

Ask HN: How to get better at selling? - keesmacklin

Being a techie, I would like to get better at selling enterprise software to small and medium businesses for my startup and selling in general. Do you all have any suggestions for good websites / books that outline the different approaches to sales and other things to look out for when selling?
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Tangurena
There are a couple of issues here.

1) to get better at selling, one of the first things to do is more practice
[1] at selling.

2) there are some skills to learn, and these skills are "soft" ones - which
typically receive disdain in techie culture [2].

Last year, I ran for public office. I discovered to my surprise that I
interviewed [3] poorly. This explains why I've had difficulty getting hired in
the past. I plan to join Toastmasters later this year (when my schedule opens
up) to help correct this.

Some books:

Outfoxing the small business owner. Cynical, salesman oriented book. Decent
insight into the psychology of many small business owners.
[http://www.amazon.com/Outfoxing-Small-Business-Owner-
Relatio...](http://www.amazon.com/Outfoxing-Small-Business-Owner-
Relationship/dp/1593371578/)

E-Myth revisited. We all have cultural baggage about what a business is, and
isn't. And for many businesses, that baggage gets in the way of actually
getting work done, or getting ahead _as_ a business.
[http://www.amazon.com/E-Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-
Abou...](http://www.amazon.com/E-Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-
About/dp/0887307280/)

Notes:

1 - If you've got a good feedback loop for yourself, then any practice, good
or bad, will help (aka: practice makes perfect). If your feedback loop tends
to the same sort of self deception that most people have, then I recommend
finding a coach (aka: repetition will cement bad practices, only perfect
practice makes perfect).

2 - translation: "dude, you're turning into a SUIT!" (with audible disdaining
tone used for last word).

3 - While interviewing for a job, and interviewing in the media share the same
name, they're different enough that books aimed at helping one tangentially
help the other. But at least I now have a brilliant retort to "what is your
greatest weakness?" A: I found that I interview poorly.

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JeremyChase
I won't recommend any books, but I do recommend talking to your potential
clients. Ask them to buy your product, and when they say no ask them "Why
not?". Then figure out what you need to do to change that no into a maybe, or
a yes.

Don't change everything you are doing to accommodate one customer, but the
best way to sell is to talk to your customers and to be flexible.

People frequently say that sales is a numbers game, and it is if you never
change your tactics. You need to refine them as you go. Just keep talking to
them, but learn from each interaction.

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iamelgringo
One of the best business classes that I ever took was from a retired VP of
sales for a Fortune 500 insurance company. He highly recommended the Carnegie
Sales courses: <http://www.dalecarnegie.com/>

I plan to take that class this next year.

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quellhorst
The best book for me was "The Sales Bible"

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terpua
Read "Four Steps to the Epiphany"

