Podcast appearances and mentions of melissa madian

In this episode of Sales Reinvented, Melissa Madian dives into the psychology behind objections in sales conversations—specifically how most objections aren't really about the surface-level concerns expressed by buyers. Instead, they stem from a fear of change and disruption to the status quo. Statements like: “That feels expensive...” “That seems hard...” “I don't have time to do that...” …aren't about price, complexity, or time. These objections reflect a deeper emotional resistance. So how can sales professionals address these concerns effectively? Melissa shares actionable strategies to help you navigate these hidden fears with empathy and confidence. Outline of This Episode [1:07] The common type of objections salespeople face [2:30] The biggest mistake salespeople make with objections [4:50] How Melissa responds to objections  [7:06] The role of empathy in objection handling  [8:50] How to handle objections with confidence [12:00] Melissa's top objection-handling dos and don'ts Connect with Melissa Madian Connect on LinkedIn Follow on X Connect With Paul Watts  LinkedIn Twitter  Subscribe to SALES REINVENTED Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Anyone can learn to incorporate storytelling into their day-to-day activities. Some people are more comfortable telling stories than others—but we're all human. As humans, we tend to communicate via story, whether we actively recognize it or not. Even if you feel like you aren't a natural storyteller, you likely are, you just aren't aware that you can tell an effective story. Melissa Madian shares how to communicate with story in this episode of Sales Reinvented.  Outline of This Episode [1:13] What storytelling is an important skill to possess [1:58] Why Melissa believes storytelling can be learned [3:11] The ingredients of a story that sells [5:42] The attributes and characteristics of a great storyteller [7:16] Resources to improve storytelling abilities [8:18] Melissa's top 3 storytelling dos and don'ts [10:27] How humans communicate with story The ingredients of a story that sells Melissa's husband is a screenwriter. His whole job is to tell great stories. According to him, a great story consists of a few main elements: A protagonist: Who does the story center around? Conflict: how does the protagonist go through a transformation?  A beginning, middle, and end: The protagonist starts in one spot, goes through a transformation, and ends in a happily ever after state.  There's usually a mentor that guides the protagonist on their journey. But what makes that story sell? Melissa emphasizes that when you communicate with story, you have to think about your audience. The best salespeople convey relevant stories that are about your customer or buyer. That's when it becomes a more effective story. Who doesn't love to hear a story about themselves? The attributes and characteristics of a great storyteller Great salespeople listen first. Salespeople need to understand the world of the buyer that they're speaking to. When you can get in the head of the buyer, you're better at telling a story that connects. It helps you frame the story in their world. It's about them and how they'll be better with your product or solution. Good salespeople set the stage up for the buyer.  Melissa's top 3 storytelling dos and don'ts Melissa's storytelling tips are spot-on. Can you spot a theme?  Don't make it about you. No one cares about you. It's like going on a date and only talking about yourself.  Don't pitch your product or solution as the hero of the storyline that you're telling. Nobody cares about you. Don't set up your story with, “I'm going to tell you a story!”  Make your story about the audience and make them the protagonist.  Tell the story in their world. What does their day-to-day life look like? What does their world feel like? Set the scene where they'll understand it.  Inject your own personality and sense of humor into the story.  How humans communicate with story Even if your prospect is a busy executive or the most technical person you've ever met, they're still human, right? And the most effective way to tell a story to another human being is through metaphors and analogies. Everyone can do this. We all use stories and analogies to explain complicated topics.  One of Melissa's clients tried to explain their product to her. They started by saying, “Well, it's a complicated system of data-cleansing that indexes and modifies files and allows you to transfer information.” To Melissa, it came across as “Blah, blah, blah.” So she asked him to explain it as if she were a child. So the client asked her if she's ever moved. Of course, she said yes.  So he went on, “When you move from house A to house B, do you toss everything you own into boxes and move those boxes and when you arrive, question where they're supposed to go? Or do you purge things you don't need, put things in clearly labeled boxes, and every box goes to a specific room in house B? That's what our software does. It takes your data, purges what you don't need and indexes what you do, and then moves it to your new data warehouse. It puts what you need where you need it.” That's the story he should have told in the first place. Simple stories take something abstract and complicated and make it understandable to your audience.  Resources & People Mentioned Melissa's book: Enabler? I Hardly Know Her! Save the Cat! By Blake Snyder Connect with Melissa Madian Connect on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter Connect With Paul Watts  LinkedIn Twitter  Subscribe to SALES REINVENTED Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Melissa Madian is the Founder and Chief Fabulous Officer at TMM Enablement Services Inc. and the author of the book - Enabler? I Hardly Know Her! How to Make the Sales Experience Not Suck. The post Bizcast: Bits about books – In Conversation with Melissa Madian – Author of ‘Enabler? I Hardly Know Her! How to Make the Sales Experience Not Suck. ‘ appeared first on Business Podcast Network.

