Peter Ahn, a seasoned tech sales coach and co-host of the "Decoding Sales" podcast, has carved a niche in the industry with his philosophy of authentic selling. Drawing from over 15 years of experience at giants like Google, Dropbox, and Slack, Ahn champions a human-centric approach that prioritizes genuine relationships and value creation over aggressive tactics. His teachings, shared through his podcast, writings, and coaching, offer a refreshing perspective for sales professionals and entrepreneurs alike.

On Authenticity and Trust

  1. "Sales isn't about closing deals—it's about opening relationships." [1] This core tenet of Ahn's philosophy emphasizes the long-term value of building trust.
  2. "Honesty always wins, transparency always wins, and enterprise sales is a trust exercise." [2] A powerful reminder from a multi-million dollar deal negotiation.
  3. "People still buy from people they trust." [3] Even with identical products, trust is the differentiator.
  4. "Find your authentic sales voice." [1] Ahn encourages sales professionals to embrace their unique identity and culture in their sales approach. [4]
  5. "Shed the pushy tactics and feel the power of unlocking your authentic sales voice." [4] A call to move beyond aggressive sales stereotypes.
  6. "If you're not confident, people are going to sense that right away." [2] Confidence in yourself and your product is paramount.
  7. "It's unacceptable to lie to your customers." [5] Ahn's straightforward take on a fundamental ethical principle in sales.
  8. "Even if there's a 1% risk of them finding out you lied, that breaks a ton of trust." [5] The potential fallout from dishonesty is never worth the short-term gain.
  9. "Embrace your authentic values while finding unique ways to execute sales frameworks." [6] A practical approach to integrating personal values with established sales methodologies.
  10. "A lot of what I focus on is how do we untangle some of the stereotypes and truly have you enjoy sales." [3] Ahn's mission is to make sales a more fulfilling profession.

On Sales Strategy and Process

  1. "Don't try to sell things first, try to provide value around a pain point you think somebody has." [2] Value creation should always precede the sales pitch.
  2. "Gain their trust first." [2] This is a recurring and foundational step in Ahn's sales process.
  3. "It's a give and take relationship. Give something of value first before you ask for a meeting." [2] This demonstrates a commitment to the prospect's success.
  4. "Often times a lot of founders, they go way too broad, and you can't sell the world if you're a startup." [2] The importance of defining a niche and ideal customer profile.
  5. "The first thing I get founders to do is write down you know what's the company size that's ideal, what's the title, you know what is the revenue... write everything down in detail." [2] A practical first step for any startup.
  6. "You have to be a lot more intentional about thinking about where are people talking about the problem you solve." [2] A modern approach to prospecting that goes beyond cold emailing.
  7. "We don't engage in pricing wars with our competitors… We'd rather focus on the value you're receiving." [6] A strategy to shift conversations from price to value.
  8. "Effective modern day negotiations are collaborative." [6] Viewing negotiation as a partnership rather than a battle.
  9. "Your vision is just as important, if not sometimes more important than your product." [3] Especially for early-stage startups, selling the future is key.
  10. "The best salespeople are technologists who see meaningful trends happening today." [7] A call for salespeople to be students of the industry and technology.
  11. "Think deliberately and thoughtfully about how your platform or tool fits into large paradigm shifts in technology, not pitching your solution at all costs." [7] A strategic approach to positioning your product.
  12. "You need to seek out innovators if you're a startup or you're an underdog." [2] Aligning with buyers who are open to new solutions is crucial.
  13. "No leads to more clarity." [3] Don't be afraid to hear "no" as it helps refine your focus.
  14. "Instead of thinking my product is too early, you should start thinking my vision can truly sell." [3] A mindset shift for founders of young companies.
  15. "You should charge off of the value of your product, not the size of your pipeline." [3] Pricing should be based on the impact you deliver.

