Have you ever felt uneasy about announcing a price increase to your clients, fearing it might drive them away? Maybe you’ve hesitated to raise your rates, even though you know it’s time, worrying about how to communicate the change without sounding apologetic—or worse, losing trust. Today’s episode is here to help you handle these conversations with confidence and ease. Nikki dives into the art of presenting a price increase as a simple, straightforward update while maintaining the strong client...
Dec 02, 2024•19 min
Have you ever found yourself listing all the amazing features of your product, only to watch a client’s eyes glaze over? Maybe you’re excited about your offer, but your prospects aren’t grasping the value. You’re left wondering how to present your services in a way that makes people eager to buy—without feeling like you’re pushing a hard sale. Today’s episode is here to transform how you approach these conversations as Nikki dives into why focusing on benefits and the true value of your offer, n...
Nov 25, 2024•15 min
Have you ever been hit with one of those vague “client requests” that seem impossible to answer effectively? Maybe it’s a half-formed question or a general inquiry with no specifics, and you’re left wondering how to respond without wasting time or losing a potential sale. Today’s episode dives into essential sales strategies to turn these unclear inquiries into valuable opportunities. Nikki shares a simple yet powerful mindset shift to transform frustration into confidence, positioning you as th...
Nov 18, 2024•19 min
Do you find yourself entangled with tire kickers—those prospects who keep you on the hook without ever committing? If so, you're not alone; this episode is for you. Today, Nikki dives into practical strategies to support you in closing more sales by recognizing and managing these non-committal clients. You’ll learn how to masterfully handle indecisive prospects so you can either guide them toward a decision or gracefully "bless and release" them, saving you valuable time and energy. Nikki shares...
Nov 11, 2024•21 min
Have you ever noticed a buying signal but held back, unsure if you should act on it? Today’s episode is all about recognizing and following up on buying signals—even in those unexpected, non-traditional settings—without that fear of rejection holding you back. Nikki dives into why this skill is so essential for growing your client base and shares insights gained over years of coaching and even writing a book on the topic. This episode stems from a recent coaching session where Nikki saw, once ag...
Nov 04, 2024•18 min
Have you ever written a book only to wonder, “Now what?” Don’t let your hard work sit on the shelf collecting dust. Learn how leveraging skills can turn your book into multiple resources. Today, as part of the Mastering Excellence series, Nikki talks with Susan Friedman, an expert in book marketing. She’s here to share her proven strategies for turning your book into multiple products and increasing your profits. We know you poured your heart and soul into your book, but don’t stop there. Learn ...
Oct 28, 2024•42 min
Have you ever been to a client meeting where the first words out of their mouth are, "There's no budget"? Don’t let budget constraints make you panic. Today, Nikki shares strategies to set yourself and the prospect up for success and maybe even earn their business. We know you need to get paid, but hold off on immediately “blessing and releasing” this prospect. Learn key questions to determine if this prospect has the potential to become a future client and how to respond when budget is an issue...
Oct 21, 2024•12 min
Are you tired of being overpowered by difficult clients in your corporate sales meetings? Do you struggle to stay calm when faced with challenging clients who seem determined to contradict everything you say? You’re not alone. Today, Nikki shares confidence tips specifically for women dealing with know-it-all clients. She breaks down what you can do to set yourself apart and set yourself up for success even when they may have a bit of a condescending attitude. Use these strategies to turn a chal...
Oct 14, 2024•29 min
Most business owners know it's easier and more cost-effective to keep an existing client than to acquire a new one. Even a small increase in customer retention can significantly boost profits. Have you ever had a sale fall through or seen a client relationship fall apart? These moments of crisis might actually lay the foundation for future success and be the key to exceptional customer retention. In this episode, Nikki explains how to turn sales failures into opportunities to build customer loya...
Oct 07, 2024•18 min
Strategic pricing strategy matters. Marketing methods that used to work in the past are much more nuanced these days. This episode tackles strategic pricing strategy and how to approach discounts - who to offer them to, when, and how. This on-air coaching call features one of our unique and brilliant Sales Maven Society members, Nicole Smith Levay. Nicole is a transformational retreat leader and somatic coach who helps high-achieving women stop over-giving on autopilot and learn to prioritize th...
