Podcast appearances and mentions of Jeb Blount

How Do Top Performers Stay Motivated When Sales Gets Hard? You know the feeling when you close a big deal. The rush. The quiet satisfaction of updating your pipeline. Maybe a quick high-five with your manager. And then, almost immediately, it fades. You're back to cold calls that go unanswered, emails that disappear into inboxes, and prospects who promised they were interested suddenly going silent. In sales, rejection isn't a side effect of the job. It is the job. That reality is exactly why most people don't last in sales. And it's why the people who do last tend to get paid very well. Over the past quarter, we talked with some of the most consistent sales leaders in the business. Here are four moments from the Sales Gravy Podcast that reveal how top performers stay motivated and close more deals, even when the work feels heavy. Find Your Carrot and Make It Specific Will Frattini, VP of Sales at ZoomInfo, keeps a small Christmas ornament on his desk. His daughter gave it to him when she was five. That ornament is his carrot. During a recent podcast conversation, Will explained that when sales gets hard, that ornament reminds him exactly why he keeps pushing. Not in an abstract or inspirational-poster way, but in a deeply personal one. It represents his family, his responsibility, and the future he's building for them. That distinction matters. Many salespeople say they're motivated by family, freedom, or financial security. Those values are real, but on their own, they're often too broad to sustain sales motivation during a brutal stretch of rejection. When you're fifty dials deep with no connects and another demo just canceled, vague motivation doesn't hold up. Will doesn't just think “my family.” He sees a moment, a memory, and a tangible reminder of what's at stake. That specificity gives his motivation weight. Top performers anchor their sales motivation to something concrete and emotionally charged. A down payment they want to make by a certain date. A trip they want to take without checking their bank account. A milestone that matters beyond quota. The more specific the carrot, the more powerful it becomes when sales gets hard. How to define yours: Write down one specific outcome you want to achieve in the next six months. Not “hit quota,” but the real-world result that quota enables. A number. A purchase. An experience. Put it somewhere you'll see it every day. Work With Customers Who Actually Value You One of the fastest ways to drain sales motivation is closing deals with customers who make you miserable. On an episode of Ask Jeb, Jeb broke down how companies grow faster by focusing on the right customers, not just more customers. When you're behind on quota late in the year, it's tempting to take anything that looks like revenue. Any company that shows interest. Any prospect willing to meet. You convince yourself that a deal is a deal. Then January arrives. That customer floods your team with support tickets, questions every invoice, demands exceptions, and slowly erodes the satisfaction of the win you celebrated just weeks earlier. Consistent performers learn to protect their energy. They get ruthless about fit. Not just company size or industry, but values. They ask questions like, “What do you value most in a partner?” and they listen carefully to the answer. Some buyers want constant responsiveness. Others value expert perspective and challenge. Some want efficiency and minimal interaction. None of those preferences are wrong. But only one aligns with how you actually sell. When sales gets hard, motivation comes easier when you're pursuing customers who respect your approach instead of fighting it. How to clarify your ideal customer: Look at your three favorite customers. The ones your entire team enjoys working with. What do they share beyond surface-level traits? How did they behave during the buying process? Those patterns matter more than any firmographic filter. Slow Down Before You Create Your Own Problems When pressure builds, speed starts to feel productive. You rush contracts. You promise timelines without checking internally. You say yes to custom requirements because slowing down feels risky. On an episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount, Jr. shared one of the most painful stories we heard this year. A $1.4 million deal with a pediatrics practice unraveled after someone rushed the process and placed the client into an early adopter program without a test environment. The result was catastrophic. The client's live system crashed, HIPAA was violated, and the company lost not only the deal but $600,000 in annual recurring revenue. Top performers understand something most reps learn the hard way: smooth is fast. They build guardrails around high-risk moments. Before sending a contract, they align internally. Before committing to timelines, they check with the people who actually do the work. Slowing down at the right moments builds trust. It prevents chaos. And it preserves sales motivation by keeping you from spending the next quarter cleaning up mistakes made under pressure. How to build a slowdown system: Identify the three points in your sales process where you tend to rush. Proposals, negotiations, technical commitments. Create a short checklist for each and make it mandatory. Use AI to Think Faster, Not to Stop Thinking Sales demands constant context switching. Pipeline reviews. Prospect research. Discovery prep. Follow-up. Objection handling. The mental load adds up quickly. Victor Antonio recently shared an example of a window company using vision AI to diagnose broken window seals from photos. Instead of sending a technician, customers submit an image. The system verifies the issue, checks inventory, confirms warranty status, and schedules service automatically. AI hasn't changed what strong salespeople do. It's changed how quickly they get to the work that actually matters. Top performers use AI to handle tasks that drain energy but don't require judgment. Research summaries. Organizing notes. Drafting frameworks. That speed preserves mental bandwidth for conversations, strategy, and relationship building. Used correctly, AI supports sales motivation by reducing friction, not replacing effort. How to use AI without dulling your edge: List the tasks you repeat weekly that consume time but not insight. Let AI handle those. Keep anything involving trust, nuance, or decision-making firmly in your hands. Why This Matters for Sales Motivation Sales has always been hard. Cold calling was hard decades ago, and it's still hard today. You still have to find people, start conversations, build trust, and ask for commitments. What separates average reps from consistent performers isn't resilience alone. It's structure. Top performers know exactly what they're chasing and why it matters. They protect themselves from bad-fit customers. They slow down when it counts. And they use tools strategically to preserve energy for selling. They still get rejected. They still lose deals. They still have months where nothing goes right. But they don't drift. They don't panic. And they don't quit when the work gets uncomfortable. That discipline is what sustains sales motivation long after the initial excitement wears off. If you want a clearer target to aim at when sales gets hard, download the FREE Sales Gravy Goal Guide. It will help you define the goals that actually keep you focused, disciplined, and motivated—especially when rejection starts piling up.

Here's a problem that'll make your head spin: What do you do when you can sell way more than your company can produce? That's the question posed by Dylan Noah from Toronto. Dylan sells craft cider to bars and restaurants across his territory. He's the only salesperson for a small producer, working with limited tools (no proper CRM), and here's the kicker: he could sell a million dollars' worth of product, but production isn't enough to meet that demand. If you're shaking your head thinking this is a champagne problem, you're half right. But for Dylan trying to hit his income goals through commissions, it's a real constraint that's costing him money every single day. The CRM Obsession Is a Distraction Let's tackle the first issue head on. Dylan is worried he doesn't have the right CRM tools to manage his accounts and hit his numbers. Here's the brutal truth: at one point in time, salespeople sold a lot of cider, beer, wine, liquor, and all kinds of other stuff without any CRM at all. They used index cards in a box. They had lists on paper. And they crushed it. You're a small business with one salesperson working with 3,000 to 7,000 potential accounts in your territory. The last thing you should worry about right now is a $40,000 CRM system. Could you use automation for email sequences and promotions? Absolutely. Should you eventually invest in something like HubSpot or Pipedrive? Yes. But right now, what you need is a simple system to identify your best accounts and focus your time there. You're not going to hit $1 million across 3,000 accounts. You're going to hit it across 500 accounts that are the biggest restaurants and bars, where they like you, their customers like cider, and where you can create events and experiences that spike sales. Use a spreadsheet. Use index cards. Use whatever basic tool you've got right now. Create a 30-60-90 day system where you know who you're calling on in the next 30 days, the next 60 days, and the next 90 days. Build a list of your top 250 accounts that buy the most from you. That's where you live. Stop obsessing over tools you don't have and start maximizing the opportunity in front of you. Scarcity Is Your Secret Weapon This brings us to the real issue: production capacity. Dylan can sell it, but his company can't make enough of it. The bourbon distillers in America are dealing with this exact problem right now. They ramped up production years ago based on projected demand, and now they're sitting on excess inventory that's aging out. It's a delicate balance, and if you make too much, it goes bad and you lose everything. Here's what most salespeople don't understand about scarcity: it's actually a competitive advantage if you manage it right. When you have limited product, you're always going to be in an ebb and flow situation. Sometimes you'll have an abundance of one product type. Sometimes you'll have high demand products in short supply. The key is building a system that lets you move fast when opportunity strikes. This is where building buying profiles for every single customer becomes essential. You need to know which accounts buy which types of products, what their purchase patterns look like, and what their potential is (high, medium, or low). Think about it like your account coverage pyramid. When you have product available, you start at the top with your highest value accounts and work your way down. You're not treating all 150 accounts the same. You're prioritizing based on potential. When you have an abundance of one product type, you go directly to the customers who buy that product and say, "Hey, I've got product right now. Do you want to buy?" You can run specials. You can offer incentives (within legal limits). You move it fast. When your high demand products come in, you call your best accounts first and say, "I've got ten cases of this. I'm calling you first. How many do you want?" Then you go down your list. Most of the time, you'll sell out before you even leave your office. But if you've got 150 accounts and you're treating them all the same, it gets overwhelming fast. Segment them. Prioritize them. Work them strategically. Making Your Number When You Can't Control Supply The income issue is where this gets really interesting. Dylan wants to double his sales and earn more commissions, but he can't because the company keeps running out of product. Here's my take: if you're supposed to sell $1.5 million but your company only produces $750,000 worth of product that you could sell, they should pay you for the $1.5 million. Production was the reason you couldn't make your number, not your sales ability. Now, I know there are people in operations reading this who are going to say I'm full of it. But from a sales standpoint, if you've sold out of everything available, you've done your job. The constraint isn't you, it's production capacity. That's a hard conversation to have with ownership, I get it. But here's how you make that case: sell out of the other stuff that people don't want as much. Figure out how to move all of it. Put yourself in a position where you own the moral high ground when it comes to sales performance. If you do that and they still can't or won't pay you for what you could have sold, then you've got a decision to make. But at least you'll have learned how to sell in a resource-constrained environment, how to build relationships, how to manage your territory, and how to work a manual system. Those are skills that transfer to any sales role, especially ones that give you all the bells and whistles and unlimited product to sell. The Power of Old School Discipline Let's go back to 1985 for a minute. In 1985, you would have had a Rolodex with tabs for H (high potential), M (medium potential), and L (low potential) accounts. When product came in, you'd open to H, pull out the cards, and start dialing. "I've got ten cases of your favorite cider. I'm calling you first. How many do you want?" If they don't want any, click. Next card. By the time you hit the tenth account, you're usually sold out. That's the power of segmentation combined with discipline. Systems beat moods. Sequence beats sporadic effort. Process creates momentum. You don't need fancy technology to do this. You need clear priorities, good segmentation, and the discipline to work your system consistently. The Bottom Line If you're in Dylan's situation with limited tools and limited product, here's your game plan: Stop worrying about what you don't have and focus on maximizing what you do have. Build a simple segmentation system using whatever tools are available. Create detailed buying profiles for all your accounts so you know exactly who to call when specific products become available. Work your account coverage pyramid from top to bottom, always prioritizing your highest value customers. Sell out of everything, even the less popular products, so you have leverage when talking to ownership about compensation. The reality is that most sales challenges aren't about having the perfect tools or unlimited resources. They're about having the discipline to work a proven system consistently, even when conditions aren't ideal. That's how you win in sales. That's how you hit your numbers. And that's how you build a foundation of skills that will serve you for your entire career, whether you stay in a resource constrained environment or move to a role where the sky's the limit. Ready to master the fundamentals of prospecting and account management? Check out Jeb Blount's latest book with Brynne Tillman, The LinkedIn Edge, and learn how to build systematic, relationship-driven sales processes that work in any environment.

