 Takeaways Understand How Your Prospect Makes Money: You already know how your company makes money and you already know how you make money once your company makes money. During the sales process, if you really dig in and figure out how your prospects make money, then you can sync your offering with their real incentives. It truly doesn’t matter what you sell if you can figure out how your offering impacts their revenue engine. That’s the key. Put Yourself Out There: Your network is not just going to build itself. You have to commit time in a given week or month outside your organization. Think about it just like you would building your pipeline. Who are the top 3-5 people you’d like to know? Reach out to them and ask for coffee or for lunch. Be genuine in your reasoning and figure out how you can provide reciprocal value. This effort you put in now will pay off in spades for a long time to come. Own Your Day: It’s been mentioned a few times on this show but understanding your own process and the things that make an impact or crucial to real success. Get organized and plan your day intentionally. Block on time on your calendar to do the things you know need to get done and don’t let the 5-10 minutes between meetings get wasted with goofing off because you can’t get any “real work” done in that short of time. Also, at the end of each day, recap the day and plan for what is going to happen the following. Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/amy-appleyard/ Book Recommendations It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy by Michael Abrashoff The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni Sponsor Costello - What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

Sales Tuners

[CLASSICS] 095: The Difference Between Cooperating and Collaborating | Amy Appleyard

 In the last 5-7 years, there has seemingly been an explosion in the number of companies, both tech startups as well as more traditional businesses, that require salespeople. Unfortunately, in that same period of time there hasn’t been any magical creation of new sales talent. That misalignment has led companies to over-recruit, under-train, and honestly… just hope reps “figure it out." I’ve had some sales leaders tell me they’ll hire 10 reps knowing full well only 4 will work out. What in the world is going on? Most sales reps actually know what to do — that has been drilled into them over and over. They need help understanding the why (and even the how) behind the what. Today, I’m talking with Vendition’s Ashleigh Early about this exact challenge and what both reps and leaders can do to fill the void with context and personalization.   Links Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein https://amzn.to/2QEOIkL Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek https://amzn.to/2QCbslr 

#CoachesCorner 1 | Ashleigh Early

 Takeaways Become a Subject Matter Expert: There have been many conversations on this show that have talked about the need to truly understand who your buyer is. Jess took that even a step farther by suggesting that she actually become a licensed health benefits consultant. Think about that. Are there certifications in your industry that could help you better relate to the knowledge your prospects have? Yes, you can learn these things at a high level likely through your companies sales enablement, but what would it take to be able to truly walk in your customers' shoes? Your Questions Prove Your Credibility: Deals are won or lost in discovery. If the questions you are asking can easily be answered, you’re not asking the right questions. You want your prospect to actually think about what is being asked and that means showing you know their world. Use the words their peers use. Explain what you’ve seen other people like them go through. Then ask a question that makes them shift a bit in their seat. When they start showing emotion, you know you’re actually on to something. Listen: Simply stated, but not easy to execute. Think about your last discovery call. Were you listening to understand what your prospect was trying to tell you or were you really just waiting for them to stop talking so you could advance the conversation. What does it mean to actively listen? It’s the idea of reading between the lines. You hear the words that are coming out of their mouth but know there is a deeper meaning. When that’s the case, repeat some of what you just heard, and ask them to elaborate. Remember, people love to talk about themselves. Let them. Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/jessica-mcqueen Book Recommendations Daring Greatly by Brené Brown Sponsor Costello - What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

127: Jessica McQueen | Building a Sincere Interest in Understanding

In our first ever episode of READefined, we’re taking a look at Robert Cialdini’s Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Today, we are all becoming overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information at our disposal AND the choice that comes with that for even the most mundane topics. While it would be nice to think our prospects consider all the information available to them before they decide whether to say “yes” or “no,” you know from your own day-to-day experience that reality is quite different. The truth is, we need shortcuts. We need rules of thumb to help us filter through the noise. And guess what… there’s a science to it. And, that science is the evidence-based research Cialdini presents in this book on the psychology of persuasion with six overarching principles. Principle 1: Reciprocity Principle 2: Commitment and Consistency Principle 3: Social Proof Principle 4: Liking Principle 5: Authority Principle 6: Scarcity 

