The Sales Evangelist

How’s your sales pipeline going? It’s not performing as well as you need it to during this time of year. That’s why in this episode, I’m going to show you how to fix it fast and continue growing your business before the holidays arrive. What's the Number One Sales Pipeline Killer? You’re doing everything right to grow your pipeline, and everything is going great. You’re getting clients, and they’re saying yes to your pitches. But now things are starting to slow down, which is frustrating when you’re getting used to the groove. Listen to my short story on how I overcame this unique challenge. It may help you when your sales pipeline suddenly slows down. Always Be Prospecting Closing deals is what makes you money. Once those are done, you’re going to need more to keep the money rolling in. This is why you always need to be on the lookout for new business opportunities. You don’t want your pipeline to dry up, because once one deal closes, you need to be ready to close another one ASAP. If you want to learn how to close deals faster, join my Sales Mastermind Class. You can find the link in the resource section. Self-Discipline for Prospecting Sellers who don’t take the time to prospect are the ones who believe it doesn’t work. However, it actually does work. Tell yourself, "I just can’t stop prospecting!" Set aside at least two hours on your calendar for prospecting to help you stay consistent. If you need help growing your pipeline, check out this episode with Monica Stewart. “Always be prospecting. You want to have more opportunities than you think you need to keep your pipeline full and advance deals.” - Donald C. Kelly. Resources Cold Call Openers TSE’s Sales Mastermind Class TSE’s LinkedIn Prospecting Course Donald C. Kelly on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Most sellers take the time to master their pitching or objection handling skills. However, do you ever stop to take the time to master your active listening skills? Join me in this episode with my guest, Zach Bradshaw, President of Business Development at Brightkey, as we deep dive into the nuances of active listening in sales. Introduction: Meet Zach Bradshaw Zach is the Vice President of Business Development at Brightkey, a company that specializes in providing managed services to businesses. His success stems from the many failures and obstacles he faced throughout his professional journey. Overcoming rejected proposals and poor approaches has allowed him to hone his ability to listen to clients. Now, he guides his team to approach client interactions without preconceived notions and to focus on genuinely understanding clients' problems in order to address them. The Power of Listening in Sales Recently, I conducted a LinkedIn poll and discovered that one of the most important sales skills is active listening. However, this doesn’t just involve using your ears to understand consumers' pain points. Zach shares that a seller must also take the time to understand the unsaid and read between the lines, which is a crucial aspect of active listening. Preparing for Effective Sales Conversations Always prepare yourself before engaging in sales meetings. Zach advises sales reps to conduct comprehensive research on their prospects to gain a deep understanding of their businesses. Analyzing CRM data and reviewing past interactions allows you to anticipate potential challenges and tailor your marketing approach accordingly. This preparation sets the stage for a more meaningful and productive dialogue with potential clients. The Role of Team Collaboration and Continuous Learning Stop holding isolated one-on-one meetings and adopt the collaborative approach that Zach uses with his team at Brightkey. Holding meetings with your team allows everyone to share their experiences and insights on the company’s sales. This culture of continuous learning and shared knowledge helps team members develop a well-rounded understanding of various sales scenarios and enhances their ability to ask the right questions. Overcoming the Fear of Asking Difficult Questions Are you afraid to ask questions that might disrupt the flow of a conversation? Learn Zach’s strategy to overcome this fear and adopt a partnership-based approach. "Don't go in with a preconceived solution. Don't go in thinking that we're going to push a and b product because it was brought up at the most recent meeting." - Zach Bradshaw. Resources Zach’s email: zbradshaw@brightkey.net Zach’s LinkedIn Brightkey.net //thttpshesalesevangelist.com/opener Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Recently, I attended HubSpot's 2024 INBOUND event, a three-day conference showcasing the latest in marketing, sales, and AI. Listen to this episode to hear the three biggest takeaways from the event. Why is HubSpot’s INBOUND Conference Important? HubSpot is one of the leading marketing companies, dedicated to gathering and sharing essential industry insights. The conference is a key platform for unveiling the latest trends and innovations in marketing, and sales. INBOUND brings together industry leaders, offering attendees the chance to network, share ideas, and build partnerships with top professionals in their fields. It also features thought leaders and innovators who inspire attendees with new perspectives and creative solutions to business challenges. 