The best sales quotes can help you get out of a rut, motivate yourself or your team, and push you to try harder and improve your sales skills.
That’s why we’ve collected 151 sales quotes from great salespeople, leaders, entrepreneurs, philosophers, writers, and more. Enter: the sales motivation quote roundup of the century.
Warning: Binging on these sales motivation quotes could have a serious effect on your life, business, and finances. Side effects include but are not limited to: more sales, better attitude, business growth, personal growth, and less bullshit. These sales quotes may also act as a gateway to other business knowledge such as blogs, podcasts, or books.
Please read responsibly.
Want to use motivational sales quotes to get your team ready to crush their day? Use these in your team’s sales huddle to set the tone for a great day.
Remind your sales team that the hard work they do today is worth far more than the work they plan to do for the future. Sales productivity is all about setting realistic activity goals and consistently showing up to take the actions that lead to more closed sales at the end of the day, week, month, and quarter.
Curious about the top-rated tools for sales productivity? Check out our article to find the best solutions available.
Not who you’d expect a killer sales quote from, huh? Well, Mike Tyson sure knows a thing or two about confidence and consistency. Just like Mike, if you train hard to develop the right sales skills and put in the effort each day, your confidence as a salesperson will soar.
Discipline is critical for a successful sales team. Use this quote to remind your sales reps that today’s effort will mitigate any regret they may face down the road.
🎧 See what else I have to say about this quote.
You'll never remember every deal that's fallen through, but you will remember the big ones you've closed. At the end of the day, it's the results that matter.
🎧 Check out what I think about focusing on results, not losses.
This sales quote means the more prepared you are, the easier it is to win over a customer when it's time to sign a contract. Putting in the time and effort to sharpen your prospecting and outreach skills as well as your closing pitches will pay off when you're in the fight to close a deal.
🎧 I talk more about this here.
Picking up the phone to cold call another prospect is hard. Sending out emails to potential customers is grueling. Following up on every lead takes a lot of effort. But as this sales quote says, the secret to pushing forward is getting started.
🎧 Here's how I use this sales quote to get ahead.
Many times, people’s perception of us can be influenced by how we see ourselves. Know your place and your value as a salesperson, and you’ll earn respect.
Time spent perfecting your sales craft will help you beat out your competitors. Practice sales calls, email techniques, and demo pitches regularly to impress prospects. I usually focus on improving one skill at a time in 30-day blocks to be the best—I talk about this more here 🎧
You won't close a huge contract every day. And some weeks, there may not be any leads in your pipeline at all. But if you keep working on the small things, like reaching out to prospects and working on your sales game, it'll pay off.
🎧 I talk here about how I use this quote.
This inspiring sales quote from the former Facebook top exec reminds us all to take the initiative to be a leader. You can only ever be great at what you do if you believe in your abilities. Use this quote to remind yourself to go out and crush it every day.
Running out of steam in the sales room is normal, especially if deals haven't been swinging your way. This quote reminds us that winning is a choice, not a given. Wake up every day and remind yourself why you love what you do and psych yourself up to be your best.
🎧Listen to my advice on how to do it.
A sales quote for all the leaders out there. Sometimes, the best way for your team to learn is to point them in the right direction instead of doing the work for them. I also use this strategy when selling to prospects because it helps them realize our product is the one for them.
🎧 Find out how I use this quote from Alexandra K. Trenfor
A reminder to make every second in the sales room count. We've all got the same hours in a day—make them count.
There's a reason why every startup founder wants to be the next Steve Jobs or Elon Musk—they are the definition of success. Use this motivation to strive for better and crush your goals.
🎧 Listen to how I use this quote.
No outreach email is perfect. No sales pitch will win over every prospect. The sooner you get comfortable with imperfect sales, the quicker you can stop chasing perfection and start talking to your next customer.
🎧 Here's how to get comfortable with imperfect selling.
Do you remember your first day selling? Don't cringe. We've all been there. But if you don't keep pushing to improve your craft, you'll end up right back where you started. Use this quote to remind yourself of how far you've come.
🎧 How to rise to every sales occasion.
Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose—that's the reality of sales. If you make the right moves and work on your execution, you can walk out of the office today knowing you did your best, even when situations are outside your control.
🎧 Listen to how I want you to use this quote.
This sales quote reminds us to put in the work and keep our eyes on the prize with a prospect because the deal isn't closed until they've signed on the dotted line. Always put your prospect's needs and goals first. After all, the deal is about them… not you.
The most successful people in the world get the most out of their time, whether it's waking up early to start their day or optimizing their calendar to squeeze in more. In fact, I want you to open up your calendar right now and check out all of the empty space on it… what are you going to do to fill that space with tasks to crush your day?
🎧 Here's how to use this quote.
You can read 1000 sales books and still sell like your first day on the job. As this sales quote highlights, knowledge is only powerful if you use it. Put your knowledge and skills into practice today.
What part of your sales process do you want to master, and what are you doing to get there? Basketball great Kobe Bryant didn't become great overnight. He famously made 1000 shots every day for months to perfect his shooting style. Use this quote to focus on a certain part of your selling game (it can be small!) and put in the work to master it.
