I was invited to give a presentation to the MBA and HBA students at the Richard Ivey School of Business on the topic of how to succeed at a career in Professional Sales. Here are the slides that I used to present to the students.

1. Professional Selling: The Art
and Science Behind It All
By Steven Tulman
Email: steven.tulman@gmail.com
Twitter: @StevenTulman
LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/stevetulman

2. About Me
• MenuPalace.com
• Dealfind.com
• The Biz Media
• SEOlogist
• Info-Tech Research Group
• ICM Consulting & Media Corp.
• One Core Media E-Commerce Solutions

3. Why a Career in Sales?
1. Do you want to have unlimited income
potential?
2. Do you want to run your own company or be
the CEO of another organization?
3. Are you good at managing your finances?
4. Are you ready to work hard and have fun?
5. Almost Recession-Proof

4. The Evolution of Sales
Providing Solutions
Mid 70’s to late 90’s
Building Relationships
1950 to 70’s
Building Partnerships
Late 90’s to Now

5. Art Form OR Science
What do you think?
VS

6. Art Form OR Science
The Art
• The art of listening & communicating
• The art of presenting
• The passion for helping
*Suggested readings:
- How to Win Friends and Influence People- by Dale Carnegie
- The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – by Stephen Covey
- Presentation Zen – by Garr Reynolds

7. Art Form OR Science
The Science
• A strategic sales process
• The product knowledge
• The industry knowledge
*Suggested readings:
- What the Customer Wants You To Know – by Ram Charan
- Mastering the Complex Sale – Jeff Thull

8. The 2 Breeds of Sales
Professionals
Are you a hunter or a farmer?

9. 2 Kinds of Sales Jobs
Inside Sales
Vs
Outside Sales

10. Choosing Your First
Corporate Sales Job
• What are your options –
BIG or small?
• Where do you look?
• How today’s choice will
affect you tomorrow?
• What to expect when you
start?

11. Landing Your First Sales Job
1. Interviewing is a Sales job in itself and
perception IS reality
2. Perfect your LinkedIn, Resume, and
Cover Letter – Quantify and Story tell
3. Clean up your Facebook, Twitter, and
other social media profiles
4. Use your local resources and networks
5. Use jobsites and job boards like
Monster, Workopolis, even Craigslist
6. Prepare, prepare, prepare!!!
7. Find the right opportunity and right
culture
*Suggested reading: The Essential Guide to Hiring & Getting Hired – by Lou Adler

12. The 10 Step Sales Process
What’s the point of having a sales
process?
Inspired by the Quota Professional Sales Program

13. The 10 Step Sales Process
1. Prospecting Stage

14. The 10 Step Sales Process
1. Prospecting Stage
2. Qualifying Stage

15. The 10 Step Sales Process
1. Prospecting Stage
2. Qualifying Stage
3. Initial Meeting

16. The 10 Step Sales Process
1. Prospecting Stage
2. Qualifying Stage
3. Initial Meeting
4. Needs Analysis

17. The 10 Step Sales Process
1. Prospecting Stage
2. Qualifying Stage
3. Initial Meeting
4. Needs Analysis
5. Product/Service Demo

18. The 10 Step Sales Process
1. Prospecting Stage
2. Qualifying Stage
3. Initial Meeting
4. Needs Analysis
5. Product/Service Demo
6. Proposal/Quotation Presentation

19. The 10 Step Sales Process
1. Prospecting Stage
2. Qualifying Stage
3. Initial Meeting
4. Needs Analysis
5. Product/Service Demo
6. Proposal/Quotation Presentation
7. Influencer Approves

20. The 10 Step Sales Process
1. Prospecting Stage
2. Qualifying Stage
3. Initial Meeting
4. Needs Analysis
5. Product/Service Demo
6. Proposal/Quotation Presentation
7. Influencer Approves
8. Key Decision Maker or Committee
Approves

21. The 10 Step Sales Process
1. Prospecting Stage
2. Qualifying Stage
3. Initial Meeting
4. Needs Analysis
5. Product/Service Demo
6. Proposal/Quotation Presentation
7. Influencer Approves
8. Key Decision Maker or Committee
Approves
9. Purchasing Approves

22. The 10 Step Sales Process
1. Prospecting Stage
2. Qualifying Stage
3. Initial Meeting
4. Needs Analysis
5. Product/Service Demo
6. Proposal/Quotation Presentation
7. Influencer Approves
8. Key Decision Maker or Committee
Approves
9. Purchasing Approves
10. Product/Service Delivered & Payment
Received

23. • Define your target market and decision makers
• Start with the top decision maker – The VITO
• Choose methods to prospect
• Prepare prospecting scripts and templates
• Follow a prospecting schedule
• ALWAYS finalize specific next steps
Step 1 – The Prospecting Stage
* Suggested reading: Selling to VITO, the Very Important Top Officer -
by Tony Parinello

24. Step 2 – Qualifying Stage
N.U.B.I.T.
• Need
• Urgency
• Budget
• Influence
• Timeline

25. Step 3: Initial Meeting
7% Verbal
55% Body
Language
38% Tone of Voice
1. Brief intro about you and your
company
2. Ask about customer’s business
and challenges
3. Demonstrate product features
and
benefits relating to their needs
* Professor Albert Mehrabian’s Communications Model

26. Step 4: Needs Analysis
B.C.H.U.B.S.
• Background
• Core Challenges Questions
• History of Critical Events Questions
• Urgency Questions
• Benefits Questions
• Solutions Questions
*Suggested reading: SPIN Selling - by Neil
Rackham

27. Step 5: Product/Service Demo
* Remember to secure the nest-step
F.B.I
• Features
• Benefits
• Improvements

28. Step 6: Proposal/Quotation Presentation
• Verify spelling and grammar of EVERYTHING
• Verify ALL calculations
• Don’t forget promises made
• Review with contact before sending final version
• Check, Check, Check!!!

29. Step 7: Influencer Approves
• Review contract with your prospect
• Suggest meeting with influencer & DM or deciding
committee to present
• Determine timeline
• Book next step-date

30. Step 8: Key Decision Maker or Committee
Approves
Decision Making Criteria
• Reliability
• Relevance
• Quality
• Cost
• Continued Service
• Don’t celebrate just yet..
• Potential roadblock from
Purchasing or Finance
• Present to the Roadblocker
• Perform mini sales cycle
• Get their buy-in

31. Step 9: Purchasing Approves
• Purchasing can still stall or vito sale
• Present to Purchasing if necessary
• Learn, Repeat, Teach

32. Step 10: Product/Service Delivered &
Payment Collected
SOLD!!!
WOOOOHOOOO!!!
• Closed 1st Deal
• Celebrate & Thank
• Learn, Repeat, Teach

33. Post Sale: Customer Onboarding,
Engagement, and Experience
• Educate and train customer on using product or
service
• Follow up and continued support
• Ensure customer satisfaction
• Probe for further needs
• Discover upsell opportunities
• Present upsell options

34. How to Excel in Sales:
The 6 Main Attributes
that Will Make You
Successful
1. Empathy (EQ)
2. Product and Industry Knowledge
3. Focus
4. Accountability
5. Enthusiasm
6. Ego-drive
*Suggested readings:
- Coaching Sales People into Sales Champions: A Tactical Playbook For Manager and Executives by Keith Rosen

35. Q & A
The End
By Steven Tulman
Email: steven.tulman@gmail.com
Twitter: @StevenTulman
LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/stevetulman