The Alignment Podcast

In today's episode, I talk with Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight which is a customer success company that offers businesses everything they need to retain customers and drive company growth.   The company's Customer Cloud offers a powerful set of solutions focused on customer success, product experience, revenue optimization, customer experience, and customer data, that together enable businesses to put the customer at the center of everything they do.   In our conversation we discuss: Why sales is no longer a one-time activity The role customer success plays in accelerating growth Triggers that indicated that more attention needs to be paid to customer success in your organization How Marketing and customer success should work together to optimize results

This episode I speak with Ed Ross, Founder & CEO of Michigan & Manchester Consulting. His firm takes science-backed methodology helps organizations implement customized onboarding, skill development and reinforcement strategies that lead to increased revenue and market share. They worked with companies such as Olympus, ThermoFisher, Siemens, Philips, and more. In our conversation we discuss: What value Sales Enablement provides today's B2B organization Where the majority of companies are getting it wrong when it comes to their established sales process How to ensure Sales Enablement doesn't become the “fixer of broken things” The key benefits that Sales Enablement can offer the marketing team Additional Resources: Company Website Engage with Ed on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Max Altschuler, VP of Marketing at Outreach and Founder & CEO of Sales Hacker. He is a recognized thought-leader on sales and technology and has been published in the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Money, and more. In our conversation we discuss: What B2B sales leaders struggle with when it comes to their approach to selling in a modern and digital-first way How the evolution of sales tech has changed the buyer-seller relationship Why telling sales reps to just increase their activity level alone won't lead to improved sales results How sales leaders can interact differently with Marketing to get what they need to hit their numbers Additional Resources: “Hacking Sales: The Playbook for Building a High-Velocity Sales Machine” (Max's book) Sales Hacker Max's Personal Website Engage with Max on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Jim Karrh. He is a consultant, speaker, coach to high-value sales teams, and host of the “Manage Your Message” podcast. His podcast offers weekly insights from the experts and the doers, including CEOs, sales leaders, authors, fundraisers, editors, deans, consultants, researchers, and high-level negotiators. In our conversation we discuss: How access to information has changed the world for B2B sellers Why clarity and consistency are vital to selling “change” How Marketing should be contributing to the sales playbook Additional Resources: Jim's website Engage with Andre on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Andre Piazza who has a long history of working as a product marketer in the tech industry for companies such as Dell and Quest Software. He currently serves as co-organizer of ProductTank Austin as well as the co-founder and host of a Portuguese-language podcast focused on the journey of entrepreneurs building new companies. In our conversation we discuss: Why modern buyers aren't giving your sales reps their attention Product marketing's role in the effort to align Sales and Marketing How product marketing can help sales reps deliver personalized content and messaging to different customer personas throughout the buying experience Additional Resources: ProductTank Austin meetup Octanage podcast (in Portuguese) Engage with Andre on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Tony Hughes, an international keynote speaker, best selling author, leading professional selling educator, award-winning blogger and the most read LinkedIn Author globally on the topic of sales leadership. As an experienced CEO and company director with 35 years of sales and business leadership experience, he is ranked by Top Sales Magazine as the most influential person in professional selling in Asia-Pacific. In our conversation we discuss: What an effective sales kickoff meeting looks like in 2020 and beyond What sales leaders really want from marketing to help them achieve their goals How marketing can enable Sales to have better conversations with target buyers Additional