Sales Is a Journey of Constant Learning — But Certain Fundamentals Never Change

 

Even after over two decades in sales, I often find myself asking: What’s the right formula to crack a deal? Having spent most of my career in B2B media sales, I’ve realised there’s no single path to success — but there are key principles that remain constant, no matter how much you grow or evolve.

Let me rewind to my early days. I began my journey with the Business Publications Division (BPD) of The Indian Express, tasked with selling ad space in a newly launched publication. There was no structured training. I was simply handed a tabloid and asked to get business. I didn’t even know which industries to target. I was told to accompany a colleague with a few years of experience — he pitched confidently and, when we walked out, casually told me the circulation figures he quoted were inflated. “That’s how you make a sale,” he said. That was my first lesson.

My first assignment was to sell classified ads. I was told bluntly that if I didn’t fill the page, I’d be let go. I managed to sell just one ad — but somehow, they decided to retain me. Through trial and error, I began learning the nuances of B2B media sales. We were a new player in a space dominated by established competitors, and initially, we weren’t even taken seriously. That experience made me consider switching to a more established competitor, thinking a stronger product would make selling easier. While it did open more doors, I also realised that overpromising — especially on circulation — might win you short-term business, but erodes trust over time. It’s much harder to win back a lost client than to retain one.

Eventually, I got a break with CyberMedia, a leading IT media company that held a near-monopoly. Here, sales wasn’t difficult because the brand did the heavy lifting. But expectations were high — and so were the targets. Once the low-hanging fruit was gone, the real challenge began. That’s when I learned the importance of moving beyond the standard pitch. You need to understand your client, their industry, and take a solutions-oriented approach. Building genuine rapport helps your clients listen to you, trust your ideas, and become open to upselling and cross-selling.

When I left B2B media for a few years and later rejoined CyberMedia, I found the industry had changed dramatically. Though clients remembered me, I had lost touch. The company had also lost its leadership position. I had to learn the new rules of the game. Being in a leadership position gave me access to decision-makers internally, but I realised that unless I also built strong relationships at the client’s senior level, I wouldn’t be adding significant value. I found myself talking to the same profiles my team was already engaging — and that limited our impact. Meanwhile, our competitors were far ahead in every aspect.

Later, when I returned to Indian Express (BPD), the organisation had become much more structured. I was now in a position to apply everything I had learned. With strong rapport and a deeper understanding of both the organisation and clients, I wasn’t just closing regular business — I was upselling. In fact, we began getting proactive queries from clients looking to do more with us. But while growth from existing clients is crucial, it’s not always consistent. To scale, we needed new clients — and not just any clients, but high-value ones who could bring in larger deals.

During a brief stint with 9.9 Media, I learned another important lesson: Format matters. Clients are always looking for differentiated ways to engage their audiences. Many clients are already deeply embedded in their existing partner ecosystems. To win their attention — and their dollars — we need to help them break into new accounts or go deeper into existing ones. That means aligning our pitch to their business objectives and rethinking our formats. This shift taught me the importance of innovation in both approach and audience profiling.

Over the years, formats, client expectations, and the media landscape have evolved — but a few fundamentals have remained constant:

• Stay connected with your clients.

• Tap them consistently across multiple projects.

• Customize your offering based on your understanding of their needs.

• Be persistent in your follow-ups — until they explicitly say no.

• Focus on hot prospects without ignoring those who haven’t yet declined.

• Keep reaching higher within the client organization — decision-makers matter.

• Suggest new ideas, new formats, and remain solutions-focused.

As you gain experience, you add tools to your sales arsenal — new formats, fresh insights, sharper strategies. But never lose sight of the core values that define a successful salesperson:

• Faith in your abilities

• A never-give-up attitude

• The strength to move on from setbacks

• And most importantly, the belief: Yes, I can do it.