1. Search is Dying To some extent, search engines are declining. Is it even worth caring about what Google thinks of ChatGPT writing anymore? HubSpot estimated that search is projected to decrease by 25% by the year 2026. Why is this happening? Honestly, what’s the point of using Google when you can just use AI? 2. Personalize, Personalize, Personalize There are some terrible cold emails out there, and recently, I received one. A guy literally pitched podcasting services to me (Donald C. Kelly😭). How funny! If he had done his research, he would’ve known why he was wasting his time. Remember, personalization involves deep research! Guess what else? HubSpot is figuring out how to use AI in their cold email outreach to help people avoid this mistake. 3. Spend More Time on Social Media Yes, social media platforms are designed to keep you spending more time on them. But can you blame them? It’s how they make money. This means your target audience is on social media all day long. I’m sorry to say this if you’re introverted or dislike social media, but if you want to grow your business, you’ll need to spend more time on these platforms. One platform you should take greater advantage of is LinkedIn. Learn how to use it effectively with TSE’s LinkedIn Prospecting Course. Click the link in the resource section. “By using AI to prepare cold outreach emails, their conversion rate increased by 84%. That’s amazing, because that’s exactly what we should be using AI for.” - Donald Kelly. Resources INBOUND 2024 LinkedIn Prospecting Course https://thesalesevangelist.com/opener Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

In 2024, building a personal brand is essential for success. In this episode, I sit down with Ian Agard, a sales coach specializing in personal branding, to discuss how sales reps can strengthen their brand to enhance sales performance. Tune in to hear Ian's insights on leveraging your personal brand to close more deals. Meet Ian Agard Initially, Ian started his career as a marketer and eventually transitioned into becoming a proficient seller. His exceptional ability to connect with people, attributed to the strong personal brand he has built over time, sets him apart. Ian has progressed through roles as a sales leader and a sales coach, where he now runs a sales coaching program called "Level Up." His program is designed to help Business Development Representatives (BDRs), Sales Development Representatives (SDRs), and Account Executives (AEs) earn their next promotion within three to six months by focusing on mindset, habits, and mastering essential sales skills. Why Personal Branding Matters A personal brand is what people think of when they see or hear your name. This is how you share your values, expertise, and journey, without having to explain it to every potential client. Ian shares how building a personal brand allows salespeople to create a strong connection with followers and better opportunities for sales growth. Building Your Brand: A Step-by-Step Guide Ian shares how sales representative can start building their personal brand in three simple steps: Vision and Values: Start by having a clear vision for your life and understanding your core values. Profile Setup: Ensure you have a professional photo and a value statement on your LinkedIn profile. Consistent Posting: At a minimum, post once a week sharing your journey, challenges, wins, and relevant industry insights. Ian also shares how niching down can help with finding your target audience. He shares his own experience of focusing on helping lawyers with digital marketing and the success that came from being a recognized expert in that niche. “Start today and build your brand. It's like farming. If you plant those seeds today, in 90 days, in 120 days, you're going to see some fruit and you'll be like, wow, why didn't I start this a year ago?” - Ian Agard. Resources Ian Agard on LinkedIn Donald Kelly on LinkedIn https://thesalesevangelist.com/opener Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

There's no denying how AI has changed the way we do business in the sales industry. In some areas, it’s better and in others, we’re still working out the kinks. But, has it improved the way we do cold calling? In this episode, I have an engaging conversation with Rabi Gupta, the CEO of Evabot, on how AI can bridge the gap between sellers and buyers. Learn how to use AI tools to improve your cold calling techniques. Meet the CEO of Evabot Rabi Gupta is a co-founder and CEO of a startup company. His day-to-day responsibilities involve managing various aspects of the business. He is passionate about identifying and solving problems that salespeople face by using innovative technology and artificial intelligence. Rabi's leadership and expertise drives his company's mission to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of sales teams. Cold Calling 2.0 Defined Buyers are tired of hearing the same old tired pitches, making it harder for sellers to meet their quotas. Cold Calling 2.0 uses AI technology to help sellers become more efficient in researching buyer’s potential pains and challenges. For example, a seller can use an AI tool to find a specific issue highlighted within a company’s quarterly report. The unique approach keeps sellers from using generic sales outreach techniques and makes cold calls more valuable to prospects. AI’s Role in Sales Enhancements AI enables sales teams to automate routine tasks such as lead qualification, customer segmentation, and follow-ups. This allows sales reps to focus more on building genuine connections with prospects and close deals faster. With advanced