Many people are reluctant sellers. Even seasoned salespeople sometimes feel uncomfortable sharing their strengths with potential clients , never mind the occasional salesperson who really doesn't like to shout from the rooftops about what they do! If you find yourself a bit tongue-tied pitching yourself at networking events, in meetings or over the phone, this episode will help you. If you're a non-salesperson who has to sell yourself or your business in order to deliver what you're great at but...
Nov 16, 2023•11 min•Season 4Ep. 27
Closing is not - as often claimed - the secret to sales success . But it does matter. It's not the secret because you don't rescue a bad sales conversation with a great close. But it matters because you can have a good sales conversation and waste it by closing badly. This is not only the most common closing mistake in telesales but also the most frustrating. All the hard work has been done! Join host, Paul Owen, as he shares the details on this common mistake and gives the simple change you can...
Nov 09, 2023•10 min•Season 4Ep. 26
There are many different ways to sell - it's one of the best things about sales though it also creates some problems in training sales teams. In this short solo episode, host Paul Owen shares his thoughts on the balance between methodology, delivery and learner participation. Is one sales methodology the clear winner? Or is the answer to consistent sales success something else entirely? Enjoy the show! (and listen out for the special offer at the end) Thanks for listening! If you like what you h...
Nov 02, 2023•9 min•Season 4Ep. 25
Education is broken. It has been for years. That broken model is often replicated in the training world, for sales and others. This leads to unproductive training programmes, a lack of positive change and a growing disenchantment with learning . This is a problem we need to fix . This is a problem we can fix. Join host Paul Owen in this solo episode as he makes clear the problems of the broken model, the knock-on effects for workplace training and how a lesson from Taylor Swift can turn the tide...
Oct 26, 2023•7 min•Season 4Ep. 24
Can you make yourself more likeable? And, if you can, does it matter in sales?… In this solo episode, host Paul Owen answers both questions based around the many years of research into likeability done by social scientists. If you think that likeability either happens or doesn’t, think again. You’re about to find out that there are 5 factors that foster likeability. And each of them is under your control. Enjoy! Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear on The True Sales Podcast, please gi...
Oct 19, 2023•13 min•Season 4Ep. 23
One of the happiest, most successful remote sales teams we have ever seen is run by Sian Burton, Commercial Director of Kyero , the leading international property portal. Join host Paul Owen as he spends an engaging half hour with Sian to find out her sales management secrets. With teams based across 5 countries and speaking many languages, the challenges of recruitment, onboarding, training, managing and motivating are great. Yet the ability of Sian and her management team to do it well (for ov...
Oct 12, 2023•32 min•Season 4Ep. 22
When we ask people the Number 1 benefit of great sales questioning, few people get the answer right. Yes, of course, we ask questions of a potential client to understand their needs and work out if we can help. But there is a lot more to it. In this short solo episode, host Paul Owen shares the one benefit that is the most powerful and the most overlooked in the world of sales. Of course, we make mention of other benefits of questions: Building rapport - people enjoy talking, especially about th...
Oct 05, 2023•11 min•Season 4Ep. 21
A large percentage of many sales teams are underperforming. Not only now but on an ongoing basis. Why is that the case? Why do we accept this? What are we doing to address this consistent sales under-performance? Our guest Richard Washington, Founder and MD of Tick Talent, built a large and successful tech sales operation himself several years ago and now helps scaling tech teams to find the top sales talent in their market. He has strong views on 3 key mistakes made by companies as they scale u...
Sep 28, 2023•34 min•Season 4Ep. 20
In many markets, it's tough right now. Stop worrying about it. Stop complaining . And take action. The danger, in more challenging times, is that we pause to analyse and stay in analysis phase for too long. Understanding the data and making plans are both important, of course, but it has to lead to action. So what actions will help you . In this short solo episode, host Paul Owen shares 3 simple sales strategies that will help any company open up quick sales opportunities right now. Tune in for ...
Sep 21, 2023•6 min•Season 4Ep. 19
So many of us hate networking . Even amongst those that don't mind networking, many do it badly. There is one major reason why this is either the least favourite or the worst delivered business generation platform: WE MISUNDERSTAND NETWORKING . In this solo episode, your host Paul Owen will share the networking mistakes he made over many years. He will also challenge you to think again about the point of networking : What are we actually trying to do at an event? The answer does not involve the ...