🎧 More on how to turn repetition into mastery.
Every sales rep has their strengths and weaknesses. Use this to your team's advantage and learn from each other. If you have a strength, lend it to a colleague with the same weakness. And if you are struggling with a certain part of your sales game, reach out to a teammate and ask them to teach you their ways.
🎧 Learn more about how to put this sales quote into action here.
Prospecting, qualification, and discovery can be some of the most difficult pieces of the sales process. To help you build a better prospecting strategy and the right mindset to do it right, here are some top quotes from sales experts.
This quote brings us back to the basics of selling: focusing on your prospects' needs. The most effective way to sell will always be to help prospects reach their goals instead of focusing on your quota.
You will never go wrong in a sales pitch if you make your prospect feel like the only person in the room. This quote reminds us to ditch the generics and tailor every call and email to the prospect's needs and goals.
I love this sales quote because it's a reminder that every time you go prospecting, it's a chance to learn. Keep track of what works, eliminate what doesn't, and continue to sharpen your prospecting and outreach efforts.
Yet another sales quote reminding us to focus on our customers instead of our quotas. Bring the prospect on board from your first meeting and connect your product to their end goals. Because you don't know if the meeting will be your only chance to get them on board.
Sales has changed. Prospects now want a relationship as well as great products and customer service. Focus on building that relationship—not the close.
Don't focus a pitch on your product's features and cost. Instead, pivot the conversation so your prospect focuses on their end goal and what their life will look like once they buy your product.
🎧 How to use this quote to boost your sales.
Every deal you close should make you and your prospect happy. I call them win-win situations. Your customer is excited to work with you and you can go back to the office with another signed deal. Think about how to turn your next deal into a situation where everyone wins.
🎧 Listen to how you can get prospects what they want.
I love this quote because it reminds us that the basic tools in our prospecting kit get results. Send that cold email that's been sitting in your drafts today. What's the worst that can happen?
🎧 My thoughts on the power of email.
Ahhh, prospecting 101: putting the customer first, not your product. This quote highlights the importance of weaving your customer's story and goals into your pitch to keep the focus on them. Personalize everything during the prospecting phase to build a relationship faster and speed up the selling process.
How many times have you seen a product or service online that didn't communicate what it actually did? Don't make the same mistake. Keep it simple when you're talking about your product to customers. Don't get technical or focus on features, but know your product well enough that you can tie it to every customer's goals during a pitch.
🎧 More on this game-changing technique here.
This quote reminds me of those ridiculous outreach messages that land in my LinkedIn inbox every morning. They are usually generic outbound pitches that are sent to 100 other people. The biggest problem is the sales rep is just throwing stuff at the wall, hoping one of their messages will stick. Change it up and personalize your prospecting. It takes more time but it's worth it in the long run.
🎧 Listen to my thoughts on what most salespeople get wrong.
Understanding your product and how it actually helps customers is a secret weapon in the sales room. You can then use this knowledge to create clarity in your sales goals. Before every call, email or meeting, remind yourself exactly what you want to achieve and how it'll help your prospect.
🎧 My advice on achieving clarity here.
If your prospect doesn't trust you—you have nothing. Building relationships early and aggressively in the deal will create trust between the two of you. Once you have that, all of the discussions around pricing, features, and contracts can be made in good faith and with a level of respect.
Ready to start closing deals? Here are some of the best sales quotes to get you in the right mindset for more productive conversations that lead to higher conversion rates and better deals.
Closing almost every deal in a pipeline requires a prospect to trust you. But deals can progress even when you haven't earned their trust yet. This sales quote is all about making space to create moments of truth with your prospect—pick one part of the deal your potential customer still isn't sure about and turn it into an opportunity to build trust.
No sales rep on earth closes every single deal in their pipeline. It's just not possible. But it is part of the game. I want you to put this quote on a post-it. Why? So the next time someone ghosts you or a deal falls through, you're reminded to get back up and start working to win over your next prospect.
🎧 How to use this quote to win.
Your work doesn't end when a prospect signs a contract. In fact, this is the moment where the deal takes a turn into a long-term relationship. Successful companies nurture every prospect after they turn into a customer and constantly try to improve their experience. Use this quote to remind you that when a prospect becomes a customer, your work really begins. Provide better support or upsells and cross-sells to help the customer accomplish their goals.
When you're in the salesroom, in the weeds, it's hard to remember that customers aren't won overnight. It's normal for them to have doubts, and you need to work for their trust. Ask every prospect what their doubts or concerns are and do whatever it takes to eliminate them. Then, you can turn maybes into more closed sales.
🎧 I talk more about this here.
Prospects don't care about your quarterly targets or sales strategies. Their only concern is their goals and needs. Remember this every time you jump on a prospecting call or walk into a pitch because the quickest way to screw up the deal is to make it about you—not them.
If you don't believe in your product, how do you expect your prospects to? This sales quote reminds us to take a moment to step back and look at the product like a customer. What do you love about it? And when you first started selling it… what made you excited to do it? Carry these thoughts into your next prospecting call.
