Podcasts about childcarecrm

Kris welcomes Brett Neller, CEO of LineLeader by ChildcareCRM, to explore the real meaning of the customer journey in child care, and why it's critical for sustainable growth. Brett shares insights from his professional evolution, including how dropping his kids off at care centers helped him deeply understand the needs of operators. He and Kris talk about enrollment challenges, operational bottlenecks, mapping a full customer journey, and how automation can power human connection, not replace it.   They also discuss fear-based leadership, what small businesses often get wrong in scaling, and why “state-of-the-art” doesn't have to mean complicated. From CRM misconceptions to the power of unified data, Brett drops insight after insight on how to grow with intentionality, and why understanding your brand touchpoints matters now more than ever.   Key Takeaways: [6:49] Brett shares how he got started at LineLeader in 2018 and how the mission of the early childhood industry drew him in. [9:30] Brett explains how their offering goes beyond a CRM. [10:20] What is the customer journey really, and how does understanding it boost your enrollment? [12:18] Many small businesses are still using whiteboards and sticky notes to manage leads, and why that doesn't scale. [13:02] Brett breaks down what most get wrong in enrollment. [15:08] How automation can be a gift for parent experience, and why tech doesn't have to feel robotic. [16:07] Brett shares more about his family life, and how he and his wife rely on child care as well. [18:28] Fun fact — Brett grew up in a military family and moved many times throughout his childhood. [19:30] The biggest mindset shift for owners: from reactive to data-driven. [22:04] How to spot where you're losing families in your funnel. [25:55] The real ROI of mapping your journey: improved staff morale, better conversion, and clarity. [27:03] The “wow” experience. [30:31] Brett and Kris talk about the danger of fear-based leadership and the difference between helpful automation and shiny object syndrome. [34:17] Practical tips on how to start your journey mapping even with a small team. [39:45] What it really means to lead with empathy and insight.   Quotes: “I love the mission behind the space. I love having kids and then dropping my kids off every day at childcare centers. So every day I see operators. And it's been fun to live the professional journey in parallel with, you know, the personal journey of raising kids.” — Brett [6:46] “Our thesis is to provide the best unified platform experience for staff and parents from a digital experience perspective.” — Brett [10:12] “That's the most important aspect of the family journey when they're seeking care, is that you need to execute a great tour. If you don't, that's the make or break point, where a family is either like, I'm in or I'm out.” — Brett [23:02] “Yeah, you have to get your teams excited about engaging and selling your school. It shouldn't be a dirty word. We have the opportunity to serve this family. Sales is service, and so let's just use that service mindset and get our teams excited about being able to win that family over so that we can actually make a difference in the life of that child.” — Kris [28:19] “The first thing we generally ask is what's your customer journey, and have you mapped it out?” — Brett [33:09]   Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray @iamkrismurray The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy The Child Care Success Summit Grow Your Center Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal LineLeader

Explore the ever-evolving world of educational enrichment with industry experts Matt Rogers of Code Ninjas and Megan Bowling from Stretch-n-Grow International. This episode is a deep dive into the intricacies of franchise expansion, the state of the industry (in terms of staffing, marketing & enrollment, and business growth), and how regional economies sculpt the landscape of after-school & children's enrichment programs. 

In this lively episode, we're joined by Cindy Lehnhoff, a true ECE superstar with over 36 years of combined experience as an educator and multi-site manager at La Petite and Learning Care Group. Now the Director of NCCA, Cindy's enthusiasm shines as we dive into the fascinating world of Early Childhood Education (ECE).Together, we'll discuss the ever-changing ECE landscape, especially after the onset of COVID-19. Cindy, with her extensive background, adds colorful insights about the challenges and funding rollercoaster that ECE providers have been navigating.One of the key takeaways from this episode is Cindy's passionate call to action for collaboration in advocacy. She outlines how owners and operators in the ECE field can come together as a unified force to make a substantial impact on the industry. With a wealth of experience and knowledge, she shares strategies and stories that inspire and empower advocates in ECE.Join us for an inspiring chat about ECE's past, present, and future, fueled by Cindy's passion and her dreams for a more vibrant and impactful ECE community.Learn more about NCCA here: www.nationalchildcare.orgLearn more about LineLeader here: www.lineleader.com