data analytics, sellers can analyze vast amounts of customer data to identify patterns and predict future behavior. Sales teams can tailor their approaches to individual customer needs more accurately. Also, AI enhances cold outreach by providing relevant, precise, and timely information about prospects. This creates sales messages that are more personalized and impactful. "What we have seen is if you start with the research part first versus any other greetings, it works really well because today everyone is like, hey, I'm this. I'm calling from this." - Rabi Gupta. Resources Evabot https://thesalesevangelist.com/opener Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a powerful tool for growing your business and gaining clients. However, using the marketing tool can be a bit complicated. If you’re unsure how to use Sales Navigator, tune into this episode. I chat with Josh Shirley, a seasoned sales professional from Sandler, on the most effective ways to use the tool to help grow a sales pipeline. Josh Shirley’s Background Josh Shirley is a representative of Sandler, a renowned sales training organization. He highlights that his relevance arises when sales leaders seek an institutionalized system offering predictable outcomes based on set inputs. Sandler’s methodical approach provides sales professionals with the structured support similar to those in other professions with established educational backgrounds, enabling them to perform effectively right from the start. Referrals: The Gold Standard of Leads Referrals are the golden component of receiving sales leads. Josh shares personal experiences about how structured approaches to request referrals can significantly enhance lead generation. The LinkedIn Rule of Seven Josh shares explains that for every seven LinkedIn connections, there's typically one person willing and able to refer you. He outlines three practical applications of this rule to improve your referral tactics. One to Many Referrals: This is suitable for territory managers who need leads from various potential clients. Many-to-One Referrals: Useful for targeting named accounts where multiple mutual connections might lead you to a high-value prospect. One-to-One Referrals: This involves asking one referrer about one specific prospect and repeating the process. Practical Execution with LinkedIn Sales Navigator Josh explains how LinkedIn Sales Navigator simplifies the process of finding mutual connections who can act as referrers. He provides detailed steps on how to filter through profiles using Sales Navigator's advanced search functionalities to make this task more efficient. Overcoming Psychological Barriers One of the barriers salespeople face when asking for referrals is the fear of appearing needy or intrusive. Josh advises on shifting this mindset and adopting the belief that people generally want to help you succeed. "It's not that you don't know how to ask for referrals. It's that there's something in you stopping you from asking because You’re afraid you’re going to come across as needy." - Josh Shirley. Resources Josh Shirley on LinkedIn Sales Tales Podcast https://thesalesevangelist.com/opener Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

You call a potential client, and when they answer the phone, what do you say to reel them into your offer? “Hello, how are you doing? My name is Kevin?” No, this is going to get you hung up on. Listen to this episode to find out what you’re supposed to say instead. I share five effective cold call openers to help you start conversations with prospects. Also, don’t forget to download the call opener document for the other five tactics. 1. Curiosity Opener Curiosity makes a prospect more interested in your call and open to conversing with you. Try verifying the prospect’s name and referencing something you saw about them on LinkedIn. Make sure it's relevant to a business problem they're currently having. This initial spark can pave the way to a longer dialogue where you can provide value. 2. Referral Opener You can consider this one as the golden opener. Use this call opener when you know someone within the prospect's professional network to boost your credibility. Mentioning a mutual contact can make the prospect more inclined to listen to what you have to say. 3. Problem Solver Opener Take time to research a common challenge in the prospect’s industry. Start by stating that you've spoken to others in the same field who have faced similar problems. Then, ask how they are currently handling this challenge. This approach not only shows your understanding of their industry but also positions you as a potential problem-solver. 4. Industry Insight Opener A part of being a seller is being an expert in industry trends, and you can use this as an advantage when cold calling. After you verify the prospect’s name, share an interesting trend within their industry. This will show the potential buyer that you’re well-informed and that your solution is timely and beneficial to their needs. 5. Value Proposition Opener If nothing else works, then try to deliver a compelling value proposition. Be specific on how you’ve helped similar companies to achieve measurable results. This can immediately capture the prospect's interest and make them more willing to continue the conversation. "You want to spark curiosity. It makes it more intriguing for the prospect." - Donald Kelly. Resources https://thesalesevangelist.com/opener TSE Sales Mastermind Class TSE studios Donald C. Kelly on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers 1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

