Rethink The Way You Sell: Recent Episodes
Jeff Bajorek
You can’t just take selling and distill it to a numbers game. Host Jeff Bajorek knows it's much more than that. The only sales hack or tool you need is the one right between your ears. You have a choice. Rethink the way you sell.
In this episode of "Rethink the Way You Sell," host Jeff Bajorek explains why discovery is not just a necessary part of the sales process but a valuable part. He gives you the 6 outcomes you can expect if you spend more time on discovery. Articles referenced in this podcast: https://www.jeffbajorek.com/posts/2021/1/29/the-sales-step-that-separates-top-performers-from-the-rest https://www.jeffbajorek.com/posts/2021/2/6/this-is-what-great-discovery-looks-like Forget about cornering your prospects with questions you already know the answers to; Jeff explores how to genuinely engage with potential clients by asking thought-provoking questions. From making your prospects think to asking questions neither of you knows the answers to, Jeff outlines a strategy that will earn you not just a deal, but the respect and trust of your client. Jeff also shares his insights on what happens after the discovery process, like how to make a seamless transition into the next steps and ensure your deals never stall. Tune in to hear about the 3 types of questions that can help you create the tension necessary to close more deals. Whether you're a seasoned sales professional or new to the game, this episode is a treasure trove of techniques to help you rethink the way you sell. 3:36 - DON'T start with the usual questions, understand the prospect's situation 6:38 - The 6 Outcomes of GREAT discovery 13:35 - The 3 Types of Questions You Should Be Asking Your Prospects Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! https://linktr.ee/rethinkpod Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
In this episode of "Rethink The Way You Sell," hosted by Jeff Bajorek, you'll be challenged to redefine what it means to be "salesy" as Jeff continues to reveal the 7 steps to #SellLikeYou. Jeff passionately argues that being salesy doesn't have to be a negative term, and he encourages you to embrace it as a positive aspect of your profession. He dives into the science and art of selling, providing a framework to manage your time, intentions, and territory. Jeff also shares insights on how to be more direct and forthright in your approach without losing integrity, and how to guide your customers through their buying process. Join Jeff as he flips the script on conventional sales wisdom, urging you to take ownership of your role as a seller and lead your customers to success. This episode is all about empowering you to sell like yourself, and it's packed with actionable advice on being persistent without being a pest, what great discovery looks like, and how to close deals in a way that feels good for both you and your prospects. If you're ready to rethink the way you sell and create more opportunities, results, and outcomes, this episode is a must-listen! Salesy has become a derogatory term but you can take ownership over it. (2:28) Salesy is NOT manipulation (5:02) Don't believe the hype: People NEED sales (7:00) Choose to be effective in a way that makes you feel good about yourself. (9:48) Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! https://linktr.ee/rethinkpod Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
In this episode of "Rethink the Way You Sell," hosted by Jeff Bajorek, listeners are invited to take a fresh look at Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. Jeff delves into the common misconceptions about CRMs, arguing that they are not just management tools but essential sales tools that can help salespeople stay organized and win deals. He shares his personal experience with CRMs, including how a simple Excel spreadsheet became a vital tool in his sales career. The episode also explores the importance of using CRMs for personal benefit rather than seeing them as a burden imposed by management. Jeff emphasizes the value of taking a step back on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to review opportunities and keep track of ongoing deals. He challenges listeners to rethink their approach to CRMs and recognize their potential as a means to close more deals. Whether you're a seasoned sales professional or just starting in the field, this episode offers a different perspective on CRMs that could transform the way you sell. Most CRM systems are implemented incorrectly, and it's NOT the system's fault. (1:59) How a simple CRM systems saved Jeff's sale (7:30) Your CRM is not just a management tool, it's a sales tool (12:21) Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! https://linktr.ee/rethinkpod Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
On this next episode of Rethink the Way You Sell Podcast, join Jeff Bajorek as he tailors the essential aspects of a sales process directly to you. Imagine, he's guiding you to break down your sales process into four key steps: identifying potential clients, capturing their attention, articulating your value, and confidently advancing to the next stages. Jeff walks you through how to make this process your own, irrespective of whether you're selling a simple product or a complex solution, nudging you to assess and clearly define your unique approach. This episode isn't about just theory, it's about transforming your daily sales activities. Jeff offers stimulating questions that make you reconsider your current practices around identifying the right customers, controlling the sales conversation, and more. Gleaning insights from his work with David Weisner and the Sales Collective, Jeff digs into the intricate workings of the sales process, encouraging you to refine your precision and purposefulness in sales. As a seasoned salesperson or a newcomer to the game, you'll find immense value in Jeff's deep dive that could lead to reducing your sales cycles. Tune in for an episode that delivers more than just a guide - it's your personal masterclass in sales.
How to think critically about your sales process. (1:46) How to turn an interested prospect into a customer for life? (5:24) The more you know, the better you get. (7:03) 3 questions to ask yourself before every meeting. (8:31) Questions to ask yourself during your process. (9:57) Jeff will bet you a cup of coffee. (11:34)
Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons
Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! https://linktr.ee/rethinkpod
Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
In this episode of Rethink the Way You Sell, hosted by Jeff Bajorek, the spotlight is on the third step of the Seven Steps to Sell Like You: Know Your Sales Process. Jeff starts by addressing the commonly debated question of whether selling is an art or a science. He then simplifies the sales process into four steps, explaining each one in detail. Step one is identifying who you can help, while step two is getting their attention. In step three, Jeff emphasizes the importance of effectively communicating your value during the sales meeting, emphasizing the need for a meaningful exchange and learning about the potential customer. Lastly, step four focuses on asking for next steps and closing the sale, highlighting the significance of being prepared and avoiding unnecessary delays. Jeff provides real-life examples from his own sales experience and practical insights to help listeners refine their sales process and ultimately drive better results. This episode offers valuable guidance for sales professionals looking to improve their selling techniques and achieve better results.
Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons
Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! https://linktr.ee/rethinkpod
Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
In this episode of "Rethink the Way You Sell," Jeff Bajorek reimagines business development through territory management. Drawing inspiration from Stephen Covey's time management matrix, Jeff develops a fresh framework using two key factors – grow-ability and accessibility. Join Jeff as he guides you to visually categorize your top accounts into quadrants based on these factors, offering a unique perspective that uncovers unnoticed opportunities. See Jeff's matrix and learn how to use it: https://www.jeffbajorek.com/posts/a-different-way-to-look-at-growth This is an episode for those who are keen to delve into the strategic side of sales and learn how to maximize their resources effectively. Jeff will challenge your understanding of accessible yet unscalable accounts, and how they can be a blessing in disguise in terms of growth. Don't miss out as he unfolds how having meaningful conversations with these customers could lead to game-changing insights. Be prepared to question your current sales approach, dismantle your preconceived ideas, and truly rethink the way you sell.
4:15 - The inspirations behind the framework 5:15 - Understanding the quadrants 8:00 - Quadrant 1: Accessible and growable accounts 9:30 - Quadrant 2: Non-Accessible, growable accounts 11:14 - Quadrant 3: Accessible, but not growable accounts 16:27 - Quadrant 4: Accounts you can't grow or access
Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons
Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! https://linktr.ee/rethinkpod
Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
In this episode of Rethink The Way You Sell, Jeff Bajorek highlights the significance of engaging in open and honest conversations with your customers. He believes in the power of these conversations in forging stronger relationships, asserting that "I have never been done wrong by my instincts. I have never asked a question that I feel deserved an answer. Even if it was a little taboo." Opening up to customers and showing vulnerability, according to Jeff, encourages them to let their guard down and foster a deeper connection. To aid in having these effective discussions, Jeff presents a five-step framework. These steps encompass understanding why the customer initially chose your company, seeking specifics about this decision, determining why they continue to do business with you, asking if they can refer additional clients, and finally, if they can introduce the company to these referrals. Jeff stresses that using this framework twice a year can considerably enhance the growth trajectory through referrals, stating "I gave you the framework. Now I'm going to ask you if you're willing to use it." You will serve your customers even better if you are willing to have the conversations that need to be had. (1:30) Five Questions for Killer Customer Conversations. (3:57) Why you have to ask for more detail. (5:14) Why do you continue to do business with us? (7:05) You’re getting exact messaging for what it’s like to find more customers like them. (9:32) An introduction goes so much further than a referral. (11:45) Why you need to have this conversation with your best customers twice a year. (13:41)
Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons
Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! Apple: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkapple Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkspotify Google: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkgp Stitcher: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkstitcher
Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
In this episode of Rethink The Way You Sell, Jeff Bajorek highlights the significance of engaging in open and honest conversations with your customers. He believes in the power of these conversations in forging stronger relationships, asserting that "I have never been done wrong by my instincts. I have never asked a question that I feel deserved an answer. Even if it was a little taboo." Opening up to customers and showing vulnerability, according to Jeff, encourages them to let their guard down and foster a deeper connection. To aid in having these effective discussions, Jeff presents a five-step framework. These steps encompass understanding why the customer initially chose your company, seeking specifics about this decision, determining why they continue to do business with you, asking if they can refer additional clients, and finally, if they can introduce the company to these referrals. Jeff stresses that using this framework twice a year can considerably enhance the growth trajectory through referrals, stating "I gave you the framework. Now I'm going to ask you if you're willing to use it." You will serve your customers even better if you are willing to have the conversations that need to be had. (1:30) Five Questions for Killer Customer Conversations. (3:57) Why you have to ask for more detail. (5:14) Why do you continue to do business with us? (7:05) You’re getting exact messaging for what it’s like to find more customers like them. (9:32) An introduction goes so much further than a referral. (11:45) Why you need to have this conversation with your best customers twice a year. (13:41)
Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons
Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! Apple: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkapple Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkspotify Google: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkgp Stitcher: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkstitcher
Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
Having a deeper understanding of your best customers is vital to improving your process and making more sales. Jeff argues that most sellers only have a surface-level view of who their customers are. He urges you to dig deeper and ask: "What are their goals? What motivates them? How are they feeling and thinking?" Jeff says truly knowing your customers will make selling much easier for you. "People buy emotionally first, then justify logically." Yet most sellers lead with logic instead of their customers' emotional state. Jeff wants you to uncover the emotions your prospects are experiencing related to their problem and potential solution. Another key point is understanding customers' motives beyond just the product or solution. Jeff asks: "Why would they buy from you? Why wouldn't they buy from you? What emotions drive their decision?" Answering these questions will give you a clearer picture of your customers and how to help them. Listen to gain Jeff's framework for finding out why your best customers choose you. His advice aims to deepen relationships and make referrals easier for you to obtain by helping you earn the right to ask through a deeper understanding of your customers.
