The Sales Evangelist

How can you interact with potential buyers (especially enterprise clients) that encourage a dialogue? After all, landing the sale isn't the only part of the equation; you first have to get their attention! In today's episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by Dr. Stephen Timme and Melody Astley to discuss their recent book Insight-Led Selling, which details how to learn how buyers think. But first, why did they write a book? Ultimately, Stephen and Melody wanted to create a resource their clients and community could utilize. It's harder than ever to sell to enterprise sellers (yes, people say that every year. But it's true!) And COVID-aside, the subscription-based economy is growing. There are more stakeholders than ever before in traditional buying processes. At the same time, implementation costs for platforms are lower, making it easier to switch between service providers. They interviewed many executives to see how they felt about sales.  From AT&T, Coca-Cola, Proctor and Gamble, and even Honey-Baked Hams, Stephen and Melody interviewed executives to learn firsthand how they felt about salespeople. (If you were curious, Honey-Baked Hams didn't even give them coupons. We're just as disappointed as you are.) They asked one simple question: what could sellers do better? Below were the three overwhelming responses: First, tell me something I don't know. Second, how does what you're selling align with my goals and strategies. Third, make my life easy (and don't give me a 30-page proposal.) Personalization is more than inserting the name of each person in an email blast.  It's developing a point of view that is interesting to the person you're talking to. Hold on, let's say that again for those who missed it: spend a moment to develop a point of view interesting to the person you're talking to. As a sales leader, we expect output from our BDRs. But we can't do this and expect results from a spray-and-pray method. The game has changed. How can you implement these sales techniques? For publicly-traded companies, you have access to specific financial figures; use that to align your selling proposition with their capabilities.  Explain the “how” you can help them before you can get into the “how much.”  For sales leaders, equip your salespeople with the specialized knowledge they might need.  You can self-learn if you feel unsupported by your organization, or (and an even better strategy), ask your organization for support. Their final takeaway? Understanding the language of how a customer speaks (and relating that to financial objectives) is a skill that will last the rest of your career.  Insight-Led Selling is available for purchase on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. To contact Melody and Stephen, reach out at info@finlistics.com or connect on their business's LinkedIn page. (Or connect directly with Stephen and Melody.) Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Oh no! It's happening again. The biggest search engines are making changes. But, this time, it's to protect people's email accounts. Sellers sending out over 500 emails per day may want to stop because there will be repercussions for doing so.  In this episode of "The Sales Evangelist Podcast," host Donald Kelly addresses the recent strict changes announced by Yahoo and Google regarding email outreach.  How will these changes affect your sales approach? What are the limits to how many emails can you send now?  Tune in to this week's episode and learn how to adapt to these recent changes. Understanding Yahoo and Google's Changes Donald breaks down the changes announced by Yahoo and Google, highlighting that bulk senders who dispatch more than 5000 emails per day must adapt to align with the heightened requirements.  These changes aim to shield end users from spam and potential security risks associated with excessive unsolicited emails. Insights Derived from Mailgun Referencing insights from Mailgun, Donald delves into the implications for sales professionals and how these changes impact their outreach strategies.  He emphasizes that aligning with the standards enforced by Google and Yahoo is essential for safeguarding email deliverability and maintaining a positive sender reputation. Essential Practices for Email Outreach Donald outlines three crucial elements that sales professionals must prioritize to navigate the evolving email outreach landscape.  These include authenticating emails, enabling easy unsubscribe options, and sending targeted emails that cater to recipients' interests and preferences. Implications for Sales Professionals Addressing the potential impact on sales professionals, Donald discusses the nuances of these changes for individual contributors and organizations.  He stresses the importance of adherence to email authentication practices, particularly for organizations with multiple sales representatives engaged in outbound email activities. Technical Requirements for Email Authentication Donald elucidates the technical aspects of maintaining compliance with Google and Yahoo's email-sending policies.  He emphasizes the need to implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC measures to uphold authentication standards for domains exceeding the 5000-email threshold. Adapting to Enhance Relevance and Impact Drawing parallels between the evolving email outreach landscape and the need for enhanced creativity and relevance, Donald underscores the importance of crafting substantive and impactful communications.  He stresses the need for sales professionals to establish reference points, leverage referrals, align with recipient interests, and ensure a respectful and relevant approach. Embracing a Thought Leadership Mindset Encouraging sales professionals to adopt a thought leadership mindset, Donald emphasizes the importance of focusing on individual buyers' specific needs and challenges.  He advocates for aligning communications with potential impacts on the buyer's role or responsibilities, thus enhancing the relevance and impact of outreach efforts. Donald urges listeners to elevate their sales game and take advantage of the resources and sponsors highlighted in the episode. He offers valuable guidance for sales professionals seeking to adapt to the changes in email outreach and elevate their approaches to securing quality sales opportunities in a shifting landscape. Resources TSE LinkedIn Prospecting Course MailGun Update on Gmail and Yahoo "Slow the game down. Don't rush, don't stress. When there's a breakaway by far, go ahead and take that breakaway. Take that shot. But right now, let's slow the game down. Let's play the field and increase the chances of us scoring" - Donald Kelly. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

In this episode of the TSE podcast, host Donald Kelly speaks with development lead Brain Liebel from Ambition. They dive deep into the rhythms of successful sales strategies and performance to redefine the sales approach.  Donald and Brian unpack the essence of human interaction in sales, the strategic 'snowball effect' of building a robust sales pipeline, and how to turn data from sales conversations into tactical gold. Let's sift through the invaluable insights from this rich discussion. Human Interaction: The Core of Sales In today's world, where automation and technology are prevalent, the importance of human connection can sometimes be underestimated. However, Brian underscores the irreplaceable value of human-to-human interaction, especially during the initial conversations in the sales pipeline.  Using analogies from lead utilization, he emphasizes the need for salespeople to focus on engagements ready to blossom instead of wasting potential opportunities. Creating a Documented Sales Process Drawing from his expertise, Brian advises having a carefully documented process within sales teams. This cornerstone allows for iteration and implementation of tactical solutions, moving beyond the often insufficient directive of simply 'putting in more effort.'  The systematic approach is about leveraging every lead and conversation to build a 'snowball' that grows over time - a strategy that becomes increasingly more potent as insights and data are collected. The Role of Ambition and Networking Brian shares his experience with Ambition, a sales coaching and performance management platform. This tool exemplifies the integration of data-driven strategy into everyday sales tasks.  Additionally, Brian extends an offer to connect on LinkedIn, allowing listeners to delve into sales discussions and gain further insights from a well-established industry leader. Organization in Prospecting Brian stresses the importance of organization in prospecting. He offers actionable advice on maintaining accurate data, imperative for evaluating performance and strategizing more effectively.  He outlines four vital administrative tasks: transcribing notes at an account level, implementing a tagging system, devising customizable queries, and updating the conversation timeline. Deep Dive into Tagging Systems A specific focus was given to the tagging system, with Brian explaining that a balance is required in the number of tags used. This balance ensures that the system aids the organization without becoming overly complicated.  Such a system assists in categorizing follow-ups, creating a more efficient path to revisit prospects. The 'Snowball Effect' of Sales Conversations Brian breaks down the 'snowball effect,' offering concrete statistics gathered from the Bridge group detailing the monthly average quality conversations salespeople have.  He also illuminates the conversion rate of these interactions and the long-term value of conversations that don't immediately result in meetings. This is a testament to the importance of viewing every conversation as a stepping stone to eventual success. Collecting Sales 'Gold Flakes' To harness the full potential of conversations, Brian advocates keeping logs of critical data points post-discussion.  He shares his tagging method for optimizing follow-up actions, such as tagging direct dials and follow-up dates.  Additionally, the speakers recommend creating touchpoints on LinkedIn and sending follow-up emails to help prospects remember the interaction, likening the process to collecting small gold flakes that accumulate into a valuable reserve over time. Gratitude for Insights As the discussion wrapped up, both speakers exchanged gratitude, highlighting the importance of sharing knowledge and appreciation in the sales community.  These moments of connection nurture professional relationships and foster a supportive atmosphere where learning and development can thrive. Donald and Brian agree that the meticulous process of cold prospecting, akin to sifting for gold, makes top-of-the-funnel activities enjoyable and fruitful. Sales professionals can elevate their pipelines by making every piece and interaction count and relish the journey toward a rewarding outcome. Join us for the next episode of “The Sales Evangelist” as we continue to uncover the art and science behind effective sales strategies. “How do you take all of this data and turn it into a tactical way to execute and return to these prospects you spoke to? You learned something, but it wasn't the right time to meet. What do you do with that? I think with a lot of salespeople is we're always looking to be a wordsmith on the phone or have the craftiest subject line or level up our training and seek all of this external flash. Right. All these flashy sales things. Organization and efficiency are two of the very unspoken things in the world right now. The best prospectors are when it comes to documenting all of these things that we do.” - Brian Liebel.  Resources Ambition  Brian Liebel on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

What inspires you to be the best sales representative in your company? Is it to take a vacation to Hawaii?  Is it to earn enough to buy your significant other a horse? Or maybe you just want to have money and live comfortably.  Despite naming off different common wants most people want in their lives, many salespeople don't know what they really want. So, how do you dig deeper into your wants and discover your real desires? In this episode of the TSE podcast, host Donald Kelly speaks with Travis Ashby, a seasoned sales professional, on the deeper desires of salespeople beyond monetary incentives. Travis shares his journey of finding his purpose and how it led him to create a platform that helps sales leaders understand and support their team's goals and ambitions. The Changing Landscape of Sales Incentives Travis highlights how the world of sales has evolved, particularly in light of recent events like COVID and the "great resignation."  He explains that today, salespeople are looking for more than just a paycheck, and leaders must adapt their approach to motivate and retain their sales teams. Going Beyond Transactional Motivation Travis emphasizes that monetary incentives and transactional rewards such as gift cards, cash bonuses, and swag have historically driven sales.  However, he believes that true motivation and happiness in sales come from aligning personal goals with company objectives. Helping Sales Reps Discover their True Desires Travis reveals that when asked about their goals, many sales reps struggle to articulate their desires beyond surface-level wants like money or a vacation.  He emphasizes the importance of leaders taking the time to dig deep and understand what truly brings happiness and fulfillment to each team member's life. The Power of Public Goals and Accountability By visualizing and sharing their goals with others, salespeople experience a sense of accountability and support.  Travis introduces his concept of an "inspiration engine," a tool that helps individuals analyze their personal happiness equation and take actionable steps toward their goals. When others are aware of these goals, they can offer assistance, encouragement, and hold individuals accountable for their progress. The Value of "Sacred Money" Travis shares a personal story about his mother's passing and the lessons he learned from it.  He explains the concept of "sacred money" – money intentionally set aside for things that bring happiness and fulfillment.  By adopting this mindset, sales reps can align their financial resources with their deepest desires, whether it's surprising a loved one, pursuing a passion, or overcoming obstacles. Fostering a Culture of Care Travis emphasizes the importance of managers caring about their sales team members' personal and professional aspirations.  He encourages leaders to ask meaningful questions about their team's happiness equation, helping them uncover what truly matters and taking steps to support their goals. Travis concludes the episode by highlighting the need for trust between companies and employees. He introduces "WorkLyfe," a platform that acts as a third-party intermediary, fostering trust and privacy while facilitating the alignment of personal and company goals. By encouraging a communal approach to supporting individual goals, WorkLyfe aims to revolutionize sales leadership and create happier, more fulfilled sales teams. “When I ask someone that question, or when a manager asks reps that question, I'd say 70% of the time, the reps have no idea. I don't know. And so they need help figuring that out.” - Travis Ashby. Resources Worklyfe.io Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

