Power to Sell
Power to Sell is a student-led podcast focusing on mastering the underlying skills of persuasion, leadership, and sales. It's focused on how we transform these 'ordinary' human skills into the extraordinary and how we can differentiate ourselves based on how we sell versus the characteristics of what we sell.
Power to Sell
Thom Coats - Power of Mindset
This episode of The Power to Sell Podcast, features Thom Coats, Professor and Director of the sales program at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). Coats details his career shift from over 25 years in sales and a six-year stint in law enforcement to academia.
A central theme is the transformative power of sales education, which he argues can "change family trees" by helping students earn double or triple the income of a normal degree. Coats stresses that "everybody sells"—whether externally or by promoting ideals within a company. He draws on his background to emphasize core principles: the necessity of listening and always asking for the deal. He teaches first-generation students to adopt a "CEO of their Family Inc." mindset to combat "impostor syndrome".
While acknowledging that technology has evolved (like shoe boxes being an early CRM) and AI is now a necessary tool, Coats insists that the principles of selling remain unchanged. Sales are fundamentally "human to human" (H2H); AI cannot "read a room" or handle high-dollar relationship sales. He concludes with key advice for student success: smile, and consistently show up on time, follow up, and follow through.