Conquer 2026: The sales basics that still make you money

Beginning of the year is traditionally a time for resolutions. So if you’re in sales - or you lead a sales team - and you’re short of New Year’s resolution ideas, here are a few you might find useful.

They’re inspired by the 21 Sales Competencies, the 20 Sales Management Competencies, and aligned with Curio5ity’s 5C pillars.

Nothing groundbreaking. But it’s often the basics - executed consistently - that put money in the bank.

One last thing: perfection doesn’t exist. Pick one or two commitments that genuinely resonate with you - things you know will help you reach your goals. Transformation doesn’t come from flawless weeks. It comes from simple practices, repeated. Do your best, be kind to yourself… and enjoy the 2026 ride.

Prospecting (Control)

You don’t control your future. You control habits.

• The “New Conversation” rule: Create X new conversations per week with people you’ve never spoken to. (Put your number in the comments if you’re brave.)

• Ask for referrals early: Don’t “wait for the right moment.” Create it. Early.

• Diversify your lead source: Cold calls + LinkedIn + events + partnerships + customer intros. Build a simple weekly plan.

• Learn to love “no”: Prospecting is collecting no’s until you find yes’s. Don’t get emotionally attached to the outcome.

• Decision makers > managers: Managers manage. Decision makers decide. Talk to people who decide.

• Don’t sell on the first touch: Prospecting is a simple enquiry to decide to talk more later. It's not a TED Talk.

Qualification (Curiosity) 

Be interested, not interesting.

• Train your curiosity muscle: your case studies, demo, ppt deck matter less than your questions.

• Go deep: “This is important to us” isn’t qualified. Important why? important now?

• Quantify pain: the first number in the conversation shouldn’t be your quote.

• Time kills deals: no movement? don’t chase harder than your prospect cares. Bow out gracefully and offer to revisit later.

• Deep + quick + multi-thread: avoid “single-person processes.” One contact = one point of failure.

• Posturing : Don’t prove. Diagnose. Be the doctor of your prospect. And don't fear loosing through tough questions.

• Use a scorecard: systemise what “qualified” means (or you’ll qualify with hope).

  
  

  

Sales Management (Consistency)

Build the system. Don’t carry the system. (Do you have what it takes? Test it here)

• Build a numbers culture: start meetings with activity + conversion + pipeline + revenue. Let the data talk.

• Coach, don’t rescue: aim for ~60% of your time coaching (not doing deals “to help”).

• Reinforcement > one-off training: elite teams don’t train once. They drill weekly.

• Make the sales process non-negotiable: stages + milestones should be known by heart.

• Always build your bench: empty seats are expensive. Ditch CV-only decisions. Assess early. Interview continuously.

Mindset & Personal development (Courage)

Winners do what they don’t feel like doing.

• Write clear personal goals: sales is hard - vague goals don’t survive hard days.

• Commit to learning: books, practice, roleplays, call reviews. Sales is the one industry with infinite free education.

• Daily journal: protect confidence, manage self-talk and limiting belief, acquire new ways to communicate..

• Celebrate or learn: more no’s than yes’s. Yes = celebrate. No = extract the lesson and use your daily journal

Go on, conquer 2026!