When was the last time you did something nice for someone? Did you notice how their eyes shine bright like a diamond?  How about their smile? Did it become as big as the Grand Canyon? When people become this happy from others making nice gestures, it creates a warm feeling they'll never forget. This is why sales representatives should take advantage of this, and Donald Kelly is here to tell you why. In this episode of The Sales Evangelist podcast, Donald explores the importance of showing appreciation to prospects and clients as a sales professional. Listen to this special Thanksgiving episode for seven powerful ideas to help you build stronger and lasting client relationships.  Utilize LinkedIn Sales Navigator Donald recommends creating a list on LinkedIn that includes all of your customers and prospects. This lets you be notified whenever they change jobs, get promoted, or leave their company.  Acknowledging these developments and sending a personalized message demonstrates that you care about your client's success. Put Them on Blast Highlighting your clients on social media platforms such as LinkedIn is a powerful way to show appreciation. Posting about their achievements, charity work, or unique offerings not only acknowledges and recognizes them, but also boosts their visibility and reputation.  This gesture can go a long way in building stronger relationships and fostering goodwill. Consider Appropriate Gifts While gifts may not be suitable for all industries or clients, sending a thoughtful gift can leave a lasting impression for those where it is feasible.  Be mindful of any restrictions or guidelines and choose a gift that aligns with the client's interests or preferences.  A small gesture, such as a fruit basket or an edible arrangement, can go a long way in showing appreciation. Offer Referrals Actively seek opportunities to refer your clients to others in your network.  Your efforts to connect them with potential prospects show you value their business and believe in their products.  Referrals can lead to long-term partnerships and significant business growth, making this strategy a win-win for both parties. Send Personalized Emails A simple, heartfelt email can go a long way in showing appreciation.  Craft a personalized message expressing your gratitude for their support and how much you value their partnership.  Keep the email genuine and focus solely on expressing gratitude without any sales pitch or ulterior motive.  This gesture will leave a positive impression and show that you genuinely care about your client's success. Consider Upgrades Consider offering upgrades to higher tiers or additional features for loyal and exceptional clients. This shows that you recognize their value and are willing to invest in their success.  Offering upgrades not only enhances their experience with your product or service but also encourages them to advocate for your brand, potentially leading to additional revenue. Donate to Charities Research the charitable organizations that your clients support or are passionate about. Donate to those organizations on your clients ' behalf during specific times of the year or trigger events and inform them about it.  This not only demonstrates your commitment to social responsibility but also showcases your attentiveness to their interests beyond business transactions. If you would like to show appreciation to Donald, consider donating to his favorite charity, A Bed for Me. In this episode, Donald Kelly emphasizes the importance of appreciating prospects and clients as a sales professional. By incorporating these strategies throughout the year, sales professionals can strengthen relationships, build trust, and pave the way for long-term success. Remember, a little gesture of appreciation can go a long way in positively impacting both your business and the lives of those you serve. "Show your appreciation. Your words matter. These are simple gestures from you for sending that email. Just because. You are absolutely amazing. I just want to send you an email and tell you thank you. No tricks, no gimmicks here. It's a pleasure working with you." - Donald Kelly. Resources A Bed for Me Foundation  Donald C. Kelly on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

What's the number one skill you need to make it as a sales professional? Do you know? It's self-confidence. If you don't have the confidence to sell your services or products, how do you expect potential customers to buy from you? Of course, developing self-confidence is easier said than done, and many people struggle with it. However, if you listen to this special episode of the TSE podcast, you'll gain knowledgeable insight on becoming mentally tough for the sales industry. Host Donald Kelly speaks with guest Matt Phillips, a leadership coach, on how sales professionals can build mental toughness. Discover how you can prepare mentally for sales in this episode. 5 Elements of Mental Toughness Matt developed five elements to help sales professionals build mental toughness. These elements include: Self-belief: If you don't believe in yourself, you won't succeed in sales. Matt discusses the importance of self-belief and how it helps a sales rep. Focus: What are you focusing on right now, and is it helping your career? Sometimes distractions get in the way, and you have to shift your focus on what's really important. Emotional control: You can't break down when things go wrong. When it happens, you must control your emotions to advance your career.  Energy: Your energy is essential to gaining clients as a sales professional. If you believe nothing good is coming your way, it won't. Also, remember to be mindful of your energy at home, as it carries into the workplace. Consistent action: Try to develop a goal of out-reaching five times a day. Your consistency will help you build your pipeline and close more deals. Prioritization and Focus in Sales and Leadership Matt prioritizes focusing on 3-4 key areas to drive the biggest results rather than trying to be everything to everyone. His wife keeps them focused on their priorities by asking if new ideas align with them, preventing them from getting off track. If you need help staying focused, consider asking someone for assistance. Matt emphasizes the importance of focus and simplicity in leadership and sales, suggesting that it simplifies decision-making and reduces FOMO (fear of missing out). Matt shares his personal experience with emotional reactions and teaches a methodology to prepare for and, ideally, react to difficult situations. Emotional Control and Consistency in Sales Matt emphasizes the importance of emotional control and leveraging past experiences to stay focused and confident in sales. Donald agrees, highlighting the need to remember and leverage past successes for future success. Matt emphasizes the importance of consistency in caring for oneself, both at work and home, to maintain energy and positivity. He encourages listeners to focus on quality over quantity in their daily activities, such as making five quality outreaches a day instead of 100 calls that last only half a day. Sales Leadership, Mindset, and Consistency Matt emphasizes the importance of simplicity in achieving sales goals, suggesting that taking consistent small actions is more effective than creating a complex plan. He advises against spending too much time on grandiose plans and instead recommends taking small, actionable steps toward sales goals. Using Tony Robbins's quote that we overestimate what we can accomplish in a year but underestimate what we can achieve in 10, Matt highlights the importance of small, consistent steps in sales leadership. It's amazing how having the right mindset can improve your life professionally and personally. For those who struggle with self-confidence and mental toughness, this episode of the TSE podcast is a must-listen. Also, for additional help, check out Matt's free training and podcast for more insights on leadership, mindset, and mental toughness. “If I'm confident in a situation, I have more emotional control.” - Matt Phillips. Resources Website: Matt Phillips Coaching Podcast: The Matt Phillips Podcast LinkedIn: Matt Phillips Facebook: Matt Phillips Leadership Coaching  Instagram: Matt Phillips Leadership Coaching Youtube: Matt Phillips Leadership Coaching Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

With the rise of AI tools, most sales representatives utilize them to their advantage to help save time. However, the problem with using these tools is the risk of sounding too robotic and not coming across as genuine.  In this profession, sales reps must be authentic to help them build relationships with potential customers. How can you use AI tools and still show up authentically every time with your clients? In this episode of the TSE podcast, host Donald Kelly welcomes Carl Sajous, the sales director at HR tech company Fringe. Carl shares his insights on the importance of authenticity in sales and how building genuine relationships can lead to business success. He discusses the challenges of maintaining authenticity in the age of AI and offers practical tips for building relationships and closing deals.  The Power of Authenticity in Sales Donald highlights the value of authenticity in sales and praises Carl for being genuinely passionate about his work.  Carl emphasizes the need to be true in every conversation and transaction.  He believes authenticity allows for deeper connections and meaningful relationships with prospects and clients. Balancing AI and Authenticity The rise of AI technology has made sales processes more efficient, but it can also compromise authenticity.  Carl shares his perspective on using AI tools like Chat GPT to improve sales interactions.  He explains how he leverages AI to understand common industry talking points and stands out by offering unique insights and solutions. The Importance of Active Listening Donald and Carl discuss the art of active listening as a crucial aspect of building relationships.  Carl emphasizes the need to listen attentively without preconceived notions.  Sales professionals can offer tailored solutions by genuinely understanding a prospect's struggles and pain points.  Carl encourages his team to use their ears more than their mouths, allowing them to absorb information and provide meaningful feedback. Being Genuine in a Professional Setting Carl shares his experience of feeling pressured to act a certain way when starting B2B sales.  He reveals how he overcame the challenge of balancing professionalism and authenticity.  He developed stronger connections with his prospects and clients by being himself and maintaining professionalism. Focusing on Relationship Building While closing deals is essential, Carl's primary focus is building relationships.  He shares a story about a deal that didn't go in his company's favor but resulted in three referral opportunities from the client.  Carl explains the importance of creating lasting relationships beyond a single transaction. By supporting clients even when there is no immediate benefit for his company, Carl fosters trust and opens doors for future opportunities. Equipping Champions for Success Carl discusses the role of champions in sales.  Sales professionals can more effectively close deals by preparing and empowering champions to advocate for a solution.  Carl encourages his team to equip champions with all the necessary information, ensuring they are confident in sharing the value proposition and benefits of the product or service. Providing Creative and Tailored Support Tailoring support and resources to fit the communication preferences of each individual is vital.  Carl emphasizes the need to adapt and provide various tools such as video demos, one-pagers, templates, and alternative communication channels like texting or video calls. This flexibility allows sales professionals to meet prospects' needs and build stronger connections. The Mirror Technique Carl summarizes his insights with a powerful image of imagining a mirror before engaging with prospects and clients.  By recognizing yourself and staying true to your values and intentions, you can show up authentically and build trust with those you interact with. This authenticity paves the way for successful sales relationships. Carl's emphasis on authenticity and building genuine relationships in sales is invaluable. By listening, understanding, and genuinely showing up as yourself, you can create meaningful connections that lead to successful transactions and long-term partnerships. Authenticity is the key to standing out in a sea of sales professionals and building a thriving sales career. “Always imagine there's a mirror in front of you. When you do that, you show up authentically. You tell yourself the truth, and there's no one around to skew that. Showing up authentically means just being yourself, being there for the people in your life and in that transaction with you. That'll breed success in a major way.” - Carl Sajous. Resources Fringe.us  carl@fringe.us Carl Sajous on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.  

In this episode of the Sales Evangelist podcast, host Donald C. Kelly dives deep into the number one reason why prospecting on LinkedIn may not be working for you and, most importantly, how to fix it. Kelly breaks down the common challenges sales professionals face and offers practical steps to enhance prospecting efforts on LinkedIn.  Understanding the Problem Kelly opens the episode by addressing the frustration of salespeople not receiving responses or appointments through LinkedIn.  He attributes this challenge to the focal point of prospecting efforts - the people being targeted. Focusing on the Right Accounts The podcast outlines the importance of targeting accounts more inclined to purchase, emphasizing the concept of foresight in understanding buyer behavior.  Kelly suggests analyzing past successful deals to identify commonalities among the organizations, individuals, or industry trends, effectively creating a target account list based on these insights. Leveraging Relationship Explorer Kelly highlights the value of using LinkedIn's Relationship Explorer feature to identify shared connections with targeted individuals within an organization.  This approach enables sales professionals to establish more meaningful and genuine connections, increasing the likelihood of engagement. Embracing Foresight The episode stresses the significance of discerning potential buying signals, such as job changes within the target organization.  Kelly underscores that people who have recently changed roles are more likely to be open to making purchasing decisions, making them prime prospects for outreach. Harnessing Alerts for Actionable Insights Kelly advises the strategic use of LinkedIn's alerts feature, which provides timely updates on the target accounts, including job changes, content sharing, and hiring activities.  This empowers sales professionals with actionable insights to engage with the right prospects on time. Personalizing Connection Requests Kelly emphasizes the importance of crafting personalized connection requests based on the information gathered from LinkedIn.  By referencing shared experiences, posts, or geographical similarities, sales professionals can significantly increase the chances of accepting their requests. Unlocking the Power of Warm Introductions The podcast emphasizes the potency of leveraging warm introductions, as individuals are more receptive to engaging with connections recommended or referred by mutual contacts.  Kelly advocates using this approach to establish credibility and rapport with target prospects. Donald reinforces the significance of targeting the proper accounts on LinkedIn and leveraging foresight to drive effective prospecting outcomes. The episode delivers actionable insights and practical steps for sales professionals aiming to enhance their prospecting efforts on LinkedIn.  “Those warm introductions are just like money. It is the bread and butter for LinkedIn because people have a higher chance of doing things with people recommended or referred to them.” - Donald Kelly. Resources Donald C. Kelly on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.  

