Selling In Color - SoundSage

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We’ve come to the end of another season of Selling in Color! In this season’s finale, Donald touches on some of the great episodes and looks forward to what’s coming next for the podcast.

A look back on some great episodes:

Nia Lewis shared how she overcame her imposter syndrome.
Janice B. Gordon discussed the racial inequalities of sales teams in the U.K.
Jerry Brooner told us how he builds diverse sales teams.
Stephanie Chung shared her experience with high-ticket selling.
Natasha Hemingway explained how crucial it is for us to invest in ourselves.
Jason Bay taught us great email tips and strategies.

All of these folks gave their input, but what’s the main takeaway from this season? Always look to tell new stories, learn new tips, and find new strategies.

A look forward to what’s to come:

Moving forward, Selling in Color is shifting shift a little bit, moving more towards a storytelling style rather than purely direct interviews.
If you haven’t done so, connect with Donald on LinkedIn and tell him what you want to hear more about. Whether that’s highlighting brands, tech expansion, or the Great Reshuffle, we’d love to hear what you want.

We’ll be back the first week of April for the launch of the next season. We can’t wait to see you as we share more strategies, stories, and tips for people of color to use as we get the success we deserve.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle.

Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)

With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode to help us understand what you want to hear.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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We’re in The Great Reshuffle - a time where many people leave their jobs in pursuit of another. While you might want to move on to your next adventure, are you sure you’ve done everything you should before leaving? Find out on today’s episode of Selling in Color the ten things you must consider before leaving your current job.

Don’t leave a job and make them regret hiring you in the first place.

Who knows what life holds; you might want to rejoin that company again! When it comes to employment, don’t burn bridges.
If you’re working within the same industry, the word can travel. And that can be damaging to your career if you leave on a negative note.
People leave because of flexibility and money - they like the opportunity for growth or adaptability inside the company. People don’t want to be stagnant.

Ten things to consider before leaving:

Don’t burn bridges. (We’re better than that.)
Give a two-week notice. Think about it from an employer's perspective; the least you can do is equip your manager to be their best.
Give your boss the news. Of course, you don’t need to give them your life story, but explain that it’s time for you to move on.
Depending on the company's size, recommend someone to take your spot.
Make it easy for the next person coming in; let them know next steps, prospects, and future deals.
Give a resignation letter. It doesn't have to be complicated; you can find examples online. It’s formal, but it sets the standard as a professional.
Think about your team members. Connect coworkers on LinkedIn with other strong professionals.
Give back the company's belongings; you have bigger fishes to fry.
Think about your benefits. You might have a 401K, vacation days, or life insurance that you might need. Are you able to switch it over?
Speaking of vacation days, take the days you earned!

The best time to find a new job is when you currently have one. Wait until you have signed the offer letter and have secured income before leaving your old job behind. When it’s all said and done, this is about your mental health and well-being. Do something you appreciate and enjoy doing. Oh, and happy Black History Month! Make sure to connect with Donald on LinkedIn for more great content.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle.

Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)

With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode to help us understand what you want to hear.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Emails are critical for successful salespeople. In today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald goes over his favorite email tips, tricks, and best practices with all-star guest Jason Bay, co-owner of Blissful Prospecting.

Changing the email game

Engaging in the “murder by numbers approach” of sending 1,000 emails to land five appointments impacts the customer quality.
To work with a specific group of customers, show them you’re their peer. Don’t be the spam-sending stranger, be the friendly (but informative) industry peer.
You’ll send less mail with this account-based approach, but the return will be better.
Think of it as going to the gym. If you go with a plan for the session, you’ll be more efficient than if you just wing it.
Do prospecting preparation on the front end, so you don’t spend time with ill-fitting prospects.

Jason’s video tips:

People avoid video because they worry about how they’ll appear. But working around that fear leads to better open rates and conversion, so it’s an ideal strategy.
Look directly into the camera to maintain eye contact with the recipient.
Use quality equipment and proper lighting.
Smile! Create the sense that working with you is enjoyable.
Limit your video to 30 seconds or less.
Prepare bullet points of what you’d like to say rather than prepare an entire script.

Connecting with video:

You’re not going to sell a prospect over the phone or through email or LinkedIn. Your job is to sell them on the appointment.
When choosing a video platform, consider tools that flow with what you already use.
Utilize screen-sharing to convey complex topics or show specialized data. Make the experience as enjoyable as possible!
Loom is a Google Chrome extension that’s a little clunky but effective. Soapbox has a free version that is very capable and of good quality.
AB test everything, including different areas of your email sequence.
Prioritize prospecting based on who is most engaged with your outreach.

