How Long Does it Take to Become Good at Sales?

The time it takes to become good at sales can vary widely depending on your starting skills, experience, commitment, and the complexity of the industry or product you're selling.

Of course, Sales Training will accelerate your ability and confidence to identify, close and win business.

However, here’s a general breakdown to give you an idea:

1. Beginners: 3–6 Months

If you're new to sales, and starting without any previous experience, it typically takes 3 to 6 months to grasp the fundamentals:

• Learning basic sales techniques (active listening, rapport building, overcoming objections)

• Becoming familiar with your product or service

• Gaining confidence in interacting with potential customers

During this time, you'll likely experience a steep learning curve as you practice and refine your skills.

2. Intermediate Level: 6–18 Months

To progress from beginner to intermediate, it usually takes another 6 to 18 months.

At this stage, you’ll:

• Develop a deeper understanding of the sales process, including prospecting, qualifying leads, and closing deals

• Begin to recognise patterns in customer behaviour and adjust your approach accordingly

• Improve your ability to handle rejections and objections smoothly and confidently

This is when your performance becomes more consistent, and you start to feel more comfortable in a wide variety of different sales situations.

3. Advanced Level: 2–5 Years

Becoming an advanced salesperson can often take 2 to 5 years of consistent effort.

At this level, you'll:

• Master advanced techniques like negotiation, upselling, and consultative selling

• Build strong, long-term relationships with customers and earn their trust and loyalty

• Gain an intuitive understanding of what works and what doesn’t, adapting your style seamlessly to different clients and industries

Advanced salespeople are also skilled at mentoring others and can consistently meet or exceed targets, even in challenging environments.

Factors that can influence your timeline

Of course, not everyone will progress at the same pace. Here are some variables that can influence your progress:

Natural Aptitude:

• Some people have inherent strengths, like charisma, confidence or communication skills, that give them a head start

Training and Mentorship:

• Access to quality sales training or a skilled mentor can accelerate your learning curve significantly

Industry Complexity:

• Selling simple products with short sales cycles may take less time to master than selling complex, high-ticket items that involve long and complex decision-making processes and facing professional Procurement people from your customer

Practice and Feedback:

• The more you practice and seek constructive feedback, the faster you’ll improve

Personal Commitment:

• Those who invest time in continuous learning—through books, courses, or role-playing—often see faster progress

Conclusion

Sales is a skill that can be learned by anyone and improved with dedication.

While it may take years to become a top performer, noticeable improvements can happen in weeks or months with the right mindset and effort.

And because sales skills are transferable across industries, the time you invest in becoming good at sales can pay off in future endeavours in different business sectors.

Where are you and your business in terms of developing sales expertise?