"Are you tired of your sales outreach falling flat and not getting the results you want? Well, you're not alone.  Many sales reps miss out on a crucial aspect of their customers' buying behavior. In this episode of the Sales Evangelist podcast, host Donald C. Kelly emphasizes the importance of utilizing LinkedIn as a tool for generating sales opportunities and engaging with prospects.  He highlights recent buyer behavior trends and provides insights on overcoming common challenges faced by sales professionals on LinkedIn. Listen to this week's episode of the TSE podcast to hear a powerful strategy to maximize its potential. Recognizing the Potential of LinkedIn  Many sales representatives acknowledge being present on LinkedIn for years without seeing significant business results. Donald acknowledges the frustration and attributes the lack of effectiveness to a failure in properly utilizing the platform. He encourages listeners to acknowledge that their prospects are active on LinkedIn and proposes that engagement is key to success. Being an Active Participant  Donald points out that a common mistake on LinkedIn is observing and not actively participating. He urges sales professionals to break free from being wallflowers and actively engage with their network. Donald reveals the core strategy: posting at least one piece of content on LinkedIn every week. Overcoming Excuses and Finding Topics  Donald dismisses the argument of lacking time as an excuse for not posting. He underscores that investing 15 minutes in creating a post is manageable for those actively pursuing new leads. To counter the issue of not knowing what to post about, Donald suggests reflecting on objections received during prospect conversations. He advises addressing objections in a post, giving practical examples to illustrate how to do it effectively. Tailoring Content to Address Objections  Donald emphasizes the need to provide compelling reasons in response to objections. He advises sales professionals to dig deeper into objections to uncover the underlying concerns. Using a hypothetical scenario of selling a CRM to a prospect with an existing internal solution, Donald illustrates how to approach objections effectively. By addressing the deeper reasons behind objections, sales professionals can debunk misconceptions and provide compelling reasons for prospects to consider their solution. Donald highlights the significant potential of LinkedIn as a platform for sales professionals to engage with prospects and generate new business opportunities. The key to overcoming common challenges and creating meaningful connections is to participate actively and consistently post relevant content. Addressing objections in a compelling manner allows sales professionals to build trust and convert prospects into customers. Implementing these strategies on LinkedIn can yield remarkable results in expanding the sales pipeline and increasing close rates. “I talked about this several places, but the data is also proving it because most of the buyers are tired of searching and clicking. What they're doing, however, is that they want to find stuff where they are. And the study has shown that 44% of buyers have said they are discovering new software and products via social media.” - Donald Kelly. Resources Donald C. Kelly on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Did you know that you can close a deal before the actual sales process? Say what? That doesn't make any sense. Actually, it does. But for it to make sense, you must listen to this week's episode of the TES podcast. In this episode, host Donald welcomes Carlos, a Dynamics and Business Application Specialist at Microsoft, to discuss the importance of internal buy-in for sales reps.  Carlos shares his insights and experiences in navigating large organizations and building strong relationships with internal partners. He highlights the significance of trust and effective communication in securing warm leads and closing deals successfully. Carlos' Role at Microsoft Carlos briefly explains his role as a dynamics and business application specialist at Microsoft, specifically focusing on the banking vertical.  In this position, Carlos collaborates with large banks to help solve operational and sales force issues using Microsoft's CRM tools and local platform.  He expresses his excitement and passion for his work at Microsoft and emphasizes the value he brings to the table through his expertise. Understanding the Power of Internal Buy-In  Carlos emphasizes the significance of internal buy-in for sales reps. He highlights how sales professionals often struggle to realize the power of gaining support within the buyer's organization before closing a deal.  Carlos admits that he faced similar challenges when he started as a young sales rep, and he acknowledges that many others are still trying to figure out this process.  The Significance of Internal Partnerships  Drawing from his 15 years of experience in various sales roles, Carlos emphasizes the importance of building alliances with internal partners.  As a specialist, Carlos is not the primary point of contact with customers. However, he realizes the significant impact of warm leads generated through strong relationships with internal partners in increasing the probability of closing deals successfully.  Carlos shares an example from his early days as a field sales rep at Bank of America, where he developed a fruitful partnership with a financial center manager. This partnership allowed Carlos to enhance his lead generation efforts and create a successful sales pipeline.  Trust, timeliness, and follow-through were key factors in building and sustaining such partnerships. Success through Building Trust  Carlos explains how trust was pivotal in his relationship-building efforts with internal partners. By approaching his partnerships with humility and a genuine willingness to meet expectations, Carlos established a solid foundation for trust.  Through consistent communication, timely responses to leads, and transparent follow-ups, Carlos ensured that the internal partners were informed and involved in the entire sales process.  Carlos demonstrated his commitment to delivering value by prioritizing customer satisfaction, providing efficient service, and demonstrating integrity. His success in nurturing these partnerships led to multiple achievements, such as recognition in the Platinum Clubs at Bank of America. Carlos emphasizes the significance of internal buy-in and the impact it can have on sales success. He encourages sales reps to prioritize building relationships with internal partners, being reliable, and displaying integrity throughout the sales process. Sales professionals can navigate large organizations and increase their chances of success by cultivating trust and delivering value. "I learned quickly in my first sales role that I need to become friends with my customers. I'm sure everybody will agree a warm lead where there's a relationship with the customer is a lot better than a cold lead." - Carlos Oquendo Jr. Resources Carlos Oquendo Jr. on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Are you struggling to make meaningful connections with prospects in today's cluttered and noisy marketplace? If so, you're not alone. In this episode of “The Sales Evangelist Podcast,” host Donald Kelly speaks with guest Matt Reuter, a senior director of Sales Development for RealPage. Matt shares valuable insights and strategies for increasing connection rates with prospects in today's competitive market.  He highlights the challenges sellers face, particularly in terms of breaking through the clutter and noise, and offers practical tips to overcome these obstacles. Matt emphasizes the importance of smart and strategic activities, focusing on outcomes rather than sheer volume, and understanding the nuances of prospect behavior to maximize connection rates. Craving Results Drawing inspiration from Tim Grover's book, Relentless, Matt emphasizes the significance of craving results and focusing on the right activities.  By understanding the desired outcomes and having a relentless drive to achieve them, sellers can channel their energy and efforts into activities that are more likely to yield positive results. Understanding Your Prospect Matt emphasizes the need for sellers to take a step back and truly understand their prospects. This includes considering factors such as their industry, location, and daily routines.  Drawing from his experience working with diverse teams across different cities, Matt recognizes that work-life and business practices vary across regions.  Sellers can align their outreach efforts with prospects' preferences and schedules by understanding these nuances. Optimizing Activity Timing To boost connection rates, Matt advises sellers to identify specific time slots when prospects are more likely to engage.  He suggests looking for gaps in the prospect's schedule, rather than bombarding them during peak meeting hours.  Choosing the right time to reach out, send an email, or connect on LinkedIn increases the chances of catching the prospect's attention and avoiding crowded inboxes and voicemails. Working Smarter, Not Harder Matt encourages sellers to work smarter by focusing on the quality rather than the quantity of their activities. This means prioritizing meaningful interactions that are more likely to yield positive outcomes.  He cautions against wasting time on aimless calls and emails that do not result in connections.  Instead, sellers should invest their energy in activities that have a higher probability of success, based on their understanding of the prospect's preferences and behavior patterns. Shifting the Metric Matt challenges the conventional emphasis on the number of calls or emails made and urges sellers to focus on the outcomes they desire.  Rather than simply counting the volume of activities, sellers should prioritize the desired results, be it setting up a meeting or securing a connection. This shift in mindset helps sellers prioritize their efforts and places the emphasis on achieving meaningful outcomes that drive success. Autonomy and Empowerment Matt explains how he empowers his team to structure their day based on their understanding of the prospects they are targeting.  Rather than micromanaging their schedules, he encourages his team members to evaluate the buyer's behavior and align their activities accordingly. This autonomy allows sellers to make informed decisions on when and how to engage with prospects, thereby increasing their chances of establishing connections. In this episode, Matt highlights the challenges faced by sellers in establishing connections with prospects. Through his insights and experiences, he discusses the importance of understanding the prospect's behavior, optimizing activity timing, and working smarter rather than harder.  When sellers focus on results rather than sheer volume, they can increase their chances of success. Implementing these strategies can help sellers cut through the noise, break through the clutter, and ultimately build stronger connections with their prospects. "Helping one seller fine-tune and improve their approach by even a quarter of a percent could result in millions of dollars for them and their company in the long run." -Matt Reuter Resources Matt Reuter on LinkedIn Relentless by Tim Grover Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Do you struggle with multithreading as a seller? Would you like a secret technique to help you develop relationships with decision-makers? In this episode of "The Sales Evangelist Podcast," host Donald Kelly speaks with Spencer Muhonen on the concept of multithreading in sales and shares strategies and tactics for effectively implementing it. They provide insights based on their experience in the industry, offering valuable tips for BDRs and sellers looking to improve their pipeline and build relationships with multiple stakeholders. Who Is Spencer Muhonen? Spencer is a senior tenured SDR for Awardco, a SaaS company based in Provo, Utah, that focuses on employee recognition and incentives.  He shares his role and highlights the importance of targeting traditional personas in prospecting, along with key internal champions in other departments to strengthen the case for sales. Collaborating With the Sales Department Donald and Spencer emphasize the significance of multithreading in modern sales, as sellers must engage with multiple stakeholders throughout the buying journey.  They caution against ineffective approaches, such as cheesy sales tactics or simply blasting outreach to a list of focus accounts without a thoughtful strategy. Spencer defines multithreading as expanding outreach beyond traditional personas and titles, reaching out to key decision-makers in various departments to build credibility and enhance the pipeline. He explains that sales departments can be excellent sources of internal champions, as people in sales are often looking to grow their own pipelines.  Spencer highlights his willingness to have meetings with other sales professionals who approach him on LinkedIn, even knowing that he is not a decision-maker. This reciprocal approach can lead to strengthened relationships and mutual support. Engaging With the Finance Department Donald and Spencer further discuss other effective multithreading strategies, such as contacting the finance department.  Spencer emphasizes the importance of vendor managers and their oversight of profitability and contracts.  By connecting with finance teams during the RFIs or RFPs process, sellers can build intrigue and gain intros to C-suite members. This approach is often overlooked but can yield significant benefits. Personalizing Your Messages Both speakers address the issue of using the same message for multithreading prospects. Donald refers to it as "lazy selling" and asks Spencer for his approach. Spencer suggests personalizing the messaging, taking into account the specific context and pain points of each stakeholder.  Sellers can build trust and make a stronger impact by tailoring outreach to individual needs. Building Internal Brand Champions Throughout the conversation, Donald and Spencer provide actionable advice and share their experiences to guide sellers in implementing effective multithreading strategies. They underline the importance of building relationships beyond traditional personas, leveraging networks in sales departments and finance teams, and personalizing outreach to engage stakeholders more effectively. This episode of "The TSE Podcast" offers valuable insights to BDRs and sellers on the art of multithreading in sales. By expanding their reach and building relationships with various stakeholders, sellers can enhance their pipeline and increase the chances of closing deals. Through personalization, collaboration, and a strategic approach, sellers can navigate the complex sales landscape successfully. "Expanding your outreach away from your traditional personas, titles that you would target when prospecting, and normal decision makers. There is a larger scheme of decision makers, but also key internal champions you can build from other departments that can strengthen your case and strengthen your pipeline long term to build credibility when it comes time for an account executive to have, hopefully, a closed deal." -Spencer Muhoner Resources Spencer Muhonen on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.  

In the dynamic world of sales, the game has evolved. Gone are the days of relying on a single decision-maker to push a deal forward. Today, successful sales professionals understand the importance of engaging with multiple organizational stakeholders to secure the coveted win. In this episode of “The Sales Evangelist Podcast,” host Donald speaks with sales expert Nick Reed Smith. They discuss the increasingly complex world of sales and how to manage multiple stakeholders in the buying process effectively.  Nick shares his experience and strategies for multithreading deals, emphasizing the importance of building relationships with various decision-makers and influencers within an organization to increase the chances of closing a deal successfully. Join Donald and Nick as they dive into the art of multithreading and uncover helpful tips for sales professionals seeking to improve their techniques. The Changing Dynamics of Sales Processes Nick highlights the evolving nature of the sales landscape, where deals are becoming more complex and multiple stakeholders are involved.  He emphasizes the need for sales reps to adapt and find new ways to interact with buyers effectively. Becoming a Trusted Consultant One of the key shifts in buyer expectations is the desire for sales professionals to act as consultants rather than mere order-takers.  Buyers want a partner who understands their needs, manages multiple stakeholders, and provides valuable insights throughout the sales process. Understanding Multithreading Nick introduces the concept of multithreading, which involves building relationships with multiple individuals within the buying organization.  Rather than relying solely on one point of contact, sales reps should engage with decision-makers, economic champions, technical champions, and coaches to comprehensively understand the deal's dynamics. Mapping the Organizational Landscape To effectively multithread, sales professionals need to identify the key personas and individuals they should engage with within the buying organization.  Nick advises sales reps to map out the various stakeholders they must interact with, ensuring they cover all necessary roles, such as CRO, CFO, Rev Ops, head of alliances, and VP of sales. Taking Control and Providing Updates Nick emphasizes the need for sales reps to maintain control of the multithreading process.  Instead of asking permission to interact with other stakeholders, he suggests clearly communicating to the initial point of contact that multiple team members have been reaching out to their counterparts.  This approach keeps everyone informed and engaged while setting the foundation for a collaborative relationship. Balancing Pushiness and Transparency Some may perceive constant engagement with multiple stakeholders as pushy, but Nick argues that it is necessary in today's sales environment.  By framing the multithreading approach as a shared effort involving various team members, sales reps assert their expertise and demonstrate their commitment to understanding the organization as a whole. Managing multiple stakeholders in complex sales deals is a growing challenge for sales professionals. Through the art of multithreading, sales reps can build stronger relationships and easily navigate the buying process's complexities. The key takeaway from this discussion is that multithreading is not only a sales strategy but also a mindset shift toward becoming a trusted advisor and consultant to buyers. "Oftentimes, what I found the reason for me that it does slip is because, okay, I was spending too much time with the person I thought was the decision-maker. And maybe I didn't have enough knowledge of what was going on in other departments, or maybe there was someone else higher up that I needed more buy-in from them." -Nick Reed Smith Resources Nick Reed Smith on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