While regret anchors you to past failures, reflection acts as a catalyst for future sales growth. This article and Sales Gravy Money Monday Podcast episode explores how to break the "if-only" loop and provides a step-by-step year-end debrief to help you extract lessons from your wins and losses, ensuring you start the new year with clarity and a proven system for success.   Explore: How to get out of your regret loop The power of reflection How reflection creates awareness A system for achieving your sales goals 7 Steps to year-end sales reflection Ways to Look Back at Your Sales Year For me, the last two weeks of the year have always been the chance to pause, take a break from the grind of selling, and really think about what happened over the past year—the good, the bad, and the ugly. If you are anything like me and do the same, there are two ways to look back on your last twelve months. You can do so with regret or reflection. These two opposing lenses are vastly different in the way they affect your view of where you've been and where you are going. The Trouble With Regret Let's start by unpacking regret. Some of you are already feeling regret about goals you missed, deals you lost, opportunities that slipped through your fingers, or the people in your life you may have let down. Regret is that feeling you get when you look back on something you did (or didn't do) and wish you could change it. In many ways, regret is similar to worry, except it's focused on the past instead of the future. Worry is about what might happen; regret is about what already happened. That's a big distinction. Although you can turn worry into action and change the future, you cannot rewrite the past. No amount of regret changes history. All it does is create a feedback loop in your mind where you keep reliving your mistakes, misses, and failures over and over again. Why Sales Professionals Get Stuck in a Regret Loop I've observed so many people get stuck in this endless loop of regret. They keep lamenting, "If only I had . . ." "made that call.” “handled that prospect differently.” “taken that chance.” “been there or done that.” Those “if onlys” can paralyze you. They sap your energy, crush your confidence, and keep you from moving forward. On one hand, regret can push you to change—you don't want to feel that kind of pain again, so you work hard to avoid repeating the same mistakes. On the other hand, regret can become a debilitating emotion that drags you into an exhausting and useless mental loop of “would've, could've, should've.” But no matter how many times you complete that loop, it doesn't change the outcome. It becomes an emotional anchor that weighs you down as you start the new year. The Power of Reflection Reflection, on the other hand, is entirely different—and far more productive. When you reflect, you detach from your emotions with objectivity to look at your entire body of work from the past year. You're asking the questions, “What went well? What didn't go so well? What did I learn?” You consider the wins that made you proud and the moments you'd rather forget. You figure out why you won so you can repeat those winning behaviors. You extract value from the lessons of failure. Reflection isn't about punishing yourself for what went wrong. It's about gaining clarity on why it went wrong—and what you can do about it next time. How Reflection Creates Awareness Reflection also helps you find gratitude in unexpected places. Maybe there's a hidden lesson in overcoming an obstacle, or perhaps you gained a new perspective because a challenging person came into your life. It's important to realize that each decision you made over the past year shaped your present circumstances. But you are not defined by these circumstances, only by how you respond to them. Reflection creates awareness. Where there is awareness, there is the potential for change. Awareness is like the sun; anything it touches has a tendency to transform. The bottom line is that reflection is about learning, growing, and transforming. Regret is stagnation. Why Reflection Matters at Year-End The reason I'm talking about the impact of reflection as we close out this year is because, for most of us, the slate really does feel clean come January 1st. In the sales world, we get a brand-new quota and brand-new targets. There's an air of possibility as we think: “This year is going to be different. “This year, I'm going to crush my numbers.” “Hit my income targets.” “Make it to President's club.” “Get a promotion.” “Finally, close that dream account I've been chasing.” But if you don't take a moment to reflect on what worked and what didn't, you're likely to find yourself repeating the same missteps. Reflection is like an internal debrief—a chance to say, “Here's what happened, here's why, and here's how I'm going to fix it.” Why Clarity Arises From Reflection Let me give you a personal example. A the beginning of last year, I set a goal for my sales training company, Sales Gravy. This was a big, bold, visionary goal that would transform our organization and ultimately double our sales. I proudly and confidently told my team that it was going to happen. And then, in an embarrassing crash and burn, I failed miserably. Certainly, I could have stewed in regret, beating myself up and allowing my self-talk to run wild about how I fell short. But that would have been a waste of time and energy. Instead, I chose reflection. I asked myself, “What happened and why didn't I achieve this goal?” As I mulled over those questions, the answers came more clearly than I expected. One of the biggest insights I gained was that I'd set this big goal, but didn't establish a system or plan to make it happen. You see, a goal without a system is basically just a wish—as they say, “hope is not a strategy.” Build a System that Supports Your Goals If, for example, you set a goal to prospect a hundred potential customers per week, but you haven't built a disciplined daily routine, built targeted lists, set aside specific times for calls, and created accountability checkpoints, it's not going to stick. Life will get in the way. Sooner or later, your big, bold goal gets overshadowed by a million other tasks. Without a system for achieving the goal, you quickly succumb to discipline fatigue. This is exactly why reflection can be your best friend at year's end. It allows you to own your failures without letting them define you, and it helps you leverage your successes by pinpointing what you did right. Regret says: “You messed up. You'll never fix this. It's too late.” Reflection says: “You messed up. Now let's find out why, learn from it, and do better next time.” How to Conduct a Year-End Sales Reflection To turn past performance into future growth, follow this 7-step systematic reflection process: Seek Silence: Carve out 30 minutes in a quiet environment without digital distractions to ensure deep focus. Audit the Timeline: Mentally journey through the year, month-by-month, starting from January, to recall specific goals and market conditions. Celebrate Wins: Identify specific deals and relationships that succeeded. Recognize the personal milestones that boosted your confidence. Isolate Winning Behaviors: Determine the exact habits and mindsets that led to your successes so you can turn them into repeatable systems. Analyze Failures Objectively: Pinpoint the goals that stayed out of reach. Ask "Why?" to uncover the root cause of the miss without self-judgment. Build Systems, Not Just Goals: Replace "hope-based" strategies with disciplined routines, targeted lists, and accountability checkpoints. Practice Gratitude: Identify the "silver linings" and lessons learned from challenges to maintain an optimistic outlook for the new sales season. Here's the big takeaway: Regret is the enemy of progress; Reflection is the catalyst for growth. Get your New Year off to a winning start with Jeb Blount's popular on-demand course: The Essentials of Setting Winning Goals  

