Welcome to TheInquisitor Podcast

In this episode of The Inquisitor Podcast, host Marcus Cauchi speaks with Michael Davis-Marks, a veteran of the Royal Navy who commanded a nuclear-powered submarine and now focuses on leadership development and advocating for the veteran community. They discuss decision-making under pressure, the unique transferable skills veterans bring to civilian life, and the critical differences between traditional and effective leadership models like servant leadership. The conversation highlights the importance of training, teamwork, delegation, building trust, and fostering a culture where people feel valued and empowered to do their best work. Michael Davis-Marks: Spent 36 years in the Royal Navy, primarily as a submariner, including commanding a nuclear-powered submarine. Served in the British Embassy during 9-11. Since leaving the Navy 13 years ago, he has focused on leadership development and culture. He is also the managing editor of TheVeteran.uk, a publication that gives voice to the veteran community. His mission is to amplify the lived experience of veterans, challenge outdated stereotypes, and advocate for what armed forces veterans can offer to organisations, employers, and society. Key Discussion Points: Veterans as a Valuable Asset: Veterans possess extraordinary transferable skills such as leadership, teamwork, discipline, and commitment, which can be enormously helpful to organisations and society as a whole. There are approximately 2.2 million veterans in the UK, about a million of whom are of working age, representing a significant pool of talent. Challenging Stereotypes: The common stereotype of military people as "Colonel Blimp" or a "shouty sergeant" is inaccurate for the vast majority of veterans. Veteran Mindset: Many veterans, including Michael, don't initially realise how much they have to offer civilian life due to a self-effacing mindset developed through military training that prioritises the team over the individual. Decision Making Under Stress: The military trains individuals to remain calm and think clearly in high-pressure situations. The ability to make good decisions under stress is crucial and can be developed through training and building resilience. Leadership Defined: Leadership is not about telling people what to do. It's about motivating and inspiring people, helping them become better versions of themselves. Servant Leadership: This model posits that the leader is there to serve the people subordinate to them, helping them realise their full potential. It's about looking after the people in your charge, not just being in charge. Delegation vs. Abdication: Leaders who spend their time "doing" are stealing learning opportunities and growth from their people. Empowering people to work things out for themselves, rather than always providing the answer, is crucial for development. Michael's rule was "don't bring me problems, bring me solutions". Allowing people to "have a go," even if they make mistakes in a safe environment, fosters learning. Creating Conditions for Trust: Trust begins with the leader's self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and empathy. It is developed by assigning low-risk tasks initially, being a mentor and coach, gently nudging rather than directing, and providing encouragement and positive feedback. Leadership is Trainable: While some may be "born leaders," leadership skills can be taught and developed through training and practical experience. Openness to feedback and the realisation that one is not perfect are key to improvement. The Staircase of Learning: This concept describes the progression from unconscious incompetence (not knowing what you don't know) through conscious incompetence and conscious competence to unconscious competence (second nature). Training and repetition are critical to moving through these stages and building resilience. Continuous Improvement: In the military, standard operating procedures were changed "all the time" because you can't stand still; "every day is a school day". Agility of thought is essential because plans often don't survive first contact. The Leader's Role: The leader's job is to create the conditions for their people to do their best work. Delegating tasks to competent people allows the leader to step back, maintain a strategic view, and avoid becoming a bottleneck or single point of failure. The Importance of People: People are the most important asset in any organisation, not just numbers on a spreadsheet. Treat them as people. A high staff retention rate is often a sign of a happy and well-led company. People frequently leave jobs because of their boss, particularly if the boss prevents them from doing their best work. Beating people does not improve morale. Advice for New Managers: "Get Off Your Arse" (GOYA) is crucial advice. New managers should spend their initial time listening, walking around, asking curious questions about what people do, what they like/dislike, and what can be improved. Taking notes shows you are listening and helps you remember. Getting out and talking to people makes them feel important and that they belong. This approach should be routine, not just for the first few days. Lesson for a Younger Self: Michael would tell his 23-year-old self that he knows much less than he thinks and is surrounded by people who can help. He would advise working on relationships with others to learn and grow together as a team, emphasising that people are the most important aspect in everything. Recommended Resources: "Turn the Ship Around" by David Marquette (Discusses an "I intend to" model of leadership empowering the team). "Always Start With Why" by Simon Sinek. "Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek (Highlights the principle of leaders serving those who rely on them). TheVeteran.uk: Publication giving voice to the veteran community. Connecting with Michael Davis-Marks on LinkedIn

In this episode of The Inquisitor podcast, host Marcus Cauchi interviews Edward Ingham about his journey from traditional, product-focused sales to a more customer-centric approach. The conversation delves into the real-life moments that shaped Edward's shift and the practical impact it has had on his career and well-being. Guest: Edward Ingham, Senior Sales professional (biopharm-bd.com) About Edward: Edward is a dual national British-Spanish salesperson based in Madrid, with 10 years of experience selling into enterprise pharma and startups. He has observed recurring sales themes across different company sizes and has learned significant lessons from his experiences. Key Discussion Points: The Epiphany Moment: Edward realised the need for change about five years into his sales career. This shift occurred when he stopped focusing on the technical aspects of the product and the prospect's role (like CBO or CEO) and instead looked inward, considering how his own actions were affecting the other person, viewing them as human beings. He began to think about how he would feel if someone was doing what he was doing to them. The second part of this transition was spending time to truly understand the prospect's world, recognising that they don't make impulse purchases and need to "sell" internally within their own organisation to get things done. Breaking Point: The old way of selling became unbearable, particularly during lockdown, when facing constant rejection alone in an apartment led to self-doubt. This coincided with him starting to listen to The Inquisitor podcast, which offered a new perspective on questioning people to understand their situation. The sense of rejection was the most difficult part of the old approach. Understanding Buyer Behaviour: Marcus highlights that buyers don't reject the salesperson, proposition, or product itself, but rather the uncertainty and lack of safety associated with the decision. Buyers want to make the right decision effectively and know that a purchase will deliver the intended outcome. Creating false urgency creates distrust. Learning and Improvement: Edward learned from ghosting experiences that prospects are not necessarily "mugging you off," but often have internal issues or priorities that take precedence. The key is to probe and ask tough questions (nicely) to understand the prospect's reality and qualify or disqualify opportunities early. This prevents "bulking up" pipelines with uncertainty, which can negatively impact forecasting up to the board and investors. Becoming an Ally: The moment of realisation that his job was to be the customer's ally, not their accomplice or adversary, came from slowly implementing client-centric approaches and seeing immediate positive results. Switching the tone in emails or meetings led to responses from non-responders, positive reactions, and feeling appreciated in the room. The Power of Client-Centricity: Edward found that adopting a client-centric approach, treating prospects as human beings with emotions, helps overcome imposter syndrome, especially for those without a deep scientific background in technical industries like pharma. This approach serves as a unique differentiator against salespeople who product push. Clients appreciate honesty, like direct answers to questions such as "Who is better, you or your competitor?". Improved Results: A major difference seen is that very little unqualified opportunity enters the pipeline. By asking questions and understanding the client's position and internal readiness, opportunities are typically only added at a later stage (like "submit proposal"). This results in a very high close rate for opportunities that do enter the CRM. This certainty is valuable for communicating upwards within the company. Prospecting for Life: Shifting the mentality from transacting or booking meetings to prospecting for a customer for life changes the entire conversation tone. The focus is on genuinely understanding the other human being and their pressures. Client Reaction and Referrals: When this shift occurs, people actually want to spend time with you and become just as invested in the conversation. The feeling of needing to chase disappears. Edward receives messages directly from prospects on their personal phones. He finds he needs to do less work on accounts because internal people know he isn't difficult to work with and will help them internally. People who were historically bombarded may reach out, demonstrating that less work structured differently leads to inbound interest. Activities Eliminated: Edward no longer wastes hours with "tire kickers" or spends time on "just checking in" follow-up emails. This time is reinvested in self-improvement or sales enablement. The customer-centric approach reduces waffle and uncertainty in pipeline discussions. Doing the Right Thing: A principled approach includes the absolute minimum gesture of honesty, such as advising a prospect that a competitor might offer a better, cheaper, or quicker solution if their request is out of scope. This is uncommon but helps differentiate a salesperson and build long-term memory with the prospect. Impact on Self: Being human-centric makes you a lot happier. You go home feeling like you've helped someone, which is often the antithesis of traditional sales. Done well, sales is about facilitating good decisions and empowering people. Engaging Broadly: Edward aims to engage with around 12 or more people within an account over the medium term, having interactions not solely focused on the sales process. It's important to get in touch with key people (like procurement or legal) before you need something from them. Working with Procurement: Edward learned that engaging with procurement with purely their interests at heart is pivotal. They are trying to save the company money and have specific KPIs; understanding these can help make their life easier and create internal advocates. The Power of Mentorship: A critical move was seeking mentorship from people he had previously interacted with, particularly those he might have "pissed off" as a salesperson, or people in roles like procurement. He crafted concise LinkedIn messages asking for 15 minutes a month of mentorship with "no strings attached" and a promise not to abuse the goodwill. The response rate has been incredibly high (above 90%). This provides invaluable insight into the customer's world, their internal pressures, and the emotional factors influencing decisions. No Need to Discount: Edward learned that discounting feels insincere and is effectively "lying to people". It should be avoided at all costs unless value has been clearly delivered and the prospect understands they need the product. Discounting hurts cash flow, forces more prospecting, and procurement remembers suppliers who are quick to discount. Owning Your Development: Edward advises people who are waiting for company training to stop pointing the finger. It is the individual salesperson's responsibility to train themselves. Finding role models (through podcasts, content, reaching out) and making yourself vulnerable by seeking feedback are key. How You Sell Matters More: Both Edward and Marcus agree that how you show up and how you sell matters more than what you sell. The intent behind the interaction will be remembered, not the technical details of the product. The Real Issue: The fundamental issue in sales is often time and relevance for the prospect at a given point in time, not the product itself. Becoming a Board Director: Edward's recent transition to a board director highlights the value of having frontline sales perspectives on boards, providing insights into market dynamics and customer reactions that senior execs might not have due to being removed from daily sales interactions. Final Challenge: Stop product pitching and focus on the prospect's world, their agendas, and their life. Treat them as human beings, understanding their needs and priorities, not just focusing on your own targets. Recommendations for Further Learning: Books: Demand Side Sales by Bob Moesta, Trust-Based Selling by Charlie Green, The Other Side of Sales by Mark Schenkeus, How to Make Friends and Influence People. Podcasts/Content: We Have a Meeting (WAM guys), Benjamin Dennehy, Jerry Hill. Community: Veblen Community (Callum Lang). Networking: Seek mentors through respectful outreach. Consider Sellers Anonymous. How to Connect: Edward Ingham: edward.ingham@biopharm-bd.com or reach out on LinkedIn. Marcus Cauchi: Get in touch regarding Sellers Anonymous or the Career Pathfinder. The conversation highlights the transformative power of shifting to a truly human-centric and principled approach in sales, leading to increased effectiveness, personal fulfillment, and stronger customer relationships.