Sep 14, 2023•10 min•Season 4Ep. 18
What is the worst answer in sales ? And why is it the worst answer? In this short solo episode, host Paul Owen shares his thoughts on these questions. We all think we know the worst answer in sales but, in many cases, we're wrong. Tune in to hear: The 4 reasons why 'The Worst Answer' will kill your sales success The better answer you should seek instead (yes, we all know, is the best one!) How to switch your mindset to make the adjustment The differences this will make to the way you sell Closin...
Aug 31, 2023•11 min•Season 4Ep. 17
It's not what you know that makes you successful. It's what you do. There's a huge misunderstanding about knowledge vs action . "Knowledge is power" the cliche tells us. No, it's not. The implementation of knowledge is power. This is hugely overlooked in the world of sales and many others. Including medicine. The world of surgery had an opportunity to transform itself through a simple checklist. Yet, despite compelling results, the challenges it solved remain prevalent in surgery today. What can...
Aug 24, 2023•12 min•Season 4Ep. 16
One of the most critical support services to provide to your sales teams is dedicated sales coaching . You can hire an external expert but, with the right process and expertise, you can do much of it in-house too. Too many people work in sales without individual coaching and we want to encourage companies all over the world to change this. One of the reasons coaching is not provided is that sales leaders are unsure of how to do it well. Let's change that. In this solo episode, host Paul Owen sha...
Aug 17, 2023•11 min•Season 4Ep. 15
New ideas for selling better come in many different forms . Yes, sales books can be helpful but, often, the best ideas come from other fields of study. In this solo episode, host Paul Owen shares 5 of his favourite non-sales books that have given him sales inspiration. There are 2 books by doctors and 1 by a table tennis champion so you can be assured of variety. Tune in to hear a short overview of each book and how they can help you sell better . The best ideas can come from very different worl...
Aug 10, 2023•15 min•Season 4Ep. 14
For many of us, our first impressions of sales are negative and we quickly build a belief that sales is bad and salespeople do bad things. But what if that's wrong? What if your first interaction with sales was filled with love and that informed how you viewed it from that day on? Meet the man whose first sales job - knocking on neighbours' doors selling chocolate to raise money for a school charity - led to meeting his first girlfriend . Jason Marc Campbell , a Canadian sales leader, entreprene...
Aug 03, 2023•32 min•Season 4Ep. 13
There are many KPIs that are measured in sales but which ones are the most important? And is there one that beats all others to give you the best indicator of success? This week's guest Colin Mitchell is a Founder with 3 successful exits who believes 1 sales KPI is head and shoulders above the rest and it's the one we should all track carefully. A fascinating character with a successful career so far, Collin was raised by a single mum on food stamps and government cheese. He started his first co...
Jul 27, 2023•31 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Can you tell a short, captivating and impactful story about your business that engages an audience and moves them to action? Would you like to be able to do so? Whether we're talking about our businesses, our community projects or our life goals, it can be easy to get stuck in well-intentioned but misdirected ideals, meaningless detail and unconvincing sales pitches. But when we can step in front of audiences both large and small to share a story that creates powerful relevant images in their mi...
Jul 20, 2023•31 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Sales is the most important function in any business and one of the most critical skills in life (yes, really). Yet, still, salespeople are too often overlooked as the diligent revenue-driving workers we are. No business survives without revenue and no revenue is generated without sales (ok, sometimes marketing too!). Join Paul Owen in this short solo episode to hear a celebration of sales as one of the best jobs in the world and one of life's key skills . You will be a better partner, parent, f...
Jul 13, 2023•10 min•Season 4Ep. 10
What can a door handle teach us about sales? There is a glaring omission in the sales habits of many of us in sales and the way a door opens (or doesn't) gives us an unusual reminder of the importance of NOT omitting it. Join Paul Owen in this short solo episode to hear about the lesson of 'stimulus / response compatibility', whether that's opening or door or guiding a potential client through the buying process. If we fail to give people the right cues, we heighten the risk that our clients and...
Jul 06, 2023•9 min•Season 4Ep. 9
All salespeople from cold outbound callers to account executives carry a quota and some of that is likely to be self-sourcing. All too often, a self-sourcing opportunity at our very fingertips is missed . Our contact at a client leaves and we quickly try to find a new contact there to keep the business but how often are we proactively following up that contact in their new job? What if we're able to track the movement to a new job automatically? Joining host, Paul Owen, this week is Canadian ser...
