Takeaways Learn to Position Yourself : Rather than selling pieces of the puzzle, focus on what the entire puzzle should look like. Doing this helps you become seen as an expert in your field and one that can be a resource or even a consultant to your prospect so they call you when they have questions. If you do this successfully, price will rarely be an issue. Get to the Root Cause : Let’s be honest, prospects lie to us. Sometimes it deliberate, but other times they just don’t know. Instead of t...
Sep 19, 2017•36 min
Takeaways Overcome the “Send Me Info” Objection : The goal of cold calling is not to just send information, but to get into a conversation. That said, I know every has to deal with the prospect who just says “send me some information and I’ll take a look.” One of the best ways I’ve dealt with this objection is to counter with, “I’d be happy to, but we have 347 different one-sheeters and I have no idea which one I’d send… can you tell me more about what you’re looking for?” Qualify Anyone Who Wil...
Sep 12, 2017•35 min
Takeaways Teaching Can be Detrimental : Spending too much time educating your prospect and not enough time selling opens up what I like to call the “friend zone” of sales. Sure your prospect likes you, but that’s because you’re providing them with free consulting. You have to understand this balance and get comfortable setting the right expectations in the sales process. Sometimes You Need to Get Burned : Sales is a contact sport. All the training and coaching in the world can’t prepare you for ...
Sep 05, 2017•32 min
Top Book Recomendations How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie The Joshua Principle, Leadership Secrets of RSVPselling by Tony Hughes The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness by Jeff Olsen Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/a-year-in-review/ Sponsor What if every sales rep inherited the habits of your best rep? With Costello, they do....
Aug 29, 2017•30 min
Takeaways Effort + Execution + Empathy : It used to just be a numbers game. You put in the work, you made your calls, you sent your emails and it produced results. Then everyone started ramping up the volume. Today you have to not only put in the effort, but also apply strategic execution and have empathy for your buyer. Have you done your homework? Do you understand the real challenges they’re having? Do you actually care? Prospects buy from us because they believe we can get them to a place th...
Aug 22, 2017•34 min
Takeaways Sales Meetings are Not Coaching Sessions : Every sales team has a weekly call. The reality is, for most, this is nothing more than a transfer of information meeting. Debriefing the week that was and getting updates for the week to come. Coaching is “improved performance” and no sales meeting I’ve ever been in does that. Instead, let’s work on getting into specific details of opportunities by way of what happened during the calls — the words that were used, role playing objections that ...
Aug 15, 2017•36 min
Takeaways Write Your Own Rules : If you’re going to be a consultative salesperson, you must empower yourself. You must be able to think on your feet without sounding like a robot. You’re not always going to be able to have someone whispering in your ear or reading off a script, so when you see something wrong, fix it. One of the biggest challenges I’ve had to overcome is thinking about what everyone else expected of me and trying to prove something to them instead of charting my own path. Overco...
Aug 08, 2017•36 min
Takeaways Remove General Blanket Training : If you don’t know where to spend your time, you’ll fall into the trap of generalized training where every person on the team gets the same negotiation training or competitive update. Instead, modern sales organizations the fidelity of lessons need to be able to be created quickly by anyone and enable reps to consume it in 10-15 minutes. Because, let’s be honest, none of us have four hours to stare at Powerpoints. Focus on Business Mechanics : Justin br...
Aug 01, 2017•33 min
Takeaways Set Tough, Aggressive Targets : I’ve always struggled with the concept of “quota” and “quota attainment.” Yes, of course we have to have goals for ourselves, but in my opinion, these should be the minimum expectations, not the end result. Whether your quota is $100,000 or $1,000,000 set your targets more aggressive. For instance, if you set an outlandish number of say 10X your goal and build your prospecting plan from there, you’re going to easily overshoot all expectations and leave y...
Jul 25, 2017•31 min
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 Alw...
Jul 18, 2017•37 min
Takeaways Nice Guys Finish First : Kyle believes there’s a misconception out there that salespeople who are selfish are the ones who win the most business. He says It’s the other way around. When you sell with service on your mind (and heart), you will succeed. The best salespeople are the ones who care so much they’re willing to go out on the edge and work hard to make sure their organization accomplishes the thing or solves the problem it aims to solve. What that means starts with doing resear...
Jul 11, 2017•42 min
Takeaways Make Planned Calls, Not Random Calls : For many people it doesn’t take long to realize that quality over quantity matters. For example, sometimes it’s not about how many calls you make. It’s about making planned calls that target specific prospects. Instead of working your way through a list and starting over at the beginning, make calls to the same two or three prospects in the same account on the same day. It’s Hard to Say No to Someone Personally : Face to face communication is huge...
Jul 04, 2017•35 min
Takeaways Stop Trying to Wing It : Just because salespeople fall under the category of “influencers” doesn’t mean they’ve earned the right to wing it. Buyers will let you own the process if you’re willing to. Meaning if you have a structured process, if you’re working someone through a pain funnel and articulating your next step, your audience will typically let you work. It’s when you try to just ‘wing it,’ that the system breaks down and you ultimately lose control over the sales process. Know...
Jun 27, 2017•34 min
Takeaways Figure Out a Growth Trajectory : One of the first challenges I see a lot of salespeople struggle with is their quota or actual goal. Regardless of what the number is, going from zero to that number can seem daunting. Instead of focusing on the end, find the unit of growth that makes your sales process work and then do the backwards math to develop your daily game plan. You’ll find this activity to be a lot more manageable. Quit Being Afraid of Cold Calls : It’s so much easier to send o...