🎧 More about how to use this quote to crush it here.
This quote is a throwback to the old saying: don't count your chickens before they hatch. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is certain in a sale until a prospect has signed a contract. Think about everyone who will be impacted by the sale, from your boss and colleagues to your family and partner. This puts the deal into perspective, and how much you stand to win (or lose) by closing it.
🎧 Listen to what I think about this quote.
It's easy to fill your time doing stuff that makes you feel busy but at the end of the day…what does it matter if you don't achieve much? Use this quote as inspiration to make every slot and task on your calendar count. Don't just get busy today—stay focused on accomplishments.
The sales game has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. No more Mad Men-style deals where customers are sold to. This sales quote reminds us to bring the prospect's story and goals to the center of every sales deal and make it about them—not our product.
Every deal you close should end with a reward. Whether you're a coffee lover (like me) or you want to celebrate with a special purchase, attach a reward to a goal to help motivate you. When you finally close that complex deal, the reward will be just a little bit sweeter.
🎧 Here's how to use this strategy to celebrate wins.
Pipelines are called that for a reason. Prospects either travel down them until the end or leak out the side. But sometimes, prospects get stuck in a holding pattern trying to decide whether or not your solution is the right one for them. As this quote says, you need to step in and push the hard close and prove your product is a good fit.
🎧 More on this sales quote here.
There's a reason Estée Lauder has been around for over 75 years—its founder never misses a chance to sell. If you believe in your product, it allows you to sell (hard) every day to your target consumer because you know it'll improve their lives. Just like Estée.
🎧 How to use this quote to turn your belief into sales.
Every sales rep has the same amount of time in their day. But truly successful salespeople have systems, like automated prospecting that make them stand out from the rest. Think about a goal on your to-do list and ask yourself, what systems can I put into place to make that goal a reality?
🎧 How I use this sales quote to get ahead.
It's a risky strategy to think every deal in your pipeline is a sure thing. While you should always plan to win, hearing a no from a prospect isn't always a bad thing. It can help you improve your sales process and focus on other prospects who are a better fit for your product.
🎧 Listen to how you can use this quote.
Most sales reps will move on to other prospects once they close a deal and not give their new customers a second thought. You can win the game by staying in touch with new clients and building relationships. It's easier to upsell or cross-sell to them and get good referrals for other clients. Go the extra mile, keep your customers happy and win new business at the same time.
🎧 My thoughts on this inspirational quote.
Prospects can spot a sales rep that's only out to close a deal from a mile away. I've said before, and I'll keep saying it—prospects don't care about your sales quota. They care about their goals. Build trust first, and the transaction will follow.
🎧How to build trust with prospects.
Nobody is entitled to a sale. It's all about the negotiation and how you approach the deal. Collaborate with your prospect and learn about what's important to them. Only then will you get the gold nuggets of information you need to tie your product into the deal negotiation and close the sale.
🎧 Here's my thoughts on using negotiation to help see the bigger picture.
I love this quote from Lincoln. Take it and think about a task or deal you've been procrastinating around and ask yourself, what will be left if someone makes a move before you? Will you lose out on a deal because you haven't been proactive, or will you go out and grab it before someone else does?
This quote reminds me of one of my favorite follow-up stories of all time. When James Altucher wanted to work for a billionaire investor, he emailed him. And when he didn't hear back, he emailed him again… and again… and again. He cold-emailed the guy for a whole year. In the end, his persistence landed him a meeting, and it changed his life. The message is clear: never give up.
🎧 My thoughts on always following up with prospects.
You cannot control every situation or every deal. What you can do is put your absolute best into every interaction and activity on your calendar so even if a prospect says no or a deal falls through, you can walk away knowing you put everything into it.
🎧 More on how to do your best.
It's a fatal error to wait until the "perfect" moment to close a deal. Most sales reps don't want to be told no, so they wait—for days, even weeks!—for a time when they think the prospect will say yes. Don’t wait for objections. Ask for the close early and take charge. You won't believe how many prospects you can win over this way, and the extra time on your calendar can be filled with new opportunities.
🎧 My thoughts on closing early and often.
I still remember when a Close customer challenged me as to whether I could continue a project (recording daily motivational videos) for 30 days in a row. I asked him if he really wanted to make that bet. He did, and he lost. The reason I agreed to the bet? I knew I would win. I had the drive, plus I already had a library full of content ready to post. I didn't cheat—I just knew the bet was in the bag, so I took it.
🎧 Here's the story behind this win.
A successful person and a great salesperson have something in common—they don’t give up. Here are more of our favorite quotes about creating sales success in your business and in your career.
Doubt will cripple every sales activity, from making cold calls to believing in your ability to close a deal. Take a deep breath, remember all of the wins you've already bagged and focus on the fact that, yes—you've got this.
Failure doesn't define you, but it's inevitable in the sales room. But how you respond to losing a prospect or getting ghosted on a call will make (or break) you. Your sales career is bigger than any single deal, so you need to disassociate yourself from any deals you've lost and move on.