Is Your LinkedIn Personal Branding Built for Buyers or Bystanders? "Respectfully, you are not my audience." Performance coach Giselle Ugarte said that on a recent episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast, and it might be the most liberating thing you'll hear about LinkedIn personal branding this year. Because somewhere between building your profile and hitting publish on that post, you've started making decisions based on what your college roommate might think. Or your former boss. Or yes, your mom. The hard truth? None of them are writing you commission checks. The Real Reason Your LinkedIn Personal Branding Falls Flat You've heard "be authentic" and "show up as yourself" so often that the advice has lost all meaning. So you end up in a strange middle ground where you're not polished enough to impress executives and not human enough to connect with actual buyers. Your LinkedIn personal branding suffers because you're creating content for ghosts. People who will never hire you, never refer you, never sign a contract. You're worried about the wrong audience, and that hesitation shows up in every word you type. Think about the last post you almost published but didn't. What stopped you? Probably not a legitimate business concern. More likely, you had a flash of "what will people think?" and that voice didn't belong to your ideal client. It belonged to someone in your network who wouldn't buy from you if you were the last salesperson on earth. Who Your LinkedIn Content Is Really For Your LinkedIn personal branding should speak to three groups:  Current clients  Prospective clients  People who can refer you to clients That's it. Everyone else is background noise. When you post about closing a tough deal, your brother who works in IT might think you're bragging. Your client, who fought through the same challenge, is nodding in agreement. When you share a lesson from a deal that went sideways, your high school friend might wonder why you're airing dirty laundry. Your prospect is realizing you understand their world. The disconnect happens because you're trying to serve two masters. You want to build real relationships with buyers while also maintaining some imaginary professional image for people who have zero impact on your business. The Transform 20: LinkedIn Personal Branding That Actually Works If you're going to shift your LinkedIn personal branding from performative to productive, you need a system. Not another "post three times a week" generic advice pile, but something that forces you to focus on real humans instead of vanity metrics. Giselle's practical framework, Transform 20, breaks down into four daily actions, each designed to build actual relationships: Connect with 5 new people. Not random connections. People you met this week, people on your calendar, people who recognize your face. Every request should feel familiar to them. Send 5 meaningful messages. Check in. Reference something personal. End with a question. “Let me know” is where leads go to die. Meaningful DMs teach the algorithm who matters to you — and who should see your content. Leave 5 meaningful comments. Two to three sentences. Add context. Reintroduce yourself if needed. A thoughtful comment builds more trust than another like or emoji ever will. Record 5 one-to-one videos. Sixty seconds or less. “Hey, I was thinking about you because…” It's a pattern interrupt in an inbox full of text and one of the fastest ways to stand out. This is where confidence compounds. Twenty actions. Most people won't do it because it feels like work. But if you woke up to 20 qualified leads tomorrow, would that change your business? That's what you're building here. What Your LinkedIn Profile Should Actually Show Buyers want to know you're a real person. That you have a family, hobbies, interests, failures, and lessons. That you care about something besides your quota. If you blur your Zoom background because you think it's more professional, you're missing an opportunity. Let them see the bookshelf, the Peloton, the framed photo. These details give people something to ask about and a reason to remember you. The same goes for your LinkedIn headline. Yes, include your title. But also include the detail that creates connection. "Mom of four," or "Proud Michigan alum," or whatever matters to you and might matter to them. Make it easier for people to find common ground with you. Stop Creating Content for People Who Will Never Buy You already know who matters: current clients, prospective clients, and people who can refer you to clients. Your former colleague who always has something snarky to say about your posts? They've never sent you a referral. Your friend from college who thinks sales is beneath them? They're not signing contracts. Your family member who wants you to be more buttoned up? They're not in your market. Have the clarity to know that you can't build an effective LinkedIn personal branding presence while trying to please everyone. You'll end up pleasing no one, least of all the people who could actually benefit from working with you. You cannot build effective LinkedIn personal branding while trying to please people who don't impact your business. Before you write that post or record that video, remind yourself: someone would be lucky to hear from me today. You have something valuable to offer — and the courage to show up as a real human. The salespeople winning on LinkedIn aren't the most polished. They're the most human. They make it easier for the right people to decide they want to work with them. Send the videos. Start the conversations. Show up as the person your clients actually want to buy from. That's how you win on LinkedIn — and everywhere else. Want the full LinkedIn playbook? Buy The LinkedIn Edge by Jeb Blount and Brynne Tillman. It's packed with non-negotiables that will turn your profile into a pipeline-building machine.

In this episode, we're joined by Jeb Blount, Founder and CEO of Sales Gravy and one of the most influential voices in modern sales. Jeb is the bestselling author of seventeen books—including Fanatical Prospecting, Sales EQ, People Follow You, The AI Edge, and his newest release, The LinkedIn Edge.   With decades of experience advising top global organizations and their executive teams, Jeb breaks down how emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills shape every customer-facing interaction. Widely regarded as a leading expert on prospecting, sales, leadership, and customer experience, he shares actionable insights that help professionals at every level communicate more effectively, build trust faster, and win more opportunities.   Tune in for a masterclass on elevating your sales game, strengthening relationships, and leveraging the human edge in an AI-driven world.  

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview the legendary sales expert and bestselling author Jeb Blount. Jeb shares stories from his upbringing in small-town Georgia, where being the smallest kid in school taught him grit, hustle, and the relentless work ethic that would later define his career. He talks about finding confidence through public speaking, his early ambition to become a lawyer, and the surprising moment—thanks to “Rudy” himself—that pushed him to write his first book and eventually build Sales Gravy into a powerhouse sales training company.Jeb also breaks down how elite performance in sales mirrors elite athletics, why founders must embrace selling before they can scale, and how persistence—not perfection—is the real engine behind long-term success. From cold calling alongside his clients to the evolution of Sales Gravy's earliest customers, he offers a candid look at the mindset and habits that sustain high-impact sales careers. Join Jeb Blount as he delivers both practical lessons and an inside look at the drive that built one of the most trusted brands in sales development today in this episode of The First Customer!Guest Info: Sales Gravy, Inc.http://www.salesgravy.com/The LinkedIn Edgehttps://jebblount.com/product/the-linkedin-edge/Jeb Blount's LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jebblount/Connect with Jay on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jayaigner/The First Customer Youtube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@thefirstcustomerpodcastThe First Customer podcast websitehttps://www.firstcustomerpodcast.comFollow The First Customer on LinkedInhttp://www.linkedin.com/company/the-first-customer-podcast/

Here's a question that hits closer to home than most sales reps want to admit: What do you do when you've been away from prospecting for a while and suddenly the call reluctance feels brand new again? That's the situation Dwayne Malmberg from Sugar Land, Texas found himself in. He'd been crushing it in inside sales and appointment setting since the 90s. He was good at it. Really good. But after taking just over two years away from the phones, a new opportunity came along and suddenly he was facing something he didn't expect. The call reluctance. The trepidation. The mental resistance to picking up that phone and dialing invisible strangers. If you've ever taken time away from prospecting and felt that same knot in your stomach when it's time to get back on the phones, you're not alone. And more importantly, there's a systematic way to rebuild that muscle and get back to crushing it. The Raw Truth About Cold Calling Fear Let's get brutally honest: Cold calling creates emotional angst. Period. I've made tens of thousands of cold calls. I make them with my clients during training sessions. I'll make them tomorrow morning. And I still feel that trepidation on the first couple of calls of the day. It's just human. It's natural. It never completely goes away. Think about it like jumping out of an airplane. A few years ago, I got the chance to jump with the United States Army Golden Knights. I was terrified. My heart was pounding. A sergeant even asked if I was okay because apparently I looked frightened. When we got strapped in, I turned to the Golden Knight I was jumping with and asked, "Do you ever get scared?" His answer was revealing: "Yeah, of course I do. My heart's beating a little bit because it's an airplane and I don't know what's going to happen. But I've done it so many times and I've got a routine." That's the key. The routine. The process. The mental preparation that gets you past the fear and into action. The Big Pull: Why You Need Something Worth Fighting For Here's the problem with facing fear: If you don't have something pulling you forward that's bigger than the discomfort you're feeling right now, you'll procrastinate forever. The discipline to run a prospecting block and do your prospecting is the discipline to sacrifice what you want now for what you want most. So before you even think about picking up the phone, sit down and write out what you want. Why are you doing this? What's the goal? Is it a paycheck? A promotion? Financial freedom? Providing for your family? That's your big pull. That's what you focus on when you start your day, not whatever might happen on the call. Because when you're thinking about something as scary as facing rejection, if you don't have a big pull driving you, you'll end up avoiding the work that matters most. For Dwayne, part of his why was clear: He's a caregiver for his disabled wife and needs the flexibility to work from home while still providing for his family. That's a powerful pull. That's something worth pushing through fear for. Building the Muscle: You Can't Bench Press 250 on Day One Let's say you were a bodybuilder in your 30s. You were strong, lifting heavy, crushing it in the gym. Then life happened. Kids came along. Your career took off. You quit working out. Now you decide it's time to get back in shape. What happens if you walk into the gym and try to bench press 250 pounds on day one? You're going to hurt yourself. Maybe badly. The same principle applies to prospecting after time away. You already know how to do it. You've got the muscle memory. Everything inside you is saying, "I got this." But you can't expect to jump back in at the same intensity level you had before. You have to rebuild the muscle gradually. Start with the equivalent of those 20-pound dumbbells and work your way back up. The High-Intensity Sprint Strategy When I found myself in a similar situation years ago, uncomfortable and fearful about making calls, I developed a strategy that I now call high-intensity prospecting sprints. Here's how it works: Break your prospecting into very small, short blocks. Sometimes just five minutes. Make five calls in five minutes. Or ten minutes. Or fifteen minutes. The key is this: Make it so small and manageable that your brain can't talk you out of it. If I tell you to make cold calls all day long, that feels overwhelming. But if I ask you to knock out just five calls, you can do that. Then here's the critical part: Follow each sprint with something inspiring. Read a chapter from Fanatical Prospecting. Listen to a segment of your favorite sales podcast. Watch a training video. Put good stuff in your ears and in front of your eyes that builds your courage and strengthens your heart. Then do another sprint. More inspiration. Another sprint. Repeat. What happens is two things: First, by actually doing it instead of thinking about it, you get better at doing it. You get what I call sales endorphins. You feel good about yourself because you realize, "Hey, I can do this. Everything's okay." Second, by backing up each sprint with inspirational content, you're feeding your mindset. You're building back that mental muscle alongside the practical muscle. The Time Management Factor for Busy Sales Professionals If you're like Dwayne and have a lot of responsibilities outside of sales, time management becomes critical. You can't afford to waste time or dilute your prospecting efforts. The solution is ruthless prioritization and time blocking. Start your day with your most important, highest priority sales activity. Get your prospecting done first thing in the morning when your willpower is strongest and your emotional energy is highest. Here's why this matters: When you've got a lot going on and you're also doing the hardest job in sales (making outbound calls), by the time you get later into your day, you're worn out. Your willpower is depleted. It's going to be exponentially harder to find the motivation to interrupt strangers. But first thing in the morning? You're fresh. You're ready. You can knock out that prospecting block and then ride that momentum through the rest of your day. Block your calendar in core chunks for everything you need to do. If you have an appointment at 3 PM that'll take three hours, fine. But that first hour of your day? That's sacred prospecting time. Nothing else touches it. The Mindset Foundation: Feed Your Mind Daily The first section of Fanatical Prospecting focuses on mindset because that's where everything begins. If your mindset isn't right, technique doesn't matter. Scripts don't matter. Nothing matters because you won't execute. Feed your mind daily with content that builds you up. Listen to a sales podcast three days a week. Read sales books. Watch training videos. Surround yourself with messages that reinforce the behaviors you want to develop. When you're in a situation where you feel fear or emotional angst, putting good stuff in your ears and eyes has a tendency to make your heart stronger and build your courage. This isn't fluffy motivation. This is practical psychology. You're literally rewiring your brain to associate prospecting with positive emotions instead of fear and anxiety. The Bottom Line Getting back in the prospecting game after time away isn't about summoning superhuman courage or pretending the fear doesn't exist. It's about acknowledging the fear, building a routine to work through it, and gradually rebuilding the muscle you once had. You already know how to do this. You've done it before. You just need to give yourself permission to start small, build consistently, and focus on progress over perfection. Start with your why. Build your prospecting sprints. Front-load your day. Feed your mind with the right content. And remember: The first call is always the hardest because you're lifting that 10,000-pound weight. But once you make it, the momentum starts building. You've got this. Now go pick up the phone and prove it to yourself. Want to learn how to leverage LinkedIn to fill your pipeline and never run out of opportunities? Check out Jeb Blount's latest book with Brynne Tillman, The LinkedIn Edge, and discover how to turn social selling into your secret weapon.