You may be working at a company that doesn't have a good CRM, which can easily make your job stressful. How can you overcome this challenge to boost your sales? Listen to this episode and hear my conversation with a ten year veteran sales professional. I chatted with Moustafa Moursy on how to develop your own personal sales system to help close more deals fast. Moustafa Moursy’s Background Moustafa Moursy runs Push Analytics, a full-service digital agency. His team specializes in various areas, including CRM implementation and consulting, helping businesses elevate their operations to the next level. With experience across numerous industries, Push Analytics is a top-tier HubSpot partner and offers tailored solutions for complex business needs Why Do Sellers Need a Workflow? If you don’t have a personal system of management, you’re only going to get so far. You may be good at the day-to-day workflow or a specific skill, but without a personal system, you’re only going to get so far. The personal system allows you to recognize your strengths and weaknesses. What Should Be In Your System? It depends on what type of service or product you’re selling. The more complex your workflow is, the more planning you will have to do to build your system. Moustatafa shares that you should start by organizing your day-to-day workflow: Build healthy habits to help you be productive List out the tasks you plan to do for the day Have a positive mindset If your company doesn’t have a good CRM, Moustafa shares how you build a spreadsheet to create a system. Have checkpoints, and at the end of the week, review them. This will help you stay on track with your system, and if something falls through the cracks, you’ll be able to catch it. Building Your Personal System Moustafa shares several steps to help you build a personal sales system: Organizing your CRM or spreadsheet Writing out what you want your system to be Building habits to create your system “Maybe I would have been able to close a deal, if I had follow-up. That’s the point of having a personal system.” - Moustafa Moursy. Resources Reach out to Moustafa: hello@pushanalytics.com and use TSE” in the subject line for a consultation. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

You’re using every sales tactic, method, and technique to get a potential buyer to close a deal. When you think they are going to say yes, they end up telling you I have to think about it some more. Within your mind, you think you did everything right. So why are they telling you no? In this episode, you’re going to find out the error you made. I chat with a special guest with a surprising background, Yano Anaya, who shares the number one mistake sellers make when closing a deal. Yano Anaya’s Background Do you remember the two sidekicks of the bully who got his tongue stuck on the pole? Well, one of them was Yano Anaya. After spending years as an actor, he decided to make a switch to entrepreneurship. His unique background helped him become a sales marketing expert. Currently, he runs The Christmas Story Family, selling merchandise from the movie. Also, he is the host of a new podcast, “Talking a Christmas Story,” where you can hear behind-the-scenes stories and personal memories from the cast. Psychology Trick To Close More Deals As a seller, you kind of have to ask your potential customers for money. That’s the business of sales. Yano noticed how sellers often struggle with this challenge and are unable to close deals effectively. He shares that if you have a problem with asking then you may have a personality trait that makes you feel uncomfortable in the sales industry. To overcome this, you have to switch your way of thinking. Yano says that instead of feeling as though you’re asking, view it as if you’re giving them something that will better them. Breaking Through Your bias Thinking Digging deep within and asking yourself why you have a problem with asking for large amounts will help you shift through your objections. Once you can create value within your biased thoughts, you’ll realize that you’re not hurting anybody by asking. It also depends on the type of service and product you’re offering. If you buy into what you’re providing and how it helps others, your negative feelings about asking for money may go away. Remember building confidence takes time, if you struggle with this practice meditation, mindful techniques, or reach out to a sales coach. Authenticity Brings More Sales Yano shares how being a trustworthy person helps you close more deals. People want to feel a connection and know you’re a genuine person. Even though some sellers may have a specific personality trait to help them display their real personality, a process may help you. “If you use your negative trait positively, then asking for 50K is the ripple effect of you helping an individual scale." - Yano Anaya. Resources A Christmas Story Family Facebook Group Talking A Christmas Story Podcast