“Changing The Email Game” Resources:

Connect with Jason at blissfulprospecting.com/Donald, where he has put together essential tools to get you started in video prospecting. You’ll find a PDF, a script, and the flow for recording that will move you toward changing the email game.
Check out Loom, Soapbox, BombBomb, or Hubspot for video capability that meshes with your existing workflow.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle.

Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)

With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode to help us understand what you want to hear.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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As we enter Black History Month, it’s important we remember ways to encourage and elevate underrepresented sellers. Only 20% of sales professionals are people of color; this month is the perfect time to acknowledge that discrepancy and take steps to a more diverse sales community. So on today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald details three simple ways to elevate underrepresented sellers.

Utilize LinkedIn to highlight someone.
A previous Selling in Color guest, DeJuan Brown (check out his episode here), used to make weekly LinkedIn posts highlighting others in his community.
Hiring managers say they don’t know any people of color or that no people of color choose to apply for open positions. So DeJuan made a point to expose these people to people of color.
Give a lead or help a sales rep thrive.
A recent guest A.J. Vassar stated that we need to connect more. And that the first thing we should ask is, “what are you trying to accomplish this week, month, and year?”
If you help enough people, you’ll eventually get what you want. Reciprocity is real.
Ask your friends who their ideal customer is, and as you’re prospecting for yourself and see someone who qualifies, help them out.
Celebrate wins.
Celebrate those around you when they accomplish something great.
Not only does this encourage that individual, but the noise this celebration creates will inspire other people of color to go out and do big things as well!

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle.

Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)

With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode to help us understand what you want to hear.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Like many sales professionals, you probably have a ton of contacts on LinkedIn. But how do you connect and build relationships with those people? Find out on today’s episode of Selling in Color! In this episode, Donald shares his insights (and his screen) to help you nurture your LinkedIn contacts. Visit The Sales Evangelist website page for this episode to follow along on Donald’s screen.

Take advantage of LinkedIn notifications.
If someone announces a new position, comments on your post, or shares an article, use that to create a personal touch in your message.
Remember, you don’t need every message or notification to have a sales purpose. You should also connect and interact purely to develop a relationship.
Send personal messages
If someone has already reached out to you on LinkedIn, that’s a good reason to respond and engage with them.
Look through their page and ask quetions to learn more about them. After all, you connected for a reason!
Keep a list of people to contact
Make a list of sales managers (or whoever you want to interact with.) If you notice any first-degree connections who hold that title, reach out to them.
If you haven’t interacted with them since your initial connection, asking a simple question fosters a dialogue that might lead to a lasting relationship (or just break the ice and make your subsequent follow-up less awkward.)

Not every message has to be (or should be) for a sales reason. Every salesperson, at some point in their career, will feel stuck. Revitalizing your LinkedIn can be just the tactic to get past that hurdle and increase your productivity and pipeline. (And, of course, you can also increase productivity by purchasing Donald’s Sales Planner.)

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle.

Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)

With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode to help us understand what you want to hear.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

The Sales Evangelist Sales Planner: by Donald C. Kelly

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While Donald was talking with another person of color in sales, he was lamenting over a lack of accepted connection requests on LinkedIn. (Hey, we’ve all been there.) So on today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald shares his tips to grab someone’s attention on LinkedIn (whether or not they’ve accepted a connection request.)

In this episode, Donald shares his screen to show how you can use these strategies yourself. To watch the video, click here:
https://youtu.be/kMCE-0_vFEU

Withdraw your request and resend it later:

Depending on the length of time, you can withdraw your request and resend it later.
If a prospect isn’t active on LinkedIn, resending the message places you at the top of their request page (helping you stay top-of-mind.)
With the follow-up, quickly research the company and use a recent announcement or milestone to include in the connection request.

Different ways to grab attention beyond a request:

Find employees at the prospect’s company and research other people in similar roles, and send them connection requests as well.
If your initial target prospect isn’t responding, try retargeting to get in touch with people in other positions in that same company.
Look through the prospect’s recent posts or shared posts. If you engage via a comment or reaction, they’ll be likely to remember your name when viewing connection requests down the line.

Seek out mutual connections:

This is a pretty obvious answer, but it’s an effective strategy!
If you have an existing mutual connection, reach out to that individual and see if they can arrange an introduction.

Connect with Donald on LinkedIn (and use these strategies if he doesn’t respond. He’ll be impressed.) If you have more questions or comments, join our sales group, The Sales Evangelizers Facebook group. And, of course, purchase Donald’s sales planner on Amazon.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle.

Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)

With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode to help us understand what you want to hear.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Do you want to double your sales deals in 2022? In today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald shares his three planning tips for the new year.

Tip #1: Make planning a part of your daily routine.