🎧 Listen to how you can start to think differently about failure.
What do you persistently work on to improve every single day? Write a list and use it to focus on a core range of skills that will transform you into a great salesperson. Whether you're improving your prospecting outreach or working on your closing skills, discipline and practice will lead to success.
🎧 Listen to why I want you to put in the hard work.
The best leaders in the world are uniquely themselves. When I think about Steve Jobs, I'm reminded of his ability to be himself when presenting the latest Apple product to a packed audience. And when I hear the name Elon Musk, I'm immediately reminded of how he stayed true to his passion for SpaceX, despite everyone else's (loud) opinions. This ability to be yourself is a great asset and helps you stay grounded when connecting with prospects.
🎧 Here's how to stay true to yourself.
Never step into a negotiation or meeting without thinking about every possible scenario that could go down. Anticipate what will happen next and the challenges you may face. The more prepared you are, the better you'll be able to handle them. Action is better than a reaction.
🎧 More on how anticipation can help prepare for everything.
The message in this quote is simple: you need to believe in yourself before you can achieve anything. Jump in feet first and grab an item from your to-do list that you've been avoiding. Set yourself a goal to accomplish it in half the original time. You'll be surprised at what you're capable of accomplishing, but first—you have to believe it's possible.
🎧 Listen to why self-belief is a game-changer.
This sales quote is based on manifesting your goals. Only when you truly believe you can crush your quota or land that dream prospect can you turn it into reality. Write down 3 goals you want to achieve this quarter, focus on them every day and work towards crushing them.
Question yourself, your motivations, and your desires. What do you appreciate? What excites you in the salesroom? Ask questions to uncover what you want to achieve to clarify your motivations. Pick five questions to get started—you may be surprised by what you find.
🎧 Listen to why I love this quote.
This quote reminds us that you have two choices: to focus on the negatives and complexities of being a salesperson or to challenge yourself to overcome every barrier. Which road will you take?
🎧 Why you should always strive to be better.
When Winston Churchill was faced with losing hundreds of thousands of troops on the shores of Dunkirk during WWII, he had one motivation: to get them home safe. This motivation helped him successfully evacuate more than 330,000 of them. The message behind Churchill's quote is simple: if you want something bad enough, keep trying until you figure out a way to get it done.
🎧 More thoughts from me on this.
I love this quote because it reinforces what every great salesperson knows: if you get back up, tomorrow is a new day. No deal can break you and if you keep showing up, eventually you'll land a prospect that makes you forget about past failures.
B.B. King famously taught himself how to play guitar with mail-order instruction books. But even when he made it big, he still stayed humble and practiced his craft. Use this quote to stay grounded and remind yourself there's always room to improve with practice.
🎧 Listen to why you should always work on your skills.
Picture this: you get knocked down, your pipeline is empty or you've had a streak of lost deals. What you do next will decide your path forward. As this quote highlights, if you never give up, you can never be beaten. Determination outweighs failure.
🎧 Why I love this motivational quote.
What do you get out of this quote? For me, it's simple. Even when you crush it and close a huge deal, when you wake up the next day, it's time to get back to work. Your success will hinge on how well you can maintain it.
A great reminder that every win doesn't come easy. Behind it, there's the hustle, where you've worked to improve your sales pitches, improve your outreach efforts, and connect with customers. But there's always room to improve. So ask yourself, what's next on your hustle list?
🎧 Why I think hustling and perspective are connected.
Your confidence to close deals will increase with the more prospects you convert. Think about the sales reps around you. Are they winning? How can you help them be more successful? Surround yourself with success, and it'll eventually rub off.
🎧 My thoughts on surrounding yourself with successful people.
Not every sales lesson will come from a mentor or colleague. Some of the best lessons are from obvious sources, like your intuition, hindsight, and even your prospects. Open your mind up to learning lessons from obvious places, and you'll be a better-rounded salesperson as a result.
🎧 My thoughts on the power of learning lessons.
I love this quote because it reminds us that problems can stay with us for a long time if we don't sort them out immediately. Whether it's a leaky sales funnel or a stale prospecting pitch, a problem that's left will fester and cause problems down the line. This quote teaches us to fix problems early before they do too much damage.
🎧 Listen to more of my thoughts on this quote.
Prospecting and outreach don't always result in closing a deal right then and there. You can make a connection today, and not hear from the person for a year. But if you put in the work to nurture that prospect and earn their trust, eventually, it'll be time to reap the reward.
Only some activities are measurable. Goals help you create timelines for success, but in between those quarterly quotas, what are you aiming for? Focus on creating habits that will set you up for success. Incorporate small changes to your daily routine that will automatically help you reach your goals.
🎧 Here's what I think about creating habits.
I want you to take a look at your to-do list. Is there something on there you've been avoiding, because you're scared to fail? The only way to get over this fear and grow is to tackle it head-on.
🎧 My thoughts on the importance of tackling fear.
You are more than a sales robot to close deals. And that's a good thing. Lean into your human side. Connect with prospects and learn about their story, instead of sticking to a sales script about features and price points.