On Communication and Pitching

  1. "Sales is a lot about education as well, so if you're able to confidently educate your prospects, you'll do very well in sales." [2] Position yourself as an expert and a teacher.
  2. "Instead of saying 'yes we can build that,' you should say something like 'we don't have that right now but when we do build it, we're thinking about approaching it this way. Is not having that feature today a showstopper for you?'" [3] A more honest and insightful way to handle feature requests.
  3. "You got to start asking these questions because you'll realize that your road map can stay clear and consistent as much as possible." [3] Asking clarifying questions prevents over-promising.
  4. "Restating your value really helps to align on the true drivers of the deal." [3] A simple yet powerful negotiation tactic.
  5. "I think the price is fair because of the value and impact we talked about at the beginning of this call." [3] A direct way to anchor the price discussion in value.
  6. "Can I ask how you think about pricing?" [3] This opens up a collaborative discussion about pricing.
  7. "A sale shouldn't be 'us vs. them' but 'how can we work together so we all win.'" [6] Fostering a collaborative spirit throughout the sales process.
  8. "I want to learn how to bridge the gap, I want to learn how to bridge misunderstandings." [2] Ahn's aspirational view of the sales profession's potential.
  9. "If you're good at sales, you can understand how to negotiate with countries as well right if you're a diplomat." [2] Highlighting the transferable skills of a great salesperson.
  10. "You have to think about adding value before asking for time." [2] A key principle for earning a prospect's attention.

On Mindset and Personal Growth

  1. "My main takeaway has been that there is a wealth of knowledge in the world, and it is important to always be learning." [8] A quote from a different Peter Ahn (a student-athlete), but a universally applicable learning.
  2. "Put your head down and work for it, whatever that 'it' may be." [8] Another piece of advice from the student-athlete Peter Ahn, embodying dedication.
  3. "I'm very passionate about helping founders and sales folks build the confidence to deliver authentic sales experiences that generate tangible results!" [9] Ahn's personal mission statement.
  4. "Have confidence in your passion and embrace the disruption." [7] A message of encouragement for those introducing innovative products.
  5. "As part of understanding that your platform is introducing new paradigms in technology, you need to get comfortable with the reality that some buyers and IT leaders won't be on board." [7] The necessity of resilience in the face of resistance.
  6. "That's OK because technology shifts happen when most aren't looking and the early innovators will become technology leaders thanks to their foresight." [7] A long-term perspective on market adoption.
  7. "Sales is the most important part of this...And the process when you're building a startup and that that is the time that you should really be spending and actually personalizing your messages." [10] A reminder for founders about the critical role of sales.
  8. "You can be busy, but not productive." [10] A caution against mistaking activity for progress.
  9. "What I ended up realizing is, is that you can go through as many contacts as possible, but you end up realizing how much like waste you're actually putting out there, right?" [10] A critique of the mass-blasting approach to outreach.
  10. "When you're not coming across authentic from the very beginning, then people will understand that. They recognize it and then they realize that you're just out to get something." [10] The transparency of inauthentic intentions.
  11. "You have to put them in a state where they feel comfortable at buying, and if they don't trust you, then why are they gonna end up doing the deal in the first place?" [10] The emotional component of the buying decision.
  12. "Don't feel pressure that you have to do it immediately." [10] The importance of patience in building rapport.
  13. "Peter's new thoughts on BANT and MEDDIC as discovery and sales qualification frameworks." [11] Ahn is open to evolving his thinking on established sales methodologies.
  14. "Why Salesforce may not be the best CRM to start with if you're an early stage founder." [11] Ahn challenges conventional wisdom and offers context-specific advice.
  15. "The changing archetype of what makes a great first sales hire." [11] Acknowledging that the ideal sales profile evolves with the market.

Sources:

Learn more:

  1. Learn from Peter Ahn - Regimen
  2. How to Become Great at Startup SalesㅣPeter Ahn - YouTube
  3. Peter Ahn - This coach teaches tech sales mentality hacks - YouTube
  4. Unlocking Authentic Sales by Peter Ahn - Goodreads
  5. Episode 45: Lying to customers - Decoding Sales
  6. Community — Peter Ahn
  7. The best salespeople are technologists | by Peter Ahn - Medium
  8. Peter Ahn - LinkedIn - Clay.earth
  9. Book with Peter Ahn - Intro.co
  10. Episode 46: Authentic founder-led outbound that works with Mason Fuerst (CEO, Motiv)
  11. Episodes - Decoding Sales
  12. Peter Ahn