SALES STRATEGY


Come Back When You Can Tell Me


Something I Don’t Know What a Wall Street CIO Taught John Stopper 30 Years Ago About


Selling in the Age of AI GERHARD GSCHWANDTNER


Thirty years ago, John Stopper walked into the office of a Wall Street CIO carrying what every ambitious young salesperson carries into an important meeting: a presentation, a product story, and the conviction that – if he explained it well enough – the customer would buy.


12 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 SELLING POWER © 2026 SELLING POWER


He got about 30 seconds. The CIO raised his hand. “Come back when you can tell me something I don’t know.” Meeting over.


WHERE THE REJECTION TURNED TO REORIENTATION Most salespeople would have gone back to the office and polished the pitch. John did something else: He


CREATIVA IMAGES / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49