In this episode, Marcus speaks with Avner Baruch about the invisible costs of misalignment in go-to-market functions and why focusing on traditional sales metrics like ARR and conversion rates often misses the point. Avner shares his journey into sales enablement and how it led him to develop a methodology called Project Moneyball, which digs beneath surface metrics to uncover the real issues. By factoring in soft skills, time management, and process adoption, this approach helps teams identify problems much earlier, often during onboarding, rather than waiting months for reports to catch up. Key Themes Explored:

In this episode, Marcus is joined by Alan Versteeg, a coach and sales performance specialist with years of experience helping companies unlock what's really holding their teams back. Together, they explore 9 critical truths most sales leaders overlook, and the hidden leverage points that can transform your results without overhauling your tech stack or doubling your headcount. What you'll learn: Why your middle managers are your most underused asset, and how to activate them How on-the-job coaching delivers a 72x return when done right The dangerous illusion of control CRMs create, and what to focus on instead How shifting from managing individuals to managing the sales environment changes everything Why asking basic questions like “Why do we prospect?” can unravel deeper issues in your sales process How to identify the handbrakes slowing growth, often hidden in plain sight Why failure is your most powerful tool, if you build the right culture around it The key difference between managing tasks and driving impact And how changing perspective can make the difference between short-term wins and long-term performance If you're a CRO, VP of Sales, or leading a team in a mid-market organisation, this episode is packed with practical, thought-provoking insight you won't get from dashboards or sales playbooks.   Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanversteeg/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcuscauchi/   Get Personal Sales Insights https://bit.ly/NewSellingAptitudeTest   Triage Your Pipleline https://bit.ly/PipelineTriageAudit   Or https://bit.ly/TalkWithUsNow      

Lean Selling: How to Make Buying Effortless & Ethical

What if influence wasn't about tactics and persuasion but about truth, trust, and genuine human connection? In this episode, Brian Ahearn, Chief Influence Officer at Influence People and faculty member at the Cialdini Institute, unpacks the fine line between influence and manipulation, a crucial distinction for sales leaders and C-suite executives who want to drive sustainable growth without sacrificing integrity.

Sales Mastery & The Infinite Game with David Weiss Episode Summary:  David Weiss explores the mindset, habits, and strategies that set top sales professionals apart. From intentional career development to enterprise sales best practices, David shares invaluable insights for sales leaders and professionals looking to elevate their game. Recorded: August 2020 Key Takeaways: The Path to Sales Success: David's journey into sales highlighted the importance of intentionality and learning from early failures. His experience underscored the necessity of structured training and development in sales. Sales as a Professional Sport: Treating a sales career like that of a professional athlete, dedicating time to practice, continuous learning, and skill refinement, is crucial for sustained success. Breaking Sales Stereotypes: Sales is often misunderstood as an “expensive dark art.” Leaders must see beyond outdated perceptions and recognize the value of structured, professional selling. The Power of Mentorship: Learning from great leaders, and understanding the lessons from ineffective ones, can shape a successful sales career. David shares impactful mentorship experiences that influenced his growth. Business Acumen for Sales Success: Sales leaders must ensure their teams understand finance, operations, marketing, and legal aspects to be effective beyond just the sales process. Customer-Centric Selling: Sales isn't the start or end of the customer journey, it's a part of a broader experience. Leaders should foster a customer-first mindset across the organization. Effective Sales Onboarding: The best onboarding programs prioritize organizational understanding, relationship-building, and the sales process before diving into product knowledge. Enterprise Sales Mastery: Success in enterprise sales requires experience in internal negotiations, multi-threading, stakeholder management, and long sales cycles. Recruiting Top Enterprise Sales Talent: Hiring should focus on candidates with extensive enterprise experience or deep domain expertise. Key attributes include curiosity, relationship-building, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. The Habits of High-Performing Salespeople: Self-motivation, thorough research, problem-solving, planning, and organization are critical to sales excellence. The Daily Discipline of Prospecting: Even with large deals in progress, maintaining account coverage and prospecting daily prevents commoditization. Predicting Sales Success Early: The first 30-60 days of a new hire often indicate future success. Engagement, learning, and pipeline-building should be closely monitored. Always Be Recruiting: Sales leaders should proactively build a bench of candidates to avoid reactive hiring, as vacant sales roles are costly. Pre-Onboarding for Faster Ramp-Up: Sharing territory lists and facilitating early relationship-building can accelerate a new hire's productivity. Internal Alignment is Crucial: Enterprise sales success depends on preparation and alignment among all internal stakeholders. Sales should be treated like a well-rehearsed concert. Leveraging Partners for Success: Partners play a vital role in enterprise sales. Engaging them early and aligning with their goals enhances collaboration. The Infinite Game in Sales: A long-term mindset focused on relationships, brand-building, and collaboration leads to sustained success, rather than short-term wins. From Transactions to Relationships: The best salespeople prioritize lifetime customer value over one-off deals, genuinely seeking to help their clients. Managing the Challenges of a New Role: New sales hires should pace themselves, focus on incremental growth, and redefine what success looks like in the early days. The Role of Sales Managers: Managers must understand individual team members' needs and provide support in today's changing sales landscape. Structured 120-Day Onboarding: A well-planned onboarding roadmap should sequence learning appropriately, build foundational knowledge, and provide clear performance metrics. First Impressions Matter: New hires evaluate their organization and leaders early on. Providing strong support, feedback, and guidance is essential to retaining top talent. Effective Sales Leadership: Great sales managers hire strong talent, support their teams, and remove obstacles rather than micromanage or rescue struggling reps. Coaching Through Experience: Sales leaders should let reps lead customer meetings and learn through experience rather than taking over. Rethinking Traditional Marketing: Instead of ineffective traditional approaches, businesses should focus on a strong website aligned with customer pain points and leverage user-generated content. Follow & Connect: Connect with David Weiss on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlbweiss/ Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/theinquisitor-podcast https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcuscauchi/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannecauchi/   Tune in to hear David's expert advice on mastering sales and building a high-performing sales career!  

What if everything you thought you knew about transformation was wrong? In this episode, Marcus Cauchi and Matt Gaskin cut through the nonsense and dive into the brutal truths about why most change programs flop—and what Lean really looks like when it's done right.

Selling your business is the biggest deal you'll ever close, but are you set up to get the best possible outcome? In this episode, Rob Goddard, business acquisitions and sales expert, shares how to maximise valuation, avoid costly mistakes, and negotiate like a pro. But that's not all. The principles of selling a business apply to every high-stakes deal. Whether you're an entrepreneur planning an exit or a salesperson looking to sharpen your skills, this episode is packed with insights you can use immediately. What You'll Learn: ✅ How to increase your business's value before selling ✅ Common pitfalls that leave money on the table ✅ The negotiation tactics that get better outcomes ✅ Why understanding buyers is key in any deal ✅ What top salespeople can learn from exit strategies   Who Should Listen?

Leaderboard to Leadership with Rebecca Gebhardt & Marcus Cauchi Summary: This episode offers more than a sales leadership lesson—it's a blueprint for transformation. Rebecca and Marcus challenge outdated thinking about leadership, relationships, and what it means to truly succeed in sales. Packed with insight and wisdom, it's a wake-up call for anyone ready to lead with purpose and intention. Rebecca Gebhardt's Leaderboard to Leadership doesn't pull any punches: promoting your top salesperson doesn't make them a leader. Leadership isn't just the next step up from closing deals—it's a completely different game, and most people aren't prepared to play it. Without the right training and mindset, you're not offering them a promotion—you're setting them up to fail. This episode goes deeper than your standard sales talk. Rebecca and Marcus cut right to the core: real relationships. Not the transactional kind that evaporate once the contract is signed, but the ones built on trust and understanding—the relationships that last. Their message is crystal clear: if you don't understand what your customer actually needs, you've already lost them. Marcus brings the heat with AI, but not in the way you'd expect. Forget about AI as a flashy tool; Marcus shows how it can be a brutal mirror, reflecting your blind spots and challenging your assumptions. It's not about the tech—it's about seeing yourself clearly and growing from it. Then there's Marcus's golden rule: "sell hot, not cold." If you're wasting your time on cold calls and hard pitches, you're missing the point. Warm leads—relationships you've already nurtured—are the real opportunities. This isn't just about closing the next deal; it's about creating something that scales and sustains success. Rebecca hits on the mindset leaders need to succeed: “abundant, bold, curious.” Leadership isn't about resting on your past wins. It's about staying hungry, constantly learning, and pushing even when you think you've arrived. It's this mindset that gets you to the top—and keeps you there. But Marcus takes a step back to show the big picture: Sales alone won't cut it. To win, you need every part of your business—procurement, customer success, finance, operations, the Board, all of it—aligned around what the customer actually wants to accomplish. Silos are where good people are sent to die, too often chasing the wrong metrics for the sake of numbers. That's how you burn relationships and your reputation. The reality? Chasing numbers isn't leadership. Building relationships is. Metrics might feel good in the short term, but if they come at the expense of trust, you've already lost the long game. Leaderboard to Leadership (out 20th Sept 2024) isn't a roadmap—perhaps it's your antidote to mediocrity. It's a guide to transforming potential into performance, not by accident, but by intention. Rebecca doesn't hand you shortcuts; she gives you the tools to build leaders who can thrive—not just survive. Stop floundering and start leading with purpose. What's the Ally Method™? If you're tired of promoting your top sellers only to watch them stagnate, it's time to change the narrative. With the ALLY Method™, I'll show you how the difference between stagnation and transformation is the story you tell yourself. Together, we'll rewrite that story and turn potential into performance—deliberately, not by accident. Let's have a conversation. Contact me, marcus@laughs-last.com, today, and I'll show you how coaching and training can elevate your team. If you're ready to break silos, lead with intention, to build something lasting, the bright path is right here. Let's walk it together.  