Where does the state of sales stand today, and what should you prioritize to strengthen your pipeline? In this episode, I explore the Salesforce 2024 State of Sales Report to provide answers. Join me as I uncover the top three insights from the report. Partnerships In the Salesforce report, I came across a compelling statistic: 89% of teams currently leverage partnerships, and 50% expect to do so within the next year. As reaching prospects becomes increasingly challenging, partnerships offer a powerful solution by providing direct introductions within organizations. I share an example of why partner deals are so effective and why this approach is set to become a major trend in the sales industry. Recurring Sales Revenue More companies are shifting towards recurring revenue models instead of relying solely on one-off sales. Recurring revenue provides a more stable and predictable income stream, which is crucial in today’s fluctuating market. This approach is important because it enhances financial stability and drives long-term business growth. Importance of Personalization According to the Sales report, 86% of buyers are more inclined to make a purchase when their goals are understood. Yet 59% of buyers feel that sales reps fail to take the time to understand them. Personalization involves taking the time to understand their problems and offering tailored solutions. “If you’re going to be more effective at personalization, look for ways you can personalize around the challenges people are facing.” - Donald Kelly. Resources Salesforce 2024 Report TSE Sales Mastermind Class TSE studios Donald C. Kelly on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

In the world of sales, the relationship between sales teams and their CRM tools can often be strained. But what if I told you that the problem doesn't lie with the CRM itself, but in how it's being used? Imagine having a toolkit that can drive your business to the next level when configured and utilized correctly. This is where the expertise of Moustafa Moursy, the insightful founder of Push Analytics, comes into play. Listen to our conversation to discover how to make your CRM work for you and not against you. Guest Introduction Moustafa Moursy runs Push Analytics, a full-service digital agency. His team specializes in various areas, including CRM implementation and consulting, helping businesses elevate their operations to the next level. With experience across numerous industries, Push Analytics is a top-tier HubSpot partner and offers tailored solutions for complex business needs. Common Misconceptions About CRMs We dive into the common pitfalls organizations face regarding CRM expectations. A prevalent issue is the assumption that simply having a CRM will automatically boost sales. Moustafa clarifies that a CRM is merely a tool. To make the CRM effective you have to properly set it up and strategically plan on how to use it for your business. Choosing the Right CRM Moustafa explains the importance of selecting a CRM that aligns with your business needs. He points out that while HubSpot is versatile and user-friendly, other CRMs like Salesforce might be suitable for highly customized or niche requirements. Setting Up for Success Moustafa suggests an initial assessment of current workflows before configuring a CRM. Understanding the specific needs of your sales and marketing processes ensures that the CRM enhances productivity rather than becoming a cumbersome add-on. "Really understanding the business needs and the resources available allows you to overlay what you can puzzle together to make things work." - Moustafa Moursy. Resources Reach out to Moustafa: hello@pushanalytics.com and use TSE" in the subject line for a consultation. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

How many times do you follow-up with a potential customer? Is it just one time? This may be the reason why you’re not meeting your sales quotas. In this episode, I chat with Guitze Messina, the Director of Latin America for HARDI, on the importance of following up. Listen and learn essential follow-up techniques to help you close more deals. Guest Introduction Guitze Messina brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as the Director of Latin America for HARDI. The organization groups together distributors and manufacturers of HVAC equipment across North and South America. Guitze has a strong background in sales and recurrent sales strategies, which he shares in this episode. Importance of Follow-Up Starting off, I share how follow-up is a known driver of sales success and most reps fail to execute it effectively. Guitze supports this by sharing startling statistics: 44% of salespeople follow up only once, and a whopping 56% don't follow up at all. Moreover, 88% of business is closed after five follow-ups, underscoring the necessity of persistent follow-up. Strategies for Effective Follow-Up Guitze shares practical strategies for making follow-up less daunting and more effective: Get Permission: Always ask for a follow-up time when sending a quote. This ensures that the customer expects your call and doesn't view it as an intrusion. Set Reminders: If you don't reach the customer at the agreed-upon time, leave a message indicating when you'll follow up next. This shows professionalism and persistence. Reduce Unproductive Quoting: Sales managers should guide their teams to focus on productive activities and better target customers likely to convert. The Role of Sales Managers Sales managers play a crucial role in instilling good practices. Guitze outlines three critical responsibilities for sales managers: Guidance Through Data: Use data to identify real customers and focus efforts. Activity Monitoring: Ensure salespeople are engaging in productive sales activities, not just quoting endlessly. Effective Coaching: Use questions, not directives, to coach salespeople. This approach has been proven to