Why you need to know who you are selling to. (2:17) What emotional state are they in? What are the emotions that drive a decision? (3:54) Who are your best customers? Why would they buy from you? What are their motives? (5:29) Why wouldn’t they buy from you? (7:15) What are the emotions that drive the decision to solve the problem? (9:17) People buy emotionally first, then justify logically. (10:39) When you have a better understanding of your prospect’s journey, you will have earned the right to ask for referrals and introductions. (12:15)
Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons
Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! Apple: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkapple Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkspotify Google: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkgp Stitcher: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkstitcher
Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
In this enlightening episode of Rethink The Way You Sell, host Jeff Bajorek highlights the significance of differentiation in your sales approach and the necessity to question conventional sales wisdom by promoting critical thinking. With personal anecdotes and a focus on accountability, self-assessment, and self-awareness, Jeff encourages listeners to challenge traditional sales techniques, adjust their strategies, and unlock their potential to connect with customers and succeed in a competitive sales environment. Throughout the episode, Jeff guides listeners in aligning their core beliefs with their sales processes and shares a simple exercise to help identify crucial differentiators. By reevaluating your purpose, understanding customers' needs, and adopting unconventional approaches, you'll unlock unlimited sales potential and achieve greater success in your sales career. Key Takeaways: 4:38 Embrace differentiation - Effective sales strategies require setting yourself apart from competitors and finding unique selling propositions. 8:17 You lose business the same way you win business - Foster critical thinking and be open to exploring innovative approaches or risk losing out to price 11:58 What is the feature? What is the benefit? What does the outcome look like? - Get clear on what it is that you do and how you help.
Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons
Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! Apple: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkapple Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkspotify Google: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkgp Stitcher: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkstitcher
Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
In this inspiring episode of Rethink The Way You Sell, host Jeff Bajorek sits down with DeJuan Brown to discuss his passion for helping others and his new role as the Head of Sales at Merit America, a nonprofit organization devoted to achieving long-term wage gains and sustainable, recession-resilient careers. DeJuan shares his excitement about Merit America's mission, their partnership with Google, and the magnitude of impact the organization can have on learners who are eager to advance their careers. Throughout the conversation, both Jeff and DeJuan emphasize the life-changing potential of seeing something in others that they might not see in themselves and the importance of giving back. Through personal anecdotes and powerful insights, Jeff and DeJuan offer a fresh perspective on rethinking the way you sell, combining passion with meaningful work, and using your skills to uplift and support those who need it most. Whether you're in sales or any other field, this episode will leave you feeling inspired and motivated to align your values with your career and pay it forward to the next generation. Key Takeaways: 4:30 Align passion with career - DeJuan's new role at Merit America exemplifies the power of combining passion for helping others with professional skills to create meaningful change in people's lives. Leverage unconventional opportunities for growth - Don't be afraid to think outside the box when it comes to advancing your career and broadening your skill set, as DeJuan did by joining a nonprofit organization. 19:08 Advance your career by helping add six figures to someone else's income
Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons
Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! Apple: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkapple Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkspotify Google: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkgp Stitcher: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkstitcher
Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
In this episode of Rethink The Way You Sell, host Jeff Bajorek takes a closer look at the importance of alignment and knowing your why in the sales process. He emphasizes that salespeople can determine their own how and that there's no one-size-fits-all sales method. Jeff also focuses on the role of integrity in achieving your best work and shares the five essential questions that can help you understand your purpose, which ultimately drives your success in sales. Jeff guides listeners through the concept of how life stages or career stages can shape a salesperson's motivation, using the analogy of a pyramid similar to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs where money motivation is at the base, progression to mastery in the middle, and the pursuit of giving back at the top. As you move through stages, the fulfillment derived from sales activities changes. He challenges listeners to assess where they are in this pyramid and align their behaviors, practices, and principles for optimal results. Key Takeaways: 1:57 Determine your own how - Redefining selling in a way that suits you can open up new possibilities and empower you to make the rules of the game. 7:12 Achieve alignment and integrity - Aligning what you sell, who you sell it to, how you sell, and why, while maintaining integrity, is crucial for doing your best work in sales. 10:20 Assess your place in the hierarchy of sales needs - Understanding where you are in your journey of motivations and focusing on aligning with that stage can lead to better results.
Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! Apple: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkapple Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkspotify Google: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkgp Stitcher: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkstitcher
Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
In this exciting fifth season, host Jeff Bajorek takes you through the 7 steps to selling like you. Discover the importance of alignment in selling, redefine it in a way that suits you, challenge your assumptions, and learn from those who have successfully redefined selling themselves. In the first episode, Jeff explores the first step to selling like you: knowing yourself. By examining the alignment between what you sell, who you sell it to, how you sell it, and why, you can achieve greater integrity and do your best work. Set yourself up for success by redefining selling in a way that suits you and taking control of the process. Join Jeff Bajorek as he dives deep into selling concepts, shares provocative questions, and challenges you to rethink the way you sell. Key Takeaways 4:54 - Redefining Selling: Discover the importance of redefining selling to suit your unique personality, boundaries, and goals. This empowers you to create your own system and paves the way for mastery in sales. 10:04 - Alignment: Aligning what you sell, who you sell it to, and how you sell it is crucial for doing your best work in sales. Finding this alignment can help you achieve greater integrity and a more authentic sales process. 12:14 - Taking Control of the Process: By redefining selling in a way that suits you, you can take control of the sales process and set yourself up for ultimate success. This involves deciding your boundaries, testing barriers, and breaking superstitions to find the most effective approach for you.
Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons
Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! Apple: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkapple Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkspotify Google: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkgp Stitcher: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkstitcher
Music and Editing by @Doug Branson Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions
I love every new season of this podcast more than the one before, and the ones before have been pretty darn good. For Season 4, I’m thrilled to be talking about how to Sell Like You. This concept came about in 2021 when I was speaking at the OutBound conference. It hit me like a ton of bricks during a conversation I was having with two rockstar sellers in front of my exhibit booth. Right away, I registered the domain and I knew I was onto something. As the summer went on, I knew there was more depth to the concept, but I wasn’t quite sure where to take it, so I shelved it for a little bit. While I was working through a bit of a professional identity crisis, I dove back into it and realized that belief is a theme that runs throughout my training and consulting work with my clients. When I dig into belief, it’s about a lot more than just confidence. Belief is rooted squarely in integrity- that alignment between what you do, who you do it for, how you do it, and why. The connection between your purpose and the way you sell is what it really means to Sell Like You. It’s really the lens through which all of my other content becomes more clearly viewed, and it’s the concept we’re going to explore this season. The format of Season 4 is going to be a little different than in seasons past. First, I don’t know when this season is going to end. Previously, I had a complete thought in mind before I released it into the world. This time around, I’m going to let the content develop and evolve as we go, and we’re going to investigate it together. I’m moving to a weekly release schedule instead of twice a week. This will allow more time for the concepts to breathe. There will be a lot more interviews this time around, but there will still be plenty of brief, impactful solo episodes designed to make you Rethink The Way You Sell. Are you ready to reach your ultimate sales potential? Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube as well. If you want to learn more about how I work with teams to put these concepts to work, check out my website at jeffbajorek.com/services. Music by Doug Branson and Blue Dot Sessions Tuck and Point by Blue Dot Sessions
That’s a wrap on Season 3! I’ve put together a quarter’s worth of prospecting episodes all in one place, which coincidentally is how long you should stay engaged with a prospect before you move on to another one. This season discussed the frameworks I use with my clients to help them become more effective opportunity creators, and I hope it’s been helpful for you. Good prospecting is about more than just tactics, it’s about the alignment between what you sell, who you sell it to, how you sell it, and why. When you have that alignment, you realize that you’re the secret ingredient to your sales success. Most everything else falls into place from there. I’ve packaged all of this into a course that will walk you through these frameworks step by step. Season 4 is right around the corner, and I can’t wait to begin sharing it with you. The theme is #SellLikeYou, and I’m going to dive deep into what that means (here’s a hint, it’s about a lot more than just using your own words). For a long time, sales improvement experts have focused on skill development and industrializing the sales process. There’s a real hunger in the profession right now to make selling more human, and that’s where we’re going. See you in a few short weeks! Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
“Alright, Jeff, 25 episodes of prospecting theory. Would you please just tell me what to say?” “Ok.” 😀 I couldn’t go an entire season and not at least give you my framework for outbound messaging. On today’s episode, I’m going to give you an outline that includes:
your opener
a credibility statement that justifies the call
a questions designed to create tension and provoke thought
your request or CTA
It’s pretty simple if you just allow it to be, and this framework is effective with messaging in any format. Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
Content is not just for marketers anymore. On today’s episode, I’m going to show you how I’ve used content in the past as well as how I’m using it today. I think it’s going to reaffirm your belief and give you a couple of different spins on what you’re already doing. No, I’m not talking about dropping of your shiny brochures with gatekeepers, or other unintentional leave-behinds. I’m talking about purposeful, thought provoking content with notes for context. You should be using industry publications to justify that your conversation is worth having. Hopefully, you’re also creating some of your own content to help demonstrate your own expertise. There are a lot of ways to do this, and I go into more detail in the episode. Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
Do the hard work first I’ve laid out a pretty solid strategy for you thus far. You might be thinking, “Great, Jeff, but how do I act on this? How do I ask so many questions, so often, through so many channels, of so many people?” Well, I’m glad you asked… The work before the work One of my favorite Jeffrey Gitomer one-liners is, “Most salespeople aren’t willing to do the hard work necessary to make the selling part easy.” This is normally because of a lack of patience. I’m going to lay out the strategy for you, it’s actually pretty simple, but you’re going to need to give yourself the time, space and permission to do this work. Are you ready? Go back to the fundamentals In The Five Forgotten Fundamentals of Prospecting, I wrote that you need to know what you bring to the table. By that, I mean know:
what makes you different
what makes that valuable
why that matters
Knowing these differentiators and the outcomes that only you can help create is vital to helping your prospects. I also wrote that you need to know who you should be talking to. That means knowing:
who they are
why they would buy
why they wouldn’t
The answers to these questions will help you provide the context necessary to make your differentiators mean something to your prospects and their respective situations. Brainstorm your questions Questions start conversations, right? And you want to start conversations that center around how you can deliver unique value to your prospects, right? Then you’re going to want to ask questions that would lead to discussions centered around your differentiators. So what are those differentiators? Following the framework I gave you from The Five Forgotten Fundamentals, do you have three or four things that objectively separate you from your closest competitors? (If not, then the best way to use your next team meeting is to discuss what they are. You can thank me later). Take each one of those differentiators, and think of three or four questions that would lead to a conversation with context about what makes you different and how you can help. That sentence is a bit of a mouthful, so let me break it down for you with an example. I help sales teams with professional service firms sell more by helping reps simplify their sales processes. The difference for me is not so much in the way I train, but in the way I help reps rethink the way they sell. This removes a lot of the barriers that would normally get in their way, rather than simply training them on skills- a very different way of helping salespeople improve. One of my questions might be, “Do your salespeople need better skills, or do they just need to get out of their own way?” This is going to provoke some thought in my prospects, and lead to a conversation about my approach to improving sales performance. If you can come up with 3-4 questions for each one of your 3-4 differentiators, you now have anywhere from 9-16 separate questions that you can ask in your prospecting campaigns. That’s just about one for every touch in the sequence (and another great use of a team meeting). Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
Make the commitment Most salespeople give up before they give themselves a chance at gaining any momentum. Prospecting isn’t a one-time event. You have to give up on the idea that success looks like saying the right thing to the right person at the right time. Think of it like a campaign. It’s a process you commit to. You build on each call, and you win the meeting as the result of your cumulative efforts. ”But I don’t want to be a pest” The common myth among salespeople is that the more often one reaches out, the more likely they are to aggravate their prospects and miss out on any chance of ever getting a meeting. You’re right, but that’s not the whole story. The real key to not being a pest is to have your outreach mean something to your prospect. That’s why I train my clients how to ask provocative questions in their outreach. In that case, every time your future customer hears from you, you’re making them think about their own situation. There’s a lot of value in that, and when you reach out with value, you can reach out more often. Finding a balance There are a lot of things you need to manage when creating an outbound cadence. You want to reach out with enough frequency that you can create momentum. Still, if you’re provoking some thought, you want your prospect to have some “time under tension” to really let some of that emotion build up. There are only so many salient points you can make without confusing your prospect, and you also need to have a defined length of time where you feel like you can walk away having done enough for now, should you not be able to reach them. The data on sales cadences is out there, and you can find it for your specific industry. What I recommend as a good starting point, particularly with the professional service providers and technical salespeople I work with, is a cadence I call 5 Over 4. Subdivide your target list into four groups. Reach out to each group every fourth business day. Over the course of four weeks, you will have attempted to reach each group five times, hence the name. If you sell SaaS, the current data suggests 12-15 times over 4-6 weeks. It’s a much more intense campaign, but you’re dealing with people who are constantly in front of their computers, and the noise level is quite high. It takes a lot more effort to break through. Regardless of the cadence or your industry, I recommend these outreach attempts are a good mix of the telephone, email, and social media touches. There’s no reason to leave any tool unused. Rather than limit yourself to people who only use the phone, per se, mix it up a bit. Despite the evidence that this works, few people employ this approach, and you’ll find it’s another way to differentiate yourself. How long before you give up? I think a good rule of thumb is that you pursue someone for a quarter and then reassess. Over thirteen weeks, using the 5 Over 4 cadence I showed you you can reach out to your prospects at least 15 times each. That’s often enough:
for them to know you’re trying to reach them
for them to know you won’t be waited out
to allow for adequate time under tension
for you to plant the seeds in their head that a conversation with you will be time well spent
If that doesn’t work, then one of three things is possible:
Your questions/topics aren’t relevant enough
You were wrong about your potential fit with them
The timing is just not right
After each quarter, reassess the progress (if any) you’ve made, and decide whether or not to continue with each prospect for another quarter, rotate them out of your cadence for a quarter, or disregard them altogether. Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
The inimitable Mark Hunter is my guest today on the show to discuss why sales reps spend so much time talking about themselves and their products instead of their prospects and their problems. Here are a few of the things we get into:
Companies set the wrong tone right away with product-oriented training.
How do you even know what to sell if you don’t understand your prospect’s needs?
What is the need the customer has?
What is the outcome that you can create?
Go from product peddler to problem solver.
It’s your job to help your prospect rethink how to solve their problem, not just buy your solution.
And so much more…
Never before has a sales podcast focused so much on coyotes and road runners! Mark is a sales speaker, consultant, and the author of several best-selling books on sales. You can learn more about him at https://thesaleshunter.com/. Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
Focus on the problem, not the product Your prospects don’t care about your product There’s a reason salespeople rank near the bottom of all the respected professions lists. They’re often seen as a nuisance, or at least as —a waste of time. Why do they always seem to be getting in the way? Because they always talk about themselves. Think about the way you were likely taught to sell: You have a product
It solves a particular problem
Go to the people who you believe have that problem.
Assume they have it and want to solve it.
Talk about your product in a way that positions it as the solution.
Book a meeting where you do “discovery” (which is really just to qualify that they’re ready to buy and they have the money).
Tell them all about how great your product is.
Ask for the order,
Cash the commission check.
Sound familiar? Seems pretty straightforward, except things tend to go south between steps three and four, don’t they? You’ve likely tried to make up for this by reaching out more often, or with multiple channels (phone, email, social media). You’ve undoubtedly “followed up” with your prospects by asking them if they’ve received your earlier communications. Ultimately, you’ve given up on these prospects and moved on because if they were really interested, they would have called you back by now. They weren’t interested because you aren’t interesting. Nobody cares as much about your product as you do. As fascinating as you think it is, your prospects just don’t care. They don’t have the context (yet) for why they should be so enamored with it. You’re going to need their attention in order to create that context, and you’re certainly not going to get it by talking about yourself. They care a lot about their problems What your prospects do care about are there problems. I would argue that they care more about their problems than the solution at all, let alone the specifics of yours. If they think for a second that you might be able to provide them with any insights about how to make their business lives a little easier, they’ll be willing to pick your brain for some answers. This is your opportunity. You just need to be willing to be patient and let your product take the back seat for awhile. Ask great questions Ask questions that get your prospect talking about the issues they’re facing, what they’ve done to try to overcome the obstacles, and how things worked out. One of my favorites is, “How have you handled this issue in your business?” I like it because it presumes success. You’re not pinning them into a corner and making them feel bad about having the same issues everybody else has, which really telegraphs your intentions and makes you come across as salesy. You’re assuming they’ve already succeeded, and successes are another thing your prospects like to talk about. They can answer this question in one of four ways.