In this episode of Construction Disruption, host Todd Miller and co-host Seth Heckaman from Isaiah Industries discuss the future of sales with bestselling author and leading sales coach Jeb Blount. Jeb shares his insights on fanatical prospecting, the impact of AI on sales, and the importance of emotional intelligence for sales professionals. He also introduces his new book, The LinkedIn Edge, and discusses practical strategies for leveraging LinkedIn for both fast and slow prospecting. Discover how to enhance your sales techniques, build stronger relationships, and stay ahead in the evolving landscape of sales.Timestamps00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:27 A Quick Story About Horses01:21 Introducing Jeb Blount02:40 Jeb's Journey in Sales and Leadership05:19 The Inspiration Behind 'The AI Edge'07:06 The Role of AI in Sales and Business14:50 The LinkedIn Edge: Enhancing Sales with AI19:13 Fast and Slow Prospecting Strategies25:54 Creating Buying Windows26:32 The Concept of Slow Prospecting27:12 Breaking Down the Book's Approach28:02 The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Sales28:23 AI and the Future of Sales30:04 The Consultant's Role in Modern Sales33:15 Advice for New Sales Professionals37:42 Sales Gravy's Services and Growth41:37 Family-Run Business Dynamics47:00 Rapid Fire Questions49:42 Conclusion and Contact InformationConnect with Jeb OnlineLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jebblount/Email: jeb@salesgravy.comWebsite: https://salesgravy.com/The LinkedIn Edge Book: https://amzn.to/47yYBJJFor more Construction Disruption, listen on Apple Podcasts or YouTubeConnect with us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedInThis episode was produced by Isaiah Industries, Inc.Construction Disruption was recently featured in this 15 Best Podcasts for Contractors list!This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Jesse shares lessons on making the most of the tech sales career opportunity. SPONSORS:ChatAE (AI Account Planning): https://www.chatae.ai/?utm_source=salesplayers&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fall2025_partnershipEPISODE LINKS: • 20 Questions Download: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ko2yqyLeZ-GdVCDaiROomtZrvvNw50Y3/edit • Schedule 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

The gap between average salespeople and elite performers lies in process. While most reps chase quick wins and hope something sticks, top producers follow proven sales strategies that consistently deliver results. They've mastered the fundamentals that turn prospects into customers and customers into advocates. If you're ready to finish the year strong and blow past your quota, these five battle-tested sales strategies from previous podcasts will transform how you sell. 1. Deliver an Unforgettable Customer Experience by Mastering Your Emotions Your prospect doesn't care about your bad morning or the three deals that fell through yesterday. When you walk through the door or dial their number, you're the only conversation they're having with your company today. Elite salespeople know emotional consistency separates closers from pretenders. Think of it like a pro golfer staying calm and cruising forward regardless of what happened on the last hole. As Jeb Blount explains: How your customer feels about you is more predictive of outcome than any other variable. They buy you first, and then they buy your product. They buy you because they feel safe, heard, and confident you will deliver. This means you have to compartmentalize every interaction. Your fifth appointment of the day deserves the same intensity and professionalism as your first. When you show up desperate, prospects sense it immediately. When you rush through discovery, they feel undervalued. Jeb emphasizes this critical point: Buying a house, car, or service is deeply emotional for the customer. Before every interaction, take sixty seconds to reset. Acknowledge whatever is bothering you, mentally file it away, then walk in focused entirely on their world and their goals. 2. Commit to the Day One Follow-Up Mindset Ask yourself: How many times do you attempt to reach a prospect before quitting? If you answered three or four, you are leaving money on the table. Most reps quit after just three or four attempts, and sometimes without ever hearing a ‘No.' They just stop and let leads rot in the CRM instead of risking rejection. As Jessica Stokes reminds us, top producers understand this: While you are tracking your sixth or seventh outreach attempt, for the prospect, every touchpoint feels like day one. They are busy running their business—not waiting for your call. The problem is not just the number of attempts; it is the spacing. When you leave a voicemail and wait a month to "give them space," you lose momentum and start from scratch every time. The winning sales strategy is persistence with velocity. That means touching base every few days or weekly. When you maintain momentum, prospects remember you. The real failure is letting quality leads die because you are afraid to pick up the phone and risk hearing "No." 3. Turn Your Empathy Into a Weapon, Not a Weakness If you have ever hesitated before making a cold call because you thought, "I don't want to bother them," you are dealing with what Jeb Blount calls projection, and it is costing you deals. Projection happens when you assume prospects hate being interrupted as much as you do. You start deciding for them before you've even made the call. Successful salespeople recognize interruption is a professional necessity. Your job requires it; your income depends on it. Letting empathy paralyze your prospecting is dangerous. The internal conflict is real: You want to be an empathetic person, but you also have to be an interrupter. The mindset shift: Understand that projecting is the most dangerous thing in sales because you are deciding for your customer in advance what they want or need. Real empathy means showing up, asking sharp questions, and letting them tell you what they need. You cannot solve problems you never discover because you were too afraid to start the conversation. 4. Build a Velvet Rope Around Your Business What if your clients felt less like transactions and ...

Lightning Round: Top 10 Favorite Sales Tools Question: Rowena from the British Virgin Islands asks, “I'm active on LinkedIn but I'm not seeing results. I'm so frustrated. I listen every week so I'd ask experts should I double down on posting more or is there a smarter way to turn my online presence into real sales conversations?” Book: ‘Fanatical Prospecting' by Jeb Blount  and ‘The LinkedIn Edge' by Jeb Blount and Brynne Tillman

Discounting, Less than ideal clients, Desperation, Poor positioning, Low sales ? These are all very common sales and business problems. They all have something else in common also though… They can all be solved with one simple thing.. Deal or Lead flow Todays episode is all about prospecting in particular a great book called Fanatical Prospecting by Jeb Blount which I give you some of the highlights from. Definitely worth a “commute length” listen

Lightning Round: Top 10 Favorite Sales Tools Question: Rowena from the British Virgin Islands asks, “I'm active on LinkedIn but I'm not seeing results. I'm so frustrated. I listen every week so I'd ask experts should I double down on posting more or is there a smarter way to turn my online presence into real sales conversations?” Book: ‘Fanatical Prospecting' by Jeb Blount  and ‘The LinkedIn Edge' by Jeb Blount and Brynne Tillman

LinkedIn expert Brynne Tillman joins us to talk strategies for transforming LinkedIn into a powerful sales tool. Mark and Brynne dive into the cutting-edge advancements in AI and the capabilities of Sales Navigator, all while discussing LinkedIn's ethical stance on AI integration, which equips sales professionals with critical data for pre-call planning.  The conversation also tackles LinkedIn's controversial crackdown on bots and automation to ensure a superior user experience. Brynne outlines seven essential searches that tap into the potential of Sales Navigator, revealing how targeted prospecting can drive meaningful connections. The importance of detecting buyer intent on LinkedIn, specifically through job changes, is highlighted, offering a glimpse into more sophisticated signals.  