be more effective. “What is the number one sales activity that any salesman should be doing? Calling.” - Guitze Messina. Resources MONEYCALL: A Proactive Sales Method for Recurring Sales with Less Prospecting Guitze Messina on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Lebron James is 39 years old and is still playing basketball as if he just got out of high school. Do you know why he’s still able to run up and down the court so smoothly while most of us can barely make it up a flight of stairs? It’s because he puts in the time and effort to keep his body in tip-top shape. This example provides you with what to expect from my conversation with my guest, Kristi Jones. She shares what the top ten percent of sellers are doing outside of work that’s helping them close deals. Tune in and hear what separates top performers from the rest of the pack. Met Kristi Jones Kristi Jones is a seasoned sales professional with a wealth of experience in helping organizations improve their sales processes and achieve remarkable results. She has worked extensively in the sales arena, collaborating with various companies to refine their strategies and elevate their performance. Kristi is also an accomplished author, having written books that delve into sales and personal development. Personal Sales Math Understanding your own sales metrics is crucial for success. Kristi emphasizes the need for sales professionals to know their average sales, sales cycles, and close rates. This allows individuals to tailor their pipelines and targets, making it easier to hit quotas consistently. Top performers are those who understand their personal sales math and apply it diligently. Beyond the Surface Kristi explains that the habits of top 10% performers often go unseen. She draws parallels between sales professionals and athletes, emphasizing that peak performance is achieved through rigorous discipline both in and out of the workplace. Activities like regular exercise, maintaining a balanced diet, having a spiritual practice, and ensuring enough sleep all contribute to sustaining high performance levels. The Power of Accountability Having an accountability partner can significantly boost your chances of achieving your goals. Kristi suggests partnering with someone who can hold you accountable for your actions, be it related to business or personal growth. This external accountability often makes it easier to stick to new habits and routines. "The work to get to the top doesn't actually happen at work. It happens after work." - Kristi Jones. Resources “Selling Your Way In,” by Kristi Jones Kristi Jones on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Cold calling is becoming increasingly difficult for sellers. The old methods aren't working, and you have no clue what the new cold outreach techniques are. Don't worry, I got you covered. In this episode, I'm joined by Armand Farrokh and Nick Cegelski, co-authors of the book "Cold Calling Sucks, That's Why It Works." Together, we discuss the challenges of cold calling and share proven strategies to improve success rates based on their extensive experience and data analysis. Data-Driven Strategies for Success Nick shares data on the success rates of different call openers. He recommends using well-researched and context-based openers to increase success. My guests also discuss the effectiveness of describing a problem with dangerous specificity to establish credibility and capture the prospect's attention. The Power of Personalized Openers Armand and Nick emphasize the importance of using personalized, context-based openers to stand out from the typical cold caller approach. You can establish a friendly rapport and credibility with prospects by conducting moderate research and focusing on relevance. Handling Objections with Empathy and Humor My guests stress the need for cold callers to recognize objections as interruptions and respond with understanding and humor, rather than being defensive. They recommend isolating and practicing core talk tracks, such as openers and objections, to improve the overall sales conversation. Problem-Centric Approach and Storytelling Armand underscores the value of leading with a problem-centric approach. By pinpointing a specific problem that resonates with the prospect, you can create a visceral reaction and position yourself as a strategic partner in solving their issues. Armand and Nick’s Book: Cold Calling Sucks, That’s Why It Works Armand and Nick challenge the common perception that cold calling is an ineffective sales strategy in their book. Drawing from their extensive experience and data analysis of over 300 million cold calls, the authors present a compelling case for the power of cold calling when done correctly. The book offers practical strategies and insights for crafting personalized, context-based openers to set sellers apart from the typical cold caller approach. “We recommend finding the top five triggers that would make you believe someone could be a good customer. When you're looking for those five triggers in order and find one, that's your reason for calling them. You don't need to keep researching, so you can start operationalizing this stuff and become far more efficient.” - Nick Cegelski. “It should take 30 seconds to disqualify, 30 seconds to research. Find one thing. That's what you put in your opener.” - Armand Farrokh. Resources order.30 mpc.com/book 30 Minutes to President’s Club Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and...