Episode Overview: In this episode, Marcus Cauchi hosts Mike Lander, a seasoned procurement director turned sales trainer, who shares insights from both sides of the procurement and sales processes. The conversation centers around improving sales strategies by understanding buyer psychology and removing uncertainties that often hinder successful sales. Key Highlights: Background and Experience: Mike Lander has extensive experience in procurement, having managed substantial budgets and vendor relationships. He now focuses on educating salespeople about what not to do when dealing with buyers. Buyer and Seller Dynamics: The discussion explores the common mistakes salespeople make, such as using manipulative tactics, which often backfire. Lander emphasizes the importance of building trust and credibility with buyers rather than using transactional sales techniques. Risk and Decision Making: A critical theme is understanding how buyers assess risk. Lander explains that buyers prioritize minimizing risk, which includes concerns about reputational, operational, and financial risks. Effective sellers help buyers mitigate these risks by providing clear, value-driven solutions. Building Relationships: The conversation highlights the significance of deepening relationships with clients, exemplified by Lander's experience with a trusted vendor named Malcolm. Malcolm's approach was relationship-first, offering timely and valuable insights that helped navigate complex decisions and risks. Negotiation and Value Perception: Lander discusses negotiation strategies, stressing that sellers should focus on adding real value rather than being seen as commodities. He advises that sales professionals should aim to understand the buyer's needs and co-develop solutions, thereby differentiating themselves in the market. Final Thoughts: The episode wraps up with Lander reiterating the importance of sincerity in sales. Tune in to hear more about navigating the intricacies of sales and procurement from a dual perspective!

Roee Hartuv, a former combat helicopter pilot and current expert at Winning by Design, shares insights from his unique journey from the military to revenue architect. His profound understanding of the importance of process design helps identify what works, what doesn't, and what needs to happen to meet business goals. This episode delves into the nuances of sales processes, customer acquisition, and the hidden costs that can drain a company's resources. Roee discusses how his interest in process design began during his time as a pilot, emphasizing the critical importance of understanding effective and ineffective processes in high-stakes environments. He provides an in-depth analysis of customer churn and its financial implications, revealing why reaching a Proof of Concept (POC) can cost $43,000 even if the customer does not convert. Salespeople are encouraged to rethink their training, recognizing that the buyer's journey is not linear and requires strategic adjustments. Roee critiques vendor-biased sales methodologies like MEDIC and BANT, highlighting the need to focus on desired customer impacts rather than just product features and pain points. Mapping the sales process to a non-linear buyer journey, understanding the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), and their decision-making process are key topics. The episode also examines the conflicting goals of stakeholders, from VCs to profit-driven businesses, and how growth rate-driven valuations can harm long-term profitability. A deeper understanding of customer acquisition costs beyond surface-level metrics is necessary, along with evaluating data to genuinely understand company performance. Roee explains why some companies will never recover from an unprofitable foundation, even if they pivot to customer-focused strategies. He emphasizes that poor processes lead to amplified negative outcomes with AI implementation. To avoid over-investment, developing a solid growth plan and resisting investor pressure is crucial. Roee offers strategic advice for business success, stressing the difficulty of abandoning ineffective practices and the necessity of operational support for enterprise sales. The dangers of a poorly managed pipeline and the resulting increase in churn are examined, along with strategies to enhance customer success activities to improve reputation and reduce churn. Roee shares the benefits of customer advisory boards and the extended role of marketing teams beyond top-of-funnel activities. Addressing the skills gap among middle managers who thrived during the growth-at-all-costs phase is essential, preparing them for a changed business landscape. Finally, the importance of testing processes before scaling and having a measurable process to identify problems and opportunities for improvement is highlighted. Tune in to gain valuable insights from Roee Hartuv and discover how to perfect your sales processes and strategies to drive sustainable growth. Don't miss this engaging and informative conversation! Contact Information: Roee Hartuv: LinkedIn Marcus Cauchi: LinkedIn Winning by Design Read Jacco van der Kooij‘s book ‘Revenue Architecture” https://amzn.to/3xJ4k0G Subscribe, rate, and review our podcast to stay updated with the latest in sales strategies and business optimization.

Key Takeaways: Ditch Cold Outreach: Creates distrust; focus on building relationships early. Value First: Understand buyers deeply and empower their vision. Measure Right: Prioritize value per hour, not dials or meetings. Cultural Fit: Hire right, create great work environments, avoid micromanaging.   Rethinking Sales: Buyers engage salespeople to make confident purchase decisions. Instead of prospecting to active buyers, focus on companies that will be in the market 6-36 months out. Build relationships and understand their context before they start evaluating. When they do evaluate, you can guide them based on their specific needs rather than pitching features. Flaws in Sales Practices: Cold outreach has abysmal conversion rates (0.3% success), yet companies still invest heavily in it. Discounting and fake urgency often push buyers away instead of accelerating deals. Conventional discovery methods trigger buyers' fight-or-flight response by focusing on past pain. Metrics like dials, activities, and short-term pipeline drive self-oriented behaviors that are misaligned with helping buyers. Ethical Sales Approach: To be timely, relevant, and valuable, understand the buyer's context well in advance. Build trust by aligning with the buyer's intended outcomes, not your own sales agenda. Create "binary effects" that avoid triggering adrenaline or cortisol, and instead promote serotonin and dopamine. Operate with integrity to become the most trusted business advisor buyers know. Improving Enablement: Most sales managers are over-promoted individual contributors lacking real leadership skills. Recruitment and creating an environment for people to thrive should be top management priorities. Focus on coaching reps on value contribution per hour rather than micromanaging activity metrics. Consider a subscription-based coaching model to truly enable reps beyond one-time placement fees.   Contact Leah Borges

Mary Gentile discusses her book "Giving Voice to Values" and insights on navigating ethical dilemmas in business. Key Takeaways Mary's approach focuses on rehearsing and pre-scripting effective ways to voice one's values when facing ethical conflicts, rather than just philosophical debates. Anticipating objections and finding ways to address concerns while upholding values is key, without requiring the other party to feel shamed. Self-knowledge, understanding motivations/fears of others, and normalizing ethical conflicts as part of doing business enables more constructive conversations. Practicing scenarios and developing scripts allows building "muscle memory" for voicing values effectively in real situations. Voicing Values Effectively Understand your most effective style (questioning, analysis, storytelling etc.) Anticipate objections and reasons/rationalizations for unethical behaviour Frame responses addressing the other party's fears and motivations Position yourself as solving a problem for them, not opposing Build trust by demonstrating understanding of pressures they face Practicing v Role Play Scenarios Unlike role-plays, GVV scenarios have all parties working towards voicing the ethical stance Avoids defaulting to embedded unethical arguments and rationalizations Focuses on developing new, constructive ways to reframe and address the situation Builds "muscle memory" for having these conversations effectively Managing Pressures and Ethical Conflicts Understand your strengths for persuasion that align with your values Explore the other party's fears, risks and what's at stake for them Provide substantive suggestions showing you understand their situation Position yourself as being on their side, not simply opposing them Normalize that ethical conflicts are a normal part of business life Contact Mary via her website: Giving Voice to Values – How to Speak Your Mind When You Know What's Right (givingvoicetovaluesthebook.com)   Contact marcus@laughs-last.com   #givingvoicetovalues #ethicalselling #innovation

This is the 2nd Webinar in our Hot! Revenue Series

The 1st of 3 Webinars in our hot revenue series.

