The ordinary world: when selling becomes automatic

In a previous article, I discussed the sales hero’s journey as a different way of looking at the sales profession. Starting with this installment, I’ll delve into each of its twelve stages to bring the concept to life in the daily reality of the B2B salesperson. Let’s begin with the first one; Carlos Rosales, postgraduate university professor and director of Consultores Neurosales, shares and explains it.

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“Every story begins somewhere familiar. In B2B sales, that place is often a routine that works, but barely. Inherited processes, repeated speeches, and a full schedule don’t always translate into clear results. There’s no obvious crisis, but neither is there real growth. Activity is constant, movement is continuous, but progress is limited.”

The salesperson, in their ordinary world, does what they’ve always done. They pursue opportunities similar to those of previous years, use the same presentations, and trust that accumulated experience will be enough to sustain performance. The problem isn’t a lack of work or commitment, but a lack of review. They sell “as always” rather than as the client demands today.

“The salesperson sells ‘as always’ rather than as the client demands today.” “From the outside, everything seems reasonable. The pipeline is moving forward, some opportunities are closing, and the quarter is getting through without a hitch. However, something just doesn’t add up. Clients are requesting more internal meetings before making decisions, comparing suppliers more objectively, and shifting decision-making to departments like purchasing, legal, or finance. The salesperson feels they are investing more time and energy to achieve the same result as before, or even a lesser one.”

A problem of focus: not of market, price, or customer

-This is the ordinary world: comfortable, predictable, and, in a way, deceptive. It doesn’t hurt enough to force an immediate change, but it does hurt enough to wear you down gradually. Many professionals remain here for years, convinced that the problem is the market, the price, or the customer, and they rarely review their own approach.

“In B2B, this stage typically shows three clear signs. The first is a product-centric sales approach: features and functionalities are explained, but not the real impact on the client’s business. The second is a reactive dynamic: responding to emails and orders without providing a clear address. The third is a false sense of control: believing that knowing the sector equates to understanding today’s buyer.”

“The ordinary world isn’t negative. It’s necessary. It’s the starting point. But it’s also the place you need to be able to identify. As long as the salesperson doesn’t accept that their usual way of selling is no longer sufficient, there will be no journey or transformation.

“It’s not about judging where you are, but about deciding how much longer you want to stay there before taking the first step toward a more conscious sales approach, one that’s aligned with today’s buyer.”

Brief biographical sketch of the author, 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 Consultores Neurosales, a training and human development company with a presence throughout Latin America.

Main reference image source: Jakub Zerdzicki on Unsplash           

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