Ruth Ann has a strong history in outside sales, and her expertise lies in executing hyperlocal marketing plans. She enjoys working with business owners to create, employ, and measure ROI for marketing strategies. However, even with the earnest desire to produce effective marketing, most small business owners lack the time to educate themselves on local store and optimized Internet marketing. And that's where she shines.Check out her childcare strategies blogs:https://rb.gy/vtsaacAnd get her marketing checklist to build a better foundation: https://rb.gy/zswxvo

During Black History Month, we honor the remarkable achievements and contributions of Black individuals who have helped shape our world in countless ways

In the first Lunch and Learn mini-episode, Kris dives into some noteworthy and newsworthy economic outlook announcements in our world, and how they can affect the childcare industry. She covers the top three things (plus a bonus) that you must have to survive a more full-bodied recession. Before you get stuck living the same day over and over like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, pay attention to these three things!   Key Takeaways: [4:55] Kris talks about the tech layoffs at companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Wayfair. [5:27] Tech is the leading force that signals to any savvy business owner what could be coming up. [7:16] Knowledge is power, and knowing that you may start finding it more challenging to stay fully enrolled is important information. [8:24] When people start getting laid off, the first things to go are childcare and daycare. Top Three Things + A Bonus to Know During this Time: You must have lead flow and lead data. You must be building your database of leads and know who those parents are, and as much data as you can gather. You need skilled people at enrollment. You need people that understand how to build rapport and trust and how to be friendly, knowledgeable, and trustworthy. You need a CRM system. Two are ChildCareCRM and IntelliKid System. Bonus: You need retention strategies. It actually costs you a lot more time and money to go out and get new families than it does to retain the ones you've got.   Quotes: “Tech is the leading force that signals to any savvy business owner what could be coming up.” — Kris [5:27] “You need people that understand how to build rapport and trust and how to be friendly, knowledgeable, and trustworthy.” — Kris [10:07] “It actually costs you a lot more time and money to go out and get new families than it does to retain the ones you've got.” — Kris [12:08]   Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy The Child Care Success Summit Grow Your Center Groundhog Day   Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal

Tune in and discover how to:-Manage your entire family journey with less work-Increase family and staff retention-Automate necessary but time-consuming tasks for your staff-Improve performance across your business-Get more time back in your day to focus on what matters mostPlus, get an audio walkthrough of the only unified platform that includes full-featured CRM software (customer relationship management), parent engagement app, and CMS (childcare management software) together in one solution.Watch the webinar in video here: https://youtu.be/j35M9kHx0wsSchedule a demo here: https://www.golineleader.com/demo

In today's episode of the Sales Leader Network, we dive into it with Mike Hook. Mike is the Vice President of Sales at ChildcareCRM, bringing ten plus years of experience, high energy, and proven results to rapidly evolving SaaS companies. We cover some wide-ranging topics including the learner's mindset, self-awareness, role playing, mentors and role models, coaching and coachability. If you get value from this episode, be sure to subscribe and share the episode with your friends, as we all can benefit from more positivity and leadership in today's society. Go to www.salesleadernetwork.com to get episodes sent directly to your inbox and get the weekly newsletter.

Michael Tasner started his own web design business at 15 years old. Now he's the CEO of Local Child Care Marketing and Parent Marketing as well as a published author of several Marketing how-to books. Michael and his team of marketing experts help childcare businesses create digital marketing strategies and systems that build their audience, reduce customer acquisition costs, and increase enrollments.Learn more about Parent Marketing and their services here: https://parentmarketing.com/

Beth Cannon is an ECE mentor, speaker, and professional team builder! She loves helping childcare leaders find their purpose, simplify their processes, and create policies that engage and inspire their teams. For more support for developing leaders and building strong teams, check out these resources:Free Master Class - 3 Secrets to go from Chaos to Clarity - April 26, May 3, or May 5Stuck to Strategy Academy - 12-week Group Coaching Program - starts May 9Owners + Director's FaceBook Support GroupUltimate Checklist for Turning Your Manual to ModulesBook Beth for a Team Building Intensive at Your School or as a Conference Keynote Speaker

Brian and Carol Duprey are certified child care coaches, best-selling authors, and motivational speakers. Having 10 centers of their own, they've learned the ins and outs of how to host a childcare tour that converts. Discover best practices and tips from childcare experts in this episode. GET THEIR BOOK: Child Care Millionaire: Tour Secrets is made up of 67 Tactics and Tips to help the tour giver sell more effectively, increasing tour conversations and making the center more profitable. Get your autographed copy now - https://childcaremillionaire.com/ccm-ts-autographed-copy-free-plus-shipping-599-purchase/Listen to their podcast here - https://childcaremillionaire.com/podcast/