#READefined 1 | Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

 Takeaways Speak a Common Language: As Greg was learning to sell, he was taught baseball idioms like ‘batting 1.000,’ ‘drop the ball,’ ‘be in the ballpark,’ and of course, ‘touch base.’ But to many of you listening, these phrases no longer have anything to do with the game because they’ve been so ingrained into our normal lexicon. What words or phrases might you be using that make no sense to your prospect? Greg gave the example of the literal translation of ‘How are you?’, a throwaway phrase we use in America that would make an Eastern European tell you all about their life. Get Your Prospect to Come to Their Own Conclusion: Think about the last time you felt like you were sold something. I’m not talking about when you last bought something, but truly felt sold. How long did it take for buyer’s remorse to set in? In every sales cycle, you should make it your goal for your prospect to find your value prop on their own terms. I like to do this by turning my statements into questions, where the answer from the prospect becomes what I wanted to say. Make the Sales Process as Simple as Possible: Regardless of the sales methodology you use, whether it be SPIN or Challenger or Customer Centric, it’s important to make the process itself as simple as you can for both you and your prospect. As you adapt the methodology to find your own selling style, you should be able to determine which parts come naturally to you and what needs to be adjusted or Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/greg-zapletnikov Book Recommendations SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway Sponsor Costello - What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

126: Greg Zapletnikov | Breaking the Code to Find Your Own Style

 Takeaways Observe the Actions of Others: You may not have the confidence or even opportunity to approach others to ask them about how or why they do what they do, but you can definitely observe their actions. Break down how they speak, how they hold themselves, how they treat customers, and what they do that’s different than you. And these don’t have to just be people in your office. With unfiltered broadband access, these observations can be people you admire online, TED speakers, or even public CEOs by way of their earnings calls and annual reports. Find Gaps in Your Own Skills: It’s hard for people to just tell you everything they know with general questions like “how can I get better?” As you think about the next step in your career, write down the traits or responsibilities you think that role would entail. Then take a good look at your performance and see where you can improve and ask specific questions. In addition, you must be willing to hear and accept their feedback. You may not agree with it, but if you get defensive or act like you know it all, well, that's a surefire way to damage the relationship. Be Transparent: Ready for a truth bomb? No one has all the answers. When you don’t know something, be honest about it. Whether it’s with a coworker, a leader, or even your prospects. Yes, I’ve heard the mantra, “fake it until you make it,” but I’ve found that having a genuine level of vulnerability and mixing that with an insatiable appetite for curiosity leads to the right coaching, quicker career progress, and better relationships. Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/jenn-etherton Book Recommendation The Sales Acceleration Formula by Mark Roberge Sponsor Costello - What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

125: Jenn Etherton | Setting Up a Sales Career Development Path

 Takeaways Ask the Next Question: By this point, we should all be used to hearing the word “no.” However, it’s what you do after hearing it that defines you as a salesperson. The word could be a stoplight and completely shut you down. Or, it could be a challenge to you to dig a little deeper and understand the context in which that specific prospecting is using it. What aren’t they interested in? How could the get budget if the found value? When does their current contract with a competitor end? Build Your Own Following: In today’s world, it seems as if there are influencers popping all over the place. I mean, if I see another person at a sacred monument with a selfie stick, I might lose it. But, the reality is, there’s an opportunity for every salesperson to build the community they need to sell into. Whether it be as simple as sharing helpful articles and industry research or recording videos and sharing them on LinkedIn, it’s time to move beyond the seeing social platforms as just for your personal use and leveraging them to build your pipeline. Figure Out What Makes You Tick: All the tips and tricks may help you with some short term gains, but if you want to survive the grind of sales, you have to figure out the ‘why’ that’s bigger than the day-to-day. What’s going to cause you to pick up the phone one more time? What’s going to help you shake off losing a six-figure deal that you were given a verbal yes to? There’s a reason why most New Year’s Resolutions fail within the first month of the year — the change a person is seeking isn’t connected to something big enough to drive the required continuous action. Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/james-karanasios Book Recommendations Your Band is a Virus by James Moore Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki Sponsor Costello - What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

124: James Karanasios | The Habit of Success: You Are What You Repeatedly Do

 Takeaways Successful Customers Trumps Revenue: The goal of sales should not be revenue at all costs. It’s our job to find people we can make successful through the value prop we’re pitching. Rather than focusing solely on the signed contract and commission check, make sure the customers you close are going to find value in what they bought 90 days later. Buyers Don’t Have to Talk to Salespeople: 20 to 30 years ago, every buyer had to talk to a salesperson. Today, buyers can watch demos, compare and research alternative products, and even get ballpark pricing online, all before reaching out to talk to a salesperson. In the shifting world of buyer empowerment, you have to provide value in each interaction with a prospective customer. Live Your Buyer’s Job: What does your prospect’s daily job look like? What’s their role in their company? What are their goals? How do they quantify it? What happens if they don’t achieve it? It’s not enough to just ask those questions. When looking at things through their lens, you can really dig into what they’re thinking before they even look to buy. Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/mark-roberge/  Book Recommendation The Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda Sponsor Costello – What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

