Closing the Deal: How Upskilling and Community Give Sales Reps the Competitive Edge
Sales professionals are adapting to a world with more competition and fewer resources. At the same time, customers have higher expectations than ever, with nearly three-quarters expecting companies to grasp their unique needs. These obstacles are putting the onus on sellers to become more efficient, productive, and engaging.
It’s hard for any individual sales rep to meet the demands of the day on their own. At Salesforce, we saw a glaring need for a community where anyone in the sales industry — from those just launching their careers to seasoned leaders — could upskill, connect with others, and advance their careers.
That’s why we launched Salesblazer. Together with sales professionals around the world, we’re building the largest and most successful community for sales.
That’s why we launched Salesblazer. Together with sales professionals around the world, we’re building the largest and most successful community for sales.
Salesblazer is an inclusive community that enables all sales professionals to learn and adapt to the jobs of today and the future. Sellers can gain skills through carefully curated learning paths on Trailhead, Salesforce’s free online learning platform, as well as receive advice from top sales influencers, experts, and peers. A Sales Representative Certification helps members grow and demonstrate their skills across planning, customer engagement, deal management, pipeline management, forecasting, and customer success.
Salesblazer is also a space where sales professionals can share expertise and tips, mentor one another, and build connections to grow their careers and drive prosperity for their organizations.
Salesblazers find inspiration in the people around them
Two inspiring members of our Salesblazer Community drive home the power of continuous learning and the strength of community. Joshua Turner is a sales executive with nearly two decades of experience in sales and marketing. He worked his way up to VP of national sales and marketing at an advertising firm before becoming a senior sales executive at Trifecta Technologies, a Salesforce consulting and implementation firm.
Despite his expertise as a sales leader, Turner knew he could benefit from honing his skills and connecting with other professionals through Salesblazer. He took advantage of training modules and tutorials to boost product knowledge and sales techniques, and learn more about generative AI. He also used the platform to connect with a broader network.
“The community provides an opportunity for continuous learning, collaboration, and personal growth, from people who are also facing the same situations,” he said. Overall, he sees Salesblazer as not only a way to “boost your performance and achieve greater success” in your current role, but also “a valuable tool to help you grow your career.”
Meghan Perez, a sales manager for GrubHub, has also found value in building her knowledge base and learning from peers and experts. After joining the food delivery platform as a sales rep in 2017, Perez became one of the company’s first remote sales managers in 2020.
Perez turned to Salesblazer to help grow her skills as a leader, including coaching, forecasting, and fostering a positive team culture. “No matter where you are in your sales career, Salesblazer has the resources available to guide you in continued development,” she said.
Beyond building up knowledge, Perez says that the opportunity to participate in discussions, attend networking events, and forge bonds with sales professionals of all backgrounds is giving her a leg up in her career. “Through networking in this community, I have individuals outside of my company I can connect with for additional guidance and support,” she said.
For example, after being exposed to content and conversations on generative AI through Salesblazer, Perez is looking for ways to innovate on her team and explained, “I’m excited about the opportunity to incorporate AI technology into our sales processes.”
I’m excited about the opportunity to incorporate AI technology into our sales processes.
Empowering sales professionals to drive growth
At a time of uncertainty, rapid change, and increasing pressure, it’s up to businesses to ensure that their sales teams have what they need to be successful. With three in four global workers lacking in-demand digital skills, business leaders should prioritize equipping sales reps with the resources they need.
By helping sales professionals access skills and support, companies can ensure that they close more deals — and keep their business thriving and resilient.
Explore further
- Visit Salesblazer.com and join the Salesblazer Community to learn, connect, and grow with sales professionals around the world
- Dive into the latest research on the sales profession here