Resources: Combo Prospecting (Tony's book) Tony's Website Engage with Tony on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Dave Elkington, founder of InsideSales.com. Dave has a rich background in tech, venture capital, and corporate development. He has been involved in the evolution and definition of the inside sales industry and speaks regularly on the topic. Dave is also co-author of the groundbreaking Lead Response Management industry study which was published in the Harvard Business Review. In our conversation we discuss: The forces that are causing massive change in the way B2B companies must operate today and in the future Benchmarks for where most companies sit on the sales and marketing tech adoption curve The fact that not all data is created equal The most effective way for marketing to share data with sales that is actually useful and meaningful for them Why AI has increased in popularity in recent years Additional Resources: Lead Response Management industry study How Marketing and Sales Leaders Can Create A Single Source of Truth (The Alignment Blog) Engage with Dave on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Craig Rosenberg, Co-Founder and Chief Analyst at TOPO. TOPO is a research and advisory firm that helps companies grow faster by improving the experiences sales and marketing organizations deliver to buyers. In our conversation we discuss: The different between account-based marketing (ABM) and account based strategy How an account based strategy helps break down the silos between sales and marketing How to develop an ideal customer profile (ICP) that actually enables growth 5 elements of a well-constructed account based strategy The key performance indicators (KPIs) that leaders should be tracking to ensure your account based strategy is performing well Additional Resources: Engage with Craig on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Rob Kall, co-founder and CEO of Cien. Cien is an AI-powered platform that helps connect the invisible dots between your sales data to predict outcomes, uncover improvement areas, and recommend the biggest wins for your team. Rob is also an accomplished entrepreneur with multiple multi-million dollar exits under his belt. In our conversation we discuss: How misalignment between sales and marketing impacts CEO performance What factors have the most negative impact on sales rep productivity The benefits of implementing AI even if you think you have bad data How the purpose of the CRM has changed and how most companies are using it wrong Additional Resources: How AI is Changing CRM (article) Engage with Ron on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Ron Carucci, managing partner at Navalent. Ron is also a contributor for Forbes and Harvard Business Review, 2x TED speaker, and author of “Rising to Power”. Ron has expertise in helping companies take a holistic approach to transformation which includes addressing their strategy, organization, and leadership. In our conversation we discuss: How to know if your teams are ready for change The 3 domains of transformation The importance of being an enterprise leader first and a functional leader second What many leadership teams are doing to encourage people not to tell the reality of what is going on in the business Additional Resources: Rising to Power (Ron's book) How to Be More Powerful Than Powerless (Ron's TED talk) Navalent Engage with Ron on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Joel Harrison, the Editor-in-chief and Co-founder for the past 15 years of B2B Marketing. His publication is the leading provider of insights, best practices, and professional development for B2B marketers. Beyond just media, B2B Marketing also offers training, conferences, advisory services, peer-to-peer networking and more. In our conversation we discuss: Why alignment is more important than ever before Top 4 priorities B2B marketers should be focusing on in 2019 How to determine if an ABM strategy is a fit for your business How to get access to the best data to ensure you're making the right decisions to position your company for growth. Additional Resources: B2B Marketing Engage with Joel on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Gabe Larsen, VP of Marketing at InsideSales.com. He is also the host of the popular Sales Secrets Podcast and president of the Utah chapter of the AA-ISP. Gabe has a wealth of experience cross-functional experience in finance, consulting, sales and marketing. He is now focused on helping B2B companies leverage the power of AI to unlock their growth potential. In