Tiny Treasures Preschool has been serving children in Northern California since 1997. Founded by owner Beth Fiori, Tiny Treasures' goal is to develop the self-esteem, education, and social skills of young children. As Tiny Treasures began to grow, Beth saw a need to modernize lead management and parent communications.   She searched for lead management software that could organize family contact information in one place, automate lead follow-up, and let parents schedule tours online. After looking at several options, Beth chose ChildcareCRM which helps her stay organized, reduce her daily to-do list, and save 10-hours of work every week. Learn more about Beth's use of ChildcareCRM here: https://blog.childcarecrm.com/tiny-treasures-modernized-lead-management-and-waitlist-communications

In this episode, Matt Amoia of ChildcareCRM, Scott Wayman of Kanagrootime, and Sierra Rossing of ChildcareCRM discuss best practices for growing your childcare organization in 2022 based on ChildcareCRM's 2022 Building Blocks for Success report. For the past eight years, we've analyzed aggregate data from our expanding customer base—composed of more than 500 childcare organizations with over 4,000 locations across 5 countries—to identify insights and recommendations toscale your childcare business. Our goal is to share statistically significant drivers of growth along with best practices to boost enrollment and increase retention,with less work.Download the full report here: https://hubs.ly/H0_qcw00

In week's episodes, I am doing something I never did. For the first time on The 20% Podcast, this episode features 2 guests, Richard Harris and Mike Hook, as they are fresh off of their Surf and Sales Trip in Costa Rica that is run by Richard and former 20% Podcast guest, Scott Leese. The first half of the episode features Richard Harris, who is the Founder of The Harris Consulting Group, where they help their customers with Full Funnel Sales Training that help their customers increase revenue, improved pipeline volume and velocity, shorter sales cycles, and the list goes on and on. He and Scott Leese also founded Surf and Sales, which is a sales conference held in Costa Rica, and where they focus on Intimacy at scale, and where the in-between moments create equal value to the sessions, and where focus on self-improvement yields to life-changing results. Richard and I discussed: Understanding Process and Patience The Importance of Passion Asking for Help As well as Startups vs. Big Corporations On the second half of the episode, my featured guest is Mike Hook. Mike is currently the VP of Sales at ChildcareCRM, which is a web-based CRM and marketing system specifically for the child care industry. Mike is a true leader, and is not afraid to get his hands dirty to accelerating growth, all while having laser focus on implementing, executing, and having a great time while doing it. We discussed: Selling Cutco Knives How We Can Make Our Customer's Lives Better Asking The Right Questions At The Right Time Developing Mindset Focusing on Fundamentals and Action And So much more! Please enjoy this special episode of The 20% Podcast featuring Richard Harris, and Mike Hook. ______________________________________________________________________ I am now in the early stages of writing my first book! In this book, I will be telling my story of getting into sales and the lessons I have learned so far, and intertwine stories, tips, and advice from the Top Sales Professionals In The World! As a first time author, I want to share these interviews with you all, and take you on this book writing journey with me! Like the show? Subscribe to the email: https://mailchi.mp/a71e58dacffb/welcome-to-the-20-podcast-community I want your feedback! Reach out to 20percentpodcastquestions@gmail.com, or find me on LinkedIn. If you know anyone who would benefit from this show, share it along! If you know of anyone who would be great to interview, please drop me a line!

In this episode, Sierra Rossing is joined by childcare business owner, Child Care Success Academy member, and 2021 Child Care Rockstar - Jamarrion Tabor. Jamarrion is doing amazing things in the Atlanta metro area where she is the proud owner of two 24-hour child care centers. Tulips 24 Hour Learning Academy and Madalyn's House 24 Hour Child Care Center are committed to offering quality child care for inner-city children.Jamarrion shares how she got started in the childcare industry and the lessons she learned while transitioning from a home daycare center to a brick-and-mortar location. - including how to communicate with parents, how to retain staff, and how to build and scale your childcare business.Follow Jamarrion on Instagram: www.instagram.com/childcarebrander Learn more about ChildcareCRM: www.childcarecrm.com