Many working professionals dream of ‘someday' starting their own business. For many, someday never happens. To reduce overwhelm and help you  start your dream, Lori Vajda and Nola Boea sat down with Judy McNeal, Founder of QB's Magnetic Creations. Judy shares her story of starting her business while working a full-time job, and offers strategic steps and poignant lessons learned to help you avoid missteps.  In This Episode You'll LearnHow to get clear on your WHY you want to start a business.What steps it takes to make significant progress with your business idea and how to prioritize what it requires.How to manage your time so you can work at your primary job and still make efficient gains on launching your side business.Why you don't need to be afraid to outsource your small business tasks–especially those you're not particularly good at.Judy McNeal may be running a successful online jewelry business, but as Nola and Lori found out, her tips, suggestions and insights can help any aspiring entrepreneur get started. Especially if you are running a side business while working another job. Many solopreneurs know first hand working and running a business is no easy feat. As our guest shared, if you really want your venture to be successful, you have to be willing to make tweaks along the way, recognize opportunities and always be willing to listen and learn from your customers. Listen in as Judy shares her secrets for starting and building a business.(4:44.44) Many people who want to start a business struggle when it comes to knowing what business idea is right for them. This simple tip and the 3 questions to ask yourself to identify what people are willing to pay you for. (7:17.06) Not sure which ecommerce platform is right for you? Not only will these tips for choosing a platform help you make a smart and informed decision, they'll help you understand why Etsy might not be the best choice for your business.(11:09.96) When it comes to starting a business, you want to enjoy the journey. Follow this tip to help you decide when and what to outsource to keep you from experiencing overwhelm and burnout.(13:29:07) Judy shares how she used her business plan as a roadmap and why she says it can help you with your branding, putting your team together as well as determining and reaching your sales goals.(15:09:77) Rejection may be a part of business, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. Hear Judy's tips for not taking rejection personally. (16:45:48) The single hack Judy used for growing her product line is also the key to her successful product expansion.(19:35:75) Knowing your brand will evolve can help you feel good about making fiscally smart decisions in the short term without costing a lot of money up front.Resources You can subscribe to Lori and Nola's show, (we love you and want to make it easy) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.QB's Magnetic JewelryQB's Magnetic Jewelry on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTubeThis episode was supported by: Be-YOU-nique

Show NotesYou have years of experience and knowledge; have you considered offering consulting services as a side business? To find out how to get started as an independent consultant, Lori Vajda and Nola Boea sat down with speaker, trainer, entrepreneur, author, and sales enablement consultant, Melissa Madian, Founder and Chief Fabulous Officer of TMM Enablement Services. Melissa shares her insights, tips and methods professionals can use to effectively market, position and brand yourself as a consultant.  Thanks for Listening!Sticky Brand Lab is the place for professionals who want to take their knowledge, experience or ideas on the road less traveled. http://www.StickyBrandLab.comIn This Episode You'll LearnHow to start a consulting business.The 5 main reasons organizations and companies hire out consulting services.Being a successful consultant has more to do with how you market yourself than it does what services you offer.How mindset can help or hinder a successful consulting business and how to ensure you fall into the former rather than the latter.(5:22.94) How do you take a degree that is not related to the field you find yourself working in and turn it into a new opportunity for gaining new experience? (6:56.31) Certain personality types embrace new learning, while others avoid it altogether. What can you learn from Melissa's approach to sales enablement, that could help you become the go-to person? And, more importantly, how could it set you apart from your colleagues?(8:04.71) When it comes to educating executives who don't know they have a problem and need your services, Melissa lays out an actionable roadmap that speaks their language.(9:16:20) If you want to work for yourself, you have to learn how to ‘sell' your services. Unfortunately, according to Melissa, many women get in their own way, primarily because they want to fit in. Hear Melissa's tip for getting past this hurdle to become successful.(11:37:33) As a consultant, you are your own brand and as such are responsible for promoting your expertise. Melissa shares insights and tips for how, where and in what ways you can promote your ideas, knowledge and expertise in a way that attracts interest.(15:41:34) Action steps you can take to successfully transition from your fulltime job into your new role as an independent consultant.(18:24:32) One great tip for establishing and promoting yourself as a consultant, write a book. Write what you know is an adage that when put into practice, can help you build credibility to a wider audience.Resources You can subscribe to Lori and Nola's show (we love you and want to make it easy) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.TMM Enablement ServicesBook: Enabler? I Hardly Know Her!: How to Make the Sales Experience Not Suck Find it on AmazonMelissa Madian on InstagramTo Get Melissa's Walt Disney Quote: Sticky Brand Lab Resource PageThis episode was supported by: Be-YOU-nique