It's hard to keep up with the current methods of the sales industry? In this episode of "The Sales Evangelist Podcast," you will discover the sales industry's current SDR/BDR challenges and innovative strategies to combat them. Our host, Donald Kelly, speaks with Howard Dover, a sales expert, researcher, and professor, on how staying adaptable and adjusting helps you become a better sales rep. From the psychological toll of constant rejection to the destruction of dreams and careers, it is evident that a change is needed.  Join us as we uncover the importance of innovation and adaptability in achieving success. The Changing Landscape of Sales Howard discusses research on the sales industry, sharing insights from tracking data on sales cities and the growth of Sales Development Representatives (SDRs). LinkedIn's 2018 report shows that the SDR function has experienced exponential growth, increasing by 580% over the past three years. Howard highlights the need for innovative approaches in sales outreach as the buyer's behavior evolves with each new tactic. The Power of Unique Prospecting The importance of pattern interrupting and capturing attention in sales outreach efforts is emphasized. Howard shares a personal example to illustrate the significance of having a captivating offer and using behavioral adjustment to act differently in certain situations. Buyers have become overwhelmed by traditional approaches, and Howard suggests that honest and unique methods can help sales professionals stand out. The Future of Sales and Strategies Reflecting on the future of the sales industry, Howard predicts a shift towards a full lifecycle approach, where salespeople will generate their own leads and build their own pipelines. The need to revisit older sales methodologies and find effective ways to adapt to the present market is discussed. He acknowledges the challenges of breaking away from conventional training and thinking but emphasizes the potential rewards of embracing a more agile and business-minded mindset. The Dust Bowl Analogy Drawing inspiration from the Dust Bowl disaster, Howard highlights the parallel between the flawed plowing technique and the challenges faced in the sales industry. The importance of adjusting and evolving approaches in response to changing customer behaviors is emphasized, drawing from interviews with successful students during the pandemic. Scott Leasey's belief in avoiding overprocessing and adopting creative, business-minded approaches is mentioned as a valuable perspective. Embracing Change and Human Behavior Howard encourages sales professionals to embrace change and understand human behavior, suggesting that success lies in creativity and adapting to the current market. The concept of standing out by grasping human behavior and exploring creativity is discussed. The risks of sticking to old methods are highlighted, with the speaker emphasizing the need to become adaptable and open to new approaches. The sales industry can be unforgiving, but there are strategies and approaches that can lead to success. By embracing change, staying agile, and thinking outside the box, sales reps in can navigate the ever-changing landscape and achieve their goals.  "Being honest and unique in our approach can capture the buyer's attention and set us apart from the years of attempts to hack the system." - Howard Dover Resources Howard Dover LinkedIn The Sales Innovation Paradox by Howard Dover Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

If you don't understand why people buy, you may want to kiss your career as a sales rep goodbye. Also, if you're having difficulty connecting with your prospects, you may not be able to reach your monthly goals either. Luckily, your host, Donald Kelly, spoke with the perfect guest to help you understand your prospects better. In this episode, Donald interviews Eric, a business strategist and coach, about understanding the reasons behind customer buying decisions and how to improve sales conversion rates.  Eric introduces the BANK framework, an innovative tool that helps salespeople connect with customers more deeply by understanding their personality types and values. This episode explores the importance of understanding customer buying behavior and provides practical strategies for sales success. Understanding Customer Buying Behavior Eric highlights the need to go beyond traditional sales techniques and understand customers' underlying motivations. Salespeople often deliver the same pitch; some customers say yes, while others say no. Understanding why people buy is crucial to improving sales conversion rates. Eric emphasizes the significance of recognizing that individuals have different personality types, values, and decision-making processes. Introducing the BANK Framework Eric introduces the BANK framework, which stands for Blueprint, Action, Nurture, and Knowledge. The framework helps salespeople identify and adapt to each customer's personality type, enabling effective communication and building customer trust. The BANK framework goes beyond gender-specific differences and provides insights into the underlying values that drive customer decisions. Overcoming the Language Barrier Eric compares the struggle of ineffective communication in sales to speaking different languages. Salespeople often present their products or services in ways that resonate with them but may not connect with the customer. By understanding and adapting to the customer's preferred language, salespeople can bridge the communication gap and tailor their presentations to meet specific needs. The Four Elements of the BANK Framework Blueprint (B): Represents individuals who value stability, accuracy, and organization. They prefer logical and detailed information that helps them make informed decisions. Action (A): Represents individuals who value excitement, speed, and results. They seek quick solutions and appreciate presentations that offer immediate benefits. Nurture (N): Represents individuals who value relationships, collaboration, and trust. They respond to personal connections and appreciate salespeople who take the time to understand their needs. Knowledge (K): Represents individuals who value expertise, data, and evidence. They appreciate presentations that provide in-depth knowledge and demonstrate credibility. Implementing the BANK Framework Eric discusses how the BANK framework can be applied in sales scenarios. Salespeople are encouraged to assess the customer's dominant BANK code based on their preferences, communication style, and decision-making processes. Salespeople can tailor their presentations to meet each customer's needs and values by leveraging insights from the framework. Understanding customer buying behavior is crucial for sales success. The BANK framework emphasizes individual personality types and values, and provides salespeople with a powerful tool to connect with customers authentically.  You can increase the conversion rate and build stronger client relationships by adapting your presentations and communication styles to the customer's preferred language. Using the BANK framework will improve your sales performance and enhance customer satisfaction with ease. "Because for many of us, we must understand why people spend money with us. Like, why is someone going to buy from us? And I'm hoping today that you can help us to grasp that better and grow in that understanding." - Eric Goodman Resources Eric Goodman LinkedIn Crack My Code Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

In this episode of The Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly discusses the importance of utilizing LinkedIn effectively as a sales professional. Those working as business development representatives or trying to build a sales pipeline should tune in to this week's episode. Donald shares three key focus areas for optimizing your LinkedIn profile to grab attention, generate more appointments, and ultimately drive sales. Utilize Your Banner ●     Donald emphasizes the often overlooked real estate of the banner on your LinkedIn profile. This space provides an opportunity to showcase your value proposition and target audience. ●     Potential prospects can quickly understand how you can help them if you clearly state who you serve and the industries you specialize in. ●     Additionally, if your company has noteworthy brand recognition, include it in the banner to further establish credibility. ●     Donald suggests using Canva to create a professional and eye-catching banner that aligns with your company's branding. You can begin selling to prospects even before you engage in a conversation by maximizing the potential of your banner. Take Advantage of the Name Pronunciation Feature ●     LinkedIn offers a feature that allows users to record a 10-second audio clip pronouncing their names. ●     While this feature is crucial for individuals with complex names, Donald recommends utilizing it regardless of the simplicity of your name. ●     The audio introduction serves as an additional engagement tool and helps prospects connect with you on a deeper level. Optimize Your Headline ●     The headline section is often filled with generic information such as job titles and company names automatically generated by LinkedIn. ●     Donald suggests utilizing this space strategically. ●     Consider using keywords your target audience is likely searching for, such as specific industry terms or pain points. ●     Craft a headline that attracts potential prospects to learn more about you and your expertise. ●     It's essential to align your headline with your specific goals and expertise, ensuring it accurately represents your value proposition. Be Proactive and Engage ●     Donald advises being proactive and engaging with your LinkedIn network regularly. ●     Interact with posts, share valuable content, and participate in industry discussions. ●     Building a strong presence on LinkedIn will strengthen your personal brand, enhance credibility, and attract potential leads. Maximizing your LinkedIn profile as a sales professional can significantly impact your ability to grab attention, generate appointments, and close deals. These four tips will help you make a lasting impression on potential prospects and increase your chances of success. "Your profile needs to sell before you even have a conversation with someone." -Donald Kelly. Resources Donald C. Kelly LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers 1.    This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.    This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.    This episode is brought to you in part by Calendly. Calendly is the leading meeting scheduling software that automates your scheduling, speeds up your sales cycle, and closes more deals. Get started for free or learn more at calendly.com. 4.    This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Are you holding yourself accountable? If not, then it's keeping you from success within the sales industry. In this episode of The Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly speaks with Jessica Schultz about the importance of holding yourself accountable as a sales representative. Discover what accountability means and how it can improve your sales performance. The Power of Leading by Example Jessica highlights the significance of leaders displaying the behaviors they expect from their team members.  Leading by example sets the tone for the entire organization, as it helps build trust and respect among team members.  Clear expectations should be set, and any issues that arise should be addressed through reporting and conversations with the team members involved.  She also stresses that if team members consistently fail to meet expectations despite efforts to support and guide them, leaders should be willing to cut ties and send a clear message to others. Importance of Accountability and Feedback One-on-one meetings allow one to discuss concerns, ideas, and goals.  However, Jessica acknowledges that one-on-one meetings can often be neglected due to other priorities.  To ensure accountability, metrics should be defined, and transparent reporting should be implemented.  The CEO's voice is vital in addressing underperforming team members, as a clear directive from the top can greatly impact the team's performance. Educating Leaders on Effective Sales Management Jessica discusses the need for educating founders and sales leaders on what good sales management looks like.  Defining expectations with metrics and implementing transparent reporting are key to holding sales leaders accountable.  She encourages sales managers to stay on top of expectations to ensure reps hit their goals. The Role of Sales Leaders in Deal Management Jessica emphasizes the importance of being prepared for calls, promptly following up with reps and customers, and staying engaged and available to support the sales team. The use of technology tools like Gong can help identify challenges and keywords in conversations but should not be relied upon solely.  Managers must still actively listen to the entire conversation and analyze it further.  Breaking Down Sales Metrics for Success Many companies struggle to determine which metrics to manage their sales representatives to. Jessica highlights the importance of breaking down revenue goals into actionable tasks for reps.  Educating clients on critical sales metrics like average contract value (ACV) and conversion rates is also crucial. Founders may struggle to provide effective coaching, even if they listen to sales calls.  She shares their approach to determining the number of weekly meetings with qualified customers to close deals and setting goals accordingly. Setting clear expectations for sales leaders and team members is crucial for a thriving sales organization. Jessica shares her insights on accountability for sales leaders and founders in optimizing their sales processes.  "Clear expectations should be set, and any issues should be resolved through reporting and conversations." - Jessica Schultz Resources Jessica Schultz LinkedIn Amplify Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by Calendly. Calendly is the leading meeting scheduling software that automates your scheduling, speeds up your sales cycle, and closes more deals. Get started for free or learn more at calendly.com. 4.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Everyone needs a good book to help them build essential skills for their career. If you're in the sales industry, you must grab a copy of “Nine Secrets to Win Deals and Influence Stakeholders” to help you learn how to negotiate better. But how is this book going to help you become a better negotiator? In this episode of The Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly interviews the author and negotiation training expert, Mark Raffan. He shares his insights on why negotiation is often perceived as complex and how to navigate it effectively. Also, he discusses the key principles from his book, which aim to simplify negotiation and help readers achieve better outcomes in their deals. Mark Raffan Background Mark is a negotiation trainer at Negotiations Ninja, where he helps sales leaders develop and deliver content worldwide. His job is to help people make more money, close more deals, and become better negotiators. Recently, he wrote the book, “Nine Secrets to Win Deals and Influence Stakeholders.” Dissecting the Complexities of Negotiation Mark begins by addressing the misconception that negotiation is a mysterious and magical process.  He attributes this perception to media portrayals in movies like "Wolf of Wall Street," which depict negotiations as effortless and producing instant results.  However, real negotiation is far from glamorous and relies on strategic planning rather than magic or tricks. Unlocking Success Drivers The book emphasizes the importance of understanding what one wants to achieve in a negotiation.  Mark advises readers to define their contractual terms, target upsells and cross-sells, and identify strategic areas to drive value.  This strategic planning is crucial in avoiding reactive behavior during negotiations, allowing negotiators to maintain control and increase their chances of achieving favorable outcomes. The Pitfall of Customer-Centricity While being customer-focused is essential, Mark cautions against neglecting the objectives and interests of their own organization.  Many salespeople make significant concessions to meet the counterparty's demands, often at the expense of their own goals.  The book advises sales leaders and negotiators to balance understanding the counterparty's needs and prioritizing their aspirations. Leadership's Role in Developing Negotiation Skills The book addresses sales leaders, highlighting the importance of educating and empowering sellers in effective negotiation practices.  By encouraging a shift from solely focusing on revenue acquisition to considering deal quality, leaders can inspire their teams to think strategically.  The goal is to foster a mindset that cultivates better long-term results and profitability. Understanding Deal Quality In today's market, the focus on growth has often overshadowed the importance of deal quality.  Mark challenges this approach, emphasizing the need to evaluate the value and risks associated with each deal.  He provides insights on determining deal quality and outlines strategies to build value while minimizing risks consistently. Listeners are invited to dive deeper into the subject matter by reading Mark's book, "Nine Secrets to Win Deals and Influence Stakeholders." This enlightening resource is tailored to salespeople and sales leaders seeking to empower their teams and prioritize deal quality. So, if you're ready to unlock the secrets to uncomplicated negotiation and achieve better results in your deals, pick up a copy of the book today. "Real negotiation is significantly more boring. Real negotiation is about strategy. It's about planning." -Mark Raffan Resources Nine Secrets to Win Deals and Influence Stakeholders Negotiations Ninja Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by Calendly. Calendly is the leading meeting scheduling software that automates your scheduling, speeds up your sales cycle, and closes more deals. Get started for free or learn more at calendly.com. 4.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

