15 Top Thought Leaders in Sales to Follow

Not many have been able to achieve the high-ranking status of "thought leader." However, anyone who's managed to do so is an authority who impacts key decision-making processes.

According to a Forrester report, thought leadership impacts potential buyers more than other content marketing forms, including ads, case studies, collateral, etc.

As for the sales community, we've seen the rise of several leaders. And while each one has done enough in their capacity to motivate us, there are others whose influences are extraordinary.

This guide presents the top 15 sales thought leaders and how they have inspired us.

The 15 Top Thought Leaders in Sales 

1. Kevin Dorsey

Kevin Dorsey is a name that needs no introduction on LinkedIn, as apparent in the huge following he's amassed. Although the Vice President of Inside Sales at PatientPop, his influence is felt on a broader scale.

He has helped many teams, spoken at seminars, and shares knowledge on his podcasts, Live Better. Sell Better and Inside Sales Excellence on Patreon.

This sales legend who loves reading has served as a mentor for over 500 startups. His teachings combine honesty and humor to show you how to improve sales team efficiency and as a person. Five years ago, Ambition recognized him as one of the top 100 sales coaches.

2. Daniel Pink

Daniel Pink has been everywhere. After studying at Northwestern University and graduating from Yale Law School, he served in government, ventured into entrepreneurship, and contributed to numerous notable networks like CNN, NPR, ABC, PBS, etc.

He was the chief speechwriter for Vice President Albert Gore. Daniel writes occasionally for The New Republic, Harvard Business Review, and The New York Times. He is experienced and knowledgeable about business, work, behavioral science, and creativity.

Pink is the author of seven books that are available in multiple languages and have earned him awards and recognition as a #1 New York Times bestseller. 

Our favorite is "To Sell Is Human," which shares how everyone—no matter their role—needs to know how to sell.

3. Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy speaks four languages and has been to more than 107 countries. Brian served as the Chief Operating Officer of a company worth over 260 million dollars. He also had productive stints in several industries but is now the CEO of his company, Brian Tracy International.

Brian is a top-selling author who has written more than 70 books and produced over 300 learning programs. In addition, he has delivered speeches at over 5,000 seminars and consulted for over a thousand companies. His works have also been translated into several languages.

He remains active through talks and conferences that cut across business, economics, psychology, philosophy, history, and politics. Brian Tracy is also available on social media and on his website, where he has a post for those who want to be sales thought leaders like him.

4. Jill Konrath

Jill Konrath is a Center for Sales Innovation's sales executive in residence. She is also HubSpot's sales in residence and an advisory board member at Xvoyant. In addition, Jill has served as keynote speaker at international events.

She has written four best-selling books on sales. Dedicated to helping sales managers and reps get better, Jill has a wisdom-filled blog, LinkedIn, and Twitter spaces. You can also get a lot of free resources in ebooks, kits, and worksheets on her website.

5. John Barrows

John Barrows is the founder and CEO of JB Sales Training and a Limited Partner for GTMfund. He is a successful thought leader who offers consultancy and training services to top organizations, including LinkedIn and Salesforce. 

He has a blog and podcast, Make it Happen, with more than 200 episodes already. He co-authored the bestselling book, "I Want To Be In Sales When I Grow Up," with his daughter. You can learn about building your sales career and other business strategies from his social media and blog posts.

6. Tony Hughes

Tony Hughes is managing director of RSVPselling and a sales innovation director at Sales IW Global. He has more than 30 years of experience managing businesses and inspiring others to do the same.

Tony is renowned for helping numerous companies scale their activities to generate more income. He has twice won the award for the #1 global sales blogger and was named by LinkedIn as one of the top Sales Thought Leaders. He frequently shares how you can incorporate tech solutions into sales.

7. Trish Bertuzzi

Another popular name on the list of thought leaders in sales is Trish Bertuzzi, a CEO, and author. Trish is the founder of The Bridge Group Inc. but has helped many companies through insightful thinking, research, and experience. 

She is the author of "The Sales Development Playbook." Her social media posts are filled with in-depth knowledge about B2B prospecting and sales. She also posts on her company blog about sales trends and techniques. 

8. Andy Paul

Andy Paul is a famous author, speaker, and podcaster in charge of the Sales Enablement Podcast. He is the author of the book "Sell Without Selling Out" and has anchored more than 900 sales conversations. 

LinkedIn has ranked him among the top global sales experts. Paul also has a website and has consulted for notable companies like Grubhub, Philips, and Square.

9. Jeffrey Gitomer

Jeffrey Gitomer is a self-acclaimed King of Sales, the author of "The Little Red Book," CEO of Buy Gitomer, and a Founding Partner of Outstand. With over 25 years experience, he's spoken at various corporate events and trained numerous people. 

Jeffrey has written 13 bestsellers and hosts the Sell or Die Podcast. He continues to share modern sales strategies and advice for avoiding contract and sales problems.

10. Morgan J Ingram

Morgan J Ingram is the creator of the 1UP Formula Podcast and The SDR Chronicles series on YouTube. He shares insights on how sales reps can be thought leaders through these avenues and social media pages. 

He is also on the advisory and management boards of notable companies, like JB Sales Training. 

11. Josh Braun

Josh Braun is a sales expert who founded Josh Braun Sales Training and heads the sales department at Basecamp. He is a cold outreach expert and shares related insights and other helpful resources on his podcast, website, and LinkedIn page.

12. Tiffani Bova

Tiffany Bova has a long career stretching across managing positions in companies like Gartner, Interland, Gateway, Affinity, and Vanstar. She currently holds a position with Salesforce and hosts podcasts. 

This bestselling author champions customer-focused strategies, and she preaches this through seminars and her social media pages.

13. Keenan

Like other sales thought leaders, Keenan is a bestselling author, CEO, and keynote speaker. He wrote the infamous sales book, "Gap Selling." His techniques have helped many B2B companies make more sales. 

Keenan's LinkedIn page is filled with numerous tips for improving personal and business development. He is also an award-winning blogger and a Forbes contributor.

14. Dale Dupree

Dale Dupree is another person you should follow if you want to be among thought leaders in sales. He is the founder of The Sales Rebellion, where he offers training, mentorship, and coaching to teach how sales reps can be thought leaders. You can catch up with him on LinkedIn, Twitter, or his podcast, Selling Local Podcast.

15. Mark Roberge

Mark Roberge has worked at Hubspot and Pawspot but is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School and the Managing Director of Stage 2 Capital. 

He is also a bestselling author with a wealth of experience building and helping companies increase sales efficiency. His LinkedIn and Twitter accounts are rich in helpful content on how he grew a company by 6000%.

Conclusion

These are the top sales thought leaders, and there is no denying how much value you can get from them. Indeed, there may be no better way to get your sales journey up and running. So follow these leaders on social media, pay attention to their content, and you just may be a leader soon too.