Author and Enablement Professional, T. Melissa Madian, joined Canadian Regional Host, Adriana Romero to share Enablement lessons and insights from her book:  "Enabler? I Hardly Know Her!: How to Make the Sales Experience Not Suck".Tons of great advice, including:1️⃣ How, and when, to say no.2️⃣Learning how to prioritize Enablement efforts and how to split efforts between proactive and reactive work.Give a listen and remain curious.

This episode brings a special gift to the enablement community just in time for the holidays. We speak with Melissa Madian, Founder of TMM Enablement Services and author of the new book ‘Enabler? I Hardly Know Her! How to Make the Sales Experience Not Suck’. In this episode, we break down the different themes of her book.

Checkout a typical sales presentation or Success Story and you'll notice the solution provider is often the center of attention, but this is not what the best storytellers show us as a different, more effective path. A good story makes the buyer the hero, bringing us along on a journey of purpose from pain and despair to happily ever after. In this interview with Chief Fabulous Officer and sales enablement frontierswoman Melissa Madian we explore how to leverage visuals and storytelling, to sell like Netflix. https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamadian/ #salesenablement #storytelling #valuestory #digitalselling

Most salespeople can naturally sense tension but are wholly uncomfortable with it. But healthy tension in negotiation is a normal part of the process that salespeople should embrace. According to today’s guest—Melissa Madian—healthy tension is critical to the success of a negotiation. In this episode of Sales Reinvented she talks about how it influences a negotiation and brings value to both parties. She emphasizes understanding the value you offer and holding firm. To benefit from her years of expertise in the field, listen to this episode! Melissa Madian is the Founder and Chief Fabulous Officer at TMM Enablement Services Inc. She was one of the first people to pioneer the Sales Enablement role and has spent the past 25 years perfecting the sales experience for revenue-generating teams. Melissa is one of the 15 Top Sales Influencers to Follow in 2020, one of the 20 Women Leaders to Watch in Business in 2018 and ranked 10th of the 35+ Most Influential Women Leading B2B Marketing Technology. Outline of This Episode [1:10] Capture value while maintaining healthy tension [1:38] Negotiation abilities impact profitability [2:47] Negotiation is the entire sales cycle [4:10] Melissa’s negotiation process [5:34] A salesperson can’t be afraid of conflict [7:16] Negotiation tools, tactics, strategies [8:12] Melissa’s top 3 dos and don’ts [10:42] Why you should always present two options The inaccurate perception of negotiation In this episode of Sales Reinvented, Melissa Madian points out that there’s a perception that negotiation happens at the end of the sales cycle. That when we get to that point it’s time to put our gloves on and fight it out. Instead, she emphasizes that you’re always in a state of negotiation. There’s always a balance of give and get. It’s not you versus your customer.  It’s about answering the question: How am I going to make sure we get value and the seller maintains value? In order to do so, you must maintain healthy tension. Melissa’s definition of negotiation is that simple: It’s capturing value while maintaining healthy tension.  Maintain healthy tension in the negotiation Melissa references a McKinsey report in which they shared that for every 5% that we discount our solution or product, 19% of the profit is lost. So when discounts are given because a salesperson would rather concede than operate in tension, all of your value leaks out of the negotiation. It also undermines your position as a valued vendor.  Melissa notes that you need to go into the negotiation with a plan in place and determine what value each party needs to get. Then you need to decide what kind of healthy tension will you maintain in the negotiation so you don’t give up too much—but acquiesce when necessary. It always comes down to: What value am I providing to the customer?  Be a personal trainer NOT a bartender Melissa uses a wonderful analogy of a bartender and a personal trainer. She points out that there is no negotiation process with a bartender. You pay them and they feed you endless drinks until you’re drunk. There is no healthy tension, no give and take. The bartender gives and gives, and you take.  Instead of being a bartender, you must negotiate like a personal trainer. A personal trainer pushes you towards your goals. At any given time, there might be a lot of conflict in the relationship because they’re pushing you to be better. The balance of the relationship is a healthy tension where both parties are pushed towards the same goal.  Hold firm to the value you provide Melissa emphasizes that good negotiators don’t roll over, they curate healthy tension because they know they’re offering something of value to their customer. You must first know the value of what you’re providing and then hold firm to the value you’re providing so that you don’t lose profit and you maintain your credibility.  In order to know the value you’re providing them you must do your research. You know to know your customer, understand their pain points, and recognize how your product or service is making a positive impact on their company. You must research the potential roles that may get involved, objections that may come up, and do not allow yourself to be surprised by anything that crops up. Do not wing it or you will be blind-sided.  She also implores: Do not assume that the customer won’t pay more money for what you’re providing to them. Customers do not pay solely because an item is well-priced. They pay for the value that it offers them. If you maintain healthy tension in the process you are more likely to succeed. To hear the rest of Melissa’s negotiation strategies and her favorite negotiation story, listen to the whole episode of Sales Reinvented! Resources & People Mentioned McKinsey report on The Power of Pricing Connect with Melissa Madian Connect on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter Melissa on Instagram Connect With Paul Watts  LinkedIn Twitter Subscribe to SALES REINVENTED Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