We don’t have this issue anymore (you should ask them to share their success story).
We have this issue, and we don’t know how to handle it (you should ask to speak with them because you can share some insights).
We didn’t realize until just now that we have this issue, thanks for making us aware (here’s a real opportunity for you. You should definitely share some insights and help them avoid disaster).
We don’t have this issue, or we just don’t care about it (well, you can’t win ‘em all),
These conversations quickly turn into sales conversations, which often lead to sales. But the key is to get the discussion started on the right foot. Engage the prospect about their problems, and only bring your solutions into play when it’s appropriate. That’s how you build a reputation as someone worth talking to, which will get more calls returned more often, and a virtuous cycle is created.
Create tension from the start Tension is my term for the group of emotions that has to be present in every sales process. It’s pretty simple. No tension means no emotion, which means no sale. Tension is normally created when a prospect realizes they have an issue you might be able to help them resolve. It takes a good conversation or two and great discovery to increase that tension enough to get your prospect to act. The very best prospectors don’t wait until they have a prospect in front of them to do this. They start early. In fact, they start from the very beginning with their prospecting efforts. When you dig a little deeper, you recognize that you don’t just need tension to make the sale. Tension needs to be present in order to take even a single step in the sales process; most importantly the first one. You need to give your prospect a reason to take a meeting with you. Provoke a response Your prospecting efforts should be provocative. They should make your prospect think. I’ve always done this by asking open-ended questions. Admittedly, it’s a little strange to ask a question without expecting an answer, knowing full well that you’re going to do so over and again with your next few outreach attempts, but think about it. You’re trying to start a conversation, and the best way I’ve ever found to start a good conversation is to ask a great question. When your prospecting efforts ask great questions, you really stand out. If you’re able to make your prospect think differently just by acknowledging those questions, there’s actually value to them in your efforts. Not only are those thoughts creating tension in their own minds about the decision they need to make, but the fact that they haven’t answered you yet creates its own type of tension. Don’t give up so easily Most salespeople give up trying to reach someone after the second or third attempt. It’s not difficult at all to wait them out. When someone reaches out to me, even with a compelling proposition, I’m likely to wait until the third or fourth decent meeting request before I even start paying attention. If it involves something I’m working on right now, then it’s urgent. I might take a look, but that’s really random. If it’s not urgent, but it’s important, then I’m inclined to wait. If the rep persists, then their professionalism really stands out to me. I believe good sellership should be rewarded, and I’ll schedule something in the future. Just like asking great questions makes you stand out and creates tension, there’s additional tension created when you demonstrate that you won’t be waited out. Combine the two, and you’re really onto something. Do you have good questions to ask that will make your prospect think even when you’re not in front of them yet? Do you have enough of them to make the distinct impression that you’re not going anywhere, and you’ll persist patiently until you get a meeting? Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
If you cannot differentiate, you cannot sell In your prospect’s eyes, your marketplace is a sea of sameness. You’re not the only that provides a solution to the problem they’re stuck on. There are very few companies that have truly groundbreaking technology, and a lot of your competitors’ products look pretty similar to yours. Avoid the race to the bottom In the absence of real tangible differentiators, the decision usually comes down to price. It’s common for companies to find themselves in a race to the bottom, to see who can give the most amount of value for the least amount of money. All of your selling efforts then, are basically focused on earning the right to enter this race, only to turn around and give all the profit away. The only think worse than winning the race to the bottom is finishing second. Not only did you reveal to your prospect what you really feel your product is worth (a lot less than what you had originally claimed), but you didn’t even win the business. You lost all of your credibility and your commission. This is not where you want to be as a seller. It’s literally the opposite of what your job is. Anybody can lowball an offer to win business. Your company pays you to show a prospect why your solution is worth paying for. A real sales pro will help them feel really good about that decision too. Start conversations, not arguments What you sell is probably not identical to your competitors. Even if you sell the same thing, you sell it in a different way, with a different level of service, and a different level of expertise. If the whole experience were truly identical, there’d be no reason to separate your companies. There are reasons you feel your product or service is better than those of your competitors. What are they? What makes you objectively different? How can you clearly separate yourself? Objectively is the operative word here. There needs to be something black and white at the root of this differentiation. You can have a discussion about facts, but when you speak in terms of what’s better, you have a tendency to start an argument. That’s no way to sell a customer. The goal here is to change the conversation, to get them to think differently about how to resolve their issue. You can help them see a different path forward and change their motive to buy. This doesn’t just help you win customers, your insights help you keep them. You are the biggest differentiator Don’t forget that you bring something substantial to the table: you. The way you sell is every bit as important as what you sell. The impression you make on your prospects, especially the way they feel when they hear from you is an intangible yet powerful element in the sales process. Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
Today, I’ve got the incomparable Samantha McKenna on the show with me to talk about personalization with your outreach. Sam calls it Show Me You Know Me. So many sales reps get this wrong (despite their best intentions) Here’s what we dive into:
What does it mean to #SMYKM?
How long should you spend researching your prospects?
Why quality of messages is much more valuable than quantity
What fells like #SMYKM but actually isn’t?
Sam is one of the best follows you’ll ever find on LinkedIn. Follow here here, and also check out https://www.samsalesconsulting.com/ Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
I know something you don’t know, and you’d probably be better off if you knew it too. Today, I’ve got Anthony Iannarino on the show to talk about the concept of being 1-Up in sales, and why it’s your obligation to be in that position. Here’s what we covered:
What does it mean to be 1-Up?
How do you prospect from a 1-Up position?
How important is a confident tone when you prospect?
How do you communicate value in text format?
What does consultative selling really mean?
The value of also being 1-Down
You can purchase Anthony’s book, Elite Sales Strategies here: https://www.amazon.com/Elite-Sales-Strategies-Creating-Consultative/dp/1119858941 Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
Think about it. Nobody ever reads your email, returns your call, or accepts your connection request unless they think there is value that you can provide them. Your job when you’re prospecting, especially early on in the campaign, is not to make a sales or even book a meeting. Your job is to build credibility with your buyer. How do you build that credibility? Present them with insights that will help them. Not just data, but intelligence around that data. You’re trying to demonstrate that you bring something powerful to the table- you. Your prospects are not looking for new friends For a long time, sellers have taken the approach that if they could develop a personal relationship with someone and know them a little better, then perhaps they can have a little more influence. I understand the logic, but do they need someone to buy them lunch or a drinking buddy? Probably not. Don't try and dupe someone into being friends with you so you can turn around and sell them something. That’s disingenuous and manipulative. They're not looking for new friends and neither are you. To take it a step further, have you ever actually done business with your friends? It’s not optimal. It’s likely that there will be some tension in a business relationship form time to time. Do you want that spilling over into the cookout the weekend? Bring value, not donuts Back in the day, salespeople used to bring food, treats, and trinkets to try to win the favor of the decision maker. In an effort to leverage the law of reciprocity, they’d provide something of low value in exchange for a conversation that would hopefully be of high value for them. You may have noticed that this approach doesn’t work so well anymore. Not only are companies instituting polices forbidding their employees from receiving these kinds of things, most of your prospects can see right through them. It’s not even a veiled attempt at winning their favor. It’s also not doing much to earn the meeting either. Sure, the goodwill is worth something, but don’t you think your prospect’s time is worth a little more to them than a turkey sandwich in a paper bag? You’ve probably heard that if you can get an executive away from the distractions of the office, then they’re more likely to let their guard down. It’s true. Lots of sales reps invite their buyers out to eat, or to a ballgame or for a round of golf, hoping the diversion might provide the arena for a conversation. Executives value their time more than they ever have before. Lunch at a restaurant is going to cost me two productive hours during the day. I have to make it up somewhere. Dinner will cost me three at the end of my day when I’d rather be home with my kids. I know that time is going to be good for the rep, but what’s going to make it good for me? While these environments are great for having productive business conversations (I’ve closed business on the golf course too), it’s really about the conversation, not the dinner table. Change your focus appropriately. What do you want to speak with them about? Why should it be important to them? Why do they need to listen to you right now? Those are the questions you should be able to answer, and those are the points you should be making to them even before you have that first meeting. Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
First things first, these are the table stakes for professional prospecting. They often get taken for granted, but I’ve been doing this long enough to know that you need to be reminded of them. You can’t afford to miss any of these if you expect your best results. Define (and limit) your target list There are only so many prospects that you can reasonably approach and follow through with. You may have a target list of 1000, but don’t just start at the top and work your way through the bottom before making a second pass. Segment your list into reasonable batches so that you can reach out to everybody more than once a week. You need to cast a wide net while still being able to create some momentum and build familiarity. Know your decision makers Before you reach out into any potential account, you need to know who you should be talking to. This seems like an easy one, but I see mistakes being made constantly. I won’t belabor this point, but suffice it to say it’s important that you don’t make assumptions. Questions about who will be involved in the decision process are easily asked (and usually answered) early in the sales process. Set goals This one’s as simple as it sounds. Give yourself targets to hit, and push yourself to get there. Block time If something is important enough to do, it’s worth creating space on your calendar for it. What isn’t planned for usually isn’t consistently done, and as my friend Mike Weinberg likes to say, “Nobody defaults to prospecting mode.” It doesn’t always need to be first thing in the morning, but professional prospectors have time set aside every day of the week to fill their pipeline. Think about what you’re trying to accomplish What’s the end goal? What are you ultimately trying to achieve? What is your why? Keeping the big picture in mind will help you with perspective when the going gets tough (and from time to time, it will). Remember the results your solution creates. Remember the people you’re working to help. Remember the personal goals and responsibilities you have. Measure what matters I don’t care how many calls a day you make or emails you send. None of that matters unless you can book sales meetings. Quite frankly, even the number of meetings you book is irrelevant if they’re not qualified and don’t lead to deals. Selling cannot be simply reduced to a numbers game. There’s more to it than that, and I can’t give. You some rule of thumb that will tell you if you’re doing a good job or not. You need to understand your own sales process, identify the levers and the triggers in it that will predictably lead to revenue, and count whatever those activities are. For me, it’s new introductions, scheduled time on their calendar, and a meaningful conversation with them about how I might be able to help. With enough of those activities, revenue always follows, even if I can’t forecast the exact number right away. Keep your swagger I mentioned above that the going will get rough from time to time. It happens to all of us. This is where that perspective comes in. You need to be willing to lean into adversity, and identify the opportunity in every obstacle. When something doesn’t go your way, or doesn’t go the way you expected it to, it’s almost always because there’s a lesson you need to learn. Find what that is and learn it. Then tap back into your inner rock star and do the great work that only you are able to do. Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
On today’s episode, I welcome the one and only King of Sales, Jeffrey Gitomer. His is the voice I consistently hear in my head when I think about salespeople and their belief systems, and I’m thrilled to bring that voice to you today. In this conversation, we talked about:
How to deepen your belief in your product by using the belief of others
Who’s responsible for instilling belief? You or your sales manager?
