Sales Skills Are Life Skills!® — and They’re Not Just for Salespeople.
Communication. Negotiation. Problem-solving. These aren’t just sales skills—they’re life skills. Whether you're leading a team, influencing decisions, or building stronger relationships, the ability to sell ideas effectively is essential for success.
That’s the foundation of Ascend Commercial Solutions’ Sales Skills Are Life Skills!® program. Designed specifically for non-sales professionals, this immersive half-day workshop sharpens the essential techniques needed to navigate conversations, overcome objections, and make a lasting impact.
The Sales Misconception—A Personal Lesson
Like many professionals outside of sales, I once misunderstood what selling truly meant. Early in my manufacturing career, I imagined sales as flashy presentations and high-pressure tactics—plaid jackets, big smiles, and convincing people to buy things they didn’t need. It felt irrelevant to my role.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
True salesmanship is about solving problems, building relationships, and creating value. Looking back, I wish I had developed these skills while leading production operations and managing supply chains. The ability to communicate persuasively, negotiate effectively, and handle objections would have helped me better influence stakeholders, navigate complex challenges, and drive better outcomes.
At its core, selling is communication, and communication is the foundation of every relationship - personal or professional. Whether you're advocating an idea, leading a team, negotiating a salary, or making strategic decisions, mastering sales skills equips you to succeed in any field.
Sales Skills Beyond Sales: Why Every Role Benefits
Sales isn’t just for salespeople—it’s a fundamental business skill that empowers professionals across departments to engage more effectively with customers, clients, peers, and stakeholders.
By equipping non-sales functions with sales expertise, organizations foster a collaborative, customer-centric culture where every employee contributes to growth and relationship-building.
How Sales Skills Transform Non-Sales Roles
Sales proficiency enhances performance across departments. Here’s how different roles benefit:
- Customer Service & Support – Strong communication and objection-handling build trust and improve resolution.
- Technical & Product Experts – Clear, value-driven messaging bridges the gap between innovation and customer needs.
- Operations & Project Managers – Persuasive communication streamlines negotiations, stakeholder alignment, and execution.
- Finance & HR Professionals – From vendor negotiations to compensation discussions, influence leads to better outcomes.
- Executives & Leaders – Inspiring teams, building consensus, and driving strategy all rely on the ability to sell ideas effectively.
Organizations that cultivate sales-savvy professionals across all functions see stronger collaboration, improved customer experiences, and greater business success.
Mastering the Four Power Skills
At the heart of Sales Skills Are Life Skills! are four essential power skills that elevate communication and influence:
- Positive Communication - Build trust and drive meaningful conversations through clear, confident, and persuasive communication. Learn to actively listen, articulate ideas, and foster stronger connections.
- Questioning Skills - Great communicators ask great questions. Discover how to use strategic questioning to unlock insights, build trust, and uncover opportunities.
- Objection Handling - Objections aren’t roadblocks—they’re opportunities. Learn to reframe concerns, present solutions, and turn skepticism into agreement.
- Selling Benefits vs. Features - People don’t buy features—they buy outcomes. Master the art of value-driven messaging that resonates and drives buy-in.
Additional Topics for Deeper Impact
Ascend Commercial Solutions offers an expanded curriculum tailored to each client’s needs. Additional modules may include:
- The Customer Team & Relationship Map – Understand key stakeholders and decision-making dynamics.
- Identifying and Aligning Value Drivers – Connect business priorities with personal and organizational goals.
- Building Rapport – Strengthen interpersonal connections and establish long-term trust.
- Positive Negotiations – Develop win-win strategies that maintain confidence and control.
Every program is customized to align with your organization’s goals and challenges, ensuring practical and actionable takeaways.
Why Choose Ascend Commercial Solutions?
Known for tailored, results-driven training, Ascend Commercial Solutions equips professionals with practical skills that extend far beyond the workplace. The Sales Skills Are Life Skills! program is engaging, interactive, and immediately applicable—whether in sales, leadership, or personal development.
Empower Your Team with Sales Skills That Last
Unlock the power of sales skills across your organization:
✅ Build a unified, customer-centric culture
✅Boost productivity and satisfaction through stronger relationships
✅Strengthen customer engagement and retention
✅Improve negotiation, communication, and collaboration
✅Increase confidence across roles and departments
With Ascend Commercial Solutions, every workshop is a transformational experience—equipping participants with lifelong skills to thrive in leadership, sales, and customer-facing roles.
Happy Selling!
George
Ascend Commercial Solutions brings our expertise in Customer Engagement, Sales Management, and Market Development to overcome your barriers to growth. Our structured approach is tailored to your specific company objectives and the challenges you face. The improvements to your business and organization will stand the test of time.
The Intuitive Selling Process: Synchronizing Sales Success
A high-performing sales team is like a championship rowing crew—synchronized, strategic, and strong. The Intuitive Selling Process enhances forecasting, coaching, and collaboration - aligning individual strengths for collective success. This structured approach converts business investments into sustained growth.
Informal Authority Beats Formal Authority Every Time!
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Building Rapport brings people together for mutual success!
When I talk about forging connections with others, I prefer to strive for “rapport” versus the loosely used "relationship." With a strong rapport we become a primary resource for the customer, and in many instances the first person they will contact when a problem or question in our area of expertise arises.
Customer Segmentation drives Customer Team Priorities
Customer Segmentation drives focus on our most strategic customers that disproportionately deliver business objectives. This does not mean that we ignore our other customers. With clarity on which customers drive our business and what makes them strategic, we in turn learn how to be their most strategic supplier.
Coaching to Win! leadership builds high performing teams
Ascend Commercial Solutions developed Coaching to Win!® with focus on the fundamentals for leading and developing high performing teams. The four elements of Coaching to Win!® (Lead/Educate/Guide/Coach) equip leaders to build capability and inspire team members to deliver revenue growth today and into the future.
Powering the Sales Funnel to Commercialize Your Innovations
A vibrant Sales Funnel is the growth engine for your business, building Awareness of innovations with customers and progressing them to Purchase and earn referrals. While the Sales Funnel is the growth engine, the Intuitive Selling Process™ is the fuel that powers your customers through the Sales Funnel.
Customer Centricity is a Business Growth Strategy
Many companies say, “the customer is at the center of everything we do” but fail to implement the structural changes needed to ensure this is true. Read how Customer Centricity engages your entire organization to bring differentiated value to your customers which will be rewarded with their loyalty and advocacy.
Sales Skills are Life Skills!
A fundamental premise at Ascend Commercial Solutions is that Sales Skills are Life Skills! This article discusses how the skills used by selling professionals are transferrable to business and personal endeavors. The Intuitive Selling Process aligns these skills into three easy steps - Align, Close, and Execute.
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Earning the buyer's response to your call or e-mail has been a dilemma since the first salesperson called on the first buyer. Read how Ascend Commercial Solution's approach increases buyer responsiveness with High Impact Messaging and Referrals from your satisfied customers.
Are your Customer Relationships prepared?
The “Seller’s Marketplace” may be approaching an inflection point. This is a “Call to Action” for commercial leaders. Actions taken today can protect incumbent positions and maximize revenue in the face of downturn. Learn how to drive intimate discussions with your Buying Influences for mutual success.