Sep 30, 2024•36 min
Are your speaking gigs falling flat? It's time to revolutionize your audience engagement strategy. Nikki is joined by speaking and visibility coach Laurie-Ann Murabito to reveal how to captivate your audience and keep them on the edge of their seats. Learn how to infuse your unique personality into your presentations and set clear goals that resonate with your listeners. Nikki and Laurie-Ann discuss valuable techniques for crafting and delivering impactful speeches. Through the use of "speech bl...
Sep 23, 2024•37 min
Most people want sales success. To achieve it, they often need to step out of their comfort zones and accept expert advice. New techniques and strategies can feel uncomfortable or unfamiliar. It's natural to want to stick to what feels safe and known, yet this can limit our growth and potential, especially when it comes to sales. This episode is inspired by a conversation Nikki had with a client about receiving advice on sales success that she hadn't tried before, and that pushed her outside her...
Sep 16, 2024•21 min
Would you like to find a subtle way to get your message across without selling or sounding pushy? If so, you might want to use the secret weapon of creating curiosity. In this on-air coaching call, Nikki and an amazing Sales Maven Society member Tracey Wheeler explore ways to create curiosity during networking events. Tracey, the owner of Sunny Virtual Business Support , provides virtual bookkeeping and business support for service-based entrepreneurs across the country from her base in Henderso...
Sep 09, 2024•22 min
Therapists often spend their time focusing on finding ways to help their clients, yet they are also running a business, and sales are an important part of that business. Today's episode features an on-air coaching call with one of our amazing Sales Maven Society members, Melissa Spaulding, a licensed clinical mental health counselor and EMDRIA consultant. In this call, Nikki and Melissa dive into the pros and cons of an upsell offer versus a downsell offer. Melissa's higher-end clients have week...
Sep 02, 2024•34 min
If you've ever caught yourself making assumptions about your clients' motives, you're not alone—and it could be holding you back from true success. In this episode, Nikki dives deep into the dangers of assigning motives to your prospects and clients, and how these assumptions can derail even the most promising sales opportunities. It's easy to fall into this trap, whether you're trying to anticipate a client's needs or make decisions on their behalf. But when these assumptions are off the mark—o...
Aug 26, 2024•33 min
If the thought of prospecting makes you uneasy, especially if you don't see yourself as a traditional salesperson, you're not alone. In this episode, Nikki shares straightforward strategies to simplify prospecting and help you start building your business, attracting new clients, and exploring new possibilities. Prospecting is crucial for success, and it often gets pushed aside when we're busy or overwhelmed with current clients. Even when things aren't hectic, it's common to find other tasks mo...
Aug 19, 2024•17 min
Have you ever wondered how a customer-centric retention strategy might help you grow your business, boost your clients' lifetime value, and make it easier for them to stay loyal to you? In today's episode, Nikki provides practical tactics for increasing client retention and encouraging repeat business. This episode is inspired by a chat with a client regarding coaching communication, which emphasizes the need for flexible communication. You’ll hear how Nikki recognized the impact of inflexible c...
Aug 12, 2024•19 min
Have you ever wondered how the power of authentic testimonials and glowing reviews can transform your business, attract more of your ideal clients, and even boost your SEO? In today's episode, Nikki shares actionable strategies to elicit powerful client reviews and testimonials to give your business a boost. The inspiration for this episode comes from Episode 222 with Melissa Rose , titled "Boost Sales with Google Business Profile – Essential Strategies for Maximizing Visibility & Engagement...
Aug 05, 2024•17 min
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where a client’s request doesn’t quite match what you know they need? In today's episode, Nikki explores how to recommend the best solutions for your clients, even when it means suggesting something different from what they initially asked for. Nikki shares how to use your expertise to guide the conversation and ensure your clients feel understood and supported without making them feel wrong or alienated. She explains how to acknowledge the client's re...
Jul 29, 2024•13 min
Are you feeling stuck in endless busy work? Are you pushing your biggest goals aside, only to feel drained at the end of the day? Do you have big dreams and know what you want, but you’re just not moving forward? Today's podcast is going to change all of that. Nikki is honored and excited to have her good friend and previous guest, Liz Hartke, on the show today in this Mastering Excellence Exclusive. Liz has helped thousands of entrepreneurs grow their businesses and unlock their God-given poten...
