About the Book
Contrary to many predictions, there is growing demand for highly skilled sales jobs in the modern economy. Whether you're a salesperson or a knowledge worker, knowing how to influence corporate buyers has become a critical skill. But most sales books tend to be narrow and prescriptive. They focus only on tactics and tools rather than principles and mindset that can re-define your approach.
This book offers a fresh perspective. In plain and direct language, the author shows what it means to become a Strategist, a Change Agent, and a Decision Architect. Referencing the most important research and a wide assortment of field experiences, The Sales MBA explains how companies compete, how organizations evolve, and how people decide.
Whether you sell to companies or lead others who do, this book will strengthen your credibility as a trusted advisor.
Praise for The Sales MBA
“As someone who deeply values sales frameworks and processes, The Sales MBA helped me return to the first principles of sales success, think about the bigger picture, and expand my creativity. If you’re an enterprise seller or you lead teams of enterprise sellers, The Sales MBA is a must-read.”
— Diana Luu
Country Manager, LinkedIn Canada
“Other authors address this topic by giving you nothing more than a list of tips and pointers. Cole provides plenty of practical tactics, but he also helps you develop the habits of mind that are critical to success. After reading his book, you will know how to influence your customer’s decisions, steer your customer’s organization, and connect your offerings to your customer’s competitive strategy, all in the service of delivering value to your customer. Adopt this mindset, and the other elements of sales flow naturally from there.”
— John Beshears
Co-Chair, Behavioral Economics Executive Education Program, Harvard Business School
“The Sales MBA is a must-read for anyone looking to hone their craft as a seller in today’s increasingly complex and evolving B2B sales environment. From theory to academia to research to practical examples, The Sales MBA will give you a crash course in digestible and impactful principles and ideas that will help you understand human psychology and business decision-making. Most essentially, it shows you how to be more effective as a partner to your customers—the key to success as a B2B seller.”
— Alyssa Merwin Henderson
Vice President, Global Sales Solutions, LinkedIn
“As an executive working in strategy and business development for twenty years, it’s refreshing to read Cole’s work on sales: jargon-free, practical, and grounded in strategic frameworks that can change your sales trajectory by getting a lot more out of your team and your clients. Cole’s focus on building trust by resetting client engagement around really understanding their strategy is a powerful core insight I’m applying with clients now.”
— David Knight Legg
Founding CEO, Invest Alberta