What makes a great salesperson

Tony says the gap between good and average is tenacity. Resilient people can take setbacks. Others "get setbacks and it sends them off a cliff.

"He pairs that with discipline, which he calls being a "lazy salesperson." That means using every tool you have: your CRM, your notes and your follow-ups. He also stresses listening. You have "two ears and one mouth," and customers now research you before you walk in.

Be adaptable, but know your core. Tony has walked away from deals that didn't sit right with him or his business

Leading and building a team

Moving from top salesperson to leader meant learning to "slow down to speed up." That means understanding what motivates each person and putting "round pegs in round holes." Great salespeople don't automatically make great managers.

When hiring, Tony takes candidates for a coffee. Away from the formal interview, "the guard comes down." He also gives a little constructive criticism to see how they react, because that shows how they'll handle the tough stretches.

His culture-building approach is simple and low-cost:

- Quarterly town halls that share wins and losses
- An optional team night out each quarter
- A thank-you email naming individuals, which "costs nothing but your time"

He also asks salespeople to "just say yes, with an asterisk." Be keen, but check first when a promise could cause problems for operations.

Winning customers without racing to the bottom

Tony has never worked for the cheapest provider. He competes on service quality, reliable delivery, accurate paperwork, customer data access and transparency. When a customer can pick up the phone and get help, that matters more than being 10% cheaper.

Marketing gives sales a warm start. His tips are a strong LinkedIn presence, SEO and PPC, and branded touchpoints. He also suggests asking every new lead "where did you hear about us?" and logging the answer.

His advice for people starting out is to be confident but humble. Learn how the business delivers what you sell, and use every tool available, including AI, with "a pinch of salt."

‍Listen to the full conversation with Tony McPartland and Jason Windle.