In this episode, Donald speaks with Kevin, the Chief Technology Officer of the Americas at Ciena. They discuss the complexities and challenges of B2B enterprise selling.  Kevin shares insights into the evolving landscape of enterprise deals, emphasizing the importance of understanding the "why" behind a product or service offering. The conversation highlights the need for effective communication and providing memorable examples to decision-making committees, ultimately leading to successful outcomes. The Increasing Complexity of B2B Enterprise Selling As technology advances, B2B enterprise selling has become more complex and confusing.  The integration of tools like AI adds layers of complexity to the selling process.  It is crucial to adhere to the basics and understand the fundamentals of enterprise selling. The Role of Kevin as the Chief Technology Officer of the Americas Kevin leads a technical team of sales engineers and sales specialists at Sienna. The team's primary objective is to assist business customers in making the right purchasing decisions. Challenges in Enterprise-level and Complex Deals  In the past, individual decision-makers played a key role in the purchasing process. However, in today's enterprise deals, decision-making power rests with a complex council of decision-makers. Sales professionals must equip their customers with the necessary skills and tools to present the value proposition to the entire decision-making council effectively. Shifting Focus from the "What" to the "Why" -Previously, the sales pitch predominantly focused on describing the technical aspects of the product (the "what"). With the involvement of decision-making committees, it has become crucial to emphasize the "why" behind the product/service offering. Sales teams need to explain the importance of the proposed solution, its impact on the customer's business, and provide real-life examples to support their claims. This shift towards the "why" ensures a comprehensive understanding of the value proposition and makes it more memorable. Enhancing Memorability and Communication It is insufficient to rely solely on PowerPoint presentations or technical demonstrations to convey the value proposition. The sales team should strive to provide the customer with simple, memorable, and repeatable examples. These examples enable the customer to share their enthusiasm and effectively communicate the value proposition to their peers within the decision-making committee. B2B enterprise selling has become increasingly complex, necessitating a shift in sales strategies. Understanding the "why" behind a product or service offering and effectively communicating this value proposition to decision-making committees is crucial for success.  Kevin emphasizes the importance of providing memorable examples and enabling customers to become effective ambassadors for the proposed solution. By focusing on the "why," sales teams can establish a deeper connection with customers and increase the chances of winning complex enterprise deals. "When you go to these decision-making committees, there's always others on the committee, but not necessarily in the room with you that are very interested in the why." - Kevin Sheehan Resources Ciena Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by Calendly. Calendly is the leading meeting scheduling software that automates your scheduling, speeds up your sales cycle, and closes more deals. Get started for free or learn more at calendly.com. 4.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

In this episode, host Donald Kelly speaks with Jake Funk from a small startup called Salesforce in the Silicon Valley area. Jake shares his experiences and strategies for closing deals in one call. With over three years of experience at Salesforce and as a certified admin, Jake has honed his skills in simplifying the sales process and bridging the gap between client problems and solutions. Keeping it Simple ●     Jake emphasizes the importance of keeping the sales process as simple as possible to increase the chances of closing a deal in one call. He believes in the KISS principle (Keep it Simple, Stupid), which involves making it easy for prospects to buy from you. ●     Rather than scheduling multiple calls for demos and presentations, Jake believes in providing all necessary information during the initial call. This approach saves time and caters to the busy schedules of decision-makers. Demonstrating Value ●     When speaking with potential clients, Jake typically starts the conversation by getting to know their needs and pain points. If the prospect seems like a good fit, he quickly transitions to a live demo or screen-sharing session. ●     By showing a personalized demonstration of how Salesforce can solve their specific problems, Jake creates a visual and interactive experience that engages the prospect. This approach helps build their understanding and trust in the product. Sales Karma ●     Jake strongly believes in doing what is right for the customer. Instead of overselling or complicating the sales process, he aims to identify the core needs of the prospect and provide them with the exact solution they require. ●     This philosophy aligns with his previous VP's motto: "See a bear, shoot a bear." By offering simplicity and addressing the customer's fundamental needs, Jake ensures a seamless sales experience and builds trust. Catering to SMBs ●     While not exclusively limited to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), Jake's one-call close strategy is particularly effective. In SMBs, decision-making processes are often simpler and less bureaucratic. ●     Jake points out that conversations usually involve one or a few key stakeholders who have the authority to make a purchasing decision. By focusing on these decision-makers and their needs, Jake increases the chances of closing deals in a single call. Conversion Rate ●     With his simplified approach and focus on providing value, Jake achieved an impressive 30% conversion rate using the one-call close strategy. ●     While not every conversation resulted in a closed deal, Jake's process allowed him to quickly evaluate prospects and determine if there was a mutual fit. ●      He maintained a high closing rate and effectively grew his client base by being efficient with his time and resources. Closing deals in one call may seem challenging, but Jake's strategies showcase the power of simplicity and personalized demonstrations. Sales professionals can improve their conversion rates by focusing on understanding customer needs, providing clear information, and selling only what is essential. Implementing Jake's one-call close strategy can save time and effort, allowing salespeople to be more productive and successful in their sales endeavors. "Make it as simple as possible to buy from you. Give the customer every piece of information possible to make a decision, even if they never talk to you again." - Jake Funk Resources Jake's LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers 1.    This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.    This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.    This episode is brought to you in part by Calendly. Calendly is the leading meeting scheduling software that automates your scheduling, speeds up your sales cycle, and closes more deals. Get started for free or learn more at calendly.com. 4.    This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.  Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

You try to do everything you can to keep a prospect happy. By doing so, you believe it will prevent potential buyers from saying no to your services. However, avoiding tension within the sales process is a huge mistake.  In this episode of The Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly will discuss why sales reps need to create tension. He will also share different ways to create healthy tension that'll help you close deals. Why Do You Need Tension? One problem Donald is seeing is that buyers are taking more time to decide what they should spend their money on. Because of this, sales reps need to ensure their deals, products, or services are good. Buyers' longer decision-making process also makes sales reps more fearful of creating tension. Even when they know their deals are good, sales reps are afraid to upset buyers. Sales representatives must remember that tension isn't bad.  It's essential to have tension to help move along the sales process. Why Do You Need Tension? Don't hold on to the fear of being declined: Donald discusses that many sales reps don't push back when a prospect says they're working with someone else. You can ask the potential buyer who the other vendor they're working with, so don't be afraid to do it. If the prospect becomes uncomfortable sharing the information, then it may be a red flag. Go deeper into the follow-up questions: If a prospect says they're looking for a solution to a problem, then you should ask more questions to discover on the problem is affecting them.  Look at tension as a good thing: Donald compares tension within the sales process to when a person starts working out more. When you first start exercising, your body hurts because you're building muscles. Seeing it from this perspective should show you that when you create tension, it will provide benefits in the future.  Prospect gives an objection: Most sellers try to jump in and offer deals when a potential buyer objects to their services. Instead, dive deeper and figure out why the prospect is objecting. Always remember that tension isn't a bad thing. When you ask questions about a problem a prospect is having, you come across as an expert. Look for ways to have healthy tension in the sales process to help you progress the deal.  Lastly, don't end the conversation without having a clear next step. Be sure to set up an appointment with the prospective client to ensure they're on board with you.  “Sometimes sales are uncomfortable, and change is not always easy. So if a buyer is changing, there's going to be a need for tension.” - Donald Kelly Resource Donald C Kelly LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.  This episode is brought to you in part by Calendly. Calendly is the leading meeting scheduling software, that automates your scheduling, speeds up your sales cycle, and closes more deals. Get started for free or learn more@calendly.com This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the sales evangelist.com/linkedin.  Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.  

Are you sending hundreds of emails, and no one is responding? You must listen to this week's episode of The Sales Evangelist Podcast to help you discover new outreach methods.  Your host, Donald Kelly, speaks with Tom Slocum on the state of sales outreach. Listen to their advice on emailing, so potential customers will be more willing to work with you. Trends in Email Outreach During a conference, Tom discovered that many sales reps don't follow up on emails. If you notice potential customers haven't replied, try doing a follow-up email. When writing emails, it's best to be creative to help make the message more personalized. You can do this by adding visualizations to bring a human effort into play. Consider including a video or voice memos to help make emails more engaging and personal. When sales reps take the extra step within their emails, it creates personalization. By taking the extra step, you make potential clients feel as though you care about their problems.  You don't have to be super personal in every email you send. Tom discusses the importance of bucketing and prioritizing when sending emails. Personalization Is Not Personalization Personalization is not bringing up random topics and hoping a prospective client will start conversing with you.  You need to really pay attention to how they're a good fit for the product you're selling. Once you discover this, you can send an email discussing your services and how you can potentially help them. Remember clients want to feel as though you actually care about them and their problems. Advice For Management  It can be hard to test new methods when you're leading a team that's sending 5,000 emails every day. Tom discusses why sales managers should create microenvironments, where certain teams test new methods. When the whole team tests a new method it can become scary. Either you or a specific group of people should test new methods to prevent everyone from worrying if it will work or not. Microenvironments also allow managers to evaluate theories effectively. After testing your methods on 100 accounts, ask for feedback to see if there was an improvement in the email outreach strategy. Using AI Tools for Email Outreach Tom shares how to use AI tools for creativity when sending emails to potential clients.  He provides an example of how to research clients with AI tools and make personalized emails. The key is to use AI to help you work smarter, not harder. After listening to this episode, take some time to reflect on these methods and apply them to your outreach strategy. Don't forget to find Donald on LinkedIn and let him know if these methods worked for you.  “Everybody is going left, then you should go right. Try to be different to strike something within the person you're emailing to help you stand out.” - Tom Slocum Resources Donald Kelly LinkedIn Tom Slocum LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.   2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.    3.            This episode is brought to you in part by Calendly. Calendly is the leading meeting scheduling software, that automates your scheduling, speeds up your sales cycle, and closes more deals. Get started for free or learn more@calendly.com   4.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the sales evangelist.com/linkedin.  Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

The most powerful online tool for sales professionals is LinkedIn. You know the platform is a goldmine for finding prospects and connecting with others in the industry. Currently, you have 400 connections on LinkedIn. But, have you even said anything to them besides Happy Birthday? Most people don't know how to use LinkedIn properly. You may not even know how to start a conversation to make someone say more than “thank you.” In this week's episode of the Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly shares his hidden strategy for starting conversations on LinkedIn. Listen to Donald's advice to make prospective buyers reply to your messages. Don't Engage in LinkedIn Phishing Do you send hundreds of automated emails hoping someone will bite? You do know this is basically email spam on LinkedIn, right? Instead, pretend it's the 1950s and start conversations like people used to do. Silver Bullet: LinkedIn shares other celebrations with you besides birthdays. Donald tells you why it's vital to pay attention to these. Also, Donald shares a story of how he uses this LinkedIn feature uniquely. He discovered the key to making people respond to messages faster. Consider Sending a Video You may be nervous about getting on camera, but it could lead to more engagement on LinkedIn. It's worth you overcoming your fears and taking this risk. Donald discovered by sending a personal video that his LinkedIn connection was more willing to do business. Pay attention to birthdays, work anniversaries, and promotions. You can use these celebrations to start great conversations on LinkedIn. Are you struggling to create the perfect LinkedIn profile? Check out our 6-week LinkedIn Prospecting Course and start generating 3-5 appointments per week. Donald shares insightful advice within this week's episode. Subscribe and listen to The Sales Evangelist Podcast for more LinkedIn strategies. Resources The Sales Evangelist LinkedIn Course Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.  This episode is brought to you in part by Calendly. Calendly is the leading meeting scheduling software, that automates your scheduling, speeds up your sales cycle, and closes more deals. Get started for free or learn more@calendly.com This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the sales evangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.  