Enterprise companies lose 10% of sales due to poor planning. So don’t be like them!
Do the things you have planned to do, whether that’s prospecting, research, discovery calls, or anything else.
The snowball effect is real - missed opportunities only lead to more missed opportunities.
Donald’s advice: Set aside thirty minutes each day to plan for the following day.
In your calendar time, set aside flex-time to account for interruptions, extensions, and overrun meetings and breaks to prevent your day from completely falling apart.

Tip #2: Focus on areas that increase sales.

Donald couldn’t find a planner that helped him in his sales goals. So, he created his own!
You can purchase his amazing sales planner on Amazon (you can’t blame us for a shameless plug, right?)
This planner helps segment tasks into business development, administrative, and other discreet sections that help prioritize your day based on activities that increase income.

Tip #3: Measure your daily performance.

Tracking your performance helps draw necessary insights to determine what elements of your current strategy are beneficial and what parts need to change.
Consider finding an accountability partner, be it a co-worker, friend, or boss, to help you stay on top of your workload.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle.

Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)

With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode to help us understand what you want to hear.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Working in sales isn’t hard if you work with the right mindset. In today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald is joined by International Speaker and sales expert A.J. Vassar to learn why sales and entrepreneurship are B.S. (and by that, we mean a Belief System.)

People value things they think are rare.

Gold, diamonds, and silver are rare, so we value them. But would you rather have water or a diamond? After all, only one of those things keeps you alive.
Value is relative to the situation and the amount of something available.
When selling, refer to things as “complimentary” instead of “free” because the word complementary implies a transaction and a payment, making people subconsciously attach more value to the product.

“Entrepreneurship is just a fancy word for sales.”

This quote is from A.J.’s first millionaire mentor, Dennis. At the time, he was worth roughly $20 million.
Everything is sales - whether that’s entrepreneurship, dating, or deciding on a movie with the family.
Until you make a sale, you don’t have a profitable business. Simple as that.
Entrepreneurs need to believe in and sell their product to others, be it a customer or potential team member, to bring the necessary people to the table.

What words do you think about when someone mentions sales?

Is it the slimy car salesman? While people love to buy, they hate being sold to. Therefore, salespeople must be transparent and leave the purchase decision up to the buyer to encourage them to purchase.
Bill Gates was able to sell his product before it was even created. And A.J. thought, why can’t I do that? A.J. pre-sells courses before he makes them, and includes surveys and questions in the presale to ensure participants get what they want out of the program.
A.J.’s bump-down method: Call the owner or CEO of a company, and they’ll refer you to the right decision-maker, and you have the name of an influential person in your back pocket.

A.J.’s takeaway for someone new to sales? You need enthusiasm, but enthusiasm isn’t false positivity or extroversion. It’s being genuinely yourself. You sell yourself to sell a product. Reach out to A.J. on any social media platform at @ajvasser; DM him and ask for his calendar link to schedule a meeting or jump on a call.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle.

Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)

With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Reaching your professional goals is easy (well, at least more accessible) if you take time to invest in your success. In today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald is joined by speaker, consultant, and business owner Natasha Hemmingway to discuss how she reached the success she has today and how you can do it too by investing in yourself.

Natasha has worked in sales since college graduation.

She spent 16 years in medical and healthcare sales, working from sales rep to management.
Since then, she has worked in the entrepreneurial business for five years as a speaker and consultant, and she loves it.
Natasha is thrilled to serve those around her and that her job is honing a skill she loves.
People of color didn’t get into sales because it wasn’t viewed as an opportunity. But earning money isn’t bad, and people of color deserve wealth just as much as anyone else.

Only 20% of people in sales are POC:

For Natasha, that means two things. First, where is everyone? Second, companies need minorities in sales because different people communicate in different ways.
If you want to be hired at a company, ask yourself if their audience is diverse.
If so (and especially if they currently don’t have many POC employees), you have an advantage in communication over other employees at the organization.
While there does seem to be a discrepancy in the number of POC in corporate sales, Natasha has found more people of color on the entrepreneurial side of sales.

Business owners and entrepreneurs need to invest in sales.

Just as you’d invest in someone to design a logo or even your product, you should invest in someone to properly train your sales team.
People who say they can’t afford to invest in sales, remember that it’s a foundational pillar of your business.
People get caught up in the hype of developing social media or other priorities. But you can sell without the bells and whistles.

Sales is not overnight - it’s not a sprint.

You might not have the discretionary income some other folks might have. But the more you invest in yourself, the better you perform.
“You can’t be what you can’t see.” ― Marian Wright Edelman
Lean into the things you’ve learned from other people. You have to get past the notion of insurmountable obstacles.
Go in with the right expectations - the people you work with are not miracle-workers.
Every coaching investment won’t result in a specific ROI. A chunk of money won’t fall from the sky and hit you over the head. But you’ll take steps forward. You’ll advance.

What other factors contributed to Natasha’s success besides external programs?

