Tests, allies, and enemies: Selling when the real work begins
Carlos Rosales: This stage isn't about immediate results. It's about judgment. The salesperson begins to differentiate real opportunities from mere distractions. They learn to listen better, intervene less, and choose more carefully where to invest their time and energy
Continuing with “The Sales Hero’s Journey,” the director and founder of Neurosales Consultants (Carlos Rosales), a specialist in business and sales management, explains to readers and users another stage or phase of this journey.
“After crossing the threshold, the salesperson enters different territory. They no longer sell as before, but neither do they completely master the new approach. In B2B sales, this stage marks the beginning of the real work: fewer certainties, more tests, and a constant feeling of learning as they move forward.”
Meetings no longer follow a predictable script. Some questions generate awkward silences. Others force the client to think more than they expected. The answers aren’t always clear and often contradict what seemed to have been agreed upon. Here, the salesperson discovers that selling better doesn’t mean selling more easily, but rather having more demanding conversations.
“The tests are usually small, but cumulative. A key decision-maker who doesn’t show up. A process that drags on without explanation. A client who seems to move forward and then backs away. Each situation tests the salesperson’s conviction and their ability to maintain focus without resorting to improvisation or falling back into old habits.”
Along this path, allies emerge. Clients who appreciate the clarity, even if it’s uncomfortable. Internal contacts who share relevant information. Colleagues who confirm, from their own experience, that the new approach makes sense. They aren’t spectacular or visible supporters, but they serve as signals that the change is heading in the right direction.
“Enemies also emerge, and they aren’t always external. The rush to close, the ego that demands quick validation, and the temptation to return to the product when the conversation becomes uncomfortable. In B2B, these enemies are subtle and persistent because they present themselves as reasonable shortcuts.”
“This stage isn’t about immediate results. It’s about judgment. The salesperson begins to differentiate real opportunities from mere distractions. They learn to listen better, to intervene less, and to choose more carefully where to invest their time and energy.”
“This is where sales muscle is built. Not with spectacular closes, but with more conscious decisions and better-focused conversations. The salesperson stops measuring themselves solely by activity and begins to evaluate themselves by the quality of the dialogue they generate.”
“The tests, the allies, and the enemies don’t disappear. But from this point on, the salesperson no longer faces them based on pure intuition, but rather on experience that begins to take shape.”
Author Bio: Carlos Rosales
Carlos Rosales is a postgraduate professor at several universities in Colombia, Panama, Venezuela, and Guatemala. Author of the books “People Buy People,” “People Buy Leaders,” and “Epic Sales Blunders,” with over 90,000 copies sold. Trainer of sales professionals throughout Latin America. High-impact speaker and mentor.
Recognized by LinkedIn as one of the Top Voices in Latin America and by GOIntegro as one of the Top 12 HR Influencers in Colombia.
He is currently the director of Neurosales Consultants, a training and human development company with a presence throughout Latin America.
Main reference image source: Saifee Art on Unsplash
Follow our news on Google! For current, interesting, and accurate information, click here to see all the content on Bitfinance.news. You can also find us on X/Twitter and Instagram