🎧 Listen to what I have to say about this quote
I want you to think about that nervous energy you get right before you pick up the phone to make a big prospecting call. Now, bottle it up and think about all the good shit that can come from the call if you crush it. See what we just did? We turned that fear into excitement, just with a simple change in our mindset.
🎧 Here's why controlling our mindset can pay off.
Who do you look up to and who would you love to emulate? Use this quote as a goal to stop looking at mentors as distant figures but as someone you can work alongside. Pick just one person you would love to collaborate with and make it your mission to do just that. Email them, call them, or message them on LinkedIn. Start turning your heroes into your peers today.
Take a look at your calendar or to-do list. Is there something on there that you've been putting off because it's too hard? I want you to pick a single item. Rip the band-aid off and just get it done. The weight that will lift off your shoulders once you do so will surprise you.
🎧 Why choosing your hard is a great decision.
Some people say Thomas Edison failed 1,000 times before he invented the lightbulb. Others say it was closer to 2,000 times. And then there's this guy, who claims the actual number is 2,774 times, which is oddly specific. Either way, Mr. Edison was intimately familiar with failure. Guess what? Nobody cares. Why? Because he's the dude who invented the freakin' lightbulb, that's why! If you want to succeed in sales, keep going. Don't give up. You'll get there.
🎧 Hear more about why I never give up.
Are your sales reps scared to implement new sales techniques? Are they comfortable doing the same old, same old—even if it only produces mediocre results? Sounds like they need a dose of Einstein ASAP. Encourage your sales team to try new things and make mistakes. It's the only way to grow. Just make sure they don't make the same mistakes over and over.
🎧 Listen to my thoughts on making mistakes.
What are you scared of in your sales career? Making cold calls? Giving product demos? Implementing new sales techniques? Whatever it is, force yourself to do it today. Then do it again tomorrow. Pretty soon, you won't be afraid anymore, and you'll make more sales as a result.
🎧 Hear what I have to say about overcoming fears.
Michael Jordan is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time. The GOAT, if you will. Did you know that he didn't win his first NBA championship until his seventh season in the league? He tried and failed for years until he finally accomplished that goal. Your sales reps won't win every deal. But like Jordan, they should want to win them all. This is one of the things that separates mediocre reps from great reps. Remind your team of this fact.
🎧 Why wanting to win is so important.
Remind your sales team that they'll never win if they don't begin. Do they want to make a sale today? They're going to have to find a lead to contact, pick up the phone to make a call, and/or send a personalized email. It's the only way. Encourage your reps to get started now.
🎧 Why I always encourage people to just get started.
Let me be honest with you—success is less about talent and more about desire. The people who achieve it aren't necessarily the best. They're the people who wanted it most. The people who didn't feel like doing things, then did them anyway, because they knew it would benefit them. So, what do you not feel like doing right now? Go do it anyway.
🎧 How to do what you don’t feel like doing.
Whether you're setting goals, making cold calls
Whether you’re setting goals, making cold calls, or prepping for negotiations, these inspirational sales quotes will reframe your mind and get you ready to close more deals.
Want to crush your next cold call? Hoping to nail another proposal? Ready to deliver the best product demo of your entire life? It all starts with a bit of positive thinking. Make sure your team has the right attitude when they step on the sales floor. It will make all the difference.
You have a choice. Your sales reps have a choice. We all have a choice. We can decide, right here and now, to motivate ourselves today and work towards our goals. Or we can decide to give in to laziness. Just know that the latter option almost always leads to misery.
🎧 Hear what I think about self-motivation.
The Alchemist, by award-winning author, Paulo Coelho, is an all-timer. The quote above is one of the best lines in the book because it reminds us to count our blessings. Most of us have it pretty good—whether we realize it or not. Once you accept this fact, your mood will improve. And when your mood improves, higher sales numbers are likely to follow.
🎧 Get more of my thoughts on this quote.
What can you do today to level up your skills? Maybe you buy in a killer sales course. Or practice a new sales technique. Or ask your manager for a list of ways to improve. An investment in yourself is never a waste. Always strive to be better.
I'm going to give you a little homework: think about the things in your career that light you up—the tasks you can't get enough of. Now I want you to brainstorm ways to do more of those things. Do you feel pumped after a successful cold call? Make more of them. Are you over the moon when a prospect emails you back? Send more messages. The positive energy you create via these actions will help propel you forward in your sales career.
🎧 More thoughts on how energy relates to your career.
Are you living life in the shadows? Don't do that to yourself! Most of us have a mountain of things to be grateful for. Unfortunately, we don't always take the time to appreciate them. Let's change that today. Realize how blessed you are and let that fuel your entire work day.
🎧 Hear my thoughts on getting out of your own way.
You want to be successful, right? The easiest way to achieve this goal is to create value for others. Once you do that, success will follow. I guarantee it.
🎧 More ideas on creating value.