our conversation we discuss: Is there still a need to have a delineation between the sales and marketing function? How to create a sales process that allows sellers to be flexible and connect with buyers on a human level How AI allows everyone to raise the bar and perform at a higher level How to get access to the best data to ensure you're making the right decisions to position your company for growth. Additional Resources: Sales Secrets Podcast Engage with Gabe on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Peter Isaacson, Chief Marketing Officer at Demandbase. Peter has over 25 years of marketing experience in several different industries working with companies such as Adobe, Castlight Health, MicroStrategy and more. Peter prides himself on his consistent focus on tying marketing strategy to revenue and business results. In our conversation we discuss: The head of marketing's role in aligning Sales and Marketing The questions marketing leaders should be asking their sales counterpart to build a more aligned partnership How tech has allowed us to scale our knowledge of customer insights How Account-based marketing (ABM) can be an effective strategy for companies of all sizes to close more business with their ideal customers Additional Resources: Account-based Marketing: How to Target and Engage the Companies That Will Grow Your Revenue (book) Engage with Peter on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Andy Paul - a founder, author, speaker, and sales acceleration strategist that has significant experience working with B2B organizations focused on growth. His latest venture, The Sales House, is the only all-in-one sales education community for the modern B2B seller. In our conversation we discuss: B2B has not changed as much as we all think that it has Is it possible to automate the process of building trust? How salespeople should be using customer personas to connect with buyers How leaders should adjust their perspective on pipeline coverage and close rates The assumptions sales and marketing both make about buyers that make closing deals more difficult Additional Resources: The Sales House (Andy's company) Engage with Andy on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Ryan Rhoten, an author and Chief Messaging Officer at CareerBrand. Simply put, Ryan helps B2B and B2C businesses clarify their marketing messages and create a strategy that can grow their business. In our conversation we discuss: Why having a clear story is so important to making a company relevant in today's market Why the best products don't always win The importance of knowing how your buyers feel A story framework you can use to ensure your messaging is compelling and will resonate with buyers Additional Resources: “CareerKred” (Ryan's book) Career Branding Podcast Host (Ryan's podcast) Engage with Ryan on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Antwoine Flowers, Ph.D., who is a neuroscientist, data scientist, and founder of Elegant Theory. Antwoine works at the intersection of data analysis and machine learning engineering. He has significant experience working closely with sales and marketing leaders to understand the customer journey using statistical modeling and data mining methods. In our conversation we discuss: The importance of data-driven decision making in today's b2b business Companies that see digital disruption as an opportunity not a burden will win with the modern buyer What questions leaders need to be asking to ensure they are using their data in the optimal way The 5-senses framework that will help you understand how to develop a strong data strategy Additional Resources: “Keeping Up with the Quants” (book) “Data Science for Business” (book) Engage with Antwoine on LinkedIn and Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Colleen Francis, Owner of Engage Selling Solutions. Colleen is a hall of fame keynote speaker, award-winning sales strategist, best-selling author, and named as one of Linkedin's Top Voices. She works with organizations and executives to create strong, consistent, and lasting sales results. In our conversation we discuss: What one thing you can do to break down the silos between Sales and Marketing How Amazon.com has influenced the modern b2b buyer What sales leaders should be asking for from their head of marketing How increased empathy can help sales and marketing colleagues drive better results together Additional Resources: Nonstop Sales Boom and Honesty Sales (Colleen's books) Engage with Colleen on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS | Spotify

