Key Lessons for Sales Professionals | Expert Sales Quotes

Sales quotes coming from sucsussful past and present experts can have incredibly value. The work we do constitutes a massive portion of our lives. So why not learn from relevant sayings, quotes, and rules-of-thumb from the past? Focusing specifically on sales, here are some of the best sales quotes and sales advice for professionals looking to up their game.

Key Quotes

“The best salespeople are researchers. They know more about their product, their competition, and their industry than anyone else.” - Jeffrey Gitomer

This is sales 101, yet so many people enter into a sale completely unprepared. If you want to be successful in sales, you have to do your homework and know everything there is to know about what you’re selling. This way, you can anticipate objections and have ready answers.

“The key to selling isn’t persuasion. It’s empathy.” - Bryan Kramer

Too often, salespeople see the customer as an adversary to be overcome rather than a human being with needs and wants. The best salespeople are able to put themselves in their customer’s shoes and see the situation from their perspective. Only then can they hope to find a win-win solution that benefits both parties. This is also a very important lesson when it comes to how to network - you should never focus solely on yourself, listen to the person you're talking to, and consider things from their point of view. If you do this, then you're well on your way to a being a better, more effective professional.   

The Definition of Success

“The difference between a successful person and others is not lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.” - Vince Lombardi

Sales is a tough profession and there will be times when you feel like giving up. It’s at these moments that you have to summon all your inner strength and willpower to push through and keep going.

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." -Thomas Edison

This is similar to the previous quote but worth repeating. There will be times when you feel like you’ve tried everything and it’s just not working. That’s when it’s time to get creative and try something new.

Thinking About Work

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do." -Steve Jobs

If you don’t love what you do, it will show in your work. If you’re passionate about what you’re selling, it will come through in your sales pitch and close more deals.

"Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman – not the attitude of the prospect." -W. Clement Stone

You can’t control the attitude of your prospect but you can control your own. Maintaining a positive attitude, even in the face of rejection, is crucial to success in sales. Maintaining the right attitude is a critical personal marketing tip. 

"If you don’t value your time, neither will others. Stop giving away your time and talents– start charging for it." -Kim Garst

You should never give away your time or services for free. If you don’t value your time, neither will your prospects.

"The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus." -Bruce Lee

Success in sales requires laser-like focus. You have to be able to zero in on your target and go after it with all you’ve got.

"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary." -Vidal Sassoon

There’s no substitute for hard work. If you want to be successful, you have to be willing to put in the hours.

"I’ve failed again and again throughout my life. That’s why I’ve been successful." -Michael Jordan

Success and Failure

Failure is a part of life and sales. This sales quote is saying that best salespeople are those who have failed the most because they’ve learned from their mistakes.

"The sale begins when the customer says ‘no.’" -Norman Schwartz

Most salespeople see a “no” as the end of the sale but it’s really just the beginning. It’s an opportunity to find out why the prospect said “no” and see if there’s anything you can do to change their mind.

"The goal is not to close the sale, but to open the relationship." -Tony Alessandra

Relationship Building

A salesperson’s job is not just to close a deal but to build a relationship with the prospect. If you focus on building a rapport and creating a relationship of trust, the sale will take care of itself.

"People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons." -Zig Ziglar

Logic has very little to do with it. People make buying decisions based on their emotions and then justify those decisions with logic afterwards.

At the end of the day, people want to buy things that they feel will improve their life in some way. If you can show them how your product or service will do that, you’ll be successful.

"The only way to get what you want in this world is through hard work." -Tony Robbins

There’s no such thing as a free lunch. If you want something, you have to be willing to put in the work to get it. Don't forget this sales quote!

"Always be closing." -Alec Baldwin

This famous quote from the movie Glengarry Glen Ross is often misconstrued. It’s not about being pushy or aggressive but rather about always moving the sale forward.

"Successful selling is all about building relationships." -Jill Konrath

"Personal relationship is very significant in the real estate business. People tend to buy their dream houses through the person whom they know personally or interacted with him earlier" - John Myers

Selling is all about building relationships with your prospects. If you can establish a rapport and build trust, you’ll be successful.

Communication, Communication!

"The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said." -Peter Drucker

Listening is just as important as speaking in sales. You have to be able to read between the lines and pick up on the things that your prospect is not saying.

"Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them yourself." -Eleanor Roosevelt

One of the best ways to become successful in sales is to learn from the mistakes of others. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel – just learn from those who have gone before you.

"You can't teach people everything they need to know. The best you can hope for is to inspire them." -Tony Robbins

You can’t teach someone everything they need to know but you can inspire them. If you can do that, you’ll be successful. This is a key sales quote.

The "Best" Sales Advice

"The best salespeople are the ones who care about their customers the most." -Bryan Kramer

The best salespeople are the ones who care about their customers and their needs. If you can show your prospect that you care about them, you’ll be successful.

"The best salespeople are the ones who listen the most." -Jeffery Gitomer

The best salespeople are the ones who listen more than they talk. If you can take the time to really listen to your prospect, you’ll be successful.

• "The best salespeople are the ones who ask the most questions." -Jim Rohn
• "The best salespeople are the ones who never give up." -Brian Tracy
• "The best salespeople are the ones who always try to improve." -Tony Robbins
• "The best salespeople are the ones who believe in what they're selling." -Zig Ziglar

Sales Quotes | Conclusion

Sales is a tough profession but if you can heed the advice of these experienced sales professionals, you’ll be on your way to success. Implement these lessons and you’ll be sure to see results.

Do you have any other sales advice to add? Share your thoughts in the comments below!