Lakeshia Nnamani consults childcare business owners, like you, on how to build high-quality preschool programs so you can maximize profits, attract your ideal parents and stand out in the educational community. She supports early childhood leaders by focusing on kindergarten readiness, teacher development, and licensing compliance. In today's episode, Sierra and Lakeshia discuss the importance of operating in licensing excellence so you can achieve your business goals and see your center grow.Learn more about Lakeshia: https://the-early-childhood-boss.teachable.com/Discover how ChildcareFORMS can help you with licensing: https://bit.ly/3vJ3eMU

Mike Hook the CEO of ChildcareCRM.Com shares how to set your goals/KPI's and break them down into digestible, attainable and actionable steps to succeed Get more info at https://www.ChildcareCRM.com/

Developing Natural Leaders and Working as a GTM Unit Today on The GTM Kickback, we sit down with proven leader in the revenue and sales arena, Mike Hook. Mike is a multi-time sales leader with a proven track record of developing high-performing revenue teams. He's a true though leader in the space of B2B SaaS Sales and currently leads as the VP of Sales at ChildcareCRM. He sit's down with us to discuss his methodologies on bringing in proper sales talent, elevating and empowering those on his teams, and helping all the work around him find their greatest potential. Much of this comes in the way of acting synergistically across an organizations departments, and creating a culture of accountability and trust between internal leadership.

Mike Hook joins us for this episode of the Child Care Business Podcast. As the VP of Sales for ChildcareCRM, Mike sees first-hand the issues child care owners/directors encounter when connecting with parents and building their enrollments. And he has a lot of great tips on how to tackle those issues. In our discussion, Mike covers a variety of strategies and tips, including: How to go beyond advertising your openings via physical signageHow to best capture parent informationHow to keep parents enticed while they're on your waitlist through fun, informative and regular communicationHow automation can help alleviate issues with consistent communication when you're buried in the other tasks required to run your centerThe importance of proactivity in nurturing strong parent relationshipsHow to classify families to ensure you're meeting them at the right point in their buying journeyAbout Mike:Mike Hook is the VP of Sales for ChildcareCRM, and his passion is to help grow and empower child care centers seeking to boost their enrollment. He sees firsthand the challenges that centers encounter when looking to grow their businesses, and has a ton of great advice to share. You can connect with Mike by visiting his website: https://www.childcarecrm.com/ or by emailing him at mhook@childcarecrm.com.  Additional Resources: For more tips from ChildcareCRM on waitlist management, visit https://bit.ly/3BhjSov. To get more insights on ways to succeed in your child care business, head over to our Resource Center at https://www.procaresoftware.com/resource-center/. Contact Us: Have an idea for a podcast or want to be a guest? Email us at podcast@procaresoftware.com.    

Chuck Gibbs is the founder and chairman of ChildcareCRM, one of the leading global software providers that serves the childcare industry. Chuck is a serial founder of industry-focused software companies, including software businesses for the oil and gas industry. Chuck started ChildcareCRM in 2010 and is now chairman after bringing in experienced SaaS CEO Matt Amoia to lead the company in 2020. (Check out the Dallas Software Podcast interview #2 with Matt Amoia). ChildcareCRM is the leading CRM (customer relationship management) and marketing software designed specifically for the childcare industry that dramatically increases inquiry-to-enrollment rates. The fast-growing Las Colinas company is funded by growth equity venture investors and currently has over 50 employees. In this episode, Chuck shares his self-funded journey of identifying a worthy problem, creating their first software solution for early customers, growing the company to $3M annual revenues, bringing in investment partners to grow bigger, and then hiring an experienced CEO to take the company to the next level. Chuck shares savvy insights for new founders on bootstrapping, hiring, funding, and more. 

Tony D'Agostino, Founder/CEO of Inspire! Care 360, has spent over 10 years as an early learning and childcare owner of up to six childcare centers in Western New York.  He has extensive experience in early childhood as an owner and operator and also led the development of over 6900 hours of early learning curriculum, the 9 Key Development Areas.  Prior to the early learning space, Tony led practices in Human Resources (Recruiting, Onboarding, Benefits, Employee Life Cycle, Outplacement, Consulting) with close to 20 years of experience in adult training and curriculum development. These experiences culminated in the development and business services of Inspire! Care 360. The vision is to provide business owners with more time to develop and ready the children, as well as significant savings for their business.Visit their website: https://www.inspirecare360.com/learn-more-about-ic360/