This episode I speak with Adam Goyette, VP of Marketing at G2 Crowd. Adam has over 15 years of experience developing digital, social, and content marketing strategies that drive customer engagement, lead generation, and revenue growth. In our conversation we discuss: How to transform into a more data-focused and insights-driven organization Getting away from vanity metrics to focus on those that are connected to business outcomes Ways to increase your knowledge of how buyers are interacting with you throughout the entire revenue funnel The best ways to demonstrate marketing ROI Additional Resources: Connect with Adam on LinkedIn “4 Metrics You Must Track For Alignment” (The Alignment Blog) Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS |Spotify

This episode I speak with Paul Bickford, global director of sales and channel enablement at Oracle as well as president of Transformative Sales Solutions. Paul has trained and coached over 12,000 professionals all over the world and continues to consult with sales leaders and CEOs on sales solutions that create transformation and lead to results. In our conversation we discuss: Who should be in charge of an alignment effort How to address a company culture that doesn't support alignment between Sales and Marketing How training can be leveraged to increase empathy between Sales and Marketing Additional Resources: Connect with Paul on LinkedIn Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS |Spotify

This episode I speak with Mike Russell, content marketer at Pivotal Writing. Mike helps marketing leaders at enterprise SaaS companies ignite more sales conversation by utilizing customer success stories. In our conversation we discuss: The best way Marketing can align with Sales to produce better content What content must achieve to be relevant to the modern buyer The process you must follow to produce aligned messaging which can lead to higher value sales conversation with buyers When you should audit your current content library Additional Resources: PivotalWriting.com Connect with Mike on LinkedIn or Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher (Android) | RSS

This episode I speak with Gary Smith, Chief Executive at the Gary Smith Partnership. The company is a sales and marketing consulting firm that specializes in process change and enabling disruptive technology implementation. In our conversation we discuss: The most compelling reason Sales and Marketing must align now How to get CEO support when it comes to aligning these two teams The 5 things you must do to start on the path to better alignment Culture's impact on successfully achieving true alignment Additional Resources: “Black Box Thinking” by Matthew Syed “Mistakes were made (but not by me)” by Carol Tavris Connect with Tyler on LinkedIn or Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher (Android) | RSS

This episode I speak with Steven Norman, author and founder of Growth Acumen. Steven draws from his over 20 years of executive experience in Australia and Asia Pacific to assist tech and entrepreneurial companies in implementing world-class sales practices. In our conversation we discuss: The importance of customer experience (CX) in getting and keep ing customers How implementing a referral selling strategy can significantly increase your company growth Alignment beats out strategy when it comes to predictors of business success How to know if its time to pursue an alignment effort in your organization Additional Resources: Future Proof Sales Strategy - Steven's book Connect with Steven on LinkedIn or Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher (Android) | RSS

This episode I speak with Tyler Lessard, VP of Marketing at Vidyard. Tyler has over 15 years of experience in b2b marketing, sales enablement, content marketing, brand, and video. Throughout all these experience he has always taken a customer-centric approach to problem solving, creative storytelling, and data-driven marketing. In our conversation we discuss: The reasons behind why video has become so popular with b2b companies The 4 E's of successful video psychology The hidden rich data that video provides and how sales and marketing leaders can leverage it to better understand the buyer How brand leaders can support sales reps creating personalized video without losing brand equity and consistency Additional Resources: Chalk Talks - Vidyard's Video Series Connect with Tony on LinkedIn or Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher (Android) | RSS

This episode I speak with Tony Perzow, Keynote Speaker on Negotiation, Persuasion, and Influence. Tony has worked with companies such as Red Bull, Walmart, Apple and Google to help their professionals understand the science and art of persuasion. His presentations shatter the myths and misconceptions that prevent most companies and individuals from negotiating effectively. In our conversation we discuss: What Aristotle can teach us about using persuasion effectively with buyers and internal stakeholders The 3 things you must do to meaningfully connect with any buyer The interesting buyer-seller relationship between Sales and Marketing How Sales and Marketing leaders should approach convincing the CEO to support an alignment effort with time and resources Additional Resources: Tony Perzow - Tony's company Connect with Tony on LinkedIn or Twitter Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher (Android) | RSS

This episode I speak with Jen Jacober, President of Everchanges. She is an experienced change agent that has led, designed, and architected transformations for Fortune 500 companies, Government, and small/mid-sized start-ups. In our conversation we discuss: How cultural and organizational misalignment are related Who should own aligning Sales and Marketing for it to stick in the organization How misalignment between Sales and Marketing began in the first place The best way to start an alignment effort to set yourself up for long-term success Additional Resources: Everchanges - Jen's company Connect with Jen on LinkedIn or Twitter LIKE THE PODCAST? LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW ON ITUNES TO HELP IT GROW! Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher (Android) | RSS

This episode I speak with Stefan Groschupf, Founder and CEO of Sales Hero. Stefan has a history of founding and running tech companies for over 20 years and is now focused on revolutionizing sales tech for the modern sales team. In our conversation we discuss: What's holding back sales reps from getting the chance to actually sell. Salespeople are not data analyst and should not be required to do data entry. The stats that prove that most sales reps are highly inefficient with their time. How AI is helping Sales and Marketing create a true Revenue Engine together to meet the demands of the modern buyer. Additional Links: Connect with Stefan on LinkedIn or Twitter LIKE THE PODCAST? LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW ON ITUNES TO HELP IT GROW! Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher (Android) | RSS