Lessons on (personal) brand building from 5 years of hosting this podcast. SPONSORS:ChatAE: https://www.chatae.ai/EPISODE LINKS: • 20 Questions Download: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ko2yqyLeZ-GdVCDaiROomtZrvvNw50Y3/edit • Schedule 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse shares 20 go-to questions for introducing friction in your deals.SPONSORS:ChatAE: https://www.chatae.ai/EPISODE LINKS: • 20 Questions Download: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ko2yqyLeZ-GdVCDaiROomtZrvvNw50Y3/edit • Schedule 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

EPISODE LINKS: • Schedule 1:1 Coaching Consult: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Renowned fitness and performance coach for sales leaders, Joshua Hulsebosch, has worked alongside industry giants like Jeb Blount and has designed wellness courses for Sales Gravy University. In the first episode of our “Fit for Sale” series, Joshua explains the vital connection between physical fitness and sales success, sharing real-life stories and practical strategies that busy sales professionals can implement to boost their energy, resilience, and overall effectiveness. From sleep routines to stress management and sustainable nutritional habits, Joshua discusses his daily practices that have helped sales leaders overcome challenges like burnout and really get fit for sale! Outline of This Episode [00:00] The impact of sleep deprivation on sales. [04:28] Fitness habits that help you boost energy, focus, and resilience. [06:32] The role physical health plays in managing stress and maintaining motivation. [08:41] Overcoming the common fitness and lifestyle challenges that Joshua sees in sales professionals. [10:46] Recognizing sleep deprivation signs. [13:43] Your environment shapes healthy habits. [17:16] Empowering sales through wellness. Why Physical Health Matters in Sales Picture a top-performing salesperson—a true “A-player.” Now strip away their discipline, consistent energy, ability to manage stress, and problem-solving skills by depriving them of good sleep, nutrition, and exercise. Suddenly, that superstar slips to an “F,” struggling with follow-up, motivation, and closing deals. Now flip the script: add daily exercise, clean eating, stress management techniques, and better sleep. Miraculously, performance rebounds—discipline returns, energy is steady, focus sharpens, and even efficiency improves by 20-30%. These gains come not from new sales tactics, but from foundational health habits. According to Joshua, the energy, discipline, and mental resilience cultivated through fitness can mean the difference between a struggling seller and a sales superstar. Game-Changing Habits for Sales Performance So, what routines set high-achievers apart? For Joshua, maintaining a consistent bedtime is top priority. “The body loves efficiency,” he says. Going to sleep at the same time every night helped him drastically reduce caffeine and sustain focus all day. This “hidden habit” is a simple yet powerful way to elevate performance. Other keystone practices include: Movement for Motivation: Short bursts of exercise—like jumping rope, even in chilly Canadian weather—can clear mental fog and transform procrastination into productivity. Creating Focused Environments: Eliminate distractions with blackout blinds, noise-canceling headphones, and even earplugs to maximize concentration during deep work. Daily Exercise for Resilience: Nearly half the time, Joshua admits he doesn't want to work out—but pushing through builds the mental toughness so crucial in high-pressure sales. Physical Fitness: The Ultimate Stress Management Tool Sales is stressful by nature—quarterly targets, rejection, and the rollercoaster of commission-based pay. Joshua argues that exercise isn't just about looking or feeling good—it's a proven method for regulating and recovering from stress. Regular movement improves posture and confidence (noticeable even to colleagues), and research supports that the same brain areas developed through exercise boost willpower and tenacity. “With exercise, you're not just building muscle, but the part of your brain responsible for willpower and perseverance,” Joshua explains. That toughness translates directly to overcoming difficult calls, bouncing back from setbacks, and sustaining motivation through inevitable ups and downs. The Top Challenges Sales Pros Face—and How to Solve Them Joshua sees three common health challenges among his sales clients: Sleep Deprivation: Chronic lack of sleep can cut sales efficiency by up to 30%. Many underestimate the long-term career cost of pushing through fatigue. Poor Nutrition (Especially Low Protein): Most salespeople don't get enough protein for recovery and sustained energy. Adding more can have profound effects. Overambitious Overhauls: Trying to change everything at once rarely sticks. Joshua advises clients to focus on one small, consistent change—build momentum and add more later. Preventing Burnout Burnout, Joshua says, isn't simply the result of stress, but of insufficient recovery. Think of stressors (like tough quarters) and recovery (like quality sleep and downtime) as a balance. Recovery that matches or surpasses stress leads to growth and development—not collapse. Too little, and you hit rock-bottom burnout, forcing your body—and your career—to a halt. One client lost over 50 pounds in six months, all through small, sustainable habits. The benefits extended far beyond the scale—energy soared, confidence returned, and he embraced opportunities (like public presentations) that once felt daunting. Health changes didn't just transform his body, but also rippled through his sales performance and even inspired his team. Sales isn't just about the numbers—it's about the person behind the numbers. Invest in your well-being, and watch your sales soar. Resources & People Mentioned Sales Gravy Connect with Joshua Hulsebosch Joshua Hulsebosch on LinkedIn Connect With Paul Watts  LinkedIn Twitter    Subscribe to SALES REINVENTED   Audio Production and Show Notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Jesse shares his approach to building pipeline from the closed-lost deals in your territory. EPISODE LINKS: • Re-engagement Email Template: https://www.salesplayers.co/posts/copy-my-re-engagement-email-templateCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/paid-coaching-sessionHELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse shares five simple but powerful habits that increase your chances of closing more deals.EPISODE LINKS: • Aug '25 Coaching Promo ($99 Sessions) Book at: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/paid-coaching-sessionCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse shares ideas for getting yourself out there and building your network. EPISODE LINKS:• Order Red Zone Selling by Vince Beese: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLLHQG13 • Aug '25 Only Coaching Promo ($99 Sessions) Book at: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/paid-coaching-sessionCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse shares five side hustles that B2B sellers can launch without leaving their day job. He walks through ideas he's personally tested to turn sales skills into extra income while working full-time in tech sales.EPISODE LINKS: • Aug '25 Only Coaching Promo ($99 Sessions) Book at: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/paid-coaching-sessionCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Sriharsha (Sai) Guduguntla is the Co-Founder of Hyperbound, an AI Sales Coach. He joins Jesse to share insights into how sellers can use AI to improve their craft. EPISODE LINKS: • Connect with Sai: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sguduguntla/ • Get Hyperbound: https://www.hyperbound.ai/CONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse breaks down the exact numbers he tracks to stay on target and outperform quotaEPISODE LINKS: • 1:1 Coaching Intro: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Will AI steal your sales team's jobs? It's the question haunting every sales floor conversation and keeping leaders up at night. But here's the crucial insight: The biggest threat to your team's sales careers lies in misinterpreting AI's role. While the debate rages over robots replacing salespeople, forward-thinking organizations are already embracing "Agentic AI." This isn't your typical automation that just speeds up email sequences. It's a completely different approach that turns AI into your sales team's secret weapon, not their replacement. The companies getting this right aren't asking "How do we cut costs with AI?" They're asking, "How do we make our best salespeople unstoppable?" The answer is reshaping the entire profession, and it's happening faster than you think. Agentic AI is Far From Old-School Automation Most sales leaders think AI is about efficiency, and they're wrong. They think teams will only send more emails, make more calls, and process more leads. That's old-school automation thinking, not agentic AI Agentic AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that can independently make choices and take actions while working toward complicated objectives—all without needing constant human oversight or guidance. As Outreach CEO Abhijit Mitra puts it: Agentic AI engines focus on giving salespeople tools that enhance their strengths and simplify their daily tasks. Agentic AI enhances human judgment. Instead of automating relationships, it deepens them. Your top performers are successful because they make better decisions, read situations more accurately, and build stronger connections. Agentic AI amplifies gives your salespeople superhuman pattern recognition, instant access to contextual insights, and the ability to predict customer needs before prospects even realize them. Your best rep's intuition, backed by AI's analytical power, becomes an unstoppable combination. The Best AI is Custom Built Too many organizations buy the same generic solution their competitors are using and wonder why they're not seeing breakthrough results. Your sales process, market, and customers are unique. Your AI should be, too. Despite often being an expensive investment, custom AI solutions adapt to your specific industry terminology, recognize your unique buying patterns, and align with your particular sales methodology. If your team can't find ways to use generative AI effectively, then they need to read The AI Edge by best-selling author Jeb Blount. If they still struggle to use generative AI effectively, it might be time to invest in custom AI that captures and amplifies your unique competitive advantages. Why Most AI Implementations Fail From the Start Before you get excited about AI magic, be warned: Most AI implementations fail spectacularly. Not because the technology is flawed, but because companies skip the unglamorous groundwork. Your AI is only as good as your data. Garbage in, garbage out is both a tech cliché and the undeniable reason your CRM feels like a digital junk drawer and your sales forecasts are glorified guesswork. Companies that invest in data cleanup before implementing AI see immediate, measurable improvements. It's more than removing duplicate contacts. It's about creating a foundation where AI can learn meaningful patterns about your customers, your market, and your sales process. Poor data quality limits AI performance and makes it downright dangerous. When AI systems learn from incomplete or incorrect data, they amplify those errors across your entire sales process. Your reps start making decisions based on flawed insights, potentially damaging customer relationships and missing opportunities. The lesson? AI transformation is a data governance initiative. Get it right, and everything else becomes possible. How to Manage Your Team's Resistance to Change Picture this: You announce your AI initiative in Monday's sales meeting. Instead of excitement,

