Sales management

15 Top Sales Influencers to Follow in 2020

Editor's Note: Enjoy this special encore post, which was one of our readers' favorites so far in 2020. It originally published on January 6, 2020.

Routines are important. They provide balance, steadiness, and comfort. And when designed properly, they help us learn and grow consistently.

Is your routine built to expand your knowledge base and bolster your acumen on a daily basis? One way to ensure this is by filling your social feeds with bright, bold, and innovative thinkers from your field who can inform and inspire your professional journey. By making a habit of checking in each morning, you’re virtually assured of starting the day with valuable new insight and perspective. 

If you’re a salesperson looking to routinely get more out of your feed in 2020, you’ve come to the right place. Scroll on to find 15 influential experts and pros who are helping lead in the new era of selling. 

Did you miss last year’s list? Make sure to follow our top influential sales pros from 2019.

Follow These 15 Sales Influencers in 2020

If they aren’t on your radar yet, these rising stars of modern selling are worth getting to know. 

1. Colleen Francis — Owner, Engage Selling Solutions

Author of Nonstop Sales Boom and Honesty Sells, Colleen has more than two decades of experience as a sales leader, speaker, and strategist. She focuses primarily on B2B and offers guidance to drive consistent results while steering clear of the typical lulls and downswings in sales team performance.

Follow Colleen on LinkedIn

Colleen Francis

2. Anita Nielsen — President, LDK Advisory Services

Specializing in sales enablement and coaching, Anita is a strategic consultant who helps organizations develop customized activities solutions to augment their selling practices. Her latest book, Beat the Bots, charts a plan to help human sellers remain essential as automation and technology take hold.  She’s also an advisory board member for the National Association of Women Sales Professionals (NAWSP).

Follow Anita on LinkedIn

3. Jen Spencer — Vice President of Sales and Marketing, SmartBug Media

With a background spanning both sales and marketing leadership roles (including her current position with SmartBug), Jen is a master of all things inbound. She knows the ins and outs of demand generation, and offers sophisticated guidance on holistic business development strategy. She’s helping to empower the next generation of talented sellers through her participation in the Bravado Mentorship Program.

Follow Jen on LinkedIn

4. Mark Birch — Founder, DEV.BIZ.OPS

The longtime sales executive operates primarily in the software and technology space, so he’s an especially valuable follow for those who sell in this category.  But his savvy extends beyond any particular industry, and any sales pro is likely to find advice that resonates. Mark frequently posts thoughtful content on LinkedIn; his Prospecting Manifesto is a good place to start. 

Follow Mark on LinkedIn

5. Lori Richardson — B2B Sales Growth Strategist, Score More Sales

A deeply experienced sales trainer, speaker, and strategist, Lori is a problem-solving advocate who specializes in small-to-mid-sized businesses. She speaks to both established sales leaders and upcoming sales professionals (her post on What To Look For in a Great Employer is a nice sampling for the latter) and is the founder and president of WOMEN Sales Pros

Follow Lori on LinkedIn

6. Jeff Davis — Founder & CEO, JD2 Consulting Group

Sales and marketing alignment is a vital focus for almost any business today. Jeff is among the foremost voices on this topic. His 2019 book Create Togetherness explores the fusion of these two critical units, and he frequently shares content aimed at supporting cohesiveness — for example, 8 Conferences That B2B Marketing and Sales Leaders Should Attend Together.

Follow Jeff on LinkedIn

Jeff Davis

7. Nancy Nardin — Founder, Smart Selling Tools

Amidst a sea of new tools and technologies, which ones can actually help your team succeed and thrive? This is where Nancy’s expertise resides, and few know the landscape better. She can help you navigate the complexities of sales enablement and tech. Her recent interview as part of our Insight Track series is worth a read.  

Follow Nancy on LinkedIn

8. Alice Heiman — Founder & Chief Sales Officer, Alice Heiman LLC

Speaking of complexities, the modern B2B sales process is full of them, especially for high-consideration vendors facing lengthy purchase cycles. This is where Alice carves her niche as a coach, speaker, and strategist. She frequently publishes great articles on LinkedIn. Check out two of her most recent: 2 Ways to WIN at LinkedIn and Dominate at Trade Shows to Generate More Deals.

Follow Alice on LinkedIn

9. Liz J. Simpson — Founder, Stimulyst

How can B2B salespeople create their own opportunities, and prospect proactively to keep the pipeline flowing? Liz offers bountiful thought leadership on this subject and more, with a relationship-driven approach founded on buyer psychology. She describes herself as “a student of the old-school who has been baptized by the new school.” Find a sample of her conversational, digestible guidance here: Sprints vs. Marathons: Mixing Up Your Prospecting Strategies

Follow Liz on LinkedIn

10. Jonathan Farrington — CEO, Top Sales World

In addition to his role as CEO of Top Sales World, an international online sales community, Jonathan is also the Director of Research for Sandler Training. Through his experiences, he has grown extremely adept at speaking the language of learning, and helping to embed effective new behaviors. 

Follow Jonathan on LinkedIn

11. Deb Calvert — President, People First Productivity Solutions

Increasing sales productivity is Deb’s top area of expertise, and few can match her credentials on that front. She accentuates the “people” part of “salespeople” and frames her approach around an experienced-centered philosophy. She co-authored one of the best sales books of 2018, Stop Selling and Start Leading

Follow Deb on LinkedIn

12. Morgan J. Ingram — Director of Sales Execution and Evolution, JBarrows Sales Training

Sharp, relatable, motivational: these qualities make Morgan an excellent resource for sellers of all stripes. He’s also extremely prolific, creating and sharing a ton of educational content on Linkedin and elsewhere. We recommend digging into the archive of his YouTube show, The SDR Chronicles.

Follow Morgan on LinkedIn

Morgan J. Ingram

13. Carole Mahoney — Founder & Chief Sales Coach, Unbound Growth

Inbound, outbound, allbound… Carole believes there is no set direction for the flow of customers, which is why her company is named “Unbound.” She brings a scientific mindset to sales, relying on data and proven models to substantiate her insights. Her post on The World I Want to Live In serves as a guiding vision of sorts.  

Follow Carole on LinkedIn

14. Cynthia Barnes — Founder & CEO, Barnes Sales Institute

As the founder and CEO of NAWSP, Cynthia is a champion for women in sales, and fiercely determined to level the playing field in a professional historically dominated by men. She asks (and answers) questions that aren’t getting nearly enough mainstream attention. For example: Where Are Women of Color Getting Ahead in Sales

Follow Cynthia on LinkedIn 

15. Melissa Madian — Founder, TMM Enablement Services Inc.

The breadth of her experience and affiliations (she has a background in engineering and is a member of many different sales communities and coalitions, including the Sales Enablement Society, Revenue Collective, and Sales Experts Channel) provide Melissa with a rare depth of perspective. Her interests in fashion and screenwriting add to a unique flare and allure. 

Follow Melissa on LinkedIn

Make Learning a Daily Routine

Social media is one of the most powerful resources for ambitious professionals in any industry. But the payoff is entirely dependent on the way you build and customize your feeds. We feel confident in saying that sales professionals of all specializations and skill levels will benefit from following the folks above. It’s a great way to ensure your feed is delivering something valuable each day. 

Of course, we also recommend keeping up with our content here as part of your daily routine, and subscribing to the LinkedIn Sales Blog is a smart way to ensure you never miss out. 

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