I know that it is often the case with smart business professionals that they feel as if they are the smartest person in the room, but the reality is that this is not the case. Yes, they are the cleverest, most insightful, and most experienced people in the room, but they are not at the top of their game. They are still getting the job done and they are still making the connections.
If you are a business professional, you will find that the people who are most insightful and experienced will typically be the people who have the most contacts and connections. It’s not that you are smarter than the people you have to deal with. It is just that you are the best person to whom to turn for advice.
The best way to figure out, and to know how to get in touch with these insightful and experienced people is to ask them directly. Often, they will be able to tell you more about the type of skills you need than you can possibly imagine.
It’s also pretty easy to find a “smart business pro,” someone who is knowledgeable about your industry who you can talk to directly. This person will be able to tell you about the skills the best salespeople have and how to get them.
The first step in getting this sort of advice is to get in touch with the companies you’re interested in. Often, you’ll find that they have a dedicated group of salespeople who are well-versed in your industry, or you can do your own research.
If you can only get one solid person in on an interview, you have to make it worth their while. The more you can get out of an interview, the better a salesperson you can get. You can always ask them to provide you with a list of contacts, but there are a lot of smart business pros out there that don’t want to be approached directly.
You can always ask the salesperson if you can meet their boss to get more information. You might even get a referral for a more in-depth sales pitch. But I’d recommend avoiding this option.
While some salespeople could be smart, a lot of them are so busy playing matchmaker that they actually forget it’s even a thing. I mean, I’m sure there are salespeople who are incredibly good at it, but there are too many people in the world, and it’s so difficult for them to find time to actually talk to someone.