Are you addressing your customers' pain points? If not, you may not truly understand what they want from you. In this episode, I speak with Phillip Swan, a top expert in customer experience. Tune in to hear his insights on why customer-centricity is crucial in today's business world, especially in 2024. Phillip Swan's Background Phillip Swan is a seasoned customer experience expert with decades of experience. He prioritizes the customer and helps clients reimagine business models using responsible AI. His customer-centric approach emphasizes that while the customer isn't always right, but understanding their pain points is essential. Phillip's dedication is also reflected in his work with Lingo Aid, an organization focused on improving customer interactions and outcomes. The Evolution of the Customer Journey Did you know that 76% of B2B buyers avoid human interaction until absolutely necessary? Phillip shares why businesses must ensure their marketing efforts provide sufficient information to buyers in the early stages of their customer journey. Strategy Tip: listen instead of pitching in initial meetings with potential clients to build trust. The Essential Role of Trust To build customer loyalty and encourage repeat purchases, you must first earn their trust. Inspired by a 1961 science fiction novel, Phillip explains the concept of "grokking the customer" and its relevance today in truly understanding and empathizing with customers' needs and pain points. Building Customer-Centric Organizations Phillip shares that all organizational teams should focus on the customer, not just the sales and marketing team. He clarifies that this approach must include finance, legal, product engineering, customer success, and even the board of directors. According to Phillip, customer centricity is about creating a seamless, frictionless experience for the customer. It's about consistently meeting their needs with little effort and ultimately enhancing their overall experience with the organization. Actionable Steps for Sales Leaders For sales leaders looking to inculcate a culture of customer-centricity, Phillip suggests actionable steps, including: Mapping out business processes to identify and eliminate friction points. Fostering a belief system within the organization that emphasizes delivering customer value. Encouraging cross-departmental collaboration to ensure a unified approach to customer service. “Salespeople need to do one thing in my book and one thing really, really well, which is in the first meeting, do not present your stuff.” - Phillip Swan. Resources Phillip Swan on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

You want to speak with a company's high stakeholders but have no idea how to reach them. Prospecting is always a challenge for sellers, but it’s easier when you use this powerful sales technique that’ll get through to anyone. In this episode, I chat with Stu Heinecke, a Wall Street Journal cartoonist, marketer, and author, about using contact marketing for prospecting. Listen to the secrets he used with his sales teams to reach prospective clients and close more deals. Stu Heinecke’s Background Stu Heinecke, a Wall Street Journal cartoonist, discovered the power of “Contact Marketing” early in his career, earning him two Hall of Fame nominations as a marketer. He now hosts and writes for the How To Get A Meeting with Anyone podcast and blog. Additionally, Heinecke is the founder and president of Contact, a company specializing in contact marketing. Importance of Business Cards When was the last time you saw someone pull out a business card? Thanks to the digital world we live in today, it's rare. However, Stu shares why it's essential to go back to the basics to help clients remember who you are. Upgrading Business Cards to Devices Say goodbye to business cards and hello to engagement devices. The regular business cards aren't impressing people anymore, especially those with long titles. So, instead of giving them a card, you provide them with an engagement device. An example of this is Kevin Mitnick's card. The card does not contain logos, words, or descriptions. It speaks for what the company does. The goal is to make business cards serve as visual metaphors for your best work. They still fit in their pocket, but they use them differently, and not only when they give you a call. How Does Contact Marketing Work These engagement devices are designed to align with the contact marketing model. Businesses should establish a baseline for responses. The goal is to achieve a 100% breakthrough with every deal the company makes. To accomplish this, provide prospects with a standout card that directs them to your landing page. A well-crafted card will pique their curiosity about what your landing page offers, potentially sparking the beginning of a conversion. Stu’s book offers a wealth of stories and insights on launching campaigns using contact marketing. It’s filled with actionable ideas that you can adapt to your own contact marketing efforts to achieve breakthroughs with your audience. “Reach people using relevant, timely, and high-value campaigns.” - Stu Heinecke. Resources How to Get a Meeting with Anyone Get The Meeting How to Grow Your Business Like a Weed Stu Heinecke on LinkedIn TSE Prospecting Course Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.