We're taught to never break our promises. Unfortunately, we do it all the time—maybe not to other people, but to ourselves. Remember when you promised yourself that you'd exercise more? Or lose weight? Or stop binge-watching Stranger Things? Then life happened… It's time to recommit, my friend. Think of a work-related promise today and keep it.
🎧 My thoughts on committing to yourself.
Think about your sales career: what's been stressing you out? If you're new to sales, maybe it's the cold calls you have to make. If you've been in the game a while, maybe it's asking your boss for a raise. The best way to banish anxiety is to take action. Stop thinking about what you have to do (and everything that could go wrong) and start working.
🎧 How to set aside anxiety and take action.
Raise your hand if there's a perfectionist on your sales team. These folks do great work, but it often takes them forever to get projects done. Encourage your reps to complete jobs—even if they aren't the highest quality. A slightly awkward cold call is better than no cold call. A sent proposal is better than the amazing, but half-finished one that's still on their computer.
🎧 Hear more about fighting perfectionism in sales.
If Mister Rogers said it, it's bonafide truth. End of story. Use this quote to encourage your sales reps when they get down. Did they just lose a sale? They can take what they've learned from the experience and land another client. Did they miss quota? They can commit to implementing a new sales technique next month to improve their sales numbers.
🎧 My thoughts on this sales quote.
Remember that sale you blew last quarter? Maybe you used the wrong sales technique. Or came on too strong and scared the prospect away. Guess what, it doesn't matter anymore. Your past doesn't equal your future. Don't let yesterday's mistakes drag you down.
🎧 Why looking to the future is better than looking to the past.
Your worries are holding you back. Kick them to the curb. Here's how: think about the things that are stressing you out; then ask yourself, "If what I'm worried about comes true, what's the worst thing that will happen?" The answer probably isn't as bad as you think.
🎧 How I combat worries in sales.
Remind your reps that they hold their futures in their hands. Today is bursting with possibilities. If they seize the opportunity in front of them, they'll achieve success.
🎧 Hear more about starting fresh from today.
College is fine and dandy. But if you stop learning when you graduate, you'll only go so far in your career. Read sales blogs like this one on a regular basis. Buy books from industry experts. Invest in courses to sharpen your skills. Do what you have to do to acquire knowledge. Why? Because knowledge is the foundation of success.
🎧 Hear what else I have to say about formal vs. self-education.
Who are you competing with? The only correct answer is, "Myself." Focus on being better than you were yesterday. If you hold yourself to a high standard, you're more likely to win.
🎧 My advice on competing with yourself.
Are you living someone else's life? Be honest with yourself. Most of us waste time doing what we think other people want us to do, rather than doing what we really want, deep down. What does this have to do with sales? When you become your authentic self, your sales will grow.
🎧 Hear what else I think about being true to yourself.
Repeat after me, I am not a victim. You are where you are in life because of the choices you've made. That's it. This is good news—it means that you have no limits. Decide where you want to go, then make strategic decisions to get there. No one can stop you.
🎧 Why decisions produce who we are.
Perfection is a myth. Chasing it is a fool's errand. Instead, focus on getting stuff done. Just make sure that the stuff you do today is a little bit better than the stuff you did yesterday. That way you can look back in a year and think, "Wow, I've really come a long way!"
🎧 More thoughts on making progress.
It doesn't matter how old you are. You can always set new goals, dream new dreams, and work to achieve awesome, crazy things. Don't let your age hold you back. Is there something you want in your sales career? Go pursue it with everything you've got in you.
🎧 What I think about setting goals.
Want to accomplish a big, audacious goal? Focus on establishing good habits for yourself. Once you establish a routine for success, you're much more likely to achieve it.
🎧 Hear what else I have to say about habits.
Most sales reps are ambitious. They got into this game to make money—piles and piles of money. Unfortunately, they'll never make the bag if they don't value themselves first. So, encourage your sales team today. Help them develop a positive attitude about themselves. Doing so will allow them to sell better, achieve more, and propel your company forward.
🎧 Why I believe self-worth is so important in sales.
Remind your sales team that the moves they make today have the power to improve their tomorrow, and the tomorrow after, and the tomorrow after that. It doesn't matter if they're prospecting or implementing a new sales strategy, their actions have consequences. They just need to make sure that the actions they take have the positive impact they're hoping for.
🎧 Hear my advice on seizing the day.
You've probably spent a ton of time studying top sellers. When was the last time you studied yourself? Try it today. Record your sales calls, remember your interactions with colleagues, etc. Then, before you go to sleep tonight, reflect. What could you have done better? If you do this, you'll be able to identify your greatest weaknesses and fix them.
Use this quote to encourage self-discipline throughout your sales team. Yes, it can be annoying, but disciplined people achieve more and regret less. At the end of the day, the small discomforts caused by discipline are much preferable to the heavy weight of regret.
🎧 My thoughts on avoiding regret through discipline.
A career in sales is a wild ride. If you're not careful, you'll spend so much time rescheduling canceled appointments, putting out client fires, etc. that you'll never have time for more meaningful work. No bueno. Fight against this by taking a look at your calendar and structuring your day in a way that will be most beneficial to you.