Love and belief are tied together
Having the guts to go outside the norm to make a connection
Where Jeffrey got his belief
This conversation is 100% Jeffrey being Jeffrey. You’ll learn about the power of belief, why you need it, and how to get it. He tells it like nobody else can (or will). You can learn more about Jeffrey at https://www.gitomer.com/. Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
“Sales management is the fine art of balancing encouraging the heart and kicking the ass.” -Donnie Williams Today, my guest is Mike Weinberg, whom I’m calling The Godfather of Sales Accountability. I’m thrilled to talk to Mike today about leaders holding their teams accountable to prospecting and proactive opportunity creation. In this episode, we discuss:
The differences between accountability and micromanagement
There’s no reason to be afraid to look at the data with your team
A laser-focused 15-minute accountability meeting will make all of your other meetings more effective
Managers should be creating tension in these meetings the same way reps do with their prospects
It’s best for everybody involved if accountability meetings are conducted privately
How accountability meetings enhance a high-performing sales culture
Your reps’ responses to these meetings will identify your talent issues
Mike always gets the best out of me, and this 23-minute conversation is exhibit A. Make sure you’re in a place where you can take notes, and then go to mikeweinberg.com to learn more. Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
Right now there’s a sales manager assuming that their comp plan is doing their job for them. They’re failing. I know you want to be easy to work for. I know you don’t want to be a micromanager, but that isn’t a permission slip for being uninvolved. Holding your reps accountable means you care. It means you want the best for them. It means you want to make sure they have what they need to succeed. It means you want to be accountable to them as well. There is not a single person doing anything important who wouldn’t do a little better if they knew someone was looking out for them with their best interests in mind. You need to be that person for your team. You should have a strictly results-oriented meeting with everyone on your team once a month, preferably during the first week after results from the previous month are finalized. No BS, no smalltalk, no catching up on personal lives. That’s for another time. Stack these meetings back to back in blocks to hold yourself accountable. Make no mistake about the purpose of these meetings. I’ll even give you a script. Here are seven questions you can ask to make these meetings most effective.
How’d it go since the last time we met?
What went well?
What hasn’t gone well?
What’s next?
When will you have that accomplished?
Do you have what you need?
How can I help?
These questions not only provide you with a status update, they give your team something to think about. Not all the answers will be discussed in this meeting- that’s ok. The really important stuff deserves its own time slot to be scheduled later. It’s amazing how easy it is to lose sight of the bigger picture in the day-to-day grind. Meetings like this keep everybody focused on the greater goals of the quarter or the year.
Jason Bay is my guest on the show today, and we’re talking about how sales training is broken. Sales leaders are not providing direction or doing enough to simplify the processes. In short, they’re not creating a conducive selling environment. But they’re still leaning on their teams to create massive results. It’s not just unfair to reps, it’s unfair to the companies these leaders are working for. How do we train through and around this issue? How do we create that environment to sell? Jason suggest microtraining. Regular practice, drills, and leadership goes a long way, and there’s no reason leaders can’t implement these practices for their teams. It can be done in as little as 5 minutes a day, and with tools you’re probably already using. You can get more from Jason at https://outboundsquad.com/ or by following him on LinkedIn. Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
Prospecting can be simple if you’ll only let it. Today, my guest is Art Sobczak, and he’s going to show you how to keep it that way. Ignore the distractions. Remember the fundamentals still work and have worked forever. There are new tools available every day, but selling is still selling. Manage your mindset, manage your expectations, be realistic, and plan accordingly. Art is an author, a speaker, and one of the world’s leading authorities on prospecting and inside sales training. He’s also a world class outdoor chef, and one of my favorite follows on Instagram. Download the 8 Reasons Your Team Isn’t Creating More Opportunities white paper at https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
Once you’ve acknowledged the fact that opportunity creating isn’t a one-and-done scenario, you need to put together your plan. How will you start the conversation? How often will you reach out? What data or content will you use to justify the conversation? Prospecting is not an improvisational exercise simply repeated over and over. It’s a well-orchestrated campaign with a beginning and a logical conclusion. If you’re not approaching it this way, you’re setting yourself up for frustration and disappointment. Most salespeople send an email with a request to teach their prospect more. When it’s ignored, they send another similar one. Worse, they forward the original email asking if the prospect received it. Treat your campaign almost as if you’re having a conversation with your prospect, but you’re the only one participating. Ask questions without expecting a response, knowing that the tension created by good questions going unanswered will often be enough to get the meeting. Make your prospect think that there’s something you know that they wish they did, and give them the opportunity to learn it. The cadence should be consistent and regular. You can’t reach out every two weeks and expect to gain any momentum with someone who doesn’t know you. You can be persistent without being a pest. That has everything to do with the value of your conversation. Your job is to prove to your prospect that you’re someone worth talking to and that you have something worth talking about. Good prospecting doesn’t look or feel like improv. You know you need to reach out at least a dozen times. What do those touch points look and sound like? Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube.
Can you realistically spend the majority of your time at work doing your job? There is a lot of prep work that goes into the prospecting process. You need to know whom you’re trying to reach, how you’re going to get a hold of them, how to organize your data, and plan your approach. It’s startling to me how many companies I work with leave it up to their reps to do all this work on their own. You want your reps to spend as much time as possible on high-value activities. You should give them what they need to be effective and stay organized. The data is out there and available. With a well-defined target market, you can purchase and segment that data, and have accurate contact information available at your fingertips. There’s no reason to make your reps spend the time necessary to reinvent the wheel. Back in the day, a yellow legal pad or a spreadsheet may have been enough to keep track of your pipeline. Modern CRM systems have changed that game, with varying levels of sophistication. These databases are invaluable for helping your reps know where they are in their various sales processes, what their next steps should be, and when they should be taken. You also have to be careful that you don’t over equip your team to the point where the tools become a distraction. I don’t think you need to go crazy with tech, but some of these tools are table stakes. Make it as easy as possible for your reps to do their job. Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube as well.
Today’s episode is a replay from the archives of the Deeper Thought podcast. I sat down with Andy Racic to discuss whether or not prospecting is all about luck. Andy starts by writing about how his mom would pay him for finding four-leaf clovers the yard when he was a kid. There’s a clear parallel here to prospecting today. Do you really just randomly reach out and hope to get lucky? There has to be more to it than that, right? Well if you don’t look, you’ll never find any, but you definitely have to manage your expectations around the results of your efforts. It’s also important to pay attention to the process along the way, so you can learn what works well and what doesn’t. Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube as well.
