Reposted: A Legendary Salesperson! In 2023, earning one billion every day.

In this world, without sales, every product would remain forever in the warehouse, and the entire world would grow dim and lifeless. Sales isn’t just something people do—it’s a calling for exceptional talent. Remember: stay true to your original aspirations and unwavering convictions, for that is your greatest personal brand.

——Yu Ge

● MDBJ Daily

When it comes to salespeople, most people probably picture those street‑side guys who stop you to ask if you’d like to learn about fitness or swimming—or whether you’d like to apply for a credit card. But at best, that’s just small‑time hustling!

You know, just how amazing was the greatest salesperson in history?

A Living Legend

Airbus Lei Yi

● Lei Yi

The product he sells is the most expensive commodity in the world—airplanes. On average, each aircraft sells for US$80 million, equivalent to approximately RMB 520 million. Over the past 23 years, he has sold 16,000 aircraft for the company, averaging two planes per day.

His opponent was the renowned Boeing Aircraft Company, which rotated eight sales directors in succession to compete against him—yet none of them managed to prevail.

As he was nearing retirement, Emirates Airlines made a one-time payment to him. They ordered 30 aircraft, each priced at $240 million, just to “give him a retirement gift”!

His goods sell both expensively and in large quantities, striking fear into his competitors; what’s even more remarkable is that his customers hold him in the highest regard—truly worthy of his reputation. “The Greatest Salesman in History” ! This person is… John Leahy, the sales director of the Airbus Group, is known as “Mr. Airbus.”

Speaking of this, In 2023, earning a billion every single day! Do you know what this means?

It means he can 41 days to match Tencent’s annual revenue of 41.6 billion; 100 days to match Alibaba’s annual revenue of 101.1 billion. They’re nothing short of a godsend—earning money for the company faster than a money-printing machine!

He is known as Boeing’s “number-one rival.” To defeat him, Boeing has replaced eight sales directors, yet each one has ultimately been bested. He watched, almost helplessly, as he transformed a small European aircraft manufacturer into the world’s largest aerospace company, rivaling Boeing in stature.

At the time, Airbus’s top management had only set a target of 30% market share for Ray Yi. But to everyone’s surprise, as soon as he took office, Ray Yi issued an ironclad commitment: In five years, we will increase Airbus’s market share to 50%.

Upon hearing Lei Yi’s words, every member of the board urged him to be more realistic: “Be realistic—otherwise, failing to deliver would be a serious embarrassment.” Moreover, at the time, Boeing simply dismissed Airbus out of hand. When Sales Director Ryan Raymond heard about Lei Yi’s bold pronouncements, he burst into laughter: If Airbus can capture 50% of the market, even my dog could be president!

However, the days that followed were when Lei Yi utterly proved everyone wrong. Having served as Airbus’s Sales Director for 23 years, Lei Yi has secured major contracts including:

In 2007, Emirates placed an order for 70 A350s and 11 A380s, valued at US$23.5 billion.

In 2011, Qatar Airways placed an order for 80 A350s and 3 A380s, valued at US$22.6 billion.

In 2011, AirAsia placed an order for 200 A320neo aircraft, valued at US$18.2 billion.

The most impressive deal came at an airshow in Dubai, where he and his team secured orders for 510 aircraft. Among these, they signed a preliminary agreement with Airbus and the U.S. investment firm Indigo Partners to sell 430 planes. With a total value exceeding €42 billion—roughly RMB 330 billion—it has also become the largest order in history!

Roughly speaking, In 2017 alone, Lei Yi secured orders for 875 aircraft, totaling over US$100 billion in value.

Under the leadership of Lei Yi, In 1999, Airbus had already captured a 50% market share, putting it on par with Boeing—achieving this in just four years.

However, even legends must eventually bow out—just as Apple had Steve Jobs, Airbus has Tom Enders. Though he was not a product engineer, his contributions remain unmatched. He announced his retirement three times, only to postpone it each time.

Having served at Airbus for 32 years, After 23 years as sales manager, Lei Yi, who helped Airbus sell 16,000 aircraft, will finally announce his retirement next January. At 54, Rolls-Royce executive Schulz will succeed him.

Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégière said, “Lei Yi’s will to win is renowned.” . " Airbus CEO Tom Enders told Germany’s Die Welt: "   As a salesperson, Lei Yi is one of a kind—no one in the industry can match him.

The U.S. Wall Street Journal directly referred to him as: "The Living Legend" — A Living Legend In 2015, he was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award by the Royal Aero Club Foundation—a prize often likened to the Oscars of the aviation world. Previous recipients include Neil Armstrong, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and current and former airline CEOs.

Mythical Life

It comes from self-discipline.

Lei Yi is employed at Airbus. In 2023, with an average of two aircraft sold per day, he set a record as the top-selling aircraft salesperson and wrote a legend in the sales industry.

Though no one in the industry can match his performance, he modestly says: I’m just an ordinary person who’s achieved a few things thanks to good luck.

How did Lei Yi maintain his sales record for 23 years? As he himself put it: Selling a product is, in essence, selling yourself.

In order to maintain a state of high energy, He never drinks alcohol, follows a light and simple diet, and works out for an hour every day. . When visiting clients, in order to present oneself as radiant and full of vitality, upon disembarking from the plane one will… Do 20 minutes of cardio first, then meet with the client.

Because of Lei Yi Extremely self-disciplined in daily life. Customers always perceive Lei Yi as energetic and full of vitality, and engaging with him is often infectious, leaving them inspired by his words.

He believes that the reason he has been able to secure so many orders is, First, take care of yourself and always maintain your best self—be someone who inspires others. No one wants to do business or interact with someone who is listless and appears dispirited.

As for Lei Yi’s sales secrets, here are four additional tips:

1. Understand your product and your customers’ needs; the more thoroughly you know your product, the easier it is to match the right solution to their requirements, thereby increasing your chances of success. A good salesperson not only knows their own products inside and out but also strives to understand their competitors and the range of similar products available in the market.

2. Lei Yi said: If you only start making recommendations when you meet the customer, you’re already 100 years behind. All effective recommendations begin well before you even meet the customer.

3. Lei Yi said: When selling high-tech products, you need to showcase them with high technology as well. It’s the same principle as saying a fine horse deserves a fine saddle: great products require professional sales tools to complement them.

4. Lei Yi believes The best kind of relationship a customer can have is that of teacher and student. , guiding customers on how to purchase the most suitable products, Break the conventional notion of treating customers as gods and friends.

And the reason Lei Yi was able to create a legend in the aircraft sales industry is that his experience doesn’t seem particularly extraordinary—these practical, straightforward principles are something many people already understand. I believe it’s largely because Lei Yi maintains extreme self-discipline in his daily life, cultivating himself into an energetic, trustworthy mentor, and a person of boundless charisma.

The methods and advice that led to Lei Yi’s success are something anyone can apply in their own life; I believe the real difference lies in a lack of sufficient self-discipline and perseverance. Self-disciplined people don’t indulge themselves; they maintain a regular exercise routine, keeping themselves in peak condition inside and out.

Lei Yi modestly said he was just lucky, I believe that such good fortune doesn’t come out of nowhere—it must be the result of his unwavering dedication and self-discipline.