🎧 Learn how I like to run my day.
Take 30 seconds to visualize your future. Then ask your sales team to do the same. While this may seem a little woo-woo to some people, the exercise can help produce extraordinary results. Why? Because you'll never get where you want to go if you don't know what you're trying to achieve. Visualization can help with this. Give it a try.
Adversity isn't the enemy. It can help us push harder and achieve more. It can also teach us about who we really are, which will show us the areas in our life in which we need to improve. Remember this the next time you (or your sales reps) have a tough day.
🎧 How I use adversity to improve.
Did you leave the office yesterday, just because it was 5 pm? Are you planning your next vacation, just because you always travel this time of year? Stop this nonsense and promise yourself that you'll only rest when you truly deserve it. This mindset will inspire you to work harder. After all, if you don't, you'll never get to kick back and relax like you want to.
🎧 Why I believe you should deserve your rest.
Earl Nightingale, "The Dean" as he was affectionately known, had it right. If you think you're a loser, you're going to become a loser. If you think you're an amazing salesperson who's going to crush it every day, you're going to become an amazing salesperson who crushes it. Pay attention to how you think so that you can subconsciously influence the person you turn into.
🎧 Why thinking leads to being.
Bad sales day? Maybe you blew a call with a top prospect. Or lost an important and lucrative account. Or haven't been able to find quality leads to contact—even though you've been working on it for hours. You may feel like quitting. Before you do, remember why you got into sales in the first place. Your why will keep you going when things get tough.
🎧 My thoughts on how salespeople can use this sales quote.
If anyone knows about earning more, it's Warren Buffet. The dude is worth $100 Billion. According to him, high net worth is directly related to one's willingness to learn. So read blogs, buy books, invest in online courses—do whatever you can to acquire knowledge. Your bank account depends on it.
🎧 Why learning more equals earning more.
Knowing how to successfully interact with a prospect is a key skill for sales reps, and something that involves empathy and good communication skills. See some great quotes to improve your people skills and get past a bad conversation.
Think about the attitude of the prospect. What do they want from sales reps like you? Probably honest information, friendly advice, and to use you as a sounding board. In other words, they want your support. Give it to them before they buy anything from you and your chances of making a sale will skyrocket.
Can you do me a favor? Be a good person and do the right thing. For example, when talking with prospects, be honest about your product's capabilities. Don't lie and overpromise. Just tell the truth and act with integrity. Everyone you meet will appreciate it. Guaranteed.
Who pisses you off? Is it your boss? One of your sales reps? Maybe it's a difficult customer. Whoever it is, ask yourself, "Why does this person irritate me so much?" Your answer will tell you a lot about you. This information can then be used to improve yourself.
🎧 How I use irritation to learn about myself.
If you want to make sales, you have to tap into prospect emotions. Why? Because they won't remember exactly what you said about the product you're trying to sell. Or every little detail during the demonstration you gave. They will remember that sense of relief, though, when you talked about product benefits that address their pain points. So, talk more about that.
So much of sales is about mindset. You have to be confident, want to win, and never give up. You also need to adopt an attitude of giving. If you help other people get what they want, you're bound to succeed. Keep that in mind during your next sales call.
Before you make that first sales call or send that first email today, think about the things that connect you to the person you're about to reach out to. What do you have in common with them? There's magic in connection. Use it to close more deals.
🎧 Why I believe connection creates deals.
Every salesperson knows it: if your prospects know, like, and trust you, you'll make more sales. The question is, how do you achieve know, like, and trust with potential customers? It's pretty simple: stay in touch, be yourself, and keep your promises. Remind your sales reps to do these things every morning and your company's sales numbers will likely improve.
Well, if Iron Man said it… Here's the deal: people are going to impose their ideas, agendas, and limitations on you. Maybe consciously, maybe unconsciously. Either way, it's going to happen. You need to stay the course and do what you know is the right thing for you.
🎧 My thoughts on staying on course.
As sales professionals, we spend a lot of time trying to be clever. We think about the perfect sales strategies, wonder how to optimize our email templates, and worry that our demonstrations aren't quite up to snuff. What if you put all of that stuff to the side for a moment and just tried to be kind to your prospects? You might be surprised by the results you achieve.
🎧 Hear what else I have to say about being kind.
Think about your sales career and all of the things you have to be thankful for. Your colleagues and customers, the CRM tool you use on a daily basis—all of it. Take a moment to really appreciate these people and things. Gratitude is a great way to start the day.
To find success you need to be decisive. Don't hem and haw over every decision. Give each one a clear yes or no and move on with your life. Then encourage your prospects to do the same. Don't let them sit on the fence for weeks. Ask them for a clear answer.
🎧 Hear what else I think about a Maybe.
You know what's great about hard work? Most people don't want to do it. Those who are willing to go the extra mile will jump way ahead of the competition. Use this quote to motivate your sales reps. The extra effort they put in today will benefit them in the future.
🎧 Why going the extra mile works.