T. Melissa Madian discusses the sales process in the modern era of informed customers and automated e-commerce sites. She believes that salespeople need to use a more agile improv approach that focuses on providing a solution for customers—even if it challenges their assumptions—that aligns with their core beliefs. Podcast host: James Bowen, is an author, professor, and CEO of Experiential Simulations, a producer of simulations for teaching entrepreneurship and ethics. Know someone that is insightful in a professional context and would be a great podcast guest? Topics are organizational or professional in nature and provide the listener with insight and conclusions derived from experience and thoughtful analysis of observations. Contact James Bowen jamesbowen2017@gmail.com​​

When it comes to sales enablement, there is often a disconnect between sales and marketing teams. Melissa Madian, an expert on sales enablement, joins the program to share how you can make your sales teams more efficient with the right tools, processes, and enablement strategies. Listen as Melissa and I dive into what it takes for marketing to truly support sales reps, how to define effective sales enablement processes, and when you should and shouldn’t purchase new sales enablement technologies.

Melissa has spent the past 20 years in sales, customer experience, and developing corporate frameworks to make sales and customer success teams more effective. She was one of the first people to pioneer the “sales enablement” role within an enterprise corporate structure, and loves seeing teams grow personally and professionally by leveraging the training and coaching she provides. She has produced over 17 Sales Kick Offs and 50 Quarterly Business Review meetings, built world-class sales onboarding programs and created training academies for several SaaS companies, and she also really, really love cats. In this podcast she, and host Robert Mattson, will talk about how to create a good keynote, what makes it good, and how where you practice might be just as important as the practice itself.

In this episode, find out why Melissa Madian calls herself the Chief Fabulous Officer at TMM Enablement Services. And.... of course we talk about sales enablement... and how that morphed into customer service enablement because as she says "...essentially, there's this disconnect between sales and customer success and customer experience in that there's this function that's so hell bent on acquiring new customers, and then there's sort of this handoff between that function and the function that's designed to keep those customers and grow those customers."   Read the full trancription on the Heinz Marketing blog starting Mon. 9/17/18 6am PST.  Also check out her blog post, "Sales Enablement: Is it Sales or Marketing?".  

Melissa Madian is the vice president of Sales Enablement for Vision Critical, a marketing Nerd and also the Chief Fabulous Officer. In this week’s podcast Melissa and myself talk about storytelling, a topic we are both very passionate about. Listen to Melissa explaining how all the best books, movies and plays tell a story using a framework and how you can leverage the same effective technique in sales. Melissa unveils how every story needs a hero and how in the world of sales this needs to be your customer, how to connect the hero to what you would like to sell and how you structure the story. How do you start a storytelling Sales Enablement program in your company? Melissa shares some practical tips to get you started! Did you enjoy listing to this podcast and don't want to miss another episode? Subscribe to my podcast on iTunes! Let me know your thoughts and feedback by using the comments section on my blog. Which topics do you want me to cover in one of the next podcasts? Go to www.salesenablementlab.com and let me know!