Consultants get paid to have opinions. They're the experts you bring in when you need perspective, when the answer isn't obvious, when you need someone to tell you what they think.
Salespeople get paid to have solutions. They match problems with products, needs with features, pain with relief. It's transactional, measurable, quotable.
But the best salespeople? They get paid to have relationships.
Here's the thing about relationships—they can't be rushed. They can't be scripted. They can't be automated or outsourced or squeezed into a quarterly target.
The best salespeople know something that metrics miss: They diagnose before they prescribe. Like a doctor who actually listens before reaching for the prescription pad. They understand before they recommend. Not just what you say you need, but why you need it, what you've tried before, what kept you up last night.
They serve before they sell. Service isn't a department—it's a posture. It's showing up with value before there's a contract. It's sending the article that helps, making the introduction that matters, solving the small problem that builds trust for the big one.
The commission might come from the sale. That's this month's scorecard. But the career comes from the consultation. That's the compound interest of trust, referrals, and relationships that transcend companies and products.
Sales Tip: Before your next sales call, spend 10 minutes researching one non-business aspect of your prospect's interests or recent achievements. Reference it authentically in conversation. Watch how the dynamic shifts from vendor-to-prospect to human-to-human. That shift is where real business happens.