In an era of quick decisions and short attention spans, fewer specialists are willing to play the long game. This is especially true in sales, where results sometimes take years to materialize. Yet it is here that today’s new business elite is forming — people capable not just of selling, but of maintaining the attention, trust, and interest of major market players.
When the conversation about sales moves beyond scripts and funnels, it inevitably touches on power, responsibility, and the ability to see processes deeper than the numbers. Tigran Kazaryan is a practitioner who works with project-based B2B sales, where decisions take time, stakes are high, and mistakes are costly. Today, he combines running his own business with mentoring, sharing experience with those willing to play the long game rather than seeking quick wins.
You work with project sales, where a deal cycle can last a year or two. What becomes the main challenge for a salesperson in such work?
Patience. Most people can’t handle the pause between effort and outcome. They feel that if a deal doesn’t close quickly, they must be doing something wrong. In project sales, this is a normal state. What’s important is maintaining contact without losing yourself or turning communication into pressure.
Can we say that project sales require a different type of personality than classic active sales?
Yes, absolutely. There’s less drive and more composure. The salesperson becomes not the initiator of the deal but a guide for the process. They must be present without interfering with the client’s decision-making. It’s a rare skill.
Sales are often perceived as a practical skill. Why do you consider it an intellectual profession?
Because at its core, sales involve analyzing human behavior, making decisions under uncertainty, and managing attention. It’s work with the mind, not just buttons. The higher the client’s level, the less the tools matter and the more the ability to think counts.
Can we say that a good salesperson eventually becomes a strategist, even if they never planned to manage a business?
Yes, it’s a natural path. A salesperson working with large clients over time begins to see the market more broadly. They understand where the industry is heading and which solutions will be in demand tomorrow. In this sense, sales are an excellent school for strategic thinking.
You increasingly act as a mentor for sales departments. At what point does a company realize it needs external expertise rather than just training?
When the usual tools stop working. When plans are being met formally but no growth occurs. At that moment, owners realize the problem isn’t the people — it’s the logic of how things are done. That’s when the need for an external perspective arises.
How do you determine whether a team has potential for growth or if it’s simpler to rebuild the system from scratch?
I don’t look at the numbers; I look at the questions managers ask. If people ask, “How can we do better?” they can be developed. If they ask, “Why won’t this work?” growth will be very slow. Potential always starts with mindset.
Today, the market is flooded with educational products in sales. In your view, what distinguishes training from practical experience?
A practitioner doesn’t promise quick results. They speak upfront about risks, resistance, and difficulties. Theory gives a sense of control. Practice brings you back to reality. Not everyone likes it, but that’s what creates real effect.
You often work directly with business owners. What misconception do they encounter most frequently?
That sales can be completely delegated. It cannot. You can delegate processes, but not responsibility for the direction. Until the owner understands exactly how the company makes money, no team will save them.
What sales skill do you consider most undervalued today?
The ability to stay silent. Most salespeople talk too much. In project sales, the winner is the one who listens and knows how to pause. It’s during these pauses that clients make key decisions.
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