Jesse sits down with his former sales leader Vince Beese, the only exec he's ever seen cold call procurement to get a deal done. They break down Vince's new book Red Zone Selling, including tactical plays for managing late-stage deals, building mutual action plans that actually work, and why enterprise sales is more like football than most reps realize. If you're selling big deals in a competitive market, this one's a masterclass.EPISODE LINKS: • Connect with Vince: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vbeese/ • Red Zone Selling Launch: https://40974935.hs-sites.com/red-zone • Red Zone Selling Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7252747286076698624/CONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Why do so many entrepreneurs fail to close deals, not because they lack a great product, but because they misunderstand the real nature of sales?In this episode, Natalie welcomes Jeb Blount Jr., division leader at Sales Gravy and host of the Sales Gravy podcast. They dive into the crucial but often misunderstood role of sales in entrepreneurship. Jeb breaks down the emotional intelligence behind effective selling, why listening trumps pitching, and how entrepreneurs can turn sales conversations into meaningful business relationships. Whether you're just starting or scaling, this conversation offers a practical lens into qualifying leads, slowing the sales process, and collaborating with clients to build long-term trust.[00:01 - 06:30] Rethinking Sales: Everyone Is in SalesThe significance of redefining sales as relationship-building, not manipulationWhy viewing yourself as “not a salesperson” weakens your entrepreneurial impactThe importance of accepting that revenue drives sustainability[06:31 - 12:53] The Core of EQ in SalesWhat emotional intelligence looks like in high-stakes sellingWhy listening more than talking creates deeper trustThe significance of making people feel heard and important[12:54 - 18:30] Qualifying vs. Pitching: Always Be QualifyingThe need to vet clients for fit—not just push a pitchWhy it's smart to walk away from unqualified leadsHow saying “no” can build more trust than saying “yes”[18:31 - 24:00] The Power of Slowing DownWhat it means to own the sales processWhy rushing to proposals leads to rejectionThe value of co-creating solutions with prospects[24:01 - 30:43] Long-Term Wins: Creating Buy-In & the IKEA EffectWhy co-creation increases ownership and satisfactionHow to handle rejection as an opportunity to learnThe parallel between product development and good salesQuotes:“If you brand yourself as 'not a salesperson,' you're being disingenuous—especially if you're an entrepreneur.” - Jeb Blount Jr.“The greatest gift you can give someone in sales is the gift of importance.” - Jeb Blount Jr.“You don't need to always be selling—you need to always be qualifying.” - Jeb Blount Jr.Connect with Jeb:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jebjrLEAVE A REVIEW + help someone empower their businesses through collaboration, innovation, and transformation by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.Check Natalie's new book, SET IT ON FIRE: The Art of Innovation, available now at setitonfire.coThese are proven solutions to advance your leadership and innovation process. Check out our website innovationmeetsleadership.com, or connect with me on Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube.Don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review. Let's go transform something!

Jesse shares 20 proven sales plays he turns to when deals stall, pipeline dries up, or nothing seems to be working. These are high-leverage, momentum-building activities that have helped him bounce back from slumps and close big deals.EPISODE LINKS: • https://www.salesplayers.co/posts/20-high-leverage-sales-activitiesCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

In this energizing episode of the Logistics & Leadership Podcast, Brian Hastings sits down with Jeb Blount Jr. —host of the Sales Gravy Podcast and marketing leader at Sales Gravy—to talk about what really separates top sales performers from the rest.Jeb shares the hard-won lessons from his early missteps, the psychology behind rejection, and why humility beats hype every time. From cold calling myths to misaligned leadership, this episode is packed with raw truths, sales strategy, and mental frameworks that will sharpen any rep's mindset.Whether you're a new SDR, a seasoned closer, or leading a team of reps, this is a must-listen on what it really takes to win in sales—and stay there.The Logistics & Leadership Podcast, powered by Veritas Logistics, redefines logistics and personal growth. Hosted by industry veterans and supply chain leaders Brian Hastings and Justin Maines, it shares their journey from humble beginnings to a $50 million company. Discover invaluable lessons in logistics, mental toughness, and embracing the entrepreneurial spirit. The show delves into personal and professional development, routine, and the power of betting on oneself. From inspiring stories to practical insights, this podcast is a must for aspiring entrepreneurs, logistics professionals, and anyone seeking to push limits and achieve success.Timestamps:(00:09) – The Pitfalls of Overconfidence in Business Meetings(08:43) – The Turning Point in My Sales Journey(10:46) – Overcoming the Fear of Rejection in Sales(20:58) – Overcoming Fear of Rejection in Sales(32:22) – The Importance of Leadership Buy-In in Sales Training(36:29) – Understanding Sales Training and Leadership Alignment(45:21) – The Importance of Self-Awareness in Sales SuccessConnect with Jeb Blount Jr.:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jebjrInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bejblount/?hl=enConnect with us! ▶️ Website | LinkedIn | Brian's LinkedIn | Justin's LinkedIn▶️ Get our newsletter for more logistics insights▶️ Send us your questions!! ask@go-veritas.comWatch the pod on: YouTube

Jesse sits down with "Fidel Cache Flow," an anonymous tech seller who's built a cult following on Sales Twitter with unfiltered takes on career growth, wifi money, and escaping the W2 grind. Fidel runs Desperados, a fast-growing private community for sellers looking to build income beyond quota. In this episode, they dive into contract stacking, virtual assistants, building while employed, and why aiming for #1 on the leaderboard might be the wrong game.EPISODE LINKS: • Follow: https://x.com/FidelCacheFlowCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Have you ever been working on a deal where you had this feeling, this intuition, this Spidey sense—something in the back of your mind telling you that this wasn't going to close? That you were going to waste your time? Maybe you had one of the stakeholders who was against you—an enemy. There was a naysayer who kept calling you out. Perhaps the stakeholders weren't engaged, or the incumbent vendor was so integrated into the organization that it would be very difficult to displace them. Whatever the case, you knew in the back of your mind that you weren't going to close the deal. But you kept working on it anyway. You rode that puppy to the ocean floor like the Titanic that it was. If you've done this, and I know you have, take heart because we've all been there. We've all had these situations, and we've later regretted them.  Top Sales Pros are Quick to Walk Away From Bad Deals  One of the traits of Ultra-High Performers that has always been true is that they're very quick to walk away from a deal they can't close—a deal where they've concluded that the probability of winning is so low it doesn't meet their threshold. The reason Ultra-High Performers walk away from deals like this is simple: They know that the greatest waste of their time is investing it with the wrong prospect. The time they invest in a prospect that's not going to close is money down the drain, because it's time they can't focus on a deal that will close. But average salespeople? They hang on—hoping against hope that somehow, miraculously, things will turn around. In sales, awareness matters. You must always know where the exit is. There are two primary reasons why salespeople work on deals that are never going to close. Understanding these reasons is the first step to avoiding the trap. Reason #1: The Failure to Qualify Properly Too often, qualifying is treated like a one-and-done activity. We qualify the opportunity against our ICP. We qualify the numbers, budget, timing, urgency, and whether we're talking to a decision-maker with buying authority.  These are all quantifiable metrics that we can measure and check off our list.  But Ultra-High Performers take qualifying to the next level. Rather than making it a quick process, they understand that qualifying is never done. It's an ongoing process of awareness that keeps you tethered to reality in every deal. And their top qualifier, once they've checked off the must-haves, is engagement. Are the stakeholders engaged? Are they leaning in? Are they matching your effort, answering questions, and working collaboratively with you? It's okay that there are some stakeholders who may be naysayers. That's normal in complex deals. But if you've got stakeholders who are enemies—people who are actively working against you—then your deal might be a bridge too far.  Engagement is my No. 1 qualifier. I'm constantly asking questions and giving stakeholders things to do to see whether or not they're engaged. If they're not engaged, I walk away because lack of engagement is a clear signal that you are not going to close the deal.  Reason #2: An Empty Pipeline This brings us to the second reason salespeople stay in bad deals—desperation born from an empty pipeline. On Friday, Dennis J. Walker, who is a benefits consultant with USI, posted something on LinkedIn that perfectly captures this dynamic. Here's exactly what he wrote: Jeb Blount regularly states that you can't be delusional about your pipe, your prospects, your efforts, etc and be successful as a salesperson. This week one of the larger deals in my pipe definitely didn't progress the way I wanted- and it turns out one of the executives is what I call a "deal enemy" - he was actively working against me and my team. The last two meetings I've had with him tipped me off this could be the case; this week we had an incident that indicated he was actively working against us. Because my pipe is full?