Bob Burg, the co-author of the "Go-Giver" book series, is pretty well-known in sales and marketing circles. After reading this quote, you can probably guess why. Dude has a lot of wisdom to share. This gem is specifically potent for salespeople. Want to win your prospect's trust and influence them to buy your stuff? Listen to their needs. It's that simple.
Setting up a sales strategy involves researching the analytics behind your current process, understanding where you can make adjustments, creating or updating sales enablement resources, and more.
If this all seems a bit daunting, here are some motivational sales quotes to help you get in the right frame of mind to set up a winning sales strategy.
Are you trying to "make more sales" every day? Maybe you need to rethink your approach. Focus on doing the little things right—qualifying prospects, optimizing your cold call scripts, and following up consistently and timely—and more sales will naturally follow.
It's pretty simple: don't be a motivated idiot. Make sure you're always educating yourself, honing your craft, and improving your skill sets. Then make sure your reps do the same.
🎧 Hear my thoughts on this sales quote.
Ask your reps, "What can you do today to change the direction of your career?" They're not going to become world-busting sellers overnight. But they can start taking steps towards that goal today if they put the work in right now. They may just need a bit of motivation.
🎧 Why changing your direction works.
Depending on your industry, it may take years to become a proficient seller. And when you do, you'll be just as good as, well, everyone else. Why not change the game and accelerate things for yourself? Try new sales strategies. Target different niches. Stand out from the crowd so that you can achieve more success in less time.
Most dreams are far off, impossible things. Because of this, it's easy to think about them, but never take action. Today, break your biggest, most outrageous dreams down into to-do items. Then turn each to-do item into a goal. See if that helps you make progress in life.
A career in sales got you down? Maybe you're overcomplicating things. Go back to basics and streamline your workflows. A dose of simplicity might be exactly what you need.
🎧 Why I believe in simplicity.
If you really want to succeed in sales, you need to work on you. Take time for self-reflection. Ask your manager for tips to improve. Study the best sellers to learn their tricks. These things will make you aware of your shortcomings. Once you realize them, you can fix them.
Does your team spend all its time finding new customers? Don't neglect the people who have already bought from you in the past. If you don't prioritize their experience with your brand, they'll find another company who will. Remind your sales reps to give current customers the same level of attention that they give the prospects they want to close—maybe more.
🎧 My thoughts on caring for your customers.
Are you exactly where you want to be in life? Since you're reading these motivational sales quotes, I'm going to guess the answer is no. That means you need to make a change. You'll never achieve more if you keep doing the same things you've always done.
🎧 My thoughts on doing things differently.
Get started. Take the next step. Move your life and career forward. Preparation is important, but if it becomes something that delays your progress, cut it out.
We all want to get "there" faster. But you need to actually know where "there" is first. If you don't you'll never achieve your goals. So take a moment and ask yourself, "What do I really want to accomplish?" Then take daily action towards that goal.
🎧 What I think about knowing where you’re going.
Cool quote, but how does it apply to sales? Don't charge ahead blindly with your sales team. Make strategic decisions on a daily basis that will get you where you want to go. I'm all for hard work and productivity, but you need to work smart at the same time.
🎧 Learn my thoughts on precision and timing.
Every second you spend complaining allows your competition to get ahead of you. Strike "it can't be done" from your vocabulary and figure out solutions to your problems.
🎧 Why I never say it can’t be done.
If you fear failure, you'll never experience true success. You have to put yourself out there and take risks—both in sales and in life. Yes, you're going to miss once in a while. But you're going to hit your mark a bunch of times, too. So, encourage your sales reps to take their shot.
🎧 My thoughts on taking the shot.
Do you manage sales reps? And are some of those sales reps newbies? This is the quote for them! Remind new reps that it's okay to make mistakes, as long as they're trying new things and experimenting with different approaches. Just ask them to refrain from making the same mistakes more than once. That one gets old fast.
As a sales rep, you need to make sales calls to close deals. As a professional, you need to make decisions to advance your career. This quote applies to both scenarios. Make the call so that you can make progress towards your goals, whatever they happen to be.
🎧 Taking action is making progress.
Where you start doesn't matter. I'll take it a step further: when you start doesn't matter. Just start. You can figure out the details later. But if you never get your show on the road, you'll never achieve your dreams. Put away the excuses and start today.
🎧 Hear what I think about beginning.
You probably won't become your company's top seller in the next 12 months. But who knows? A decade from now, you might own your own business and be living the high life. Use this quote to remind yourself to play the long game. Consistent baby steps are powerful.
🎧 Why your estimates are probably wrong.
Prospecting, sales calls, and CRM upkeep are important things. But if that's all you do every day, you won't get anywhere meaningful. Make time to work on your business, or if you're not a business owner, your sales career. What does this look like? Strategizing for the future, investing in self-education, and purchasing tools to improve productivity are a few ideas.
🎧 How sales pros can work on their business.
When you’re working at the same job day in and day out, it’s normal to get into a rut.
When you feel like quitting: think about why you started (and turn back to your favorite sales motivation quote for inspiration).
Need more help to keep your team motivated and on track? Get our free Sales Enablement Kit to set them up for success: