@priaash is building a company that helps businesses and organisations reveal stories through Data with @TheAwarenessCo Loved where he explained that, choosing projects is important for them so that they don't lose focus on the product they are building, instead of trying to just get the next big client.

Luis Diaz 7 has a lovely ring to it #LFC

“In sales, being different is better than being better.” It was 4 years ago when the person sitting next to me on a plane said that phrase to me. 20 years into my career, I had taken on responsibility for sales for the first time. And I was struggling. Since then, I’ve closed millions in sales. And it all started with being different. *** When I started in sales, I was driven by the energizing mix of fear and enthusiasm. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I feared failure and was going to give it everything I had. And, for a few months, it seemed to be working. I was making progress, generating interest, and seeing new business take shape. Then it came to a screeching halt. And I had no idea why or what to do next. That's when I started focusing on being different. If you sell things, here are 6 proven ways I’ve found to set yourself apart and close more deals: Separate Work From Worth Most sales people seem desperate, like closing a deal will validate their existence. I get it. At the start of my sales journey, closing a deal was validation. It meant I was worth something, that I could hack it. This poisoned the process. It gave me permission to win at all costs. If you want to be different, start by separating your work in sales from your worth as a person. It will relieve so much pressure. Treat Prospects Like People It’s sad that I have to say this, but treating prospects like people makes you different. As President of my company, I get sold to all the time. 90% of the time I feel like a box being checked in a CRM. The people you call on are humans. Don't send them all the same email. Don’t use tired tactics and pressure packed pitches you’d never want anyone to use on you. Start with respect. Seek First To Understand I believe in what I'm selling. Our product is amazing and I’ve got years of customer feedback to confirm it. And that’s a problem. When I started selling, I assumed everyone needed what I sell. Without asking a single question, I jumped into my pitch…and lost more sales than I won. Then, I discovered that questions are more powerful than answers. No one appreciates being interrupted, talked over, or lectured. People want to be heard, not sold. If you want to stand out, listen more than you talk. Be Honest, Even If It Costs You It's hard to accept, but prospects don't trust you. They assume everything you say is either an outright lie, a self-serving half-truth, or an inflated over-promise. When I started selling, I talked about my integrity and what a great company we are. Guess what? So did every other sales person the prospect ever talked to. My dad once closed a $2 billion sale because he was honest with a prospect that there may be a better solution than what he was selling. If you want to demonstrate your integrity, be willing to act against your best interests. It speaks louder than your words. Take "No" For An Answer The worst sales advice ever is "don't take 'no' for an answer." Persistence is powerful. Being someone who doesn’t give up easily is a prerequisite for successful selling. But I began to see how not accepting a “no” was incentivizing prospects to fake interest and say "maybe"...just to get me off the phone. I started respecting an honest "no." And something amazing happened. “No” turned into “not yet.” Weeks or months later, many of the prospects who told me “no” called back to say “yes.” Speak About Competitors With Honor I used to think it was my job to trash the competition, but I realized it made me look insecure. The prospect was talking to me for a reason. I didn't need to waste time talking bad about my competitors. I needed to understand why I got the call. Do What You Say You Will Do My dad always told me that there was one secret to succeeding in life and business: Do what you say you will do when you say you will do it. He promised me that if I would do that one thing, I would be different than 90% of the people I was competing against. He was wrong. I think it’s more like 99%. *** When I started selling, I had no idea what I was doing. I knew that I needed to make calls, send emails, schedule meetings, and pitch my product. But I didn't think about the fact that everyone else was doing the exact same things. Thanks to a stranger on a plane, I decided to find simple ways to be different. And it changed everything. *** I'm David and I write about being more thoughtful as a spouse, parent, and business leader. Follow me @wdmorrisjr for more content like this. If you found this helpful, I'd be grateful if you'd share it with a retweet. Your engagement encourages me to keep writing!

Basic requirements for startup founders: - Tons of grit - Humility (you're wrong a lot) - Ability to learn fast - Thick skin (you hear "no" a lot) - High risk tolerance - High stress tolerance - Great team builder - Consistently consistent Most important passion for building.

Startups at first are really exciting. Then it gets really boring for a long time. Then it gets really hard for a long time. Then it gets really exciting again. As a founder you have to get through it all and not give up in the middle where so many do to succeed.

"...by increasing collaboration, we don’t mean more meetings and phone calls, we mean increasing shared awareness within the organisation so the right people to have the right answers to the right questions." @priaash, @ITWeb Brainstorm, Jan 2023. brainstorm.itweb.co.za/conte…

A guide for the new year 🌱