Prospecting is not a one-time event. At the very least, it’s a campaign; while the very best insist it’s a lifestyle. For a lot of sellers, the expectation is that you're supposed to pick up the phone, deliver the perfect message at the perfect time to the perfect person, and make a sale. I wish it were that easy. Cramming an entire sales process into a single sales call is not the point, and when the bar is set so unnecessarily high, it doesn't take much for someone to talk themselves out of it. You’re done before you start. And speaking of sales calls, a word or two about the phone… If you’re not using the phone because you believe people don’t pick it up when it rings, you’re missing the point. A big part of creating opportunities is making your prospect fully aware that you’re in pursuit and you won’t be waited out like everybody else. Making their phone ring is another way to remind them that you’ve got them professionally surrounded, and you intend to reach them. At the very least, voicemail is another inbox. Your prospect hearing your voice is a way for them to get more familiar with you. If you’re really savvy, you’ll take the opportunity to make them smile. The excuses are plentiful: voicemails are transcribed, they’re deleted more often than they’re listened to even if they’re attended to at all… Sure, but do you really think your email is a silver bullet? How many of them don’t even reach the spam filter? Perfect is the enemy of really good. The phone is a weapon, and a valuable one. If you’re trying to reach your ideal prospects, why would you leave such a valuable asset on the table? Ignore it at your own risk. Set your expectations correctly from the start. It's probably going to take you a dozen or more attempts to reach your prospect. Are you prepared for that? Share this episode and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube as well.
Most sales teams are not doing enough proactive prospecting. You’re not lazy or ignorant, you’re just not doing what you know you need to do. It’s understandable. Putting yourself in front of strangers is a daunting task, but you have to overcome that gap between knowing what needs to be done, and actually doing the work. I’m here to help. In Season 3 of the Rethink The Way You Sell Podcast, I’m going to help you rethink your prospecting. I’m going to simplify the concept for you so that it’s less intimidating, and give you some specific strategies and tactics that you can put into play immediately. I’m going to start by identifying the 8 most common reasons that trained and motivated teams aren’t creating more opportunities, and I’m going to tell you how you can fix them. Then I’m going to share the model of what professional prospecting looks like. I’m going to share mindsets, strategies, cadences, and tactics, all designed to help you create more tension from the beginning of your sales process. You’re going to learn how to create more opportunities that will close more often. I’m going to share client stories along with some from my days in the field. You’ll also hear from a host of other prospecting legends like Andy Racic, Art Sobczak, Jason Bay, Mike Weinberg, Jeffrey Gitomer, Anthony Iannarino, Samantha McKenna, Mark Hunter, and Jeb Blount. I’ve never been more excited about a topic as I am with this one, and I can’t wait to help you make an impact on your sales. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget that the show is now on YouTube as well.
One of my favorite places in the world is a clearing in the woods at a golf resort. There’s a labyrinth laid out there intended for walking meditations and mindfulness. It’s beautiful, peaceful, and the subject of today’s episode of the Rethink The Way You Sell Podcast. This is inscribed on a plaque right before you enter: “The labyrinth is a metaphor for our journey through life. Its path leads toward an inner light, to the center of our self and the center of the sacred; one and the same. Its direction, at times, is confusing, taking us around, and then back again. Yet, it is through this circular journey of discovery and growth that we reconnect to where we once began.” I’ve walked in that labyrinth. I’ve meditated in that labyrinth. I’ve cried in that labyrinth. It’s a perfect metaphor for the sometimes inexplicable twists and turns our lives take. You feel like you’re moving forward quickly and then all of a sudden you have to stop and change directions. For me, the lesson is to accept that I’m on the path I need to be on, and have faith that I’m doing the right things. When I’m honest with myself about those two things, I remind myself that no step is too small so long as it’s headed in the right direction and I keep taking steps. I just need to keep moving forward. What about you? Do those same lessons apply? Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
Can you ever be good enough? It seems like every time you succeed, the counter resets to zero, and your company just asks for more. How do you keep your swagger, or more importantly your composure, when it feels like there’ always more to do. It’s frustrating. That’s what I’m talking about today on the Rethink The Way You Sell Podcast. Success is a difficult thing to judge, especially if you feel like it’s a destination or someplace where you’ll eventually arrive. What you eventually recognize as you climb Mt. Success is that there is no summit. The only way to judge your success is by turning around every once in awhile and recognizing how far you’ve climbed. Think about the things you’ve done recently that even a few years ago you thought you’d never do. How could your current situation be better? What canyon do to make it better? What are your other options? Recognize that your status quo is a choice, and you can choose to make a different one. Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
A winning mindset is about more than just staying positive. It’s about more than hope, confidence, or even determination. It’s about belief; belief you can make the sale; belief that you can make the sale again; belief that if you stumble, you’ll get back up and be even better for the next call. On todays episode of the Rethink The Way You Sell Podcast, I’m going to talk about how top salespeople craft their mindset such that they can perform as well as possible, as often as possible. Top performers channel their inner rockstar. They tap into that thing that makes them feel great and perform at their best. At the same time, they know that things aren’t going to go their way all the time. Every time you fall short is an opportunity to learn why, and an opportunity to get better. Failures aren’t setbacks so much as they’re cherished because they launch us on a path forward. No step is too small so long as it’s headed in the right direction and you keep taking steps. Count your progress along the way, and realize you’re headed to where you need to go. Here’s a mantra for you: “I’m the best in the world at what I do, and the really scary part is that I’m only half as good as I’m going to be.” Write that on a sticky note and put in on your bathroom mirror. It will both ground you and encourage you on your journey to greatness. Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
I’ve been working hard to eliminate the word “convince” from my vocabulary, and on today’s episode I’m telling you why. First of all, it sets the wrong tone. More importantly, it represents a gross misunderstanding of what selling is. Fundamentally, when you try to convince someone of something, it’s something akin to an argument. You’re trying to use facts and logic to make a point and that’s backward. Remember, sales are made emotionally first, and then justified logically. When you miss the emotion, you miss out on the sale. Carry it out a little further, and let’s say you succeed… ✧ There’s a decrease in satisfaction ✧ There’s an increase in buyer’s remorse ✧ There’s very little likelihood that these customers want to refer you to their friends ✧ If they were really a good fit, would they have needed so much convincing? Think about what it really means when you try to convince someone, and then tell me why we should even be using that word as professional salespeople at all anymore. Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
Why do some salespeople make it so hard to buy? My friends Liz Wendling and Larry Levine stop by the show today to discuss when the sales process actually gets in the way of the sale. It’s really not that hard. ✧ Do what you say you’re going to do. ✧ Keep processes simple. ✧ Have logical next steps. Do you realize that you’re training your customers how to do business with you? Are you thinking about the path your relationship is started on? How likely are they to refer their friends if the buying process is so difficult, even if the solution overdelivers on your promises? Think about this stuff. Remember you’re trying to create an environment to buy, not just make a sale. Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
I’ve seen countless reps search for the perfect thing to say to the perfect person at the perfect time, and miss the whole point. Consultative selling is about an exchange of ideas, not the reciting of a few well crafted lines. On today’s podcast episode, I talk about how top performers don’t just sell, they create the environment to buy. 🔎 they start by making sure there is emotional engagement in the process, beginning with the way they prospect 🧐 they’re curious in discovery, making sure their prospects don’t feel as if they’re being run through an interrogation 😌 they get vulnerable enough to allow their prospects to do the same When you do this right, you no longer need to pitch. You simply make a recommendation. Your slide decks become simple visual aids, and all the canned garbage becomes a lot more conversational. This is what professional selling should look like. Is it what your process looks like? What could you change? Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
For years, we’ve been lied to. We’ve been told “leaders are readers.” That’s only a partial truth. There’s a difference between knowing what to do and actually executing, and that’s where real leadership lives. Leaders aren’t just readers, they’re doers. That’s what today’s podcast episode is focused on. What do you think about your own habits and disciplines around execution? “I’ve got to read a book or find a resource before I get started” is just plausible deniability for not doing the work. Are you really better for knowing, or do you get better by doing? What are the things you can do to stop worrying about how much you know (or don’t) and instead focus on doing more of what you already know? Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
“How you do anything is how you do everything.” You may have heard this before. Camille Clemons and DeJuan Brown are not the first to say it, but they graciously spent a few minutes with me to talk about what it means to them and how it impacts their respective day-to-day routines. How do you hold yourself accountable to the little things, especially knowing that they add up to really big things? The details matter. If you don’t have time to do it right, you don’t have time to do it twice. Have you ever thought about it this way? Would your results change if you did? Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
Top salespeople start by thinking about what needs to happen. Most other sellers just start asking for directions. This is an important umbrella concept to recognize, and that’s what today’s episode of the Rethink The Way You Sell podcast is all about. Instead of looking for an instruction manual or a paint-by-numbers guide, you must start by identifying the objective and what needs to happen. Is social selling the best way to reach new prospects? Should I pick up the phone to call? Send an email? It’s easy to get wrapped up in the debates, but the answer doesn’t really matter. Recognize that you need to put yourself in front of someone who doesn’t know you, and get to work. Find out what works for you. When you don’t create meaningless friction in your day, it becomes much easier to execute on your top priorities. When you’re not worried about what others are doing, you can focus on selling like you. That kind of environment will lead to the best possible sales results, and also the highest amount of personal fulfillment you can get from a sales career. Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
Everybody who performs at a high level has some means of evaluating their current performance. It’s important to know what’s actually going on in real time so you can identify where you’re strong and where you have some room to improve, and that’s what I’m talking about on today’s episode of the podcast. Do you ever go back and replay sales calls in your head after you’re done with them? It only takes a few minutes. Do you go so far as listening to actual call recordings? The process is excruciating, but there are very few things that will teach you as much, nothing will speed your development more quickly, and you don’t even need a coach to become more self-aware. You have to understand where you are right now in order to have an idea of how to get where you ultimately want to go. Start by replaying the tape on those sales calls, and be more mindful while you’re in them. The results will be tangible right away. Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
If we go back to Covey, and Habit #1, being proactive means taking responsibility for your outcomes. You’re the captain of your ship. But you can only control what you can control. You need to recognize when things are outside of your control, and adjust your mindset accordingly. Trying to overreach that sphere of influence won’t do you any favors. On today’s episode, I speak with my friend Andy Racic about understanding the difference between taking ownership and driving yourself insane. It’s a fine line sometimes. I’ve been told since early in my career, “Don’t get too high with the highs or too low with the lows.” It took me a long time to appreciate what that means. Ultimately, it means you get to choose how you feel about things. When you focus on the things within your control, and ignore the emotions that get caught up in your results, you tend to deliver better results and save yourself a lot of strife along the way. How often do you find yourself out of balance? What do you do to right the ship? Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts, and connect with Andy on LinkedIn.