Another economic crisis is happening, so what does this mean for the sales industry? In this episode of The Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly speaks with Jeffrey Hayzlett about what to do during these challenging times. Discover how to increase your sales when the economy faces a crisis in this episode. Jefferey Hayzlett Background Jefferey has years of experience working as a primetime TV and radio host. He is now the owner and chairman of the C-suite network. The network includes radio stations, television shows, and podcast shows. He shares his knowledge of success to help others achieve their success in life. After experiencing several financial crises, he learned to turn the negatives into positives during tough times. Within this episode, he will share this knowledge to help you conquer challenging situations as a sales representative. Past Downturns Jefferey explains past financial crises, returning to the economic crisis of 1907. However, despite these challenging times, they still had good aspects. For example, during the economic crisis of 1907, the birth of General Motors happened.  He is trying to point out that businesses can be created or bounced back even if a financial crisis is happening. How to Thrive During a Downturn Instead of focusing on the negatives, focus on the steps to make changes. Businesses have to adapt and be relentless during tough times. Jeffery shares a story of him working with a company during the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008. The company had to lay off 8500, and billions of dollars were affected during this time. However, the company was able to survive during this challenging period. There will always be bad times for a company, and there's no way to escape it. During these dire times, you must remember not to complain and take action.  Next, ensure every team member in your company is aligned with the mission. This means everyone knows where the company is going and how it will happen. Make sure you set the right mood for the company. If everyone believes their best days are behind them, then it is.  Lastly, remember to always communicate with your team. Let everyone know your plans and the steps or actions you need for them to take to make your goals happen.  During a downturn, it's essential for you to stop focusing on the negatives and develop a plan to make changes. With this week's episode, Jeffrey shares that it's all about mindset and your actions on how you can keep growing your business during tough times.  Also, host Donald and guest speaker Jeffrey share insight on what you should be doing with your LinkedIn connections. Subscribe and listen to the Sales Evangelist podcast to get real and actionable tips for the sales industry. "For all those sitting out there saying, hey, it's not possible, Oh, it's too tough. Start selling and start making some moves; find some whitespace. You know, 53% of your customers would do more business with you right now. If you ask." - Jeffrey Hayzlett Resources Jeffrey Hayzlett email: jeffrey.hayzlett@csuitenetwork.com hayzlett.com Jeffrey Hayzlett Twitter Jeffrey Hayzlett Instagram C Suite Network Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.  This episode is brought to you in part by Calendly. Calendly is the leading meeting scheduling software, that automates your scheduling, speeds up your sales cycle, and closes more deals. Get started for free or learn more@calendly.com This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the sales evangelist.com/linkedin.  Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

What can you expect regarding AI technology and the sales industry? Is it going to replace sales representatives? How can you coach your sales reps with the use of AI? In this episode of The Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly speaks with John Barrow on the future of AI and the sales industry. Discover how leaders can leverage AI tools within the sales profession. John Barrows Background John Barrow owns the JB sales company, offering sales training to tech companies. He started his career when the internet was still in its fancy and saw the changes it made within the sales industry during this time. Now, he is seeing the industry change once again due to the development of artificial intelligence tools, such as Chat GPT. John knows with the changes made by AI technology, the sales industry will have to evolve with the tools to be successful. Teaching People to Be Robots Learning the sales process is becoming more difficult because leaders teach representatives how to use AI tools rather than the fundamentals. The sales reps have nothing to fall back on and are getting replaced by robots. Currently, he is working with AI tools for learning language models. It's helping him gather a large pool of data and use only the information he approves in the LLM system. The AI tools help cut back research time for him and his team. John believes using AI technology will help coach sales reps more effectively. If a person cannot receive coaching from their boss, they can rely on the coaching from an AI tool. The Problem With Coaching in the Sales Industry While listening to a 45-minute sales call with a representative, it can be challenging for a coach to pull out every context of the call during a conversation. AI can transcribe the call and allow a coach to pinpoint a specific point where a sales rep needs improvement. Another area for improvement with LLM is teaching the sales reps how to sell a product correctly. Using an AI bot can help coach sales reps to sell products. John provides an example of using Salesforce and coaching sales reps. Do You Want to Be a Part of the Solution? AI is an evolution, like the Industrial Revolution, where companies need to think about how to use humans to operate AI. Learn how to leverage AI tools to stay afloat within the industry. Sales reps need to meet the customers where they are in support needs and educate them on how to use products. It will require sales reps to go further than full-cycle sales and know the product well. What Should Sales Leaders Do Right Now? John recommends that sales leaders turn their sales order into a sales lab, identify a component of the sales process, and do a sales hackathon. Listen to the podcast on how a sales leader can do this with the help of AI technology.  Understand the importance of using AI within the sales industry. It increases employee satisfaction and engagement and reduces tech stack and spending. There will be a rebirth of everything in two to five years, and it could go really good or bad. John provides insight into using AI technology within the sales industry. Subscribe to the Sales Evangelist podcast and listen to how to use AI tools to help coach your team of sales representatives.  “And I think what happened with Chad GPT and those tools that came out earlier this year is a fundamental shift. We are at Pandora's box right now. And it got opened, and we're not going back.” - John Barrows Resources www.jbarrows.com John Barrows LinkedIn John Barrows Instagram JB Make It Happen Mondays Podcast Sponsorship Offer This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.  This episode is brought to you in part by Calendly. Calendly is the leading meeting scheduling software, that automates your scheduling, speeds up your sales cycle, and closes more deals. Get started for free or learn more@calendly.com This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the sales evangelist.com/linkedin.  Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Are you scared to make that cold call? Your heart is pounding fast, and your hands shake as you pick up the phone to call a random stranger. Are they going to take the time to listen to you? Will you be able to make a sale? Or are they going to say something rude and hang up the phone? If you're nervous about making the phone call, you must listen to this week's episode of the Sales Evangelist Podcast. Host Donald Kelly speaks with Larry Long Jr. on how sales representatives can overcome their fears of making the call. Listen for insightful tips on overcoming your fears of cold calling. Who Is Larry Long Jr.? ●     Larry Long Jr. is a keynote speaker and MC coach with years of experience in the sales profession. ●     He helps other sales representatives with performance coaching, sales, entrepreneurship, business, and training. ●     He now hosts The Cold Calling Podcast, where he coaches sales representatives in making cold calls. How Do You Overcome the Fear of Failure? ●     Larry shares a story of him making a cold call, and the person told him to jump off a bridge. Unsure what to say next, he told the person to have a blessed day and hung up the phone. ●     How did he overcome this rejection? He kept going and continued to make phone calls and didn't let one objection hold him back from making sales. ●     For you to overcome the fear of failure, give yourself grace. Yes, you will make mistakes, and potential clients will object to the sale you're offering, but you must keep going. Changing Your Mindset ●     Larry shares a story of him playing baseball in college, and he was at the point where he wanted to give up. His dad told him not to give up and to have a positive attitude. He noticed a change in his baseball career once he changed his mindset and kept practicing. ●     Larry and Donald share the importance of working with a company that strives to improve their employees. It's also a good idea to seek advice from co-workers on how to do better. Winners Focus on Winning and Losers Focus on Winners ●     Don't focus on another person's chapter in their career. You have no clue how hard things were for them in the beginning. ●     Instead, focus on yourself and seek to improve from the day before. ●     Have a purpose for why you must work hard and stick to it. Also, know everything will be okay when you focus on yourself instead of others. The Moral Obligation to Make the Cold Call ●     Larry shares an inspiring quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Life's most persistent urge and urgent question is, what are you doing to help someone else?" ●     Apply this quote to how you handle cold calls, and don't think about your needs. The sales industry is about solving problems and helping people. ●     Listen to the Cold Calling podcast if you need help handling cold calls better. It'll help you leave your comfort zone and start putting yourself out there. This episode should motivate you to pick up the phone and make that cold call. Get out of your head and start making those cold calls today! Subscribe to the Sales Evangelist Podcast to become a better sales representative. Your host, Donald Kelly, is always here to help you achieve greatness and win big in the sales industry. “Sales is about service. It's about helping other people solve their problems. And just being empathetic, which sounds good. But it's amazing when you put it into practice.” - Larry Long Jr. Resources Larry Long Jr. LinkedIn Larry Long Jr.'s website Jolt - Larry Long Jr.'s book Cold Calling Podcast Sell It Like A Mango - Donald C. Kelly's book Sponsorship Offers 1.    This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you struggling to close deals? Cold outreach wastes the buyer and seller's time at every stage, especially when sellers are using shallow and outdated data. 1.    Your organization can overcome these challenges with technology that translates comprehensive, high-quality buyer data into real-time insights. 2.    These deeper insights empower sales reps and teams to adopt the habits of top performers, which leads to better outcomes - like more pipelines, higher win rates, and larger deals. 3.    We call this Deep Sales. And we've built the first deep sales platform with the next generation of LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Try LinkedIn Sales Navigator and get a sixty-day free trial at linkedin.com/tse. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Why having a sales trainer is a good idea? In this episode of the Sales Evangelist podcast, host Donald Kelly will provide four benefits to having one. If you're ready to save time and elevate your game, listen to why you need a sales trainer to help you achieve greatness! Why Listen to Donald on Sales Training? He has years of experience as a sales representative, sales leader, and individual contributor. Based on his three levels of experience within the sales industry, he will share the difference between those who do and don't receive sales training.  Donald shares his experience working with two companies that didn't provide sales training. He had to figure out how to make sales independently and often struggled to close deals. When he started working with a company that provided sales training, he received a $30,000 deal within his first three months of working with them. Thanks to the third company investing in a sales training program, they were able to help their representatives improve their process. Sales Training Brings New Ideas A great sales trainer will bring fresh concepts to improve sales. Donald noticed after receiving sales training, he started to come up with different ideas on how he could improve his techniques. Companies can work with other organizations to understand what works and is not working within the industry. The ideas they receive help them create a sales process to win over potential customers. However, you must work with a sales trainer who is up-to-date with today's methods and can provide fresh ideas. The new ideas give sales representatives the confidence to apply different techniques.  A Sales Trainer Helps Improve Your Process Remember, sales fundamentals don't change, but the process will!  Don't make the mistake of working with someone using an outdated sales process. Once again, you need someone skilled in using today's digital methods. 50% of potential customers are millennials, so it's essential to have a sales process that will connect with them. Sales Trainers Can Help You Save Time As a leader, you can't do everything on your own. You want your sales team to have the proper training, but you can't provide one-on-one care to them.  A sales trainer will help you save time and provide the proper training to your representatives. Listen to Donald explain how a sales trainer can effectively organize and guide your team. Generate ROI With Sales Training A good sales trainer will be able to provide examples of how they have helped other companies. Look at their case studies to see how they improved the sales process for others. Find a sales trainer that is actually selling! A proven track record will let you know the effectiveness of their work. These are the four benefits of working with a sales trainer. Donald Kelly still provides sales training and has a proven track record; visit the Sales Evangelist website to learn more. Also, don't forget to subscribe to the Sales Evangelist Podcast! Resources The Sales Evangelist Donald C Kelly LinkedIn Donald C Kelly Instagram Donald C kelly TikTok Sponsorship Offer This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

For the last few years, you have relied heavily on SEO strategies to attract customers to your business. Of course, there's nothing wrong with this. But as your business grows, you may want to hire a seller to attract more leads and improve sales. But how do you know you have found the right person to improve your sales strategies? In this unique episode of the Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly does a live coaching session with Cat Hutchings to help her find the perfect seller for her new business. Whether you're a business owner, sales professional, or simply interested in improving your sales approach, this episode offers actionable tips and advice. Cat Hutchings Background Cat Hutchings is a successful entrepreneur and Etsy owner of Spotlight Jewelry. She also coaches other Etsy owners to become successful on the e-commerce website. Cat is in the works of launching another business, so she came to Donald asking questions on how to find the ideal salesperson to join her team.  Live Coaching Session: Hiring the Right Salespeople Many business owners ask themselves whether they should hire an individual or an agency when trying to get leads. Donald suggests using tools such as Apollo IO to attract leads. These tools allow you to view names, email addresses, and other contact information. If you decide to hire an individual, ensure they know how to handle the entire sales process and not just the end. Effective Outreach Strategies As a salesperson, you must research to target the right customers. Cat shares an example of a sales representative who researched her before reaching out. However, the sales representative did make a minor mistake, and Donald shared feedback on what he could've done better. Deep research and tools like CrunchBase can help identify relevant individuals. One can craft personalized and impactful outreach messages that resonate with potential customers by leveraging visible triggers or signals. B2B vs. B2C Companies and Marketing Collaboration Donald highlights the importance of collaboration between marketing and sales in B2B sales. While marketing lays the groundwork by running ads, email campaigns, blogs, and LinkedIn ads to attract the right audience, sales professionals take over to engage in one-on-one conversations and drive potential customers toward making a purchase. B2C sales typically have shorter cycles, often requiring a more transactional approach. However, certain products and services can be sold remotely and automatically through websites, reducing the need for active outbound efforts.  Donald also shares the difference between working with a startup and a well-established company.  Startups can attract individuals hungry for new challenges, those looking to add startup experience to their resumes, and professionals seeking to make a noticeable impact within smaller organizations.  While there is an inherent level of risk, social proof and a proven track record can significantly attract the right individuals.  Are Sales and Marketing the Same? You may think that marketing and sales are the same thing, but it's not.  Marketing is attracting leads to your business and getting them to the checkout point. Sales is the process of payment transactions within the business.   Importance of Systems and Processes Donald emphasizes creating reliable systems and processes, particularly in sales.  Documenting procedures and creating playbooks can make transferring roles within a team easier and more efficient.  Strong systems and processes are vital in facilitating business growth and scalability. Host Donald Kelly shares insightful strategies for hiring the right people for your sales teams. He also advises attracting ideal customers, navigating B2B and B2C sales, and optimizing outreach efforts. Whether you're a business owner, sales professional, or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge to help you succeed in the competitive sales world. "Finding the right people shouldn't be a challenge as individuals are willing to take the leap and join a startup." - Donald Kelly. Resources Cat Hutchings LinkedIn Cat Hutchings Instagram www.cathutchings.com SpotLightJewelry Apollo IO Crunchbase Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you struggling to close deals? Cold outreach wastes the buyer and seller's time at every stage, especially when sellers are using shallow and outdated data.  Your organization can overcome these challenges with technology that translates comprehensive, high-quality buyer data into real-time insights. These deeper insights empower sales reps and teams to adopt the habits of top performers, which leads to better outcomes - like more pipelines, higher win rates, and larger deals. We call this Deep Sales. And we've built the first deep sales platform with the next generation of LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Try LinkedIn Sales Navigator and get a sixty-day free trial at linkedin.com/tse. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