This episode I speak with Mark Hunter - The Sales Hunter. He is a keynote sales speaker, best selling author, trainer, and consultant. He leverages his over 18 years of experience in sales and marketing to help companies sell more effectively. In his book “High-Profit Selling”, Mark helps salespeople learn the techniques they need to secure more sales at full profit and to avoid the discounting practices that are so prevalent in the sales industry. In our conversation we discuss: The biggest challenge in connecting with the modern buyer The opportunity Sales and Marketing have to create clarity for the buyer Marketing's role in the prospecting process The fact that Marketing should own the product and Sales should own the customer - always Additional Links: “High-Profit Selling” (Mark's book) Connect with Mark on LinkedIn or Twitter LIKE THE PODCAST? LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW ON ITUNES TO HELP IT GROW! Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher (Android) | RSS

This episode I speak with Iris Chan, CMO of FusionGrove. She has had over 20 years of experience leading multi-national marketing and sales enablement functions at Fortune 50 vendors like Cisco and IBM. Iris is also a founding member of the Sales Enablement Society as well as its local chapter president in Australia. In our conversation we discuss: Effective strategies for aligning a multi-national sales and marketing team The concept of co-creation between Sales and Marketing A significant marketing insight that is missing from a lot of lead generation efforts How to know if an account-based strategy is appropriate for your business. Additional Links: ABM Growing Up Fast: 2017 Benchmark Report (article) Connect with Iris on LinkedIn or Twitter LIKE THE PODCAST? LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW ON ITUNES TO HELP IT GROW! Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast | Stitcher (Android) | RSS

This episode I speak with Steve Patti who brings a wealth of knowledge to the show about sales, marketing, and business development. He has held roles as a CMO, sales leader, and entrepreneur in companies ranging from $10 million dollars in revenue to several billion. He has also built and teaches Entrepreneurial Selling as part of Trinity University's Forbes Top 10 ranked Entrepreneurship Program. What you'll learn from our conversation: The relationship between business, brand, and sales strategy What CMOs really think about the current state of MarTech Sales and Marketing must learn how to effectively leverage the CRM to be able to meet the demands of the modern buyer What the real purpose of content should be Additional Links: “Playing to Win” by A.G. Lafley and Roger Martin (book) Growth through Focus: A Blueprint for Driving Profitable Expansion (article) MarTech Landscape 2018 (article) Creating “togetherness” to Drive Revenue Growth (The Alignment Blog) Connect with Steve on LinkedIn or Twitter Don't forget to leave a 5-star review on iTunes if you found our conversation valuable! Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | RSS

This episode I speak with Todd Caponi, Author of “The Transparency Sale” and Principal at Sales Melon. Todd pulls from his vast experiences as a sales leader at companies like Power Reviews and Exact Target (Salesforce) to help modern sellers understand the importance of transparency in closing more deals with customers. What you'll learn from our conversation: >> Showing what your product is not good at can actually help you increase trust and shorten the sales cycle >> The Review Economy's influence on how b2b buyers make decisions today >> The importance of knowing the content about your product on 3rd-party websites >> Buyers are not good at assessing their own pain and need sellers to act as personal trainers to help them find their true business issues Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

This episode I speak with Maggie Safro, CEO of Meres Consult located in London. She is an author, speaker, advisor and consultant that focuses on transformation, business growth, and peak performance. Maggie has significant cross-industry experience with a special interest in high-growth B2B tech companies embarking on ambitious growth strategies and digital transformation. Her more recent work with world class advisory, research, and consulting firms like Gartner and WPP has led her to partnering on numerous strategic sales/marketing growth programs. What you'll learn from our conversation: >> Importance of tying alignment efforts to corporate strategy to get better CEO and stakeholder buy-in >> Most relevant KPIs to focus on for an aligned revenue growth effort >> Alignment must start with decoding the buyer's journey using insights from both Sales and Marketing >> The #1 question the CEO should be asking every head of Sales and Marketing Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