[CLASSICS] 077: Mark Roberge | Why Most Customer Success Issues Originate in the Sales Process

 Takeaways Share: Even if what you share is unrelated to what you’re trying to sell, doing so allows you to show you care, which drives future opportunities. Focus on the Customer: Know the buyer from every angle at the company and personal level. Provide Value: Constantly consume and share content that will be relevant to your buyers. Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/jill-rowley/  Book Recommendation Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin Sponsor Costello – What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

[CLASSICS] 001: Jill Rowley | Know Thy Buyer in the Social Selling Generation

 Takeaways Take Advantage of Opportunity: There is a short window of time to take advantage of every opportunity. If you wait until an opportunity presents itself, it’s already too late. Seek out chances to learn, be more efficient, and give 100 percent from the get-go so you’re never in a position to wonder what might have been. Doors open on a daily basis, but oftentimes they are short and they are small. It’s crucial to take advantage of them when they’re there. Preparation and Repetition Always Win: You know what you need to do. You’ve spent time role playing real scenarios. You’ve paid attention in training and during your one-on-one’s. With that, don’t think that your sales manager knows something you don’t. You’re the one facing live fire every time you get on a call. Make sure you’re taking the time to prepare and let the repetition of muscle memory take control. Don’t Wait Until The End: The earlier you ask hard questions, the better. For instance, if you wait until the negotiation stage to start discussing budget, you’ve already lost. You need to be able to tie your value to real business problems without it looking like you’re now just trying to close a deal. Figure out how to show your prospect they’re better off with you, than without you by going deep in the beginning. Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/cody-lamens/  Book Recommendation When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi by David Maraniss Sponsor Costello – What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

[CLASSICS] 046: Cody Lamens | Strive to be a Sales Professional, Not Just an Account Executive

 Takeaways Learn From Others: Everyone learns from failure, but you don’t have to learn from your own failure. Whether it’s your peers, other professionals in your network, books, blogs, or even podcasts like this. You owe it to yourself to seek out knowledge both positive and negative from others. But be careful, you want to learn from the best, not just your buddy or some random stranger. Pride Will Kill You: The stubbornness of pride locks you into your own thoughts. We have a cognitive bias around consistency that once we’ve formulated an idea that we can’t be inconsistent with that or flip flop our position. However, this is ridiculously dumb and short sighted. Be willing to listen to others and study the data that may challenge your worldview. Good Things Come to Those Who Practice: One thing that continues to amaze me is salespeople not practicing their craft. How much time do you prepare for each call? Showing up to work and running sales calls is not practicing. The biggest personal example I have of this is spending 10 hours on a Saturday preparing for a 30 minute call the following Tuesday. Yes, 10 hours for 30 minutes. That’s doing the work. Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/david-cancel Book Recommendation Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker Sponsor Costello – What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

[CLASSICS] 078: David Cancel | Prospects Want to Talk to the One Who Understands

 Takeaways It’s Not About Learning: It’s about applying what you love and who you are to what you do. While you need to understand your product, It’s more important to know how to sell than it is to know all the technical features and benefits of your offering. Comparing sales to fitness… you can educate yourself all you want about what it takes to get a perfect six pack, but none of that matters until you start applying that knowledge. Application and execution are the most important part of the puzzle. Be You: It’s okay to be inspired by successful salespeople, that likely why so many people listen to this show, but at the end of the day, you have be you. Everyone is different and what works for one person might not have the same impact on someone else. Whatever gives you energy, whatever makes you passionate, whatever gets you going in the morning – use that to build the YOU that you want to be. You have the power to make the choices that will empower you in the long run, so choose to be you from the start and you won’t let yourself down. Compete With Yourself First: Success in sales comes from a burning desire to be the best. That doesn’t by default mean you have to aggressively beat other people, it just means that you are uncomfortable staying where you are. As a result, you put in the work it takes to push yourself in order to move, grow and advance. That has to come from within or nothing is going to change. Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/keenan/ Book Recommendation Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan Sponsor Costello – What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

