Learning Sales as a Designer: A Journey of Creativity and Problem-Solving

Did you know that sales and design have more in common than you might think? As a designer stepping into the world of sales, I’ve realized it’s not just about pitching—it’s about solving problems creatively. But learning sales felt like stepping into an alien world at first.

Outreach strategies like LinkedIn messages and cold emails introduced two big challenges:
1. Getting noticed in crowded inboxes.
2. Using automation without losing a personal touch.

Here’s how I’ve been tackling these problems and what I’ve learned along the way.

Standing Out in Crowded Inboxes

Think about how many emails or LinkedIn messages you receive each day. Most of them probably sound the same. That’s why standing out is so important—but it’s not easy.

• Be authentic. Write messages that sound personal and genuine, not like a template.

• Show you’ve done your research. Reference the recipient’s work, industry, or specific challenges they might be facing.

• Get creative. Use engaging subject lines or unique openings to grab attention.

Example: Instead of a generic message like, “Hi, I’d like to talk about my services,” try something like, “Here’s how I think your team could save time on [specific problem].”

Balancing Automation and Personalization

Automation tools are great for speeding up outreach, but they can feel robotic if you’re not careful. The challenge is to save time while keeping messages human.

• Customize key parts of your messages, like mentioning the recipient’s role, company, or recent projects.

• Regularly review and tweak templates to keep them fresh and relevant.

• Use automation tools for repetitive tasks, but always leave room for personal touches.

Example: Instead of sending the exact same message to everyone, create a flexible template where you can easily add personalized details.

Iterating Like a Designer

Sales is a lot like design—it’s about testing, learning, and improving. You can approach it the same way:

• Track what works. Analyze which messages get the best responses.

• Experiment with new approaches. Try changing subject lines, calls-to-action, or tone to see what resonates.

• Keep refining. Learn from your results and keep making small improvements over time.

Example: If one type of message gets twice as many replies as another, figure out what made it work and apply those insights to future outreach.

Takeaway: Sales Is Creative Problem-Solving

For any designer, sales might seem intimidating, but it’s really just another form of problem-solving.

• If you can design great experiences for users, you can create outreach that connects with clients too.

• Sales isn’t about being pushy—it’s about understanding needs, building connections, and delivering solutions.