What makes some individuals outshine others in the sales profession? In this episode, our host, Donald Kelly, shares valuable insights on how sales professionals can thrive by mastering communication skills and taking imperfect action. As a seasoned sales expert, Kelly has built a successful empire, starting from a $39 microphone, and now running the Sales Evangelist and TSE Studios.  Join us as we delve into the key skills to help you succeed in the competitive sales world!  The Journey of Donald Kelly Kelly shares his journey in building the Sales Evangelist podcasting empire.  The skills and experience he gained as a sales professional contributed to his success. Currently, at Podcast Movement, Kelly teaches podcasters how to sell their podcasts effectively and imparts valuable sales principles.  The Key Skills for Effective Sales Communication Within the ten years of Kelly building his podcast empire and being a sales professional, he learned five effective skills that helped him succeed. These skills he shares can help sales professionals to thrive in any environment and adjust their strategies accordingly.  1. Finding People with Problems and Offering Solutions Finding potential clients who have problems is the main role of a sales professional. Using tools like Chat GPT, Apollo IO, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator, sales reps can identify individuals using competitor software.  By reaching out to these prospects, sales professionals can offer solutions to their problems, such as difficulty generating reports using their current CRM software.  2. Mastering Communication Skills for Success Effective communication is the key to conveying the value of what sales professionals have to offer.  By practicing active listening, reflecting on past calls, and analyzing areas for improvement, such as asking more questions, using storytelling, or employing analogies, sales professionals can become exceptional communicators.  Kelly highly recommends that sales reps enhance their communication skills with the Toastmasters program.  3. Adaptability and Creativity You must be able to adapt to the changes within the sales world. This is the best way for you to thrive within different environments. Be creative in your sales approach when reaching out to prospective clients. Consider using Chat GPT to create successful sales strategies in emails. You can also brainstorm with others to learn their secret tactics.  Kelly suggests looking into Dale Dupree on how sales representatives can stand out among their prospective clients.  4. Design a Clear Plan  You can't just wing it as a salesperson; you must go into every approach with a clear plan. Donald shares his book, “Sale it Like a Mango,” to help sales representatives create a daily plan. Remember, you must think like an entrepreneur to thrive as a sales representative!  5. Taking Imperfect Action and A Positive Attitude Taking action is often more critical than perfect planning. Imperfect action allows for learning, iterating, and improving along the way.  While setbacks and rejection are common in sales, maintaining a positive attitude is crucial. Believing in the value of one's product or service and confidently promoting it sets the foundation for success.  Receiving a "no" should not discourage sales professionals from pursuing future opportunities. Donald provided actionable insights for sales professionals looking to thrive in their careers. Remember, success in sales is not just about planning but also about taking action and learning from it! “My philosophy is to be successful you must do the opposite of what everyone else is doing. If you can do that, money in the bank all day long.” - Donald Kelly Ready to take your sales skills to the next level? Don't miss out on valuable insights and strategies from industry experts. Subscribe to The Sales Evangelist podcast today and gain exclusive access to episodes that will transform your sales techniques.

Everyone fears AI tools will steal jobs, especially in sales. However, this is far from the truth! These advanced chatbots are here to make our work easier and get things done more efficiently. You just have to learn to use the AI tools and ChatGPT to your advantage.  The host, Donald Kelly, and special guest, David Kreiger, founder of SalesRoads, explain how in this episode. They emphasize the importance of using AI to enhance the understanding of customers and prospects rather than merely automating processes. So, let's dive in and discover the power of composed audio and AI in sales. Utilizing Chat GPT for Role Playing and Coaching ●       Most people find it challenging to use Chat GPT and feel the tool doesn't create exactly what they want. ●       Kriger shares why you should give Chat GPT a persona when interacting with the tool and creating content. ●       He also provides an example of how sales representatives can role-play with the tool to create buyer personas. ●       You shouldn't rely solely on it to build customer profiles and buyer personas. Instead, view AI and Chat GPT as helpful tools within the sales process. Unveiling the Potential of AI in Marketing ●       Donald discusses the introduction of Facebook ads and discovering the impact of incorporating complexity and more details in their ad content. ●       They admit their early struggles with Facebook ads but highlight the pivotal role played by grasping the significance of feeding in detail. ●       They express gratitude for the eye-opening insights shared by their conversation partner, acknowledging the transformative power of AI tools in generating different iterations of an ideal customer profile. The Benefits of AI in Crafting Ideal Customer Profiles and Buyer Personas ●       The conversation delves into building ideal customer profiles and buyer personas using AI and chat GPT. ●       Kriger emphasizes the value of engaging in conversations with the target market to create accurate profiles. ●       He also highlights how AI tools can facilitate information generation and effortlessly interact with personas, providing insights that would be otherwise unattainable daily.  The Three Tactical Ways to Use Chat GPT ●       Tell Chat GPT who it is: It is still in its early stage, and you have to be as detailed as possible to get the desired results when using the tool. ●       Take advantage of Chat GPT: Remember, it's not here to take our jobs! People who know how to use AI tools effectively will be the ones to excel in the sales profession. So, take advantage of this accessible technology and learn how to use it properly. ●       Start using AI tools: If you want to create ICP, give it your marketing and buyer's persona information. You can only get good at using the tools by interacting with them and testing what does and doesn't work. "AI doesn't replace people; it gives you additional capabilities and superpowers." -David Kreiger Do you want to revolutionize sales performance and succeed in sales strategies? We know you do! So, be sure to follow the Sales Evangelist podcast to hear more from our wonderful guests! Resources David LinkedIn Sales Road website  Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you struggling to close deals? Cold outreach wastes the buyer and seller's time at every stage, especially when sellers are using shallow and outdated data. Your organization can overcome these challenges with technology that translates comprehensive, high-quality buyer data into real-time insights. These deeper insights empower sales reps and teams to adopt the habits of top performers, which leads to better outcomes - like more pipelines, higher win rates, and larger deals. We call this Deep Sales. And we've built the first deep sales platform with the next generation of LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Try LinkedIn Sales Navigator and get a sixty-day free trial at linkedin.com/tse. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation.  Credits  As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Many sellers struggle with pushing clients to close a deal because they don't want to appear too strong. In this episode of the Sales Evangelist podcast, host Donald Kelly speaks with L'areal Lipkins, a B2B sales team consultant. L'areal shares insightful questions to drive urgency and motivate prospects to act more quickly. Who Is L'areal Lipkins? L'areal owns Lipkins Consulting Group and works with B2B sales teams to sell value. She helps teams optimize their sales processes by applying guided strategies and psychology.  Through her teachings, sales teams can understand why they're doing things and not only focus on selling tactics.  She helps people make more money! The Problem With Urgency There are two types of salespeople: those who are too pushy and those who wait to close a deal.  Don't make the mistake of conversing too long or coming off too strong. It can cost you money! Use the Whole Pie framework to create value and urgency with enriching questions. What Is the Whole Pie Framework? The Whole Pie framework uncovers the real problem prospects are having and helps sellers to dive deeper into discovering it. Sellers ask three types of questions: problem, impactful, and emotional. With the framework, sellers can show prospects that their situation is important to them and they want to fix the problem. Problem Questions These questions involve what prospects are comfortable discussing.  Sellers don't have to dive too deep into finding the problem. Problem questions include, "Tell me about that" or "When did you first notice this?" 80% of sellers make the mistake of selling the problem! Impact Questions These create a ripple effect of discovering actions prospects actions in making sales.  How is it impacting the team, company, and association? Only 10% of sellers ask impact questions! Why don't sellers ask more impactful questions? The two reasons are the need for more training and learning to use their words. Emotion Questions Most salespeople don't ask these questions because they don't want to get too personal. Only the elite sellers dive this deep! Emotion questions are "I'm so tired of this not working" or "I feel overwhelmed." Sellers discover the personal impact that's keeping prospects from closing a deal. “But we all have problems; we're not going to pay enough, we're not going to pay because they're not big enough to solve.” - L'areal Lipkins Do you want to make more money? Of course, you do! Connect with L'areal Lipkins and follow the Sales Evangelist podcast to become a better seller. Resources L'areal Lipkins LinkedIn Lipkins Consulting Group What Top Performing Sales People Do Different? Sponsorship Offer This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing, and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

In today's episode, our host, Donald Kelly, speaks with guest Tim Rohrer. Rohrer has years of experience in radio advertisement and is the author of “Sales Lessons From the World's Greatest Mentor.” Discover how he learned the hard way that time kills sales. Time can kill sales: How is this possible? Tim shares his first loss while working as a radio advertisement before the days of social media. During that time, it was essential for a salesperson to have personal conversations with prospective clients. Tim found the perfect client and connected with him. He returned to his office to create a proposal and place it in a file until the meeting day. However, Tim saw him two days later, and the client asked him a question in an odd way. Tim didn't think much about it, but his gut told him he should. When the meeting day came, he soon discovered why closing a deal is crucial when you have prospective customers where you want them. Always close a deal quickly and use tools to help you do so. For example, consider creating sales templates to give potential clients an idea of what they're getting into. Then have them come in the very next day to have them sign the contract.  Strike while the iron is hot! Those within real estate know, more than likely, there will always be two decision-makers when closing a deal. You show them everything they need to know to help them decide immediately. However, one potential client says we must consider it, and the other agrees. Do you let them leave so they think about it?  The short answer to this is no! Tim shares why you must keep questioning them when they tell you we'll think about it.  What if the decision-makers are away? Tim shares why salespeople need to improve their communication and presentation skills. You won't always be selling directly to the decision-makers. Sometimes you have to deal with the influencers.  Influencers are your future salespeople. However, they're not as good as you! Tim shares how you can help them remember key points of your presentation, so they'll do an excellent resale to the decision makers. “Be ready to do business today with people who say yes” - Tim Rohrer  Resources Tim Rohrer's Book: Sales Lessons From The World's Greatest Mentor  Tom Freeze's Book: question-based selling  Website: TimJMRohrer.com  Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you struggling to close deals? Cold outreach wastes the buyer and seller's time at every stage, especially when sellers are using shallow and outdated data. Your organization can overcome these challenges with technology that translates comprehensive, high-quality buyer data into real-time insights. 2.            These deeper insights empower sales reps and teams to adopt the habits of top performers, which leads to better outcomes - like more pipelines, higher win rates, and larger deals. 3.            We call this Deep Sales. And we've built the first deep sales platform with the next generation of LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Try LinkedIn Sales Navigator and get a sixty-day free trial at linkedin.com/tse. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation.  Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

