In this interview, Maxime shares his vision of the sales profession, his learnings, and advice for excelling in sales. Between personal anecdotes and concrete strategies, discover the journey of a salesperson who learned to sell through value.
The Salesperson's Expiration Date: A Myth Provided That...
"If you don't question yourself, yes, you have an expiration date," Maxime states from the outset. For him, the key to longevity in the profession lies in three pillars: constantly updating yourself, constantly seeking information, and listening to the right people. "For me, I don't have an expiration date," he concludes with confidence.
The "Most Beautiful Sale" Anecdote That Goes Wrong
Maxime tells with self-deprecation a memorable experience: "It's someone who wrote a beautiful book sold on Amazon." The story starts well: two meetings on the same day, buying his prospect's book to create a connection, starting on a long contract... "I thought I had made my most beautiful sale very quickly."
But the fairy tale ends there: "We offer him the first month, he never paid us." This mishap taught him a valuable lesson about the importance of qualifying his prospects, even those who seem prestigious. "This dear gentleman, for me, is an impostor," he concludes without beating around the bush.
Are We Born Salespeople or Do We Become Them?
"For me, it's a bit of both, but you become one," Maxime nuances. His personal journey is proof: "Me, I wanted to be an accountant. I don't think accountants have sales DNA."
His recipe for becoming a good salesperson? "You learn, you take hits. And by being interested in people, by mastering the right methods, the right tools, you normally become a good salesperson." Without forgetting crucial advice: "You also need to surround yourself well."
The Mentor Who Changed His Sales Vision
When asked about his role model, Maxime cites without hesitation Jérôme Guidou: "He's the one who taught me to sell through value." He describes a professional who is "quite calm, quite charismatic" who "signs 6, 7-figure deals" without doing transactional sales. An approach that clearly marked Maxime in his practice.
The Deal That Changed Everything
"I think it's the first time I made a deal over 100K," Maxime remembers. The story is flavorful: a biz-dev prospects him, but Maxime manages to "counter-prospect" and work his way up to the decision-maker. "I like to do that," he admits with mischief. His first deal above 200K comes shortly after his arrival at Scalability, marking a turning point in his career.
His Advice for Effective Prospecting
Maxime shares his secrets without filter:
- The essential: "Targeting, data, that's indispensable"
- Action: "Don't be afraid to pick up your phone"
- Method: "Test all call slots, all types of messages"
- Message: "Short formats, focused on the person and their challenges"
- Golden rule: "Sell a meeting, don't sell your solution"
His LinkedIn Strategy
"Fairly personalized, fairly short messages. Show that you're interested in the person," Maxime summarizes. He advises starting with comments before moving to private messages. A little-known tip: "If your competitors have activated, viewed another profile, you can see who they're talking to."
For those who don't like posting: "You're not obligated to post. You can go get inspired by what they do." But be careful: "I'm not going to spend all day on LinkedIn."
The Essence of the Profession According to Maxime
"What I like most about the sales profession is that it's not easy on a daily basis," he confides. For him, the profession is made of "victories and defeats," like "roller coasters" where "you have to hang on."
His philosophy? "It's a bit like life. Every victory is beautiful." His final advice resonates like a mantra: "Savor the small victories, if you can't have big victories. Because when you feel you're constantly progressing, that's the main thing."
About Maxime Leclerc: Sales professional at Scalability, Maxime brings expertise in value-based selling and prospect qualification. His journey from accounting aspirations to sales success demonstrates the power of continuous learning and adaptation in the modern sales landscape.
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