This episode I speak with Moran Cerf, Ph.D. He is a professor of Neuroscience and Business at Northwestern University. His research uses methods from neuroscience to understand the underlying mechanisms of our psychology, behavior changes, emotion, decision making and dreams. He holds multiple patents and his works have been published in wide-circulation academic journals such as Nature and Journal of Neuroscience, as well as popular science journals such as Scientific American Mind, Wired, New Scientist and more. Additionally, his work has been portrayed in numerous media and cultural outlets such as CNN, BBC, Bloomberg, NPR, Time, MSNBC, and dozens of others. He has been featured in venues such as the Venice Art Biennial and China's Art, Science and Technology association, and has contributed to magazines such as Forbes, The Atlantic, Inc., and others. What you'll learn from our conversation: >> What neuroscience teaches us about human collaboration >> Multiple types of empathy are need for a team to be optimally effective >> Methods to improve trust between sales and marketing teams >> How to construct reward systems that actually incentivize better collaboration and higher performance Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

This episode I speak with Nancy Nardin - Founder of Smart Selling Tools and Co-Founder of Vendor Neutral - a company that helps enterprises identify technology requirements and discover practical industry solutions personalized for where they are in their technology journey. She is an expert in Sales Technology and Sales Transformation backed by 25+ years of experience as a sales executive in information technology and services. Her customer list includes Fortune 100 companies such as Microsoft, Intel, and Hewlett Packard as well as many of Silicon Valley's hottest start-ups. What you'll learn from our conversation: > It's no longer about MarTech or SalesTech, it's about building an effective Revenue Tech Stack > The basic Revenue Tech you need to empower your team to close more deals > How AI is helping us sell smarter or more efficiently > Why leadership needs to invest more budget in SalesTech immediately Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Visit jeffdavis2.com for more information about working together on speaking, coaching, or consulting engagements.

This episode I speak with Mike Schultz. He is the Founder and President at RAIN Group - a global sales training and performance improvement company that unleashes sales potential by delivering transformational experiences for clients. Beyond being a world-renowned speaker, researcher, and sales expert, he is also the author of the Wall Street Journal best-seller “Rainmaking Conversations”. Business Week, Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, American Express OPEN, MSNBC, and hundreds of others have interviewed and featured Mike's original articles, research, and white papers. He has often appeared on top-ranked radio, TV, and podcast programs to discuss various sales topics and research findings. What you'll learn from our conversation: > The fact that buyers actually want to hear from sellers much earlier in the buying process and why > How the Paradox of Choice is killing your deals and what to do about it > The 2 most important questions you must be able to answer for b2b buyers today in order to get their attention and actually close business Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Visit jeffdavis2.com for more information about working together on speaking, coaching, or consulting engagements.

This episode I speak with Peter Strohkorb - Founder/CEO of Peter Strohkorb International. He is a consultant and author of "The OneTEAM Method". He focuses on aligning Sales, Marketing, and Customer Experience (CX) with the way customers want to buy to make companies a customer magnet.  What you'll learn from our conversation: >Peter's "aha" moment about the way Sales and Marketing interacted with each other in the corporate setting >An alignment test that shows you how well your Sales and Marketing teams are actually collaborating >What happened in the 90's that caused today's current state of misalignment >Who should "own" alignment between Sales and Marketing within the company Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions Visit jeffdavis2.com for more information about working together on speaking, coaching, or consulting engagements.

