Nothing happens ’til somebody sells something.
A DOCUMENTARY BY SALESFORCE
ABOUT
Sales is a profession with dignity and significance, but it doesn’t always get the respect it deserves. The Story of Sales explores the history, evolution, complexity, contribution, and future of sales. Experts, authors, and real life salespeople explore how sales has impacted humanity, and how the profession has impacted them.
CHAPTERS
Intro & Chapter 1
What is Sales?
Our documentary begins by defining sales and describing its place in business and society. We meet a B2B salesperson and get to know a modern car sales team bucking the stereotype.
Chapter 2
The Evolution of Sales
Next, we explore the origins of sales, from ancient times through the modern era in the U.S. We’re introduced to a 4-generation family farming business and learn how they were founded on sales.
Chapter 3
Educating Salespeople
How do you learn how to sell, and what options are there for education and training? We visit a university with a unique program for training the next generation of salespeople. We also catch up with our B2B salesperson in her daily routine.
Chapter 4
What Makes a Great Salesperson
Our experts weigh in on the stereotypes and how the best salespeople overcome them. We meet a real estate agent and learn about her work-life balance, and hear about the qualities and habits of great sales reps and managers.
Chapter 5
Making a Connection
Now that we know what a great salesperson does, we explore the art and science of making a connection and building trust. We spend more time with our farmers and learn about the importance of building a customer relationship.
Chapter 6
Technology’s Impact on Sales
Our experts next explore the impact that technology has made on sales; the advantage it can give, and the potential dangers. We spend time with a sales development team at a tech startup and see the result of a sales process at the car dealership.
Chapter 7
The Future of Sales
Given all the talk about tech and the promise of AI, our experts weigh in on the future of sales. We join our B2B Salesperson one last time as she prepares for family vacation while closing a big deal.
Chapter 8
Sales is Great
We conclude our journey through sales with some final thoughts from our experts on the reasons they think sales is a valuable and noble profession.