In this episode, Andrea Dickerson discusses the MOST important part of the touring process right now for 2021. Discover how to handle virtual tours, walk-ins, and scheduled tour appointments with ease, as well as how to get the 'yes' for enrollment from your touring families.Andrea Dickerson is the founder and CEO of IOWNADAYCARE.COM, an organization committed to empowering and equipping childcare business owners. As an award-winning childcare CEO and Entrepreneur, Andrea has been recognized as one of the Best Childcare providers of the year and is a recognized expert often quoted as an authority figure on childcare growth topics.Download her Jumpstart Blueprint here: https://www.mysixfiguresystem.com/js-planner49251559Attend our upcoming FB Live where she will discuss this in more detail and answer any questions you may have: https://fb.me/e/cZ4olHzDtListen to our recent episode together about what to showcase during tours: https://rb.gy/wlesgq

Chanie Wilschanski is an Early Childhood Leadership Coach and CEO of Schools of Excellence.Chanie began her journey over a decade ago, teaching toddlers at the acclaimed Preschool of the Arts in New York City for 8 years until she continued her path into high studies and earned her Masters in EC and Special Education.In 2015, she started training teachers and school leaders on the HOW part of creating excellence in their schools.In this episode, we'll be focusing on Chanie's tips for building a positive company culture, improving staff retention, AND how to hire rockstar candidates for your center.________________________Join the Delegate to Elevate Workshop, a 90-minute training with Chanie Wilschanski on How to Build a High-Achieving Team so you can Grow Your School without Additional Administrative Workload. Find out more here: Chanie.me/childcareCRM-elevate You can also find out more about the Schools of Excellence at schoolsofexcellence.com and join the free community of School Leaders at https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolsofexcellencelounge________________________Watch Chanie's recent webinar on 'The 4 Types of Parents in Your Center': https://youtu.be/8_dVoWsCbOE

Matt Amoia is CEO of ChildcareCRM and a veteran leader of fast-growing SaaS companies. Matt and his family moved to the Dallas area in 202 when he joined ChildcareCRM as CEO. He was recruited by Chuck Gibbs, the founder of ChildcareCRM and current chairman of the company.  ChildcareCRM is the leading CRM (customer relationship management) and marketing software designed specifically for the childcare industry that dramatically increases inquiry-to-enrollment rates. The fast-growing Las Colinas company is funded by growth equity venture investors and currently has over 50 employees.  In this episode, Matt and I discuss how the founder Chuck Gibbs started the company and grew it fast, how Matt was brought in as CEO to scale the company faster, what happened in their industry during the COVID crisis, their growth plans, and how he works with the original founder of the company. 

There are a lot of factors to consider when you're trying to market to prospective parents or keep your enrolled families engaged with your center.In this episode, some of the industry's best marketing minds will provide you with tips and tricks for developing better email campaigns to help you grow your business and receive a higher ROI (return on investment).This episode features a recording of a recent round-table discussion webinar. To watch the full webinar, visit: https://youtu.be/yWxy4t7R0DEDownload the FREE step-by-step guide for building email marketing campaigns like a pro: https://startthejourney.childcarecrm.com/build-email-marketing-campaigns-like-a-pro-us

In this episode, Sierra Rossing shares how to define your target audience, how to establish personas for your ideal families, and the importance of tailoring your marketing efforts.Andrew Kilday and Robert Cowperthwaite, Co-Founders of Clouta, join the podcast to discuss their lead generation solution that integrates directly with ChildcareCRM.Listen to Megan Bowling's episode about enrichment programs: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3GvnfSZKytzR0LFlH8bmCU?si=qTVa_VvYRS6at1KgsGfB6w&dl_branch=1Listen to Andrea Dickerson's episode about refining your marketing: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4NKSUgylWP4qb4Z8RPHDo8?si=uZx_4Xo7RPqnLHIpiTMvvA&dl_branch=1

Megan Bowling is the Vice President Stretch-n-Grow International and an Owner/Director of her own Stretch-n-Grow franchise in St. Pete, Florida. Through her years of experience in the ECE community, Megan knows how preschools can safely partner with programs like Stretch-n-Grow to enhance their curriculum, engage their children, and excite their parents. Learn more about Stretch-n-Grow here: http://stretch-n-grow.com/ece/

In this episode, we're joined by Brian Strauss, Demand Generation Specialist at ChildcareCRM. Brian has a background in both marketing and childcare and now focuses on developing targeted marketing campaigns to drive awareness and interest in ChildcareCRM’s product offerings. To read more about building professional email campaigns, read our recent article: https://blog.childcarecrm.com/6-tips-for-stronger-email-marketing-campaigns