Jesse breaks down 23 hard-earned truths about enterprise sales that every seller should knowSPONSORS:• ZoomInfo (The GTM Intelligence Platform) - Link for SP extended trial offer: https://try.zoominfo.com/spEPISODE LINKS: • Read the 23 Truths: https://www.salesplayers.co/posts/23-absolute-truths-about-enterprise-selling • Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

The best candidates don't just show up, they sell themselves at every step. In this episode, Jesse shares the high-leverage interview plays that get offers in today's brutal job market.SPONSORS:• ZoomInfo (The GTM Intelligence Platform) - Link for SP extended trial offer: https://try.zoominfo.com/spEPISODE LINKS: • Join the FREE Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse breaks down the 10 traits that separate good reps from top-performing enterprise and mid-market sellers. After a decade in tech sales and five years interviewing the best in the game, he shares what it really takes to sell at the highest level.SPONSORS:• ZoomInfo (The GTM Intelligence Platform) - Link for SP extended trial offer: https://try.zoominfo.com/spEPISODE LINKS:• Read: https://www.salesplayers.co/posts/top-tech-sellers-share-these-10-traits• Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Stu Heinecke shares fun and unconventional methods to reach VIPs.— YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The secret behind Stu's 100% response rate 2) The master key to grabbing people's attention 3) What AI can and can't do for your outreachSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1063 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT STU — Stu Heinecke is a Wall Street Journal cartoonist, Hall of Fame-nominated marketer and author. Heinecke discovered the magic of "Contact Marketing" early in his career, when he launched a Contact Campaign to just two dozen Vice Presidents and Directors of Circulation at the big Manhattan-based magazine publishers. That tiny $100 investment resulted in a 100% response rate, launched his enterprise and brought in millions of dollars worth of business. Heinecke is the host and author of the How To Get A Meeting with Anyone podcast and blog, and founder and president of Contact, a Contact Marketing agency, and cofounder of Cartoonists.org, a coalition of famed cartoonists dedicated to raising funds for charity, while raising the profile of the cartooning art form. He lives on an island in the pristine Pacific Northwest with his wife, Charlotte, and their dog, Bo. • Book: Get the Meeting!: An Illustrative Contact Marketing Playbook • Book: How to Get a Meeting with Anyone, Updated Edition: The Untapped Selling Power of Contact Marketing • Book: How to Grow Your Business Like a Weed: A Complete Strategy for Unstoppable Growth • LinkedIn: Stu Heinecke• Website: StuHeinecke.com — RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Book: The AI Edge: Sales Strategies for Unleashing the Power of AI to Save Time, Sell More, and Crush the Competition by Jeb Blount and Anthony Iannarino • Previous episode: 503: How to Get a Meeting with Anyone with Stu Heinecke — THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/AwesomeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jesse shares the unfiltered story of his time as the founding AE at a seed-stage startup. From landing the role on a mountain bike trail to building sales ops from scratch, it's a raw look at what early-stage startup life is really like.SPONSORS:• ZoomInfo (The GTM Intelligence Platform) - Link for SP extended trial offer: https://try.zoominfo.com/spEPISODE LINKS:• Want to get better at cold calls? Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse breaks down the exact cold call routine he uses daily to drive pipeline. SPONSORS:• ZoomInfo (The GTM Intelligence Platform) - Link for SP extended trial offer: https://try.zoominfo.com/spEPISODE LINKS:• Want to get better at cold calls? Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse reminds sellers why understanding the product matters, especially when selling to IT buyers. SPONSORS:• Surfe (LinkedIn Prospecting Streamlined) - SP promo link: https://www.surfe.com/?kfl_ln=jesse-woodbury EPISODE LINKS:• Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse shares a real-life look at how he juggles tech sales, content creation, fitness, and family life each week. SPONSORS:• Surfe (LinkedIn Prospecting Streamlined) - SP promo link: https://www.surfe.com/?kfl_ln=jesse-woodbury EPISODE LINKS:• Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse shares real strategies for SDRs looking to break into AE roles, drawing from his own journey from SDR > SDR Leader > Enterprise AE.SPONSORS:• Surfe (LinkedIn Prospecting Streamlined) - SP promo link: https://www.surfe.com/?kfl_ln=jesse-woodbury EPISODE LINKS:• Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Get a weekly email from SP: https://www.salesplayers.co/ • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse gives his take on why you should consider spending the first few years of your career in an office.SPONSORS:• Pre-Order Commission Impossible! - https://www.salesplayers.co/products/ciEPISODE LINKS:• Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse shares his basic process for negotiating compensation as a tech seller.SPONSORS:• Pre-Order Commission Impossible! - https://www.salesplayers.co/products/ciEPISODE LINKS:• Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Jesse talks about mindset shifts sellers can embrace for long-term success. SPONSORS:• Surfe (LinkedIn Prospecting Streamlined) - SP Promo link: https://www.surfe.com/?kfl_ln=jesse-woodburyEPISODE LINKS:• Pre-Order Commission Impossible! - https://www.salesplayers.co/products/ci• Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Jason Kramer from Cultivate discusses his entrepreneurial journey, starting with a graphic design business before founding his current CRM strategy consultancy. He highlights the impressive growth of Cultivate, averaging 15 to 30% annually and expanding his team. Jason shares valuable insights into CRM strategy for nurturing leads and demonstrating marketing ROI, emphasising the importance of understanding your target audience. He also offers advice on key aspects of business growth, including hiring, the significance of work-life balance, and lessons learned from his experiences. Jason also touches upon the importance of good financial management and the "Profit First" methodology.   Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice.   And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? According to Jason Kramer, the hardest things in growing a small business are finding quality people who are reliable, dependable experts with good communication skills. He also notes that juggling all the different aspects of the business can be difficult for some, though less so for him due to his organised approach. Reflecting on his early days, Jason would advise himself to seek out those who have experience and made mistakes to learn from them and accelerate success. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Jason Kramer's favourite business book is "Profit First" by Mike Michalowicz. He states that this book has significantly impacted how they manage cash flow in their business using a system of multiple bank accounts. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Jason Kramer recommends Donald C Kelly's podcast, "The Sales Evangelist", for valuable techniques and ideas. He also finds Jeff Blanto's "Sales Gravy" sometimes interesting. Additionally, Jason's company, Cultivate, offers "Profit Path", a tool with coaching and ebooks for tracking leads and marketing ROI. The "Grow Small Business Podcast" itself, hosted by Troy Trewin, who interviewed Jason, is also a relevant resource, with a past episode featuring Mike Michalowicz, author of "Profit First". What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Jason Kramer recommends The Sales Evangelist podcast by Donald C. Kelly for practical, actionable sales techniques and Sales Gravy by Jeb Blount for insightful tips on business and selling. He also highlights the importance of mixing in some non-business content for balance, like Conan O'Brien's podcast, which he enjoys for its humor and engaging interviews​. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Jason Kramer's advice to his day-one self would be: “It's going to be a hell of a ride, unexpected but worth it.” He emphasizes the importance of learning from those who've gone before — seeking out people who've made mistakes and grown from them, so you can fast-track your own success by avoiding common pitfalls​. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.   Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: When uncertain, seek out those who have walked the path before, learned from their mistakes, and use their experiences to accelerate your journey to success – Jason Kramer Technology alone doesn't solve problems; having the right people in place is key to effectively addressing those challenges  – Jason Kramer I believe it begins with understanding who you're helping and the problems they face – Jason Kramer  

Jesse shares ideas for how you can become a more fierce competitor in your deals.SPONSORS:• Surfe (LinkedIn Prospecting Streamlined) - SP Promo link: https://www.surfe.com/?kfl_ln=jesse-woodbury• Fathom (#1 AI Notetaker) - SP Promo link: https://fathom.partnerlinks.io/salesplayersEPISODE LINKS:• Mutual Action Plan: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1br4CrpdOq-3ToypxCTWQ75Ea9DbKtpWSU_bTcKK_TiE/edit#slide=id.p• Book FREE 1:1 Coaching Intro with Jesse: https://calendly.com/jessewoodbury/1-1-coaching-overviewCONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap, Rachit Kataria© Sales Players, LLC

Rachit Kataria is the Co-Founder & CEO of Centralize (https://www.usecentralize.com/) an all-in-one deal collaboration platform for enterprise revenue teams backed by Y Combinator. In this episode, Rachit shares his career story, the origins of Centralize, and the AI opportunity for Enterprise Sales. SPONSORS:• Surfe (LinkedIn Prospecting Streamlined) - SP Promo link: https://www.surfe.com/?kfl_ln=jesse-woodbury• Fathom (#1 AI Notetaker) - SP Promo link: https://fathom.partnerlinks.io/salesplayersEPISODE LINKS: • Website: https://www.usecentralize.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachitkataria/CONNECT WITH JESSE: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewoodbury/ • Website: https://jessewoodbury.com/HELP GROW SP: • Join Sales Players Slack Community: https://www.launchpass.com/saas_sales_players/free • Subscribe! • Leave a rating, write a review, and share • Check out the above sponsors, it's the best way to support the showGUEST HIGHLIGHTS:Morgan J. Ingram, Chris Orlob, Ian Koniak, Jeb Blount, Brandon Fluharty, Scott Leese, Sarah Brazier, Jamal Reimer, Jen Allen-Knuth, Andy Paul, Collin Mitchell, Tim Zielinski, Christian Banach, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Belal Batrawy, Christine Rogers, Chris Beall, Patrick Baynes, Jeroen Corthout, Nate Nasralla, Gabe Lullo, Vince Beese, Brandon Bornancin, Girish Redekar, Guillaume Moubeche, Lloyed Lobo, Corey Quinn, Danny Delvecchio, Tom Slocum, Todd Busler, Richard Harris, Krysten Conner, Dan Goodman, Kris Rudeegraap© Sales Players, LLC