[CLASSICS] 039: Keenan | Bottom Line: It’s Not Failure Until You Quit

 Takeaways Be Responsive and Get Shit Done: When you’re working at a company that is really going somewhere, everybody has a hundred things on their plate and constantly shifting priorities. If you want to stand out, be the person that volunteers for new projects and make sure to follow through. Once you say you’ve got it, don’t be the person that someone else has to follow-up with or check-in on. This exposure is what will make you great in the future. Hone in on Your Top Segments: The simplest definition of a segment is a group of people who can be reached with the same go-to-market strategy combined with the same product. This will not only help define territories by way of geography, industry, or company size but really it will help create repeatability in your messaging — making your product easier to sell at a lower cost-per-acquisition. This focus doesn’t mean you can’t go after other segments later, it just keeps you on target with your limited resources. Generate Interest First: When you’re doing outbound sales, realize you’re connecting with suspects — not leads. This should start to change your thinking a bit about how you talk to them. Starting with the right market segment, your first job is to find out whether or not they even have a problem you can solve or if there is an opportunity to improve something in their business. Then, and only then, are you able to generate interest and deliver your pitch. Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/liz-cain/ Book Recommendation Who: The A Method for Hiring by Geoff Smart and Randy Street Sponsor Costello – What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

[CLASSICS] 088: Liz Cain | Generating Interest: The Missing Piece of Outbound Sales

 Takeaways Remember It’s Not About You: Hearing “no” in sales is a given, but that doesn’t make it any less trying. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding how exactly you are shot down, there is no more important personality strength than the ability to bounce back. Sales is so much easier when you can remove yourself from the process and remember one simple truth: it’s not about you. It’s not a personal attack. You are doing your job, and it might be challenging right at this moment, but “no” is not the end of the line for you unless you let it be. Document and Share What Works: Raquel brought up her concept of a “WinWire,” but what could you do for the closed won or even the closed lost deals at your company. Before a “case study” is even relevant, how could you capture the details of why a customer bought from you? What was the business situation? What were they struggling with? Were they replacing anything? Did they pick you over another solution? What was the size of the deal? Capturing these details, win or lose, and sharing them with your team may spark some unforeseen opportunities. Don’t Make Assumptions: I believe the single biggest challenge most salespeople have is their inability or unwillingness to listen. More often than not, I find that when they’re quiet, all they’re really doing is waiting for their next turn to talk. Doing this forces you to start making assumptions and disregarding the chance to gain real clarity. Both can be detrimental to your sales cycle. Full Notes http://www.salestuners.com/raquel-richardson Book Recommendation The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield Sponsor Costello – What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

[CLASSICS] 030: Raquel Richardson | Enabling a Channel Only Sales Process

 Takeaways Words are Powerful: Your mastery of language and results driven communication is paramount to your success in sales. It’s one thing to be good, but becoming a student of linguistics and really understanding the nuance between conscious and subconscious states can take you to an entirely different level. Think about the notion of associated and dissociated language — such as using the royal “we” when you really mean “I.” Learning different communication styles can help you not only influence others but also yourself. Act Despite Your Feelings: Knowing yourself enough to realize there are times you don’t want to do certain things is totally okay. However, you still need to do them. Look, I get it — there are absolutely moments in a day or week that I don’t want to take a meeting, do a task, or even have a conversation. Give yourself the permission to have the feeling, but then figure out how to get over it and take the action you know needs to be taken. Learning how to overcome those emotions will change your life and put you in complete control of your career success. And once that idea came about my life changed and started being able to not be a victim of my emotions anymore being control of my life and being able to do things even if I didn’t feel like Your Job is Not to be Liked: Way too many sales reps I talk to want prospects to like them. They believe that if they say anything to challenge the person they’re talking to they will lose the opportunity. Neither of those things are true. You must realize, you do not have to sell to every prospect. Respectfully push back and tell them that while they may treat other vendors a certain way, for you to become a true partner to them, you have to better understand their current situation. This includes following up — if you’ve had a positive interaction with a prospect, it’s your duty to continue to reach back out even if that means pissing off a few people. Full Notes http://www.salestuners.com/steli-efti Book Recommendation Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn Sponsor Costello – What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do. 

[CLASSICS] 086: Steli Efti | The Answer to Your Problems May Not be Convenient

SalesTuners is an interview where I talk with great sales leaders and high performing individual salespeople about the Behaviors, Attitudes, and Techniques that have made them great. Learn more at SalesTuners.com

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Sales Tuners

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