Genevieve Carbone, Head of Marketing with Kangarootime, recently published a blog titled “5 ways to increase parent engagement”. In this episode, we discuss COVID-19’s impact on how childhood educators are able to connect with families and what you can do to encourage family retention and engagement at your childcare center(s).Read Genevieve's article, '5 Ways to Increase Parent Engagement': https://www.kangarootime.com/blog/5-ways-to-increase-parent-engagement/ Download ChildcareCRM's Building Blocks for Success Report: https://startthejourney.childcarecrm.com/building-blocks-for-success-0Learn more about the integration: https://www.childcarecrm.com/integration/kangarootimeGet your own survey tool: https://www.techradar.com/best/best-survey-tools

Converting enrollment inquiries to center visits and registrations can seem overwhelming, especially with so many other demands on your time and talents.However, there are 3 actions you can take to improve your enrollment conversions... Respond rapidly to inquiries Practice effective conversion skills Initiate continual follow-upJulie Wassom is an internationally-recognized expert in child care marketing and she coaches and consults childcare owners who are interested in developing their sales and marketing programs to grow enrollment.For more information about Julie Wassom, visit her website: https://juliewassom.com/contact/Download your own copy of ChildcareCRM's Building Blocks for Success Report: https://bit.ly/3nKSgm7

Sierra Rossing of ChildcareCRM and Francie Dudrey of Procare Solutions speak with Gina Emch about her experience with both ChildcareCRM and Procare.  This episode specifically focuses on how these solutions have improved her business performance and how the two-way integration between these platforms have enhanced and simplified her centers’ operations. Interested in the integration between Procare and ChildcareCRM?  https://www.childcarecrm.com/integration/procare

Mike Hook, Vice President of Sales at ChildcareCRM talks with me about his intended legacy, and living up to his full potential. We talk about living what you speak, reputation, and being intentional about how you show up for yourself and others. Mike shares with me what he would do with 72 hrs left on this earth, and part of that is to write down life lessons to be shared with loved ones. Join us in this incredible conversation next!I'm your host for What Is Your Legacy podcast, Galem Girmay.Thank you for taking the time to listen, and if you're enjoying this podcast, I'd love to see your rating and review on Apple.

In this episode, Mike talks about his Go-To-Market sales strategy and tactics to execute his plan. This conversation covers recruiting to the sales process. Mike Hook is the head of sales at ChildcareCRM; he shares how he approaches Go-To-Market strategy and then details how to accomplish it. We dig into the bottoms-up model, recruiting, coaching reps, and so much more. As a 2020 LinkedIn Sales Star, you will see why he provides so much value on the platform.

The traditional sales demo model sucks. There, I said it. Here's a normal demo flow I've seen hundreds of times: salesperson kicks off the call with an upfront contract (do we still have 30 minutes?), they proudly display a slide with logos of all of their customers and then take a hard left turn into whatever software they're showcasing. After 16-minutes of feature-dumping, the salesperson lifts his head and asks if the prospect has any questions. After hearing a mutter, the rep continues his pre-planned pitch. He brings enthusiasm and makes sure to use the words "integration", "synergy" or "API" no less than 7 times. As they reach the end of their time together, the prospect says "This was good. I'll run it by my boss and circle back with you." The sales rep then prances around his (home) office, patting himself on the back and calling his boss to let her know that they've "got a live one" and should be committing this deal for the month. Three months later, the sales rep still hasn't heard from the prospect. "Must have been a re-org internally", he thinks as he marks another deal as Closed/Lost in Salesforce. Maybe this scenario sounds familiar. Enter Mike Hook. Mike is the VP Sales at ChildcareCRM, a master of the sales demo, and one of the most likable people I've met. Mike joins the podcast today to teach us how to personalize our demos for our buyers. In this episode, Mike and I discuss: How we both started our career at Cutco Why Mike has always chosen to be the hardest worker in the room How to navigate internal politics to rise through the ranks Finally, I have two quick asks for you folks: First, go follow Mike Hook on LinkedIn. Second, show some love for Millennial Sales. Please subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube and leave a comment or review wherever you listen. It helps me to spread my reach and get more great guests on the podcast. I'd love to connect with you on social media on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. All other content is also hosted on MillennialMomentum.net. Let's get after it this week.