We all remember our mothers telling us to get off the couch and stop watching television, that no one ever got smarter from watching the screen. That may be true for reality television, but it’s not necessarily the case for films. There is a wealth of excellent cinema that in addition to being entertaining, can teach us many lessons.
As a salesperson, you know that you can learn a lot simply by watching an experienced professional. With that in mind, we’ve laboriously researched and found the 5 best films for salespeople.
Sit back, relax, and heat up the popcorn!
1. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
The film that may contain the most infamous phrase for salesmen “Coffee is for closers”; this unforgettable film from the 90s consists of witty and intense dialogue and top actors in one of the films that helped them become the stars they are today (Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris). This film paints a cutthroat world, where in order to survive, you just may have to sell your soul to make a sale.
2. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
This heart wrenching film tells the tale of Chris Gardner, a salesman with an idea and a dream. Unfortunately for him, we see the bleak reality that sales can sometimes bring, as he suffers misfortune and loses his wife, his home and his bank account. Our protagonist ends up homeless on the streets with his son, but maintains a positive attitude that the future will get better. Luckily, this true story has a happy ending, meanwhile inspiring us to stay positive and work hard.
3. Love and Other Drugs (2010)
Another tearjerker based off a true story, we follow an ambitious pharmaceutical rep (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) with questionable ethics. His “creative” sales techniques led him to become Pfizer´s #1 drug representative, which he later begins to question in light of a new romance. The film offers unique insight into the competitive world of pharmaceutical sales, and makes us question just how far you should go for a sale.
4. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
This newly infamous film is likely to be a classic for many years to come. Through the real life story of Jordan Belfort´s slimy rise to success, we discover the unscrupulous and greedy underbelly of Wall Street. With hilarious and intense anecdotes, there are many lessons a more moral salesperson can take away. The scene with the classic “sell me this pen” dialogue, his commitment to his job, his motivational speeches to the team and focus on training, are all lessons we can take away (and take it down a notch).
5. Joy (2015)
Joy is packed full of lessons not only for salespeople, but also entrepreneurs. It’s based on the story of Joy Mangano, who invented the Miracle Mop, and her rise to success. A real rags-to-riches story, Joy reminds us that the American dream is possible. Lessons learned: luck has a lot more to do with our success than we´d like to admit, perseverance is essential and you can’t do it alone.
Do you have some favorite movies about salespeople? Tell us in the comments or ping us on social media!
Like this post? Follow us on social media for more tips for salespeople here:
Follow @FindThatLead on Twitter
Like FindThatLead on Facebook
BONUS:
The Challenge: Join this free course and I guarantee that after 5 days you will have the necessary skills to start generating B2B clients Growth Hacking and Prospecting techniques.