Marcus Cauchi and Teddy Peck dive deep into the art of effective sales management. This episode is packed with insights for sales leaders and managers who value empathy, integrity, and continuous improvement.  Core Takeaways: - Empathy and Integrity: Building lasting client relationships through honest and transparent communication. - Coaching and Development: Regular, tailored coaching sessions that improve team performance and foster autonomy. - Welcoming Objections: Viewing objections as opportunities to engage more deeply with customers. Key Lessons: 1. Pain-Free Selling: Attracting value-aligned clients through straightforward communication. 2. Lifetime Partnerships: Building respectful, long-term client relationships. 3. Adult Relationships: Fostering a respectful and accountable management culture. 4. Value of Objections: Reframing customer objections to deepen engagement. 5. Effective Onboarding: Setting clear expectations for new hires to ensure their success. What's in it for You? - Leadership Insights: Learn to transition from individual contributor to empathetic manager. - Recruitment Strategies: Hire for fit and potential, then onboard effectively. - Culture Building: Create an authentic, productive work environment through empathy and vulnerability. Tune in to gain practical advice on enhancing sales strategies, improving management practices, and fostering a culture of empathy and continuous improvement. This episode is essential for sales leaders aiming to build high-performing, client-centric teams. Contact Teddy via linkedin.com/in/teddypeck Phone: +1 347 260 0898 (Mobile) Email: teddy.peck@icis.com *** Curious to see how empathy-driven leadership can transform your team's performance? Let's have a conversation to explore your goals and challenges. Take our sales strategy audit and book a 30-minute debrief call with me to discover if we're the right fit for a coaching partnership. Together, we'll chart a path to sustainable success. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp    

Why Top Performers Struggle to Transfer Skills: Many top performers have honed their skills over time without fully understanding how they do what they do. When they move into management, they often tell, direct, and assume their team understands their instructions. This can lead to mismatched expectations, high turnover, and failure to deliver as a cohesive team. In today's market, many of you may face layoffs and move into coaching, training, or consulting. Based on over 20 years of experience and observing seven recessions, history repeats. Managers become force multipliers when they learn to coach on the job, responding in the moment to what they see and hear. Managers need to turn observations into practice moments, ensuring their team is prepared to handle real-world scenarios effectively. Is a manager's job to supervise and control, or to unleash talent, unify the team around a common purpose, and empower them to make good decisions under pressure? Training managers to impart essential skills to their teams is crucial. Do you think the role of managers and trainers should evolve further? Contact Chris on LinkedIn via: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-james-84bb4116/ Website: trainthesalestrainer.com/ (Company) Phone: +44 (0)7447500278 (Mobile) ** Elevate your sales and impact your results in the next 120 days. 30 days set up the foundations and swim lanes, 90 day execution - https://bit.ly/HotRevenueAudit Unlock Hot! Revenue that is trapped in your business, you've paid for it, invested time and money, and let it slip through your fingers. Great news. The worse your score, the more upside income and revenue you can generate. It starts with 90 seconds to identify 15 ways to 5x your close rate

The smarter and more experienced you get, the more important it is for you to hear this.  You're facing dangerous pitfalls.  Listen and discover how to avoid them. Make sure you have a pen and paper ready.  Kyle Gray uses the life changing impact of the work he does to reinforce the power of story telling.  He explains how we can create credibility faster and change the direction of our client's lives through strategic communication.   One of the problems we face when we're teaching or selling is that we don't understand what our audience needs to hear.  We don't appreciate the limiting beliefs that keep them from working with us.  And when we present from the stage we can get so lost in our teaching that we don't have time to make our offer. Kyle suggests that if we can articulate our story better we start to understand our 'Why' better and our 'Purpose' better.  If you've been using the same old stories you crafted years ago and you've been winging it ever since, it's time to stop, listen and learn how to get the brilliance in your head to land in the minds of your prospects. If you're ready to learn how to let the world know that you're out there. Contact Kyle LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylethegray Website  Homepage - The Story Engine   Contact Marcus LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcuscauchi Test Your Sales Strategy and 30 minute debrief https://bit.ly/NewSellingAptitudeTest Or https://bit.ly/TalkWithUsNow    

Kent Bredahl drives company growth by enhancing customer loyalty and optimizing customer lifetime value. He challenges conventional customer engagement methods and provides a diverse toolbox, including tools for measuring customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention, and overall experience. Kent emphasizes the importance of capturing the voice of the customer and tailoring loyalty measurement methods to suit individual needs, addressing concerns about survey fatigue. Using Net Promoter Score (NPS) as an example, Kent demonstrates the impact of his approach through various customer interactions. He shares a success story from his experience working with a construction company, where engaging customers throughout the building process not only identified and rectified mistakes early but also fostered positive word-of-mouth, resulting in significant benefits. Additionally, Kent recounts another successful endeavour with a chain of stores. NPS results revealed that renovating a store led to a 7% increase in NPS, while effective management resulted in a remarkable increase of over 30%. These examples underscore the tangible benefits of prioritizing customer loyalty and engagement strategies. Kent's key message is to prioritize learning over metrics. He emphasizes that it's the actions taken with the insights gained, rather than the metrics themselves, that drive success. By focusing on learning and taking meaningful actions, the metrics will naturally align and improve.   You can find Kent on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentbredahl Look out for his new book 'Customer Blind' in Feb 2025   Connect with Marcus Email us Test Your Sales Strategy            

TheInquisitor Podcast, brings you Susanne Schuler, world class international mediator, coach, and facilitator, to delve into the nuances of communication, conflict resolution, and leadership in challenging times. We dive deep into strategies for fostering meaningful dialogue and understanding in both personal and professional spheres. Key Highlights: The Power of Dialogue in Rwanda: Susanne shares her observations from Rwanda, emphasising the country's commitment to unity and progress through dialogue and community solidarity. Managing Radical Differences: The discussion underscores the importance of embracing and managing differences, rather than seeking common ground, as a means to foster inclusive and productive conversations. The Role of Trust in Communication: Susanne introduces the ABI formula (Ability, Benevolence, Integrity) as a foundation for building trust and effective communication. Leadership and Self-Awareness: The episode explores the crucial role of self-reflection and accountability in leadership, advocating for a leadership style grounded in empathy and active listening. For Sellers: Discover strategies to enhance customer relationships through improved communication skills and empathetic engagement. Learn how to navigate objections and complaints constructively, transforming potential conflicts into opportunities for trust-building and deeper client connections. For Managers: Gain insights into leading with empathy, resolving team disputes effectively, and fostering an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives drive innovation. Susanne's expertise in conflict resolution and the ABI formula (Ability, Benevolence, Integrity) provides a roadmap for creating a cohesive, motivated team grounded in trust and mutual respect. Everyone Benefits: Embrace personal and professional growth by adopting Susanne's principles of active listening, empathetic leadership, and continuous improvement. Whether in sales techniques or leadership styles, applying these insights can enhance interpersonal skills, leadership abilities, and overall effectiveness in your role. Contact Susanne via linkedin.com/in/susanneschuler Websites cedr.com (Company) schulerteamediation.wordpress.com/ (Blog) ** If you are looking for Pipeline Certainty, take my selling aptitude test - https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp. Grab 30 minutes with me for free and I won't try and sell you coaching. Just honest feedback on yoru results and you will learn one thing you don't know about yourself, 2 ways to start building pipeline certainty immediately and what you can start doing in 90 days without my help to get yourslef started on the right track  

Get ready for a mind-bending episode that will challenge your definition of success! Jamie Reeves and Marcus Cauchi team up to tackle the illusion of achievement and the quest for true fulfillment. Jamie, the mastermind behind a seven-figure business, shares his personal journey from near failure to finding balance and prioritizing what truly matters. Marcus, notorious for his no-nonsense approach, will poke and prod your beliefs about success, leaving you questioning the allure of material wealth and status. This episode is not for the faint of heart, as it delves into the ripple effects of missed moments and the power of discerning what truly brings happiness. Brace yourself for real-life stories, practical advice, and a wake-up call that will make you reassess your pursuit of success. Don't miss this thought-provoking conversation that will challenge your perspective and inspire you to redefine success on your own terms. Tune in now and prepare to have your mind blown! linkedin.com/in/jamie-reeves-3b902532 Websites thebestsingingwaiters.com (Other) thejamiereeves.com (Other) Phone: 0161 452 0014 (Work) Address: Wigan! Email: info@thebestsingingwaiters.com ** Pipeline Certainty = Revenue Certainty If you want to learn how you can achieve both take my pipeline certainty test. It'll take about 8 minutes, we'll send you a short report. Then visit thesellercode.org. Does it resonate with you? If it does, grab 30-minutes for free in my calendar. The link is offered to you when you complete the test. I look forward to giving you feedback. You are being compared to the top 4% producers who perform at the top of their game whatever the market conditions without excuses or blame. you aren't going to come out smelling of roses in every area, and by definition you will probably be in the 96-percentile. This is about learning what you can do to improve. No judgement. And I won't sell you coaching unless you ask me to. I don't need the business and don't take hostages! If it doesn't resonate or you think this will never work for you in your industry in this economy, what do you do to deliver revenue certainty?

In this episode of the Inquisitor podcast, host Marcus Cauchi sits down with Frank Byskov, a financial advisor and wealth manager at 44 Financial, to delve into the world of sustainable investment—a subject that has not been extensively covered on the show before. Byskov, with a rich background in financial economics and a personal journey from Denmark to establishing his firm in the United States, advocates for investments that align with one's life values, emphasizing the importance of environmental stewardship and social responsibility. The conversation navigates through the complexities and common misconceptions surrounding sustainable investment, shedding light on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors and how they contribute to making informed, value-aligned investment decisions. Byskov explains the tangible benefits of sustainable investment, not only from a financial perspective but also in terms of the broader impact on society and the environment. Listeners are guided on how to start their journey towards sustainable investing, highlighting the significance of aligning investments with personal values and the positive emotional return that accompanies such alignment. Byskov stresses the importance of patience, research, and possibly seeking professional advice to navigate this nuanced field effectively. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding how sustainable investment can contribute to personal wealth while fostering a positive impact on the world, emphasising that it is possible to achieve financial returns without compromising ethical values. ** Take the selling aptitude test. Learn something you don't know about yourself. Something you can improve within 30 days and a learning pathway for the next 12 months.  https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp Then grab 30 minutes for an unvarnished feedback session. No charge and I won't pitch you coaching. If you want me to coach you, ask me.

  Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life!   In this episode, Marcus Cauchi is joined by Julie Barlow, a prolific writer, for an engaging conversation that delves deep into the nuances of the writing business, the intricacies of negotiating with clients, and the art of principled selling. Barlow, alongside her partner Jean-Benoit Nadeau, has navigated the complex landscape of self-employment to build a successful writing business, encapsulating the journey in their book "Going Solo." The episode illuminates the often-overlooked aspects of starting and running a writing business, from understanding market needs to setting realistic expectations and the importance of communication. Julie shares valuable insights on the significance of aligning one's work with their core values, and how this alignment not only aids in achieving professional success but also in fostering meaningful relationships with clients. Listeners are treated to practical advice on how to approach negotiations, emphasising the need for clear communication and mutual understanding to create win-win scenarios. Julie also highlights common pitfalls for new entrepreneurs, such as underestimating the value of their work or failing to recognise when to say no to potential clients. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone considering or currently navigating the world of self-employment, offering a blend of practical strategies, personal anecdotes, and actionable advice to help listeners build a fulfilling and sustainable career on their own terms. *** Want to know what your buyers are really experiencing when you sell? https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp 30 minute free debrief and consult

Are your buyers tired of the same old sales tactics that leave them feeling manipulated and disengaged? Join Marcus Cauchi and John Bissett as they expose the toxic underbelly of conventional selling wisdom. In this no-holds-barred discussion, these two grizzled sales veterans don't hold back. John rips into the self-serving nature of common qualification frameworks, arguing they provide zero value to the buyer. "We're taught techniques that are all about controlling the process, not facilitating the sale," he laments. Marcus chimes in with a blistering critique of the metrics that plague modern sales teams. "Leaders push for revenue without considering long-term customer relationships. This cascades down, perpetuating bad seller behaviours." If you're sick of being held hostage by arbitrary targets that encourage actions that make you a threat to your buyer's unconscious mind, prepare to have your eyes opened. These battle-hardened sellers aren't just playing backseat drivers. They offer a compelling alternative vision  where buyers and sellers are partners, equal business stature, different roles, and both can say no, they are sovereign. Appealing to your buyer's true motivation to change requires you listen deeply, apply empathy and acumen to ask questions that uncover the truth and what is possible - you guide them through change, not force them into it. Tired of the same old sales dogma? Ready to evolve beyond conventional wisdom and connect with buyers on a human level? Then strap in, because Marcus and John are about to take you on a journey that just might transform the way you sell. Contact John via linkedin.com/in/

The only constant is change and yet, you appear stuck doing what used to work, and doing more of it in the hope that will change the outcome! Do you feel constantly exhausted but fear you're failing if you're not grinding non-stop? My guest, James Cuss was burning the candle at both ends for empty praise and status, yet inside felt more drained and unfulfilled each day. In this raw, uncensored conversation you'll hear the gut-wrenching moment he realised chasing more of what was making him unhappy was madness. Hard-won insights strip away illusions to expose the hollow lie threatening everything that mattered most. Discover: How chasing external rewards and status, comparing to impossible expectations crushed his spirit, health and was hurting his most important relationships. He picked family and self-care over proving worth and dodging imposter syndrome. Which dialy practices kept his essence from being squeezed out by the pursuit of possessions and approval. In a no-holds-barred glimpse into reclaiming success on their own terms, learn to separate the phantoms of "success" from what nourishes your humanity. Dare to stop numbing out gripping fears through constant busyness and acquisition. Challenge cultural assumptions sacrificing your well-being to exhaustion and powering through burnout as the path to significance. Liberate yourself from empty noise dragging you under and discover prosperity, purpose and peace within. This raw, cathartic journey challenges everything you think you know about finding happiness. Are you ready to hit reset and live fully present, on your own intuitive path? Let's hit play and start living for our highest selves instead of lowest compulsions. Contatc James via linkedin.com/in/james-cuss-e-commerce-entrepreneur-subscription-marketplace-retail-consumer-finance Websites flexy.shop (Company) rocketindustries.co.uk (Company) rocketpod.uk (Company) Phone: +4407540287573 (Work) Email: james@rocketindustries.co.uk -- Free Yourself From Sales Dogma and Start Thriving on Your Terms! Are you a top performer who knows there's a better way than hustle culture, but can't quite breakthrough on your own? Marcus demolishes tired mental scripts and old thinking that are holding you back to liberate you to succeed according to your highest self. As a world-renowned sales coach, Marcus has navigated 7 previous recessions to understand how to help his client continually outperform regardless of conditions. Through thoughtful questioning, we will strip away hustle for an aligned mindset serving customers instead of metrics, serving your values instead of your fears. Marcus' coaching zeroes in beyond superficial fixes to uproot internal demons stealing your fire. By cultivating foundational human skills rather than weaponised techniques and manipulation,  you will find your rhythm enlisting prospects as allies instead of resisting targets. Let one session with Marcus unlock natural talents through guidance freely reflecting your essence, not dogma. And it's free. Take my selling audit and I will debrief you for free for 30-minutes. I won't pitch you coaching. You can buy it but I won't push it unless you ask. Take the first step to prosperity with soul by clicking https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp

In this dynamic episode of the Inquisitor podcast, Marcus Cauchi delves into the philosophical and transformative with Disco Dave Wynn. Wynn, an advocate for using music as a medium for profound personal development, shares his unique approach to coaching, encapsulated in his creation called "music mapping." This method intertwines music and coaching to unlock deep personal insights and catalyse change. Listeners are taken on a journey exploring how individuals can become the DJs of their own lives, using their agency to craft experiences that resonate deeply with their essence. The discussion uncovers the power of intentionality and choice in shaping our lives, emphasising the importance of being conscious about our decisions, especially in challenging moments. Dave's insights into overcoming personal narratives that limit potential, coupled with Marcus's probing questions, make for an enlightening conversation. This episode is not just about music's role in personal transformation but also about facing life's challenges with a creative and open mindset. This episode serves as a beacon for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of life with grace, understanding, and a bit of rhythm, reminding us that within the chaos of life's rapid changes, there lies an opportunity for growth and self-discovery. Ciontact Dave via linkedin.com/in/disco-dave-wynn Website: discodavewynn.com (Company) Phone: 07708 756403 (Mobile) ** Want to know what you're doing to frighten off buyers? And how to turn frowns into wynns! https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp  

Are you ready to take your sales career to the next level? In my conversation with transformative coach, Emma Claire Davis, we discussed how top performers approach their work in a whole-life, values-led way. Rather than chasing the next deal or promotion, they align their careers with a deeper purpose of making a positive impact. Emma shared how understanding our true nature allows us to feel fully present in conversations without fear. This cultivates authentic connections that lead to increased sales. We explored how maintaining well-being across aspects of our lives actually boosts performance in the long run. Too often, overworking and an imbalanced lifestyle hold us back. But taking a whole-life approach means leaving space to invest in relationships, communities and personal growth. Emma also revealed how getting curious about our thoughts and emotions, rather than reacting to them, provides clarity and confidence. This inner work is key for navigating challenges that will only increase in today's uncertain world. This episode will invite you to reflect deeply, think differently and challenge your limitations. Connect with Emma on LinkedIn via linkedin.com/in/emmaclairedavis Websites coachingfortalent.com (Company) espanglis.wordpress.com (Blog) And be sure to ask about her leadership retreats! ** If you want to take your performance up several notches take my selling audit, grab 30 minutes in my diary, no charge. I won't pitch, just give honest feedback as if you were a paying client. If you want to talk about coaching by the end of that, ask me.  https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp I'm taking on 5 private coaching clients this quarter. If you want to be one of them, click the link above, and tell me you want to talk about coaching.

Margie Oleson, founder and CEO of Olson Consulting, chats with Marcus Cauchi to explore the transformative power of leadership and the importance of eliminating organisational silos. Margie shares her wealth of experience in developing the Top Team Accelerator, a programme designed to assist senior leaders and their teams in creating more cohesive, effective, and better-run companies. The discussion delves into the common blind spots leaders face, such as the misconception that they are the only ones experiencing challenges, leading to a culture of isolation and the perpetuation of dysfunctional communication practices within organisations. Margie emphasises the critical need for leaders to recognise their own areas for improvement and to embrace the art and science of leadership, which many may not realise they lack. The conversation also highlights the significant impact of leadership practices on organisational culture and success. Margie argues that most leadership issues stem from a disconnect between knowledge and implementation, often hindered by the human brain's resistance to change. By addressing these blind spots and implementing structured processes, Margie says organisations can achieve greater alignment, reduce workplace gossip, and foster a culture of trust and collaboration. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the vital role leadership plays in the success of an organisation, the importance of addressing and overcoming common leadership challenges, and the benefits of creating a more aligned, communicative, and effective leadership team. Margie's insights provide valuable guidance for leaders looking to navigate the complexities of organisational dynamics and lead their teams to greater success. Contact Margie via linkedin.com/in/margieoleson Website: oleson-consulting.com/ (Company) *** Grab 30 minutes with me for a debrief on your results from the Sales Strategy Audit. No charge. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp I believe buyers deserve beter. I sell  within the seller code. Do you? https://thesellercode.org  

Join us today as Patrick Boucousis shares his insights on "clean selling." For decades, Patrick dominated sales floors using both grit and smarts. Today, Pat and I are dedicated to reforming the sales profession through #TheSellerCode. Patrick will explain how "clean selling" makes customers the top priority. It demands truly understanding buyers rather than rushing deals. Active listening and empathy replace hard sells and tricks. The focus shifts to helping buyers succeed - not just hitting targets. You'll hear gripping tales from the field. One rookie thought sales meant persuasion until practicing clean techniques. Through helpful conversations, not pressure, he built trust and surprisingly landed a huge deal. Marcus challenges Patrick on whether sales cycles still work for customer-first methods. Patrick argues intuition and emotional IQ now matter more in guiding relationships. Clean sellers set their own pace by building bonds, not boxing customers in. Plus, get Patrick's insider advice on developing self-awareness. Most sellers lack insight but it's key to growth. Learn his tips for gaining perspective through feedback and thoughtful questions for buyers and oneself. By show's end, you'll understand clean selling as both an ethical philosophy and sales strategy with heart. Patrick aims to upend traditional tactics that ignore customers' humanity. Tune in for an revealing chat! Contact Pat via linkedin.com/in/value-selling-coach Websites salesroad.com (SalesRoad B2B CRM) thesalesnatural.com (Sales Training) Phone: +61414387825 (Mobile) Email: pboucousis@traxor.com Sign up to the Seller Code: https://thesellercode.org/ ** Are you ready to transform your sales practice? To align your career with your deeper purpose? To unlock your highest potential through principled selling? Take my sales aptitude audit to learn something you don't know about yourself, discover how you can improve your performance forever within 30 days and WHY you are triggering your buyer's brain to resist: https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp  