It starts with her advocating for herself.
She went to a guy and expressed interest in his job. So, she watched him and watched what he did in his role.
When the position came open, he called her and told her to go for it.
If she had questions or needed something, he was there for her.
Find those people who genuinely advocate for you.

Final takeaway? Ask for what you want, and believe you can get it. If you can believe, you can achieve. And then prepare yourself to receive it. To contact Natasha, visit her website natashahemmingway.com, or find her on all social channels (YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook) at Natasha Hemmingway.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle.

Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)

With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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In this episode of Selling in Color, we’re pulling an episode from the vault of TSE that will greatly help you further your sales game. Sales professionals all desire success, but how exactly can you bring that desire to fruition? Lisa Nichols is a transformational coach who uses education, motivation, and inspiration to help her clients achieve prosperity.

Lisa discovered in her twenties that she was functionally dyslexic.

Her English teacher told her she was the worst writer she had ever met.
Even her speech teacher told her, “Ms. Nichols, I recommend you never speak in public; get a desk job.”
Education was challenging, and when she had her son, she needed government assistance.
She was broke and broken, and in that state, she learned a valuable lesson: When you’re broke, you just have to make money. But when you’re broken, you have to be inspired enough to get up and do something.

What is abundance?

Many people think of two concepts regarding abundance – monetary and assets.
These things are each a part of abundance, but they don’t make up all of it.
When people reach a certain level of wealth, they realize they want to have abundance instead. Abundance means having financial assets and healthy relationships with others.
Lisa works with wealthy people, but she’s not coaching them to achieve wealth; she’s helping them achieve good relationships with others.

Getting abundance:

You lead where your energy goes. Paint a picture of your five-year goals. Create a plan, then work the plan. Ensure that you are an abundant thinker and live your life intentionally with that plan in mind.
Ask yourself these questions: Where are you living? What’s your monthly bank account balance? How many vacations are you taking? How does your relationship with your children look like? With your spouse?
Be specific about details. Based on this five-year goal, figure out your three-year goal and one-year goal. Make decisions based on those plans.

Making a life plan

You’re not just making a five-year plan; you’re creating a lifeline.
People typically make macro goals to get macro wins. In reality, learn to create micro wins for your macro goals.
If you don’t hit your goal, don’t lose a little faith in yourself. Set yourself up to win.

Get the free abundant checklist by visiting this link. Catch up with Lisa Nichols via her LinkedIn profile.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle.

Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)

With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Selling high-ticket items can be challenging, especially when you can’t afford them yourself. Today’s guest is a business coach and entrepreneur Stephanie Chung, and she is going to teach us how to get past the hurdles of high-ticket selling (specifically overcoming that mindset you’ve instilled in your head over the years.)

The biggest challenges with selling high-ticket items:

Controlling your own financial beliefs. While we all have our own economic beliefs, they should never pop up in a sales conversation.
Using a “one size fits all” approach. Buyers have a process (just like salespeople.) Make sure they’re comfortable throughout the entire process.
Lack of training. Salespeople need training on things other than your product; incomplete training gives them a disadvantage when talking to a customer because they don’t have a complete picture.
Knowing the numbers. Your salespeople need to know the numbers you’re trying to hit as a company so they can understand the business they’re in and what drives their targets.

How did Stephanie start selling airplanes?

Stephanie was a military brat who grew up on active military bases. She eventually got into sales and was recruited into private aviation selling jets.
Her main challenge was selling to high net-worth individuals, so she had to grow, adapt, and grow accustomed to being around wealthy people.

The Neuroscience Behind Asking versus Telling:

When you ask someone a question, the brain produces a dopamine effect.
The more you get people to talk about themselves, the more they’ll like you because they’ll feel like you care and are interested in their life.
The brain can process up to 3,000 words per minute, but humans can talk no more than 300. So ask questions to allow the prospect to speak, allowing you to think, dig deeper, and ask even more questions to get further clarity.

Stephanie’s major takeaway? Make sure you have the training, knowledge, and coaching you need to sharpen your game because it’s a competitive market.

Episode Resources:

Connect with Stephanie on www.StephanieChung.com.
Find her book, How to Profit Like a Girl, on Amazon.
The Sales Manager’s Guide to Greatness: Ten Essential Strategies for Leading Your Team to the Top by Kevin F. Davis

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Profit Like A Girl: A Woman's Guide to Kicking Butt in Sales and Leadership

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Sales is a fundamental element of businesses. Without it, companies wouldn’t generate revenue! And with hundreds of thousands of niches and topics for sales professionals, do you think it makes sense for all salespeople to look and act the same? In today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald is joined by Jerry Brooner, President of Global Field Operations at Enable, to discuss diversity in sales and how you can take steps to a diverse team