Jul 22, 2024•56 min
Do you have a "Tiny Story"? The kind of story your audience will tune into while becoming your biggest fan. If you're still finding your story or working on improving your story, this episode is for you. As part of our Mastering Excellence Series, Nikki is delighted to share this conversation with Lindsay Hotmire, an expert strategic storyteller. You’ll learn what makes a compelling "Tiny Story" and how it can be engaging and impactful. Lindsay is the Founder of Storyhouse Fifteen , where she em...
Jul 15, 2024•49 min
What is your success rate? Would you like it to go up? Today, Nikki shares an approach designed to do exactly that. It's the “less is more” approach. Sometimes we get into a mindset of “more is more.” There are times when we need to pull back a little bit, and that's what today’s show is all about. From the poet Robert Browning to the architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, “less is more” has been used to promote simplicity, restraint, and direct expression. It is also a powerful sales approach. Nik...
Jul 08, 2024•22 min
Time is one of our scarcest resources. As entrepreneurs, effectively managing time frees us to focus on strategic activities to grow our sales and business. As part of our Mastering Excellence Series, Nikki is delighted to interview Mike Abramowitz, an expert on scaling businesses through automation and delegation. Mike has 20 years of experience in direct sales, training over 5,000 reps and generating $19M in sales. He's authored 9 self-help books and founded a charity providing over 100,000 me...
Jul 01, 2024•44 min
Nikki is thrilled to share another Sales Success Story from one of her brilliant, amazing, and very talented Sales Maven Society members, Patricia Viscount. In this episode, we dive into Patricia's business and get a before-and-after snapshot of her success since joining the Sales Maven Society. Patricia's confidence and success have increased dramatically. She explains how she started small with a Small Business Saturday offer, which gave her the confidence to tweak her offers and create even m...
Jun 24, 2024•24 min
Today’s episode is part of Nikki’s Mastering Excellence series, and Nikki is happy to be sitting down with Tanya Goodall Smith, author of The Introvert's Guide to Personal Branding: How to Put Yourself Out There Without Changing Who You Are. Tanya founded WorkStory Creative, an agency that helps introverts who are evolving their business create an elevated brand vision and bring it to life. Her 20+ year career began at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, which led to design jobs w...
Jun 17, 2024•42 min
Nikki is happy to welcome Samantha Irwin to the podcast today! With over 25 years of experience in leadership, Samantha inspires and educates teams to create exceptional customer experiences that foster loyalty and advocacy, driving both financial success and heartfelt service for brick-and-mortar businesses. Samantha’s dual background in middle school teaching and boutique hotel ownership has uniquely positioned her to empower and educate business leaders and their front-line customer service s...
Jun 10, 2024•24 min
Nikki welcomes Danielle LaFleur to the podcast this week. Danielle is a transformative keynote speaker with 30 years of experience in Marketing, IT, Network Design, and Leadership Training. As the founder of Easy As Pie Design , she excels in strategic planning and AI integration for digital marketing. Danielle holds degrees from the University of Washington and multiple certifications, including Six Sigma and MCSE, and she is also an advocate for continuous improvement and technological innovat...
Jun 03, 2024•48 min
Nikki’s guest today is returning guest Jill Shroyer , the CEO and Lead HR Consultant at Expedition HR . An expert on how to conduct tough conversations. Jill teaches businesses how to have tough conversations without feeling like a jerk! Businesses hire Expedition HR to provide on-demand, on-call expert HR and tough conversation support and guidance through the HR Subscription. It’s like having an HR Director on-call! Most clients find Expedition HR because they need help letting an employee go ...
May 27, 2024•25 min
Today’s guest is Melissa Rose. Melissa started her business The Dancing House in the basement of her home where she taught the art of dance to students of all ages while her babies were right along with her in the pack and play. With passion, resilience, and tenacity, she created a business that has become "The Highlight of Your Week" for her tribe, her team and her community, along with running a successful brick and mortar business and an online dance membership . Melissa is also a visibility ...
May 20, 2024•45 min
Nikki is honored to have today’s guest, Marcie Towle , on Sales Maven . Marcie is the owner of Dragon Fire Coaching , where she helps clients ignite greatness in their lives by teaching them how to build Inner Wealth™ using Nurtured Heart Approach® . Marcie has spent her entire career helping others lead their best lives. She is a certified Advanced Trainer of Nurtured Heart Approach, certified Health Coach, taught both group and 1:1 fitness for over 25 years, and has been a business owner since...
May 13, 2024•13 min