In this packed episode of TheInquisitor Podcast, Gabe Lullo, CEO of GabeLullo.com, spills the beans on the secrets to building and optimising a successful sales development function. With his wealth of experience in the industry, Gabe dives deep into the blind spots that hinder sales success and shares practical solutions to overcome them. As you listen, get ready to revolutionise your sales strategy with Gabe's expert insights. Hiring the Right Talent: Discover the blind spots when hiring sales development reps and why a more seasoned SDR is the key to success. The Power of Data: Uncover the blind spots in data management and learn how to leverage it effectively to drive results. Navigating Multiple Channels: Explore the challenges of managing different channels and tools in an SDR's role and how to simplify the process for maximum productivity. The Future of SDRs: Gain insight into the evolving role of SDRs and how to position them for success in an increasingly automated world. Frequently Unasked Questions: Learn the crucial questions to ask when building an SDR function, managing the team, and handling turnover, ensuring long-term success. Prepare to shift your thinking as we challenge the boundaries of what you believe is possible. Get ready for a journey into the possible as Gabe shares his expertise, uncovering your blind spots, and providing practical solutions to transform your sales strategy. What can you do to revolutionise your approach and unlock your peoples' true potential? Tune in now to find out. Contact Gabe via https://linkedin.com/in/lullo  Website: https://Alleyoop.io  (Personal) Phone: +1 716-713-7117 (Mobile) -- I'm going to work with a handful of private clients one-on-one in the new year. Would you like to work with me? Take my selling strategy audit and then grab 30 minutes in my diary to learn something you don't yet know about yourself. No pressure. If you want more, at the end of my "audition" with you, it'll be your turn to convince me why I should offer you one of handful of spots I'm making available for new clients. That seems the fairest way for us to assess if we're a good fit. What do you reckon?

Marcus sits down with customer success expert and high performance coach Irina Musteata to discuss how to sustain top performance in your career while still maintaining joy and balance in your life. Irina knows firsthand the challenges of juggling a demanding job with the demands of running her own coaching business. In this conversation, she shares insights on: The blindspots that prevent people from realising joy is a key component of success, not just a "nice to have" Frequently unasked questions people should be asking themselves and their teams about how to work smarter, not just harder Metrics and decisions at the top that can unintentionally create problems downstream in customer success Storytelling to help prospects imagine how your solution can transform their future Subtle ways leaders can bring more fun and meaning to people's daily work Tune in to hear their unconventional yet practical advice on achieving high performance without burning out or losing your passion along the way. This show is guaranteed to give you a fresh perspective on maximising your impact and enjoyment at work. Contact Irina via linkedin.com/in/irina-musteata-710b3422 Website: irinamusteata.com (High Performance Coaching) Email: contact@irinamusteata.com ** I'm going to work with a handful of private clients one-on-one in the new year. Would you like to work with me? Take my selling strategy audit and then grab 30 minutes in my diary to learn something you don't yet know about yourself. No pressure. If you want more, at the end of "auditioning" me, it'll be your turn to convince me why you we are good fit for each other. I only have a handful of spots I'm making available for new clients. That seems a fair way for us to assess if we're a good fit. What do you reckon? Drop me a line when you're ready.

Thomas Goubau Facing HR Hard Truths Thomas learned the hard way about outsourcing HR strategy. As his startup scaled, a "spaghetti network" of disconnected tools emerged without strategic oversight. He shares how Q7's People Model Canvas fixes this by bringing objectivity to difficult conversations about people. 3 Blindspots Hidden in Plain Sight Many leaders miss subtle but important distinctions. Thomas reveals how assuming all roles are the same leads to misaligned processes. Plus, why focusing only on performance instead of cultivating skills dooms companies to irrelevance. Rituals: The Secret to Alignment Consistency creates predictability, but many flounder without it. Thomas shows how quarterly offsites, weekly standups and 1:1 coaching sessions turn managers into the "glue that sticks organizations together." Leaders Adrift Without Clarity Ambiguity is confusing and leads to mismatched expectations, disappointment, failure to perform against unclear expectations lead to confusion, politics and underperformance. Executives must define direction to empower decision-making where it belongs, with the person closest to the action. Thomas explains how clarity of vision allows people to execute - and adjust course later if needed. Get Back to Basics HR complexity distracts from fundamentals. Thomas stresses the importance of compensation fairness, engagement and developing skills before building culture. A few well-executed routines can transform an organisation. Parting Wisdom: Keep it Simple...and Sharp Thomas distills leadership lessons into a single maxim: Focus on clarity, competence and empowerment over bureaucracy. Don't overthink HR - with the right framework, growth handles itself. Contact Thomas linkedin.com/in/thomasgoubau Website: scale-up.q7leader.com/ (Personal) Twitter:thomasgoubau Email: thomas@q7leader.com ** I'm going to work with a handful of private clients one-on-one in the new year. Would you like to work with me? Take my selling strategy audit and then grab 30 minutes in my diary to learn something you don't yet know about yourself. No pressure. If you want more, at the end of my "audition" with you, it'll be your turn to convince me why I should offer you one of handful of spots I'm making available for new clients. That seems the fairest way for us to assess if we're a good fit. What do you reckon?

Ryan Staley, Founder and CEO of Will Boss says, "I grew from zero to 30 million with a team of four and five and a half years with no marketing or sales." Ryan Grew a company from zero to $30M in revenue with only 4 salespeople, no marketing or sales enablement teams Has trained over 800 CROs and VPs of sales on scaling strategies Passionate about integrating AI into sales processes to unlock new levels of performance Key Insights: Ryan discusses how he analysed top deals at his previous company to discover a high-potential vertical, allowing him to focus resources for outsized results He shares a framework for using AI to gain deep "acumen" on prospects by having it think through the perspective of a seasoned executive Ryan explains how he was able to create an entire sales organisation framework in just 20 minutes by leveraging AI prompts He dives into a core framework for systematising referrals that dramatically increases conversion rates Takeaways for leaders: Learn how to leverage AI for strategic advantages like target account selection and skills acquisition Understand how to gain deep insights into prospects' challenges and motivations to improve relevance Discover how AI can help automate execution of key processes like onboarding to leverage limited resources Gain ideas on systematising referrals by incorporating pathways, processes, peaks and playbooks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanstaley/ Podcast: The Scale Up Show Email: ryan@willboss.com Grab 9 Free Sales AI Resources Just for Saying Maybe: https://www.aiforrevenue.com/sale-ai-accelerator-home -- I'm going to work with a handful of private clients one-on-one in the new year. Would you like to work with me? https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp    

My guest is Usman Sheikh, CEO of XIQ Founded XIQ to build an AI-powered sales platform focused on behavioral science Has experience in product management, strategy development and digital transformation Passionate about how AI can enhance sales processes and drive better outcomes Key insights: Usman discusses how AI can be used to gain deep insights into prospects' motivations, challenges and emotional drivers He explains how AI has helped shorten the sales cycle by streamlining research and preparation Automating execution of processes like onboarding is discussed as a way to multiply impact Behavioral science and psychometrics are highlighted as important additions to AI systems The importance of focusing on opportunities rather than pain points with prospects is emphasized Takeaways for leaders: Learn how AI combined with behavioural data creates more personalised engagements Understand how to qualify prospects faster and gain a strategic edge Discover ways AI can free up time by automating repetitive tasks Consider augmenting sales methodologies with AI to enhance performance Reframe sales conversations around possibilities rather than problems LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/usmanmsheikh/ Twitter: @usmansheikh_ Email: usman@xiq.ai Website: www.xiq.ai -- How can you start making your boldest ambitions a reality beginning today? Take my selling strategy audit and grab up to 30-minutes with me for free. No charge. No pressure. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp You'll learn something about yourself you don't know, how you are getting between your buyers and their decision to buy from you.

Every post I've come across by Vlad Blagojevic for the past couple of years since stumbled across his content has been on the money. He is a long overdue guest and you won't be sorry you listened a few times and took notes. Vlad is the co-founder of FullFunnel, which helps B2B companies implement account-based marketing strategies. He has built a large, loyal and appreciative audience on LinkedIn sharing practical advice on topics like understanding buyers, content marketing, and challenging traditional sales assumptions. Key discussion points: Rethinking traditional sales/marketing approaches Focusing on relationships over transactions Understanding buyers' journeys rather than chasing clicks Questioning pushy sales tactics and short-term thinking Prioritising high-fit accounts Narrowing focus yields better ROI than spreadsheets approach Case study: Client increased deal size 10x focusing on 11 accounts Standing out amid noise on LinkedIn Engage wider networks including influencers and colleagues Deliver expertise addressing buyers' struggles, not self-promotion Downstream impacts of poor lead generation High failure rates waste resources and burden sales teams Disconnects between departments undermine customer experience Unethical practices in sales/business Tactics damaging trust in decision-making need reevaluation Short-term thinking at expense of people has costs Contact Vlad: To learn more about Vlad's work helping companies implement customer-centric strategies, check out fullfunnel.io or connect with him on LinkedIn. Website: fullfunnel.io LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vladblagojevic *** Want 30 minutes of my coaching free? Take my audit and I'll coach you. No charge. No pressure. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp   Just honest insights to improve in 30 days.   Want more? Ask about paid coaching because I won't sell it to you! We'll go deep. We focus on what matters and let go of what doesn't.   Are you making sacrifices you don't want? Wrong reasons? What do you want from your career? What matters most? Is something missing? Let's discuss. Take the audit now. Book a free consult. Start the journey today. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp

In this episode of TheInquisitor Podcast, sales expert Andrew Barry takes the stage to share his invaluable insights on navigating the ever-changing landscape of sales. Prepare to be inspired as Andrew discusses the need for creativity, innovation, and emotional intelligence in the face of volatility. He sheds light on blind spots in sales, the power of storytelling, and the importance of building trust and human connection with customers. Get ready for a thought-provoking conversation that will revolutionize your approach to sales. Embracing Change: Andrew Barry highlights the challenges that traditional sales techniques face in today's volatile world and explains why creativity and innovation are the keys to success. Discover how to adapt and thrive in uncertain times. Overcoming Blind Spots: Dive into the often-overlooked blind spots in sales, including the lack of proper manager training and the reliance on logic-based problem-solving. Andrew offers practical solutions for addressing these blind spots and achieving sales excellence. The Power of Storytelling: Andrew Barry unveils the secrets of effective storytelling in sales and how it can enhance problem-solving skills. Explore the concept of "story thinking" and its role in adaptive intelligence, empowering you to connect with clients on a deeper level. From Sellers to Leaders: Learn about the crucial distinction between sellers, managers and leaders and why developing strong leadership skills is essential in today's economic environment. Andrew shares valuable insights on team dynamics and the power of harnessing self-belief. Trust and Connection: Discover the keys to building trust and establishing meaningful connections with customers. Andrew delves into the concept of primal intelligence and its impact on successful sales strategies, leaving you equipped to forge powerful relationships. Tune in to TheInquisitor Podcast as Andrew Barry shares his game-changing strategies and expert advice. Prepare to challenge your beliefs, overcome blind spots, and harness the power of storytelling. By the end of this episode, you'll have a fresh perspective on the tools to build trust, connect deeply with clients, and thrive in the face of uncertainty. Listen now and unleash your inner bard! Contact Andrew via linkedin.com/in/realandrewbarry   Websites curiouslionlearning.com (Corporate Training Strategy) leadstreamonline.com (Lead Generation) Phone: +1 347-915-4667 (Work) Twitter: Bazzaruto -- Get 30 minutes of my coaching free. Take my audit and I'll coach you. No charge. No pressure. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp Just honest insights to improve in 30 days. Want more? Ask about paid coaching. We'll go deep. I'm selective. I push for what matters, not distractions. Are you making sacrifices you don't want? Wrong reasons? What do you want from your career? What matters most? Is something missing? Let's discuss. Take the audit now. Book a free consult. Start the journey today. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp

In this episode of TheInquisitor podcast, join host Marcus Cauchi as he dives into the world of leadership with special guest Jay Weiser. Jay, a renowned consultant, shares his expertise in helping leaders thrive in the face of disruption and uncertainty. Get ready to uncover the blind spots that hold leaders back and learn how to unleash your leadership superpowers. Here are 5 points of interest from the episode: The Five Leadership Superpowers: Discover the key attributes that can transform your leadership style and empower you to navigate challenging times. The Impact of Blind Spots: Explore the common blind spots that leaders often overlook, hindering their ability to respond effectively and think ahead. Moving from Firefighting to Future Thinking: Understand the importance of shifting your focus from reactive problem-solving to proactive, long-term strategies. Redefining Success: Learn how to align your definition of success with your team's and create a shared vision for growth and transformation. Challenging the Status Quo: Explore the boundaries and limitations that may be holding you back and discover new possibilities for leadership growth. Before listening, ask yourself: Are you aware of your blind spots and their impact on your leadership? Are you stuck in firefighting mode, unable to think about the future? Do you have a clear definition of success and is it aligned with your team's? Join Jay Weiser and Marcus Kalki as they challenge your thinking and empower you to embrace your leadership potential. After listening, be prepared to shift your perspective, take ownership of your agency, and unlock new possibilities for success.   Contact Jay via linkedin.com/in/jayrweiser Websites: jayweiser.com (Company) youtube.com/@jayweiserconsulting (Other) medium.com/@jayweiser (Other) Email: jay@jayweiser.com Twitter: Jay_R_Weiser -- Struggling? Can't work out why your training and experience aren't delivering the results you need? Take my selling strategy audit and claim 30 minutes with me debriefing you on the implications of your results and how you can take control and improve within 30 days. Learn something you didn't understand about yourself and start on a journey of permanent improvement. I will not sell you coaching. you can ask about working with me but you are going to have ask, I don't push. I want volunteers not hostages. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp Learn how the top 4% sell whatever the market conditions, competitive landscape and close excellent deals at premium prices that customers love.

In this captivating episode of TheInquisitor Podcast Interview, join host Marcus Cauchi as he sits down with renowned marketing expert Mike Maynard to delve into the world of B2B marketing. Uncovering the blind spots and debunking common misconceptions, they explore the true essence of effective marketing strategies. Get ready to shift your perspective and rethink what's possible in the realm of business growth. In this thought-provoking conversation, Mike Maynard and Marcus Cauchi tackle five meaty points of interest. They discuss the importance of focusing on outcomes rather than the amount of hard work put into a project. They challenge accepted marketing opinions and emphasize the need for tailored approaches that consider individual markets and audiences. They also shed light on the power of testing and encourage marketers to explore new avenues for lead generation. Plus, they highlight the significance of aligning marketing goals with overall business objectives. Before you hit play, take a moment to ponder these powerful questions: How well do you truly understand the blind spots in your marketing strategies? Are you too focused on the work itself rather than the desired outcomes? Are you open to testing and exploring new approaches to generate leads? Prepare to challenge your beliefs and expand your horizons as Mike Maynard and Marcus Cauchi provide eye-opening insights into the world of B2B marketing. After listening, you'll be equipped with fresh perspectives and empowered to revolutionize your own marketing efforts. Contact Mike on linkedin.com/in/mikemaynard Website: NapierB2B.com (Company) Twitter: Mike_Maynard -- Do you want to raise your performance and experience permanent improvements in the next 30 days? https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp Complete my selling strategy audit to see how you compare with the world's top 4% performers and how you can move the needle to the right to perform more like them. No pressure. Free 30 minute consult. You'll have to ask me if you want more coaching. I won't sell it to you. You will ask for help if and when you're ready and you don't need any pressure from me to know if you need my help.

In this captivating episode of The Inquisitor Podcast, join CEO of Nucleus Research, Ian Campbell, as he delves into the world of creating value and unlocking its true potential. From mastering the art of persuasion to maximising return on investment, Ian shares invaluable insights and techniques that will transform your approach to sales. Get ready to shift your perspective and discover what's truly possible! Key Points of Interest: Learn how to articulate the benefits and value of your offering to captivate your customers. Understand the different types of benefits and how to leverage them in your business case for accelerated success. Discover the secrets behind crafting a compelling value proposition that turns features into irresistible value. Uncover the blind spots that may be hindering your ability to create value and overcome them. Gain expert advice on handling the ROI conversation with finesse and avoiding common pitfalls. Listen to this episode to challenge your beliefs, expand your boundaries, and tap into the limitless potential of value creation. Prepare to be inspired and empowered to take your sales game to new heights. Powerful Questions to Shift Your Thinking: How can I use value to truly help my customers and accelerate my deals? Have I been overlooking the different types of benefits and their impact on my sales success? What changes can I make in my approach to turn features into a compelling value proposition? Am I aware of my blind spots when it comes to creating value, and how can I overcome them? How can I navigate the ROI conversation with confidence and unlock new opportunities? Listen to this thought-provoking episode now and experience a paradigm shift in your sales strategy. -- Get 30 minutes of my coaching free. Take my audit and I'll coach you. No charge. No pressure. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp Just honest insights to improve in 30 days. Want more? Ask about paid coaching. We'll go deep. I'm selective. I push for what matters, not distractions. Are you making sacrifices you don't want? Wrong reasons? What do you want from your career? What matters most? Is something missing? Let's discuss. Take the audit now. Book a free consult. Start the journey today. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp

In this captivating episode of The Inquisitor Podcast, join Marcus Cauchi as he delves into the fascinating career path of Andy Cunningham, a positioning and branding expert who had the incredible opportunity to work alongside the legendary Steve Jobs. Discover how Andy's journey led her from Silicon Valley to collaborating with one of the most influential figures in the tech industry. Gain insights into her role in launching the Macintosh and the profound impact it had on her expertise in positioning and branding. Get ready to be inspired by Andy's remarkable career journey and learn how her experiences with Steve Jobs shaped her approach to business and innovation. Key Points of Interest: Andy Cunningham's early days in Silicon Valley and her introduction to the world of technology. Her pivotal role in the launch of the Macintosh and collaboration with Steve Jobs. How working with Steve Jobs influenced Andy's expertise in positioning and branding. The lessons learned from her experiences in the tech industry and their impact on her career path. Insights into Andy's unique approach to business and innovation, shaped by her time with Steve Jobs. Discover how Andy's collaboration with Steve Jobs and her expertise in positioning and branding have paved the way for her unique approach to coaching. Andy coaches me through rebranding, repositioning, and realising my message. Andy guides me through a process for developing a strong message architecture. Tune in now to unlock the secrets of creating a compelling brand message and witness the power of message architecture coaching in revolutionizing your marketing strategy. Prepare to shift your thinking and discover what's truly possible for your business. Are you ready to elevate your brand to new heights? Contact Andy via linkedin.com/in/andreacunningham Websites andycunningham.com (Personal) cunninghamcollective.com (Company) Twitter: andycunningham4 -- Get 30 minutes of my coaching free. Take my audit and I'll coach you. No charge. No pressure. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp Just honest insights to improve in 30 days. Want more? Ask about paid coaching. We'll go deep. I'm selective. I push for what matters, not distractions. Are you making sacrifices you don't want? Wrong reasons? What do you want from your career? What matters most? Is something missing? Let's discuss. Take the audit now. Book a free consult. Start the journey today. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp

Coming tomorrow is the epic show with Andy Cunningham. Have a listen to her history in Silicon Valley and how she got to do what she does today. The full show explores her journey and then takes me on a marketing adventure. Applying decades at the bleeding edge of technology marketing, Andy has developed an incredibly powerful message architecture framework. She takes me through a very quick version to demonstrate the process.  I've found this incredibly helpful in my recent efforts to rebrand and reposition my messaging to have more focused appeal to a narrower ICP. Watch this space ... -- Get 30 minutes of my coaching free. Take my audit and I'll coach you. No charge. No pressure. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp Just honest insights to improve in 30 days. Want more? Ask about paid coaching. We'll go deep. I'm selective. I push for what matters, not distractions. Are you making sacrifices you don't want? Wrong reasons? What do you want from your career? What matters most? Is something missing? Let's discuss. Take the audit now. Book a free consult. Start the journey today. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp  

Discover how simplicity can be the key to unlocking your inner sophistication and brilliance. In this episode of TheInquisitor Podcast, join Marcus Cauchi as he interviews Ben Guttmann, a marketing executive and professor at Baruch College. They dive into the topic of clear communication and its importance in messaging and design. Ben shares insights from his book, "Simply Put: Why Clear Communication Matters and How to Achieve It," where he outlines five principles: beneficial focused salient empathetic minimal Do you waffle? Is your communication confusing? The meaning of your communication means nothing if the other person cannot receive it or understand it. YOU are responsible for making sure your message is fit for purpose.   - - If you want to raise your performance to the role you are in or prepare for your next role, take a few minutes to complete this Selling Strategy Audit, then book your free 30 minute consult with me. If YOU want to talk about working with as your coach we can discuss that but I won't be selling you coaching. You'll learn something you didn't know about yourself, something you can act on and improve within 30 days and how you affect your buyer's perception of risk and how they perceive you - you know the stalls you can't explain - the buyers who ghost you - deals that drift. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp Happy selling.  

Dan Pfister says "When you winback a customer, their lifetime value more than doubles." Dan is my guest on ep.508 of #TheInquisitor podcast Higher ROI due to significantly lower marketing and sales costs required. This improves overall profitability. More predictable and stable revenue stream from reactivating known customers versus unpredictable new prospects. Increased customer retention and lifetime value as #winbacks are more likely to reorder than one-time buyers. This cultivates a more durable customer base over time. Ability to highly target winback campaigns using past customer data and insights, improving conversion rates versus unfocused prospecting. Lower risk profile since value has already been proven with past customers, unlike acquiring unknown prospects. Contact Dan via linkedin.com/in/danmpfister Website: winbacklabs.com (Company) Email: dan@winbacklabs.com -- Looking to gain an outside perspective on your sales approach? Take my quick 10-minute Sales Strategy Audit to receive personalised insights and recommendations. You can grab a free 30 minutes in my calendar for a detailed debrief once you complete it. I'll give you my analysis and we'll look at the unintended effects of your current sales strategies through an unbiased lens. You'll discover new opportunities and blindspots. Increase conversion rates now Grow pipeline faster Land bigger deals Shorten the sales cycle Beat quotas sustainably https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp.   

In this episode, Nicky Parker immerses us in the world of customer interviews, unveiling their significance for executives seeking genuine insights. Beyond relying on metrics like Net Promoter Score, Nicky emphasises the need for structured conversations, cautioning against the limitations of digital surveys that often capture only extreme sentiments. Discovering the real meaning behind customer data is an art, and Nicky underscores the transformative power of third-party agencies in turning disgruntled customers into raving fans. Third-party involvement takes emotion out of the equation and fosters objective discussions, ensuring a more nuanced understanding. For those opting to conduct interviews themselves, Nicky advises keen observation for unspoken cues, highlighting the importance of what customers don't say. Buyer and customer interviews have the potential to break down internal barriers and unveil unexpected product uses, providing invaluable insights for business growth. Nicky advocates letting customers take the lead in conversations. Post interview, sharing findings becomes a crucial step, making customers feel heard and valued. Offboarding interviews are a key opportunity for learning and improvement. Customer understanding, Nicky asserts, is a collective responsibility, urging board members to take an active role. True customer-centric success involves empathy, walking in your customer's shoes to really understand their struggles.  Nicky explains how focus groups can really help refine your message. The episode concludes with a thought-provoking question.   Nicky can be contacted at LinkedIn or via email: info@bangconsulting.co.uk   Test your Sales Strategy: https://bit.ly/SalesStrategyTest

Leaders, listen up! An inclusive culture is your shortcut to success. Nothing fluffy about it, but it does mean you're going to want become OK with difference because of the incomparable value delivered by teams of diverse thinkers with range, and breadth of life experience. Your job and the job of your managers will be harder to begin with as you adapt. When you surrender to the idea that the right mix of people looking at a problem, working on projects, selling, buying, running operations, leading and managing works so much better if your team can think AS your customer. A fraction are genuinely aligned around the customer and the outcomes they intend to rent. Fewer still play nicely with others to ensure the customer gets the best possible outcome and their risk is reduced to zero or as close to. A smaller fraction would be willing to recommend a competitor if it was better for the customer. And their leadership will probably not be happy if the experience of my clients is anything to go by! But the results are well worth it ... Too many companies leave talent and treasure on the table by ignoring diversity. Just like top teams scout far and wide for recruits, you need all hands on deck to win consistently, repeatedly, predictably in today's uncertain, fast paced, ultra competitive market. A diverse team often sees what a homogenous group misses - they connect with a wider customer base and bring in more revenue - but the best thing is they catch the negative consequences one department's success inflict elsewhere in the value chain. This can give you back 1-4 days PER MANAGER and PER SALESPERSON per week. How? Listen to Raymona and me discuss: The importance of understanding different perspectives and backgrounds Common challenges with D&I, such as lack of focus on culture change and middle management training Recruiting for culture add vs culture fit and screening in vs screening out The importance of identity and the previously confusing world of pronouns while maintaining civility in discussions Overcoming fear and bias through self-awareness, interaction and difficult conversations Aligning D&I with business goals like maximising talent and customer connections The business case for diversity is a no-brainer, but most pay lip service to it or miss it entirely by confusing a better future for everyone with political squabbling. Forget labels, focus on our shared humanity. Make understanding each other a priority. Diverse perspectives lead to better decisions and more innovation - talents you can't afford to leave on the bench! For those facing glass ceilings, developing self-awareness is your game-changer. Know thyself and seek out of uncomfortable but important conversations to strengthen crucial skills. Emphasise common goals over perceived differences. With the right coaching, middle managers can remove  barriers facing most of their peers in the competition.  In today's marketplace, diversity dictates your fate. Will you be victims of your own blindspots or victors with vision? The choice is yours - but choosing inclusion unlocks unlimited potential for your people and profits. The winning team has a place for everyone's talents. Will you build one? Connect with Raymona via linkedin.com/in/drraymonahlawrence. -- If you'd like to learn what you can do to improve your results in the next 30 days growing your pipeline raising your prices with confidence and no reduction in close rate, accelerating deal velocity maximise your close rate Click here to complete the Sales Gap Audit. If you want the detailed report and some cold hard truths we need to talk it through so you don't misinterpret what it tells you No charge, 30 minutes. Obviously, I make my living through coaching so it'll come up once. If you want to talk about working with me as your coach, that's your call. I won't pressure you. If you ask me, I'll happily discuss it. We'll spend the last 5-10 minutes discussing next steps - what you can do on your own, and what's possible with my help. Then you can decide "No thanks", "Not now" (I will ask what needs to change or happen for us to reengage and when to avoid hope, assumption or guessing), or "Yes" please and we discuss what you would consider an excellent win within 30 days of us starting to work together for our trial engagement of 3 sessions (£1500+VAT if applicable). And you can say no at any time if you don't think we're a good fit. I'll do the same so as not to waste either your time or mine. Is that reasonable? Sales Gap Audit - https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp

Listen to #negotiationcoach Al McBride on ep 503 of #TheInquisitorPodcast with Marcus Cauchi. Join Al and Marcus as their fascinating discussion finds connections between hard-earned lessons. Al shares how dealing art taught him the power of emotion in sales and the quirky characters that schooled him. "Sell hope, not objects," one eccentric advised. Building on decades of experience, Al explains how truly internalizing your value is key to confidently assuaging customers' every concern. "If they sense doubt in your pitch, the deal is doomed," he explains. Listen closely as Marcus draws out priceless insights, like how to make prospects feel fully understood without coming off as disingenuous. Hear Al's best practices for establishing trust and meeting both sides' needs from the start. Discover how to understand your counterpart fully so cooperation can create value for all. As one client said, "With Al's help, agreements feel effortless - he has a gift for joint problem-solving." Absorb Al's wisdom on keeping discussions solution-focused, not positional or simply transactional. Learn to see beyond initial demands to hidden interests, find value that transcends cost, unlocking innovative options where compromise is unnecessary. He trusts that serving mutual interests consistently creates common ground and dry land upon which to build bridges for the long-term. Contact Al via linkedin.com/in/alistairmcbride Websites: almcbride.com/category/podcast/ (Dealing With Goliath Podcast) almcbride.com (Coaching & Consulting) almcbride.com/one-to-one-coaching/ (Schedule a Call With Me) Email: al@almcbride.com Twitter: AlMcBride -- If you want to grab time in my calendar for a coaching call complete the Selling Aptitude Test. You'll probably learn something you didn't know about yourself and at least one way you can improve your performance in the next 30 days. https://mailchi.mp/laughs-last.com/satp Happy selling!