Jun 28, 2023•30 min•Season 4Ep. 8
In almost every other example of success in life, we see that people practise to become great: sport; music; drama and medicine. So, why is it that salespeople remain reluctant to practise their art? There are 3 fundamental mistakes made in implementing a regime of sales practice . One around belief in its applicability; one around its relevance to real world problems; and one, incredibly, around how comfortable it feels. As salespeople, we need to overcome our unfounded concerns and recognise t...
Jun 22, 2023•10 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Building successful partnerships for your business can not only increase your revenue and profit but it can also help your customers . In fact, the most successful ones start with how to help your customers, not how to increase your revenues, according to our guest this week. Barrett King, Senior Manager within the Global GTM Strategy Team at Hubspot, has over 10 years' experience of building successful global partnerships. At the heart of great partnerships is the ability to find ways to benefi...
Jun 15, 2023•30 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Sometimes it’s our job in sales to say ‘No’ to business because not every deal on the table is worth taking. Just because someone is offering to pay you money for your product or service, it doesn’t mean it’s worth taking. When should you say no to business, turning down potential revenue? Why does it make more sense to do this? And how can you do it without losing a relationship with the company you turn down? Join host Paul Owen in this short solo episode to hear when, why and how to say ‘No’ ...
Jun 08, 2023•10 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Many people start selling by copying someone else's style of selling but find that it doesn't suit them . They struggle to connect with potential clients, find it hard to sell well and, all too often, give up on sales and think they're not suited to it. This is bad for career development options but could be terminal if you're running your own business and need to sell to keep the business alive. But what if you could find your own true sales voice ? Something with the curiosity to uncover clien...
Jun 01, 2023•28 min•Season 4Ep. 4
How can you overcome the fear of rejection on outbound sales calls ? 2 simple tips will help you and, in just 8 minutes, we'll share them with you in this episode. For many people, the relative comfort of sending emails takes them away from the fear of making outbound calls. If that works, great. If it doesn't, it's probably not your email text that's not working; it's the fact that you'd be better making calls. If only you could overcome the fear..... Join host Paul Owen to hear a couple of sim...
May 25, 2023•8 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Did you know that, by 2050, there will be 2 billion people across the globe over 60 years of age; that's double the current number. In the UK alone, 31 million will be over 50 by 2041 . When you look at the demographics and then consider the workforce challenges we face, we must reconnect the missing link between the workforce over 50 and the potential they offer the workplace. Join host, Paul Owen, as he discusses this issue with his guest, Simon Long, Growth Director of 55 Redefined . Simon ha...
May 18, 2023•30 min•Season 4Ep. 2
In a new series with a new name and few changes to the format, it's all change for Series 4 of our podcast. In one of our new 'solo' episodes with host, Paul Owen, you can hear his number 1 tip for motivating teams (and it does NOT involve motivational talks!). This tip came from years of getting it wrong trying to motivate teams, focusing on the wrong things that were hard to do and mostly unsuccessful. A simple change of approach made things easier and more successful and it's so easy, everyon...
May 11, 2023•13 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Joining me for Episode 9 to discuss strategic selling is Sarah Downs, Co-Founder and CRO of Doqaru, who works with growth-minded businesses across the Energy & Tech sectors by enabling the B2B Sales Function to drive more predictable sales performance. As a former Trauma Nurse, Sarah is no stranger to a challenge and is passionate about helping people . Nursing taught her the value of a proper diagnostic process and the importance of not acting on symptoms alone. Sarah now uses her transfera...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 9
There are still many more men than women in sales so, if we want to attract more women, what changes do we need to make? Taking on board the insights and personal experiences of 7 women so far in this series, Paul Owen shares his personal thoughts in this solo episode on how to go about changing the world of sales into a more inclusive, more balanced workforce . Key areas covered include: Perception of sales and how it turns women away Culture and environment - it's too macho for many women Skil...
Jan 19, 2023•24 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In this series focusing exclusively on Women in Sales, my guest in Episode 7 is Lisa Stead , Head of Franchising at Shuttercraft, the franchise group specialising in plantation shutters. Lisa is our first non-salesperson guest in this series yet, as you might imagine, she regards her sales skills as critical to her success in all her non-sales roles . Having left university with ambitions to become an actress, Lisa saw a gap in the market for children's performing arts groups and set up her firs...
Jan 05, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 7