The very best salespeople know that the buck stops with them when it comes to revenue results. Sure, there are other important aspects of the revenue cycle, but ultimately the seller is judged on a revenue number, and it’s a binary outcome. Today’s podcast outlines what it means to take ownership of your outcomes. They don’t blame others when the revenue isn’t there It boggles my mind that someone would leave their livelihood up to somebody else. You’ve got to find a way to get the job done. They create their own opportunities Even if your organization provides you with a ton of lead-generating resources, there are always deals you can source yourself. Prospecting may not be the most fun aspect of your job, but looking for new ways to win is certainly rewarding. Is your ear to the ground? They understand their sales process Most sales processes stall because sellers don’t know what to ask for next, and a startling amount of sellers I work with can’t draw theirs on a napkin. How can you take control of a sales process you don’t know? They review the tape Do you think back on your calls? What went well? What didn’t? What could you do differently next time? This kind of exercise is excruciating, but there are few things more valuable when it comes to getting better. Does any of this sound familiar? How much ownership do you really take? Could you do better? Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
Season 2 of the Rethink The Way You Sell Podcast is all about intangibles, and Mike Hook wrote a killer LinkedIn post about intangibles that I just needed to speak with him about. In the post, Mike shared the dirty little secret for how high performers get things done 9it’s actually seven little secrets). Here they are.
Set your ego aside
Have conviction
Admit when you’re wrong
Live what you speak
Over prepare
Have grit
Default to action
We used that post (and you should go back and check it out) as a springboard for our conversation. Then we pivoted to talk bout the value of regularly stepping away to give yourself the space to think, as well as the concept of a ‘steel man’ to help bulletproof your ideas. This was a really thoughtful conversation that will make you rethink what it means to take action. You should follow Mike on LinkedIn and Twitter. Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
It takes about 10,000 hours of dedicated practice to master a skill. How often do you actually practice your sales craft? No, really… I don’t mean the hours you spend at work, and it’s a stretch to even count webinars and podcasts. I mean dedicated practice. Making sales calls, writing email copy, talking shop… That’s the normal stuff that you end up getting credit for. What about role playing? What about listening back to your sales call recordings? What about working with a colleague to intentionally sharpen your skills? You probably don’t do too much of that. That’s uncomfortable. That’s the kind of thing that makes prospecting look like an attractive alternative! My guest today on the podcast is Jordana Zeldin. We talk about the benefits of practice (yes, even the scientifically-validated biological benefits of practice) and why you should be regularly dedicating time to honing your craft. After you’re done listening, you should go and check out The Practice Lab, a space Jordana has created to encourage this kind of skill development so sellers can take the next steps in their careers. Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
One of my favorite aspects of having a podcast is getting to talk to really smart people about a specific area of their genius. Luigi Prestinenzi is one of those people, and this is one of those conversations. ”Fundamentally, what separates top performers have a relentless pursuit of excellence. It’s in everything they do. How they develop their skills, how they focus, how they condition their mindset.” In this wide-ranging conversation, we talked about understanding what you’re trying to accomplish and the bigger picture. We also discussed knowing your limits, and being able to measure whether or not your current efforts are actually productive, or just busyness. There are conversations where you just want to be a fly on the wall to listen in, and this is one of them. Download Luigi’s ebook on The Mindset of Top Performers right here. Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts, and connect with Luigi on LinkedIn.
To top performers, selling is not just a job to help pay the bills, or a side hustle to make a quick buck. It’s who they are and how they identify. It’s clear to me that they see a bigger picture than their colleagues. Selling is a career and a lifestyle. That’s what today’s podcast episode is all about. They’re inspired by the work they do and the solutions they create. They don’t get caught up in the details or overwhelmed by minutiae. They look at everything that happens to them as a step forward in the process, even the ones that feel like steps backward. They focus on what they can control instead of worrying about what they can’t. They strive for continuous improvement. Every day is an opportunity to take a small step forward. Some steps are bigger than others, but in the grand scheme, it’s about continually taking steps. Top performers seek to edify themselves. They want to understand how and why things work. They practice. They role play. They do what they need to do in order to get better, because their discomfort in the short term will serve them in the long term. They also understand that you can’t go full tilt all the time. It’s easy to get caught up in the grind and fail to realize you’re just grinding yourself down. The best salespeople in the world give themselves the space and time to think. The big picture matters. Are your results commensurate with your effort? Do you need to learn more, or do you just need to give yourself the space and time to let those lessons come to fruition? Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
At any given moment, can you affirmatively state that what you’re currently doing is helping you achieve your larger goals? The great Jim Collins said that if you have more than three priorities, you have no priorities. In a world of shiny objects and things that sound good, are you making sure you’re able to focus on the things that will actually get you where you want to go? On today’s episode of the Rethink The Way You Sell Podcast, I’m going to challenge you to think differently about what you think is important. You may have a lot of smaller objectives that seem important enough to focus on from time to time, but do all of those little things help you track toward your one big thing? What do you need to eliminate so that you can achieve more? If you love the show, please subscribe, review, and share it wherever you get your podcasts.
“Know what you believe, and have the guts to live it out.” Quite frankly, living it out is the easy part. The real work happens when you sit down and think about what you believe and why. In the last episode of the Rethink The Way You Sell Podcast, I talked about how the very best salespeople are purpose-driven. In today’s episode, Larry Levine is challenging you to think about what your purpose is. Do you know what your core values are? Spend ten minutes on them. It’s well-worth it. Here are my core values:
Take responsibility
Do the right thing
Be a good person
Tell the truth
Treat people with respect
Be curious
Be mindful, especially of the things you don’t know
Look for the opportunity in every obstacle
Don’t let your ego get in the way of doing the right thing
Do hard things on purpose
Be generous
Have you done this work? What would it mean for your purpose to be so clear to you every day? You can find Larry here, and I think you’ll get a lot of value out of the Selling From The Heart Podcast. Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
Top performers are aligned between who they are, what they do, and why they do it. You'll never meet a very high performer who isn't driven by something purposeful. When your purpose is driving you, you are laser focused on an outcome, and that makes so many things possible. It acts as a rudder in turbulent waters, keeping them on course and moving forward. That level of focus allows them to build strict disciplines. Discipline means doing the work that needs to be done regardless of whether or not you like doing it. Great salespeople aren’t necessarily working harder or doing more than anybody else, but they do a lot less of the things that don’t make an impact. Their level efficiency is astounding. Top performers are organized. They know what they need, they know how to get it, and they can get it quickly. A lack of friction in your mental processes allows you to put the pedal down and really get things done. At the end of the day, it all goes back to your why. Your focus, your discipline, your boundaries, your organization, all stem that big purpose. Do you know yours? Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
Who are you? How can you help? Have you sat down and actually thought of these things? I ran from them for a lot longer than I should have because I didn’t want to sit down and do the work, but when I did, the floodgates started to open. Tara Horstmeyer is a personal branding expert, social media strategist, and founder at Happy Words. After meeting her at OutBound in 2021, I instantly knew she could help me, and she has. Tara and I got together for a few minutes to discuss personal branding. What it is, what it isn’t, and what you can do to start improving yours (hint: you want to). We talk a little bit about how she helped me, about tapping into your ego without being a jerk, and she’s going to give you her best advice for getting started (yes, you can do this). You can follow and connect with Tara here and you should. Don’t forget to subscribe to this show wherever you get your podcasts, and would you mind sharing it with a friend?