Great advice is everywhere, but most of it is fluff. In sales, you don't need clichés—you need real strategies that help you win more deals. We've pulled together five of the biggest game-changing sales tips from the Sales Gravy Podcast so far this year.  These are proven tactics from top sales pros who know what it takes to close deals, stay sharp, and dominate the competition. If you want to crush your numbers, start here.  The Grind Gets You Gold You won't become a sales expert overnight.  But you can practice your way to excellence and then—one day—reach elite levels of selling. As sales guru Tony Morris said, “You get out what you put in. … You don't have to be the greatest; you've got to be the hardest [worker].” In other words, be ready to roll up your sleeves and get in the trenches. Everyone sees the skills of great athletes, but not everyone considers all the consistent work it took to hit that home run or make that perfect golf swing. Sales success is no different—it's the result of countless daily reps, not just the big wins. Top performers make it all look fluid—like a dance that should be easy to learn. But it's not. Developing sales acumen takes time and massive effort, plus dedication to the grind. You have to dedicate time every day to getting better—no matter what. Practice is an integral part of the grind. Drill your frameworks. Roleplay with mentors. Ask for feedback. You have to pick up the phone and make calls no one else will—that's how you win. Don't give up before you see results.  You Must Learn to Sell Once you've learned the basics, the grind perfects them. But you better start with some solid foundational skills. Sales strategist Dawnna St. Louis puts it this way: “The first thing you need to do is learn to sell.” Because trying to sell without knowing how to sell is an uphill climb that most never finish. Learn to sell, or risk losing everything. It's an ultimatum that no sales rep can afford to ignore. Even the best subject matter experts fail without sales skills.  Take courses and identify a mentor—a seasoned veteran who can provide feedback on your calls and negotiation techniques. Find a personal sales coach to teach you the ropes.  Perfect Your Digital Profile Stick to the simple; nix the jargon. As Breaking B2B Founder Sam Dunning says, “Does it pass the Caveman Grunt test?”  Given a few seconds, could a caveman successfully grunt what you do based on your website—or your social media presence—alone? If not, you're in trouble. No one is going to buy from you if they don't understand what you do or your expertise.  A website is the online lobby of a business—the introduction to your service or product for potential digital customers.  But take Dunning's advice one step further and apply it to your Linkedin profile and social media accounts that are your lobby to your potential customers. Lean into the basics: Who are you? What do you do? Why should a customer pick you? The quality of your messaging can encourage prospects to reach out to you or establish you as a trustworthy source of business. Create content that positions you as a thought leader and advisor.  Otherwise? Your social presence is useless. Wasted Time is the Enemy Time is the one commodity that you can't replenish. Once it's gone, it's gone. That's why you must dedicate time to filling your pipeline every week. Protect your Golden Hours at all costs and then use that time wisely to make as many calls as you can. Whether you're in the same building or your team includes remote workers, pick a mutual time and start dialing numbers. As best-selling author and sales expert Jeb Blount put it in a recent Ask Jeb, “Pick a period of time and say ‘We're going to run call blocks.' … Be ready with your list and we're going to chop wood.”  Eat the frog—carve out specific time to focus on your hardest task of the day.

Si alguna vez has sentido que tu negocio o tus ventas son una montaña rusa—meses en los que todo parece fluir y otros en los que no vendes ni un lápiz—este episodio es para ti. No se trata de mala suerte, ni de crisis económicas. Se trata de algo mucho más simple: dejaste de prospectar.En este episodio analizo Más Clientes Más Ventas (Fanatical Prospecting, 2015) de Jeb Blount, en el que te explicamos cómo romper el ciclo negativo y construir un negocio estable.

On the surface, you'd think that “selling” and “asking” go hand in hand. In reality, salespeople at all experience levels often hesitate, tiptoe around, or dodge direct closes because they're afraid of rejection, worried about coming across as pushy, or insecure about asking. On this episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount explores why salespeople fear asking for the sale and what to do about it with author and Sales Gravy University instructor, Tony Morris  Every salesperson starts somewhere. Tony Morris started turning a profit buying 10 pounds of sweets from a shop and selling them for 20 pounds. Before that, he sold car washing door to door. But before all that, he spent hours watching his father prep for sales calls in the mirror, honing his language and mastering his message. It drove home one idea for a young Tony: To be a sales success, you have to practice, practice, practice learning how to ask for the sale.  The Fear Factor That Holds Salespeople Back From Asking for the Sale There's an underlying, deeply human factor that derails many capable sales professionals: The fear of asking for the sale. Rejection stings, whether it's a “no” from a potential client or crickets after your presented a proposal you believed was bulletproof.  We fear hearing “no” because we interpret it, consciously or not, as a sign that our competence or worth is lacking. Ironically, the more empathetic and relationship-focused a salesperson is, the more they tend to shy away from scenarios that might lead to an uncomfortable refusal. When you allow the fear of rejection for creep in when attempting to close the sales it often leads to: Hesitation: You wait for the buyer to “signal” readiness, rather than proactively closing. Defensiveness: If a conversation veers toward potential objections, you steer away or gloss over critical next steps. Over-Explaining: To avoid a direct ask, you bury the buyer in details, hoping they'll volunteer a “yes.” Practice Is the Key to Asking Confidently for the Sale Watch any top performer in any field—a pro golfer, a concert pianist, or an elite salesperson—and they often make it look effortless. People assume they were simply “born with it.” In truth, consistent practice is usually the reason they're able to operate at such a high level without appearing scripted or nervous. One reason salespeople hesitate to ask for the sale is that they don't feel comfortable with what to say—or how to say it—when the conversation reaches its critical moment. Practice, especially under realistic conditions, engrains talk tracks, responses to objections, and emotional composure. Practice allows you to lean on muscle memory rather than fumbling for words or panicking at a curveball question or objection. The more you prepare, the more comfortable you are in the moment. When you are well-prepared you come across as “unscripted” and fluid because you're not scrambling to find the right words. You've internalized the dialogue, so it sounds like a calm, authentic conversation rather than a memorized monologue. Make Peace with the Word “No” Time and again, top sales performers cite a simple truth: a fast “no” can be better than a lingering “maybe.” It allows you to save time, refocus energy, and cultivate a pipeline of engaged prospects. Learning to handle “no” as a data point—rather than personal rejection—keeps you in motion. Categorize the “Nos”: Some are “not now,” others are “not a fit,” and a few are “never.” Understanding which type of no you're dealing with can shape follow-up strategies. Seek Feedback: If appropriate, ask, “I respect your decision. May I ask what caused you to decline?” That insight can sharpen future presentations. Stay Professional: Burn no bridges. A gracious exit can leave the door cracked open; circumstances often change. Shift Your Mindset About What Asking for the Sale Really Means Whether you're selling software,

Zack in Defiance, Ohio faces a unique challenge that may sound specific at first but is more common than you think: he can only close a deal if his customer closes a deal of their own first. In other words, they must “sell” a project to their own clients before Zack's solution can come into play. This scenario appears in industries like construction, engineering, software licensing, and more. The conversation with Zack revealed practical strategies you can use to overcome these hurdles and keep your own pipeline healthy. Welcome to another Ask Jeb segment on the Sales Gravy Podcast! I'm Jeb Blount—bestselling author of Fanatical Prospecting, Objections, Sales EQ, and INKED. In each of these special episodes, we shine a spotlight on your questions, challenges, and roadblocks—offering real-world advice from sales pros who are in the trenches every single day. 1. Recognize the Real-World Obstacles Whether your customer has to bid on government contracts, secure large client projects, or get internal buy-in from multiple stakeholders, their success dictates your sale. While it's easy to be frustrated by this extra layer, it's crucial to acknowledge a few realities: Your Customer's Motivation: They're laser-focused on winning their own deal. Your product or service is secondary—important, but not top of mind until they're assured of a win. Lead Time: Deals can stretch out because you're waiting on an entire chain of approvals or external decisions. Competition: If your customers finally land the big deal, they might still shop around to find the best supplier, leaving you in a second round of competition. Understanding these pressures helps you empathize with your buyer. It also positions you to offer support in ways that make them want to stick with you—rather than jumping to a competitor at the eleventh hour. 2. Be a Genuine Partner, Not a Peddler It's tempting to keep nudging your buyers with hard-closing tactics, but that rarely works when they haven't secured their own contract. Instead, pivot to a mindset of partnership: Build Real Relationships Invest time getting to know your buyer on a personal level. Talk about local sports teams, industry news, or shared hobbies. Real rapport fosters loyalty. When your customer finally wins their deal, they'll feel comfortable turning to a friend—you—for the solution they need. Offer Strategic Expertise If your offering requires complex configurations or specialized knowledge, step in as a consultant. For instance, share best practices on how to optimize a design, or explain how to streamline a process. By helping them present stronger bids or more compelling proposals, you become integral to their success. Stay Responsive If they're scrambling to nail down specifics for a bid, be the easiest person on their call list. Quick turnaround times and thorough answers showcase that you're a reliable partner. Nobody wants a vendor who goes dark when the pressure is on. 3. Avoid Becoming a “Quote Factory” One of the biggest pitfalls in this scenario is turning into a “quote factory” that does piles of work for prospects who never buy. While it's true you miss 100% of the shots you don't take, you also waste valuable hours if you keep shooting at targets that never pan out. Track Buying History Look at your records: are there customers or accounts for which you consistently provide proposals and never see a sale? Identify these patterns. Have Candid Conversations Let them know your time and expertise aren't free. You're happy to help, but if they continually choose other suppliers or undercut your prices, you need to reevaluate the partnership. Sometimes, a direct discussion is enough to shift their approach and earn you real business. If not, you can focus on more promising leads. Prioritize Strategic Deals If you're caught up producing endless quotes for “long-shot” clients,