and getting him to use your brand of oil for oil changes will make you a stronger man.