This episode I speak with Roderick Jefferson - CEO of Roderick Jefferson & Associates, LLC which is sales enablement company focused on driving growth in small/mid-size companies and Fortune 500 corporations. He is also a founding member of the Sales Enablement Society which has the goal to better define the sales enablement functions and roles that currently exist within organizations and ultimately solve the vast disparities that exist in the profession today What you'll learn from our conversation: >The relationship between Sales Enablement and the strategic alignment of Sales and Marketing >A phased approach to decreasing time to revenue >The importance of focusing on customer value throughout the entire customer journey Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

This episode I speak with David Coleman, collaboration expert and managing director of Collaborative Strategies, Inc. He has been an author and industry analyst on collaboration and digital transformation for the last 30 years. He is a columnist for CMSwire.com, CIO.com, and the Cutter IT Journal. He consults with management teams about the digital transformation in all of its many aspects What you'll learn from our conversation: How CEOs view the topic of collaboration. Gamification can be used to have effective and long lasting results in promoting collaboration. Where to start when attempting to align your sales and marketing teams. Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

This episode I speak with Justin Shriber - VP of Marketing at Linkedin. He has over 20 decades of experience in software as well as having roles in both sales and marketing. He helps us see and understand the future of Marketing and Sales Alignment. What you'll learn from our conversation: >The importance of language and how it can cause conflict between Sales and Marketing >Netflix has totally changed the game on how we should see Alignment and Customer Experience (CX) >What the future of Sales and Marketing Alignment looks like Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

This episode I speak with Dan Cilley - CEO of telemaxium and co-founder of Vendor Neutral. He is a technologist that is able to help company leaders get clarity on what technology they need to deploy into their organizations to enable growth acceleration.  What you'll learn from our conversation: >The fundamental components that are necessary for the modern day revenue tech stack >Technology is making it easier to quantify marketing's contribution to pipeline revenue >How to integrate AI and other advanced technology into the workflow of your teams to enable their productivity >The 3 questions that all leaders should be asking vendors before adding new technology to their organization Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

This episode I speak with Trish Bertuzzi. She is the CEO of the Bridge Group which works with technology companies to build, evolve or validate their inside sales strategies and the author of the author of The Sales Development Playbook. What you'll learn from our conversation: >How to align your BDR team within the organization for optimal performance >Who should "own" an alignment effort >The Revenue Tech Stack (sales + marketing tech) necessary to effectively sell in today's modern B2B environment Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

This episode I speak with Ted Corbeill. He is an accomplished military veteran who has taken the skills he has learned during active duty and transitioned them into creating innovative sales enablement programs.  What you'll learn from our conversation: >The difference between data, insights and intelligence and how they should be used in making sound business decisions >Don't overwhelm salespeople with random data, give them insights >The One Team, One Fight mantra for creating effective collaboration Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

This episode I speak with Debra Mashek, PhD. She is a professor of social psychology at Harvey Mudd College and has spent over two decades studying how people form relationships with each other, as well as the challenges and rewards of doing so. What you'll learn from our conversation: >The definition of collaboration and the spectrum in achieving it >5 necessary ingredients to sustainable organizational change >Empathy and its importance in helping Sales and Marketing work better together Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

This episode I speak with Tracy Eiler, CMO at InsideView and co-author of the book "Aligned to Achieve". She believes that "Marketing exists to make sales easier" (but they're not doormats) What you'll learn from our conversation: >The reason why Sales and Marketing have had this long-lasting conflict >How to get CEO support for an alignment effort >The metrics that sales and marketing leaders should be focused on to drive growth for the organization >The traditional sales funnel is dead Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

This episode I speak with Anthony Iannarino - international speaker, bestselling author, sales leader, and entrepreneur. He posts daily sales tips and insights to The Sales Blog. What you'll learn from our conversation: >How to adjust to the new non-linear sales process >What sales leaders should be requesting from Marketing to help their teams sell more effectively >How alignment can lead to higher-value sales conversations with prospects Music/Production: Chris "KID" Robinson, Hitmakuzz Productions

A brief explanation of why I created The Alignment Podcast