Andy Paul is one of the world’s foremost experts on sales and sales enablement. His new book, Sell Without Selling Out, is an instant best seller. On today’s episode, Andy joins me to tap about the different between persuasion and influence. We also talk a little bit about objection-handling and some of the ridiculous sales training we’ve seen over the years, before we get into what Andy calls the Four Pillars of Selling In. Do you appreciate the difference between persuasion and influence? It’s more than just semantics. You should pick up the book. You can also find and connect with Andy here. Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
What is the first trait that I can identify about top performers that separates them from everybody else? They're proud to call themselves salespeople. People think that “sales” is a four letter word. We've had these things ingrained in us, these ideas pounded into our heads, that selling’s bad. When you boil it down, selling is nothing more than helping people solve problems in a way that only you can. It's helping them come to new realizations, resolve a lot of issues, and reach new heights. Redefine what selling is. Make it something bigger, something that we all do intuitively (because it's really just how we interact with people). Now you have a new lens through which to view those interactions. That's how I like to do it. Top performers make sure they put their prospects’ and their customers’ best interests ahead of their own. It’s evident in their personal brands, too. Their reputation is such that people see them as someone worth talking to, because they always have something worth talking about. Now think about how often the desire to not be something gets in your way. People can be so focused on not being salesy that they forget they need to sell things. Have you ever held yourself back this way? You probably don’t want to execute like the greasy-haired used car salesman you picture in your head, but you still need to get the job done. You can sell very effectively in complete integrity with who you want to be. So when you think about what it means to be in sales, are you proud of yourself? Do you fit that mold? Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
I’ve long said that there’s only about a 5% difference between mediocrity and superstardom. In Season 2 of the Rethink The Way You Sell Podcast, we’re going to dig into that 5% and identify what separates top performing sales pros from the rest. As you dig a little deeper into that 5%, what you’re going to understand is the difference between “those who know” and “those who do.” Interestingly (but not surprisingly), what separates top performers from average sellers doesn’t seem to have anything to do with selling skills. Top performers don't know more, they just execute relentlessly on the most important things. The difference, then, comes down to the seller’s ability to overcome the obstacles that get in the way of performing these tasks. You already know enough. That’s not what’s getting in your way. There are the seven intangible characteristics of top salespeople
They are proud to be in sales
They are purpose-driven
They treat selling as a career, not just a job
They take ownership of their outcomes
They begin with the end in mind
They create an environment to buy
They keep their swagger
I’m going to dive deep into each one of these characteristics, and along the way, you’re going to hear from a few of my friends, like Andy Paul, Tara Horstmeyer, Larry Levine, Luigi Prestinenzi, Jordana Zeldin, Mike Hook, Andy Racic, Camille Clemons, DeJuan Brown, and Liz Wendling. Being a top performer is about alignment between who you are and what you do, seeing a bigger picture than most, and creating an environment where you can do the work. I’m excited to bring you along with me as I explore these concepts over the next two dozen episodes. Are you with me? Please subscribe, review, and share this show wherever you get your podcasts.
Bonus episode! The early feedback I’ve been getting about the show is humbling and I wanted to take the opportunity to respond. I’ve also recently appreciated some things that were holding me back, and given that this is a season about belief, I thought it was more than appropriate to cap it off with a personal story. Thanks for being here with me. Please leave a review and share the show with a friend if it’s been helpful to you. Season 2 is coming very soon!
95% of salespeople can’t answer this question correctly. Today I’m going to ask you why your best customers buy from you, and you’re going to think about some answers. They’ll be pretty good answers, but here’s the trick… If you haven’t asked, you don’t really know. For years, I’ve been saying that if you lined up 100 salespeople and asked them why their best customers buy from them, 5 would know the answer because they’ve asked. 15 would guess right because they’re pretty intuitive and they listen well 80 would be dead wrong Not only would they be wrong, but they’d be shocked to find the real answers because they’re not the bullet points listed on the company website or your shiny brochures. Have you ever compared your marketing materials to your competitors’? Don’t they all look relatively the same? Haven’t we already discussed how important it is to differentiate yourself and your company? You’ll never really know until you ask, which is what I’m going to challenge you to do. Sit with your best customers, the ones you’d really like to replicate, and ask them why they started to do business with you. Then ask them to be more specific, because it’s tough for them to get vulnerable unless you create the space for them to do so. What they’ll give you is gold. Not only will it specifically tell you what you need to do to keep their business, it’ll also give you the exact language to find more customers like them. And 95% of salespeople are not willing have this kind of a conversation. Think of the advantage this will give you if you’re one of the few who will. Like where the show is going? Please tell a friend. What’s coming in the seasons to follow is my best work, and I know it will make a tangible impact on those who listen and are willing to do the work.
If the last question I asked you was the toughest in the series to answer, today’s question might just be the most important. Why are your customers better off for working with you? This question makes you to consider the outcomes that you can provide, and it forces you to differentiate them from your competitors. Do you provide a demonstrably higher ROI for your product? Do you reduce or eliminate costly business process that hamper productivity? Does your solution enable your customers to think about their businesses from an entirely different point of view? Are you disrupting an industry with technology? That means you need to go through and eliminate the claims your competitors also make. That might mean your list just got a little bit shorter. Remember- if you cannot differentiate, you cannot sell, so you’d better have a good answer or two here. Now think… are these part of the sales conversations you have every day? Why not? You should always be thinking about how your clients win when they work with you, and it helps to do so with your unique differentiators in mind. Is the show making you rethink the way you sell? Subscribe and tell a friend. They’ll thank you for it.
Today’s episode poses a tough question… Why do you believe in yourself? Now, I’m not asking you if you believe in yourself. I’m asking you specifically why… (And why is this so hard for so many people to answer?) A good 30% of people I ask respond to this question with, “because other people believe in me.” That’s just not good enough. Dig deeper. Think specifically about why they believe in you, and then decide for yourself. If you don’t know, then here’s your cue to ask them. If you’re still stuck for an answer, here are a few more cues to get you started… 1) You’ve succeeded in the past 2) You do hard things on purpose (I’m looking at you, Vince Fowler) 3) You know what you have in front of you is worth doing, and will be worth the effort The sales process begins and ends with belief
Why do you believe in your products/services/solutions? In the last episode I asked you to think about your company, now you’re going to start thinking about the things your company offers. What problems or issues do they solve? What kinds of results do they create? How are they different from your competition? When you sit quietly and think and write about this, are you inspired? That inspiration is exactly what’s necessary when it comes to performing at your highest levels. You have a choice in what you sell. Make it something fulfilling to you. This game is just too hard otherwise, and there’s really no reason to do it any other way. If you like this show and the direction it’s headed, please subscribe and tell a friend.
It’s a simple question not asked often enough. Is this just a job working for a company willing to pay you, or do their mission, vision, and values align with yours? That alignment is going to be crucial for you to lean in when things inevitably get difficult. When I ask this question of my clients, most of them answer along the lines of how the company thinks of and treats its customers. Others think in terms of how the company thinks of and treats its employees. I hope those are starters for your own exploration, and I highly encourage you to write your feelings down. There’s something about ink on paper that helps clarify those ideas in your mind. If you’re having trouble, consider that the logo on your business card is a choice. If you don’t feel aligned, then let it be a sign that you either can’t do the work you need to in your current position, and that you might do better work elsewhere. Are you inspired? You get to choose, so choose a company you can believe in.
I missed podcasting. I missed the feeling of getting behind this microphone knowing I've got to do something, knowing I've got to think about something out loud for you to hear. I do most of my very best work, when I'm on the spot, thinking out loud, and behind this microphone. I wanted to be able to capture that and deliver it to you, and that’s why I’m excited to be launching the Rethink The Way You Sell Podcast. I've done a lot of work over the years, and I've come up with a lot of ideas. I have failed, quite frankly, to package them in a way that is meaningful for people trying to consume them. That all changes with this project. This is not a show that is going to drop a new episode every Monday morning. This is a show comprised of mini-seasons, each tackling a different subject matter. When each season is complete and I’m happy with it, it’ll drip out to you twice a week until the next one is ready. I'm not trying to fly by the seat of my pants, challenge myself to get something out there, and wing it until we get it right. No, I've done that. The project deserves better. You deserve better. You’re going to hear a lot of brand new material. You’re going to hear clips from other shows I’ve been on, training sessions I’ve done, and from keynotes and other workshops I’ve delivered. And it’s just the beginning. There will be webinars, downloadable pieces, and courses inside my online community at rethinkthewayyousell.com This project is intended to be the definitive resource for B2B sales leaders and top performers to help you Rethink The Way You Sell. That's my trademark. That's my reason. That's my why. Perhaps you're looking to understand more about what's going on in the sales ecosystem. Maybe you're trying to inspire your team by giving them the context they need to understand how they can perform better. My career in sales has been a hell of a ride, and I want to bring you along with me. I want to show you what I've learned along the way, I want to tell you about what I'm looking forward to, and I want to give you the context to interpret it all. In this first season, we’re going to start where I often start with my clients. It’s a series of five questions I developed during my time working with Jeffrey Gitomer, and I call it ‘What Is Your Why?’ Each of the next five episodes is going to dig into one of those questions. You’ll be prompted to stop, think, and journal about your answers. This will really help you to develop a firm foundation in your purpose so you're ready to run through brick walls to sell that solution to help the clients you need to help. Without that firm foundation, everything up from that gets shakier and much more difficult to execute. The more you put in, the more you’ll get out of the exercise. I’m excited to move forward. Are you with me?