Jun 20, 2017•43 min
Takeaways Nurture Wins : Nurture campaigns are an investment, but they can pay huge dividends in the long-term. In general, no one will ever buy less because you care more. Finding ways to engage with prospects at another level than simply making a phone call or sending an email makes a significant difference these days. What can you send a prospect to differentiate yourself and show them you really care? Push Your Tone to the Limit : On a scale of one to ten, with one being beloved Fred Rogers ...
Jun 13, 2017•37 min
Takeaways Everybody is in Sales : Personality can only take you so far. Introvert or extrovert doesn’t matter and doesn’t define you as a sales person. What does is how you sell. No matter what you end up doing, you are in sales. Whether that means selling your ideas to your boss, selling co-workers on a new approach to a problem, or directly selling a service to a customer -- everything starts with sales. Break the Silence : I’ve been in a enough sales rooms to tell you the silence is absolutel...
Jun 06, 2017•45 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/keenan/ 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 ...
May 30, 2017•45 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/matt-millen/ Takeaways You Get What You Give : The quality of what you put into a sale is the quality of what you get back. Success is in itself a habit and there are rituals that go into creating success. The numbers play a role and the tools available are important, but ultimately it’s what you put into a sale that matters. It’s who you are, what you have to offer and how you offer it that closes a sale. Believe in Something : It’s different for everyone,...
May 23, 2017•42 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/mary-browning/ Takeaways It All Starts With Data (But It Doesn’t End There) : Data is the list of people you’re going to call and the industry or demographics of companies you’re looking at. Taking those numbers to the next level focuses on the people behind the numbers. What are their common needs? How can you help meet them? When you consider the current marketplace, and the ins and outs of each organization, part of being a successful salesperson is unde...
May 16, 2017•41 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/bob-perkins/ Takeaways Be Selfish In a Good Way : Top sales reps are usually at the top for a reason. They’re driven, focused and selfish - in a good way. They’re also not that concerned with the welfare of those around them. They need that time and space to focus on their accounts, run their sales process the way they know works, are dedicated to improving themselves all along the way. Embrace the Digital Transformation : The role technology plays in sales...
May 09, 2017•44 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/damian-thompson/ Takeaways All Interest Is Self Interest : Knowing your prospects is a good place to start, but often it helps to dig deeper. It helps to understand what motivates people and what makes them tick. It helps to remember that all interest is self interest. What does that mean for you? People buy emotionally and then rationalize their purchase intellectually after the fact. You have to get them excited or upset about something to truly move them...
May 02, 2017•42 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/joe-caprio/ Takeaways Play By The Numbers : Ask not what the numbers can do for you but what you can do with your numbers. If you have tools available for tracking, do more than use them. Make them work for you by analyzing what they mean for your business. You know what you do every day so don’t just accept it and move on. Keep track of it and use the data to improve your process. Work Harder AND Smarter : Instead of debating whether to work harder or smar...
Apr 25, 2017•40 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/kai-yu-hsiung/ Takeaways Be Unconventional : If something isn’t working, consider your options. Instead of trying the same thing again, get creative and find a way to approach the situation differently. How else could you work the sale? In what other venue? Would a conversational tweet open the door? What about a cocktail party to help break the ice? Thinking about different ways to sell your product is one of the best ways to react to the inevitable “no” s...
Apr 18, 2017•52 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/marylou-tyler/ Takeaways Know When to Walk Away : Most of us are eternally hopeful, but it’s often more prudent to be realistic. If you have a strong pipeline, work it. Don’t be afraid to push back, but also recognize when something isn’t working. If it’s not a good fit, the square peg will not fit into a round hole over time. Have a set list or set of criteria you look for in initial meetings, and if the client doesn’t fit, move on. While everybody may be ...
Apr 11, 2017•38 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/steve-richard/ Takeaways Failure Is Part of the Process : No one remembers the deals they win; they remember the deals they lost. There is a psychological reason for this that is rooted in the scientific makeup of the mind. When emotions are extremely high or there is a high level of anxiety, our brains are essentially programed to make us remember those moments. Instead of letting those moments haunt you, turn them into opportunity. Once you accept that mi...
Apr 04, 2017•39 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/raquel-richardson/ 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 jo...
Mar 28, 2017•34 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/morgan-j-ingram/ Takeaways Think Big Even If You Start Small : Anyone who’s either lived it before or is living it now knows the truth about being a sales development representative: it’s tough. SDRs are pushed hard, work long hours and go into work every single day knowing they’re going to get rejected over and over again. But, if you can master the art of opening up new opportunities, your career will open up in ways you may never have imagined. The menta...
Mar 21, 2017•44 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/jonathan-parrott/ Takeaways Focus on Discovery : It’s not in the end zone that sales are lost, but rather at the start of the game. Your goal as a salesperson at the simplest level is to connect what you have with what a person is trying to accomplish. A lot of that starts early in the relationship as you seek to discover what it is that is driving that person. What is it they want to do? How can you help them do it? Learning as much as possible about a pot...
Mar 14, 2017•39 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/jeb-blount/ Takeaways Protect the Golden Hours : Setting a structure in place for making sales calls has the potential to make or break your business. Make time for what matters, by including blocks of time to make sales calls on your calendar, preferably during the golden hours. Use voicemail blocks to call late in the day when you know you’re not going to reach most people. Plant a seed by leaving a voicemail, but then follow up in an outbound call block ...
Mar 07, 2017•50 min
Full Notes https://www.salestuners.com/25-sales-leaders/ Top Book Recommendations The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation by Matthew Dixon How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg Sponsor Octiv – Transform the way your sales assets are created, distributed and tracked around the world. Because a better sales process is a better buying experience. Subscribe to SalesTuners...
Feb 28, 2017•29 min
