Hey Product Manager: Your Sales Team Is Not Excited

Imagine that your job is to sell pencils. Number 2 pencils, to be specific. Your sales pitch is basic. “Classic wooden pencils! You can sharpen, write, and erase!” There is not much else to say. Sure, there is beauty in the pencil’s simplicity and utility, but some days it is a struggle to get excited about moving those units.

Then your product manager shares some news — recycled rubber erasers are in development. Not only is this a new talking point, but it is one the entire sales team can...