27 Lessons from 27 Years in Sales

Sales is a discipline that rewards continuous learning, self-awareness, and genuine human connection. The following 27 lessons have been drawn from decades of real-world sales experience and reflect some of the most important principles that separate good salespeople from great ones.

1. Always be learning — the more you know and take action on, the more you grow.
2. Kindness is one of the most underrated qualities in sales.
3. Vulnerability makes you more human and more relatable to clients and prospects.
4. Avoid working with people whose values do not align with your own where possible.
5. At the same time, you can learn from difficult working environments — observing how not to behave is a valuable education in itself.
6. Take 100% responsibility for everything you do.
7. It is acceptable to make mistakes — it is not acceptable to make the same mistake twice.
8. Celebrate the success of your colleagues.
9. Do not make a phone call when you are angry.
10. Never send an email when you are angry.
11. Prospect every day, even if it is just for one hour.
12. Mental health is a serious issue. Take care of what you feed your body and mind.
13. There is no such thing as 99% integrity.
14. Stop selling. Listen. Ask questions. Listen. Recap. Listen. Recommend.
15. Investing in sales training will take you further than you could ever imagine.
16. People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.
17. Client testimonials are vital. Always overdeliver and ask for them afterwards.
18. When you connect with someone on LinkedIn, do not sell straight away. You lose credibility and often do not get a second chance.
19. Share your client's content on social media. They will appreciate it.
20. Hitting your target does not make you exceptional — that is your job. Great salespeople overachieve.
21. Surround yourself with people who are more knowledgeable than you and learn from them.
22. Do not criticise the competition.
23. Avoid gossip — it has a way of returning to damage professional relationships and reputation.
24. Tone can be misread by email. Where possible, speak to people directly — by phone, online meeting, or face to face.
25. Most salespeople are not bad at sales — they are badly trained. If your company will not invest in you, invest in yourself.
26. Move with the times — refusing to embrace social media and assuming there is nothing left to learn is the fastest route to becoming irrelevant in sales.
27. Virtual selling is here for the long term. Treat it with the same effort and professionalism you would bring to a face-to-face client meeting.

How Professional Academy Supports Your Journey

Whether you are looking to develop your knowledge and skills as a salesperson or build a long-term career in sales, structured and accredited training makes a significant difference. Professional Academy offers a range of ISP sales qualifications, including the ISP Level 3 and ISP Level 5, available at a range of levels to improve practical skills and help you achieve your career goals.

Professional Academy also offers sales apprenticeships and bespoke in-company sales training for organisations looking to develop their teams. To find out more, get in touch with the team or book an advice call at a time to suit you.