In this episode, host Donald Kelly chats with Marcus Chan, the founder of Henley Consulting Group. Chan shares the Heart Framework to help sales reps can overcome objections. Heart Framework Use this framework for any objection thrown your way. For example, if the objection is, let me think about it, start with the letter H for heard. You show them a little empathy and make them feel heard. Next, have them discuss what is on their mind with the letter E and elaborate on the objection. Simply ask, "Can you tell me more about that?" Marcus provides an excellent example of how digging deeper can help sales reps find the root objection. After you have them elaborate more, move on to A, aside from that objection. Do they have any other questions or comments that may make them object to the deal? R stands for reclarify value, meaning you make them tell you why they should take the deal. While they are talking about it, ask them what they like most about it or how they think it can improve their business. After this, you may notice that they no longer have the same objection, move on to the letter T. The T stands for transition to a close. You show your potential clients how you can help them overcome their objections. For example, you can include a happiness guarantee within your contract. Tonality: How does it make a difference? The way you deliver your message will relay differently to your clients. It helps show that you care about their problem or are just trying to close the deal. If your delivery isn't making them feel at ease, their brain goes into fight or flight mode. By making them comfortable with your tone, they're less likely to do this and more likely to listen to what you say. Why don't most sellers ask more questions? Often it's due to fear of not knowing what to say in case of an objection. However, some sellers are more worried about getting the sales as quickly as possible. Don't make the mistake of offering discounts and using closing tactics immediately. You're causing more problems and avoiding finding the real objection. Instead of rushing, take your time and conversate with the potential buyer. Eventually, they'll open up and tell you everything you need to know. Do you want to start practicing the HEART framework? If you listen to the end, Marcus shares a detailed step-by-step for BDRs. It's pretty simple, and you'll probably have tons of fun while practicing the framework. Doing it daily will help you become great at using the HEART framework. Resources LinkedIn 6-Figure Sales Secret Book Sponsorship Offer This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing, and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation.  Credits  As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Quality beats quantity when it comes to lead generation, prospecting, and moving customers through your sales funnel. Knowing who to talk to and how to reach them can save you from getting caught up in drawn-out back and forths with the wrong people. In today's episode, our host Donald Kelly meets with Dave Fink, the CEO and Co-founder of Postie. They talk about boosting efficiency and effectiveness in the sales process through focusing on ideal buyers. A Clear ICP Leads to Efficiency Casting a wide net and gathering as many leads as possible may sound like a great sales strategy, but it isn't the most efficient. Developing specific Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) can help sellers identify customers that are a perfect fit. Weeding out clients won't be a perfect fit may seem time-consuming, but in the long run, you avoid wasting time with prospects who can't, or won't, become customers. Engage the Right People Not everyone in the company is a decision-maker or influencer. The people who stand to benefit from your product may not have the power to buy, so figure out who does. With recent layoffs all over the tech industry, there are fewer people in companies so it may be easier to reach decision-makers. Not all decision-makers think or act the same way. Things change. Consider how macro trends may be impacting them and treat them with empathy. Handling Discovery Properly Do research about the person you're going to be talking to and the company they're a part of. Knowing their position in the company can help you understand their point of view. Just like doctors can have a great bedside manner that makes you feel safe and comfortable, sellers who treat discovery like a conversation rather than an interrogation will have more success. “I very much believe that information is power. Quite frankly, if you're an inquisitive person, whether you're successful in a specific prospecting initiative or sales cycle, you're going to learn something from it.” – Dave Fink Resources Check out the website: http://postie.com for great content! Connect with Dave Fink on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you struggling to close deals? Cold outreach wastes the buyer and seller's time at every stage, especially when sellers are using shallow and outdated data. Your organization can overcome these challenges with technology that translates comprehensive, high-quality buyer data into real-time insights. These deeper insights empower sales reps and teams to adopt the habits of top performers, which leads to better outcomes - like more pipelines, higher win rates, and larger deals. We call this Deep Sales. And we've built the first deep sales platform with the next generation of LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Try LinkedIn Sales Navigator and get a sixty-day free trial at linkedin.com/tse. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

It's challenging to be in sales right now, and keeping up isn't enough – it's time to get ahead of the curve. Bringing AEs and BDRs together to learn from each other will make your organization stronger and more cohesive. In today's episode, our host Donald Kelly meets with Katie Swick, the Global Sales Enablement Lead at Stripe, to hear how her team's collaborative approach to learning has revolutionized the way they sell.    A Symbiotic Relationship When AEs help educate BDRs, the BDRs in turn become better at finding quality leads. This makes the AE's job easier in the long run. BDRs learn better prospecting skills AND what makes a good AE through the program. This makes them more effective in their current positions but also prepares them to be great AEs in the future. AEs also report learning a lot from the process and see the value in training BDRs – they volunteer to help out!  Getting Ahead of the Curve BDRs need to understand how to “lose fast” rather than hang on to prospects that aren't going to go anywhere. AEs can educate BDRs on how to identify qualified leads. Technology is moving quickly, and prospecting in particular has changed a lot. BDRs can help AEs upgrade their prospecting skills.  Bridging the Gap Between AEs and BDRs In cases where AEs are too busy to handle all potential accounts, BDRs can jump in and help move smaller clients through the pipeline. AEs also, in some cases, will help BDRs with prospecting to add to the top of their sales funnel.  “The program is really meant to stay at that cutting edge and say, ‘Hey, what's working? What's not? How do we take advantage of that?' Because we know that a sales technique that worked two years ago probably isn't going to work today.” – Katie Swick  Resources Reach out to Katie Swick on LinkedIn  Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you struggling to close deals? Cold outreach wastes the buyer and seller's time at every stage, especially when sellers are using shallow and outdated data. Your organization can overcome these challenges with technology that translates comprehensive, high-quality buyer data into real-time insights. 2.            These deeper insights empower sales reps and teams to adopt the habits of top performers, which leads to better outcomes - like more pipelines, higher win rates, and larger deals. 3.            We call this Deep Sales. And we've built the first deep sales platform with the next generation of LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Try LinkedIn Sales Navigator and get a sixty-day free trial at linkedin.com/tse. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation.  Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Midway through the sales process, you might find your deals stagnating because you're just not talking to the right people. In today's episode, our host Donald Kelly talks with Jakub Hon about connecting with the stakeholder who can make that final call. We're sure you're going to get a lot out of this interview. For more from Jakub, check out his webinar on August 2nd at 8 AM Eastern!  Recognize the Buyer The buyer is someone who can say yes, even when the team says no, or vice versa. They have the final say on where the budget is going to be allocated. If your “champion” at the organization is on board, your next task is to probe them for more information that will lead you to the economic buyer. Ask questions about the organization's approval process so you can start mapping it out. Ask “numbers” questions about budget, revenue, etc. to find out whether your champion knows the answers or knows someone who does. Stay aligned with your champion all the way through the process – you still want them on your team! Get Your Prospect to a Meeting If your champion doesn't want you to bypass them to talk to their boss, ask questions they're not able to answer and they'll direct you to the person who can. If that doesn't work, be blunt. It's okay to give and take. Sellers like to give, don't forget to ask for something in return! Offer things like demos and free trials in exchange for contact information for higher-ups. If you reach out to the economic buyer and they brush you off onto someone else, ask for a short meeting with them to discuss their perspective on where the business is headed. This won't be a conversation about features – let them know that! Encourage Them to Talk If there is information out there on the company, you should already know it. Don't ask the economic buyer about their value proposition. Do your homework. Start or end the message with questions. Even if they don't answer the question, it may spark interest. All communication should be relevant and direct. Keep your conversation about business and not about features. “If you're not aligning with the economic buyer and you talk just to your champion… usually these deals slip from the pipeline, because, guess what? There's the competition talking to the [other stakeholders] and involving the economic buyer in their sales process. If you're not in control of the process, there's somebody else controlling the process.” – Jakub Hon Resources “How to Sell to the C-Suite” Webinar on August 2nd – Registration Link SALESDOCk.com Connect with Jakub Hon on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you struggling to close deals? Cold outreach wastes the buyer and seller's time at every stage, especially when sellers are using shallow and outdated data. Your organization can overcome these challenges with technology that translates comprehensive, high-quality buyer data into real-time insights. These deeper insights empower sales reps and teams to adopt the habits of top performers, which leads to better outcomes - like more pipelines, higher win rates, and larger deals. We call this Deep Sales. And we've built the first deep sales platform with the next generation of LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Try LinkedIn Sales Navigator and get a sixty-day free trial at linkedin.com/tse. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

It's time to level up and set yourself apart in an executive's inbox, but you know it'll never happen as long as you keep parroting the same lines your prospect gets from every other seller. In today's episode, our host Donald Kelly gets into why we should NEVER use the phrase “just bumping this up” in a follow-up e-mail. Listen in to hear the things you should say instead!  The Problem With Saying “Just Bumping This Up” When you say, “Just bumping this up,” you're prioritizing yourself in their inbox and insinuating that they aren't organizing their e-mails. This annoys prospects and turns them off. Your prospects are busy people with a lot on their plate. “Just bumping this up,” is a filler phrase that doesn't add any value and shows a lack of effort on the seller's part.  How SHOULD You Follow Up? Focus on the same pain point that you highlighted in the first e-mail. Then show the prospect your solution by making a quick video describing or demoing it. Think from your prospect's perspective. They're busy people – if their objection is that they don't currently have time to meet, let them know you can meet later on. We use the Spotlight feature on LinkedIn SalesNavigator to identify prospects who have posted on LinkedIn during the last 30 days (try it free for 60 days at linkedin.com/tse). Use information from LinkedIn to identify triggers and bring those up in your follow-up. You can also use testimonials or describe the experiences of other clients who you serve.  “No matter what you sell, whether it's a water bottle or it's a complex HR solution for an enterprise-level organization, you need to think, behave, and act like a consultant and recognize the capability in your role, and treat your e-mails and communication accordingly. Otherwise, [prospects] are going to treat you the way that you sound. You don't want to sound just like a sales professional, just like an order taker. Jump up in your position.” – Donald Kelly  Resources Check out episode 707 for more ideas on following up!  Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you struggling to close deals? Cold outreach wastes the buyer and seller's time at every stage, especially when sellers are using shallow and outdated data. Your organization can overcome these challenges with technology that translates comprehensive, high-quality buyer data into real-time insights. 2.            These deeper insights empower sales reps and teams to adopt the habits of top performers, which leads to better outcomes - like more pipelines, higher win rates, and larger deals. 3.            We call this Deep Sales. And we've built the first deep sales platform with the next generation of LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Try LinkedIn Sales Navigator and get a sixty-day free trial at linkedin.com/tse. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation.  Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

One size does NOT fit all! Having the power to customize a product or service to fit our needs makes us feel confident in how we're spending our money. The same is true for our prospects. In today's episode, our host Donald Kelly meets with Joe Ardeeser, the Founder/CEO of Smart Pricing Table, to talk about using optionality to build trust and give agency to customers. Ways to Offer Optionality Provide different service lines. If you have a customer who uses one of your services, tell them what else your company can do for them. Customize individual services. Talk to your customers about ways they can configure your service to work better for them. Offer options for different budgets. If you can't downsize your offer, you might lose big deals. Build Trust With Prospects Offering a “good”, “better”, and “best” option can help customers feel comfortable because they can see that you're not just trying to get the most money possible out of them. Buyers need to feel like they have agency and control over how much they want to spend and what they're getting out of the deal. Prospects are probably going to have conversations with other stakeholders before buying. Arm them with the knowledge of your optionality so they can consider things in their own time. Don't Lose Deals You can't make EVERYTHING optional. Make sure the service will work, even if the customer wants a very stripped-down version. When customers don't choose your product, most of the time you're not going to know why. If you make it so that your prospect can add or subtract services to adjust the price, you can avoid losing deals by small margins. “Take some time to think through what you sell and define it well so that you can build things quicker. When you build things quicker, you have more options.” – Joe Ardeseer Resources Visit SmartPricingTable.com to schedule a demo! Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you struggling to close deals? Cold outreach wastes the buyer and seller's time at every stage, especially when sellers are using shallow and outdated data. Your organization can overcome these challenges with technology that translates comprehensive, high-quality buyer data into real-time insights. These deeper insights empower sales reps and teams to adopt the habits of top performers, which leads to better outcomes - like more pipelines, higher win rates, and larger deals. We call this Deep Sales. And we've built the first deep sales platform with the next generation of LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Try LinkedIn Sales Navigator and get a sixty-day free trial at linkedin.com/tse. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Prepare yourself: next time you pick up the phone for a discovery call, you'll know exactly how to engage your prospect and let THEM convert themselves. In this episode, our host Donald Kelly has a great conversation with David Newman, author of the business bestseller “Do It! Marketing”. They go deep on what makes a successful discovery call, and here's a hint: it's not a bunch of small talk.  Go Deep Fast Don't spend your discovery call having surface-level conversations. Most sellers don't go deep enough because they want to be liked and sound smart. Many sellers don't ask questions to expand upon what prospects tell them. Instead, as David says, take off your ‘sales hat' and put on your ‘investigative journalist' hat. Most sales professionals think being likable is the same as being talkative. This is boring to clients – get them talking early and often! Become a Consultant David's first question on a discovery call is: how have you arrived at where you are today? Another question David asks prospects is: do you mind if I treat you like a fee-paid client? This takes you and them out of buying-and-selling mode and puts you in a position to tell the prospect helpful information. When you have the prospect's permission to tell them what they need to hear instead of what they want to hear, you can be real and honest. Treat Prospects Like Clients Ask: How do you see this ending up if all goes well? (Then ask: “What else?” several times!) Ask: What does that mean for you personally/professionally? What happens financially if this is successful or unsuccessful? Ask: Can you put a number on it? Don't be afraid to get specific about numbers.  Ask: Who else will notice these improvements? (This is key for finding out who else needs to be involved in this process!) “The more you treat prospects like clients and customers, the more clients and customers you will get.” – David Newman  Resources Order David's new book, Do It! Selling, from Amazon Get companion tools, videos, worksheets, and more at http://doitmarketing.com/selling Set up an exploratory chat with David! http://doitmarketing.com/call  Sponsorship Offers 1. This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Sales Foundation. I think we can all agree that sales should be fun. However, many times, we find ourselves in a quagmire where we're not progressing and deals are not going the way that they should. This is why we created TSE Sales Foundation. It's a program designed to help sales professionals just like you master the fundamentals of sales so they can radically improve their sales pipeline and close more deals. To find out more about TSE Sales Foundation and our next start date, simply go to thesalesevangelist.com/foundation.  Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.