The Making of a “Salesblazer”

Jenna Trott

5 min read | APRIL 12, 2023

In a world before money, people relied on procuring what they needed by exchanging one good or service for another, rather than using money as a medium of exchange. For instance, when the cold winter winds began to chatter the teeth of a settlement, it was likely that farmers would exchange a bushel of wheat for extra furs. As societies evolved and became more complex, people began to develop more sophisticated forms of exchange – and more elaborate ways to convince people to trade. Enter the “salesman”.

By 1752, “salesmen” were a necessity for America’s first insurance company. To increase their customer base, the company’s representatives were divided into two categories: “farmers” and “hunters.” The “farmers” were responsible for collecting premiums from existing clients, while the “hunters” were tasked with finding new customers. These “hunters” were essentially the first sales managers in history. Every month, representatives traveled to towns and cities to collect insurance premiums from their clients.

Today, with the help of tools like Salesforce, the traditional image of “salesmen” has evolved into a more modern person, capable of understanding the unique challenges faced by a customer, providing personalized solutions, and the ability to build a meaningful relationship along the way. Technology has been pivotal in the way that salespeople operate, thanks to a range of digital tools and platforms to manage their leads, track their performance, and connect with customers. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the confidence, dedication and knowledge that salespeople possess, helping them to become the trailblazers that they are in this brave new world. With Salesforce’s recent announcement of Salesblazer, we thought we’d discuss who exactly these people are and how salespeople can lean on Salesforce for support while blazing new trails.

What is a “Salesblazer”?

Put simply, Salesblazers are – everyone! Salesblazers are the trailblazers of the sales industry, the ones who strive for nothing less than excellence and are always looking to take their careers to the next level. Whether it’s someone first starting out selling car insurance, or the vice president overseeing sales at a major pharmaceutical company, Salesblazers are united in their mission to close deals, exceed customer expectations, and help their organizations grow. These individuals are not content with “satisfactory;” they are constantly pushing themselves and boundaries of what was previously thought to be possible. They are the true heroes of the sales world, and their dedication and hard work are the driving force behind their success.

What is the “Salesblazer Community”?

It’s no surprise that the world we’re living in has changed drastically in the last few years alone; and these changes come with complications for salespeople. According to recent studies, 57% of buyers prefer to engage through digital channels and 61% of salespeople consider selling harder or much harder than just five years ago. The Salesblazer Community, described as a “place for sales professionals, by sales professionals,” will serve to empower salespeople through learning, content, and connection.

As part of the community, members will have the opportunity to:

There is no doubt that the Salesblazer community will be filled with professionals who lead by example, helping to guide others along their own trails and help one another feel a little less alone in challenging times.

What Defines a Good Salesperson?

While some may argue that exceeding quotas is the ultimate goal, true success in sales requires much more. Great salespeople possess a winning combination of confidence and approachability, enthusiasm and empathy, and commitment and flexibility. They have a keen ability to read people and understand the importance of making a positive first impression. At the end of the day, being a great salesperson is about building trust and relationships with customers, and delivering value that goes beyond hitting sales targets. We know that sales can feel like a never ending fight some days, which is why we’d like to leave you with some tips from some of the most influential salespeople from our 2022 edition of 10 Sales Tips From Top Sales Professionals.

Alex Alleyne

Alex is an award-winning sales professional that helps educate aspirational sales talent through the podcast he has founded and hosts, “The Elite Level Podcast.” As a child, Alex would sell candy to kids on the playground, and now? He’s accrued more than $30M in annual recurring revenue for the world’s most disruptive organizations. Alex has also been recognized by LinkedIn as a Top 10 thought leader twice. Alex knows that the road to success is not an easy one, which is why he often works with aspiring sales professionals to kickstart their careers and act as a valuable mentor.

Alex’s pro-tip: “Remember what motivated you earlier on in your career. Attaining target numbers is a huge motivating factor, but so is feeling a sense of connection to your team and role along with the recognition of a job well done.”

Linkedin | Website

Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk is a serial entrepreneur, and serves as the Chairman of VaynerX and the CEO of VaynerMedia. Known as “GaryVee,” he is described as one of the most forward thinkers in business today and is passionate about helping build businesses. In addition to being a five-time New York Times Best-Selling Author, Gary acts as a mentor to others by sharing meaningful industry insights through his podcast, “The GaryVee Audio Experience.”

Gary’s pro-tip:“You have to understand your own personal DNA. Don’t do things because I do them or Steve Jobs or Mark Cuban tried it. You need to know your personal brand and stay true to it.”
Linkedin | Website

Daniel Disney

No, he’s not related to Walt Disney…but that doesn’t make Daniel any less impressive as a sales professional! Considered to be the “King” of LinkedIn and social selling, Daniel has amassed more than 800,000 followers on LinkedIn and 25 million pounds (GBP) in sales from LinkedIn alone. Some of his customers include Canon, Salesforce and Amazon among many others. When he’s not helping companies, sales teams and sales leaders sell more with LinkedIn, Daniel is helping to inspire and guide professionals through his podcasts, blog posts, webinars and books.

Daniel’s pro-tip: “Don’t be a sales crocodile, big mouth and no ears! Listening is genuinely the secret to most sales success.”

Linkedin | Website

Anita Nielsen

One of the great things about Anita is her ability to pair sales with psychology. Early on in her career, she recognized that sales people have one of the most difficult jobs due to far too many sales methodologies and trainings that adopt a “one size fits all” approach. Thus, Anita became passionate about helping other sales leaders and teams find success and with over 20 years of experience, she’s become known as the “B2B Sales Sensei.” Anita is also dedicated to empowering women, helping them to become visionary sales leaders.

Anita’s pro-tip: “Remember, people love to talk about themselves. More than that, though, people love to feel really heard. Are you really listening to your buyers?”

Linkedin | Website

Jill Konrath

Speaker, thought leader, and best selling author, Jill’s career is defined by her relentless search for fresh strategies that actually work in today’s sales world. In addition to being named one of the 7 Most Influential Sales Thought Leaders of 21st Century by Salesforce, a Top 100 Sales Leaders Globally by Hot Topics and a Top 20 Social Sellers by Forbes, Jill was inducted into the Sales/Marketing Hall of Fame, among many other achievements. Her prestigious career has afforded Jill the opportunity to serve as an advisor to high-growth companies like HubSpot, Xvoyant and Modus.

Jill’s pro-tip: “People who focus on ‘getting better’ goals (also known as Personal Bests) as opposed to performance goals have a much better chance of success.”

Linkedin | Website

Click to see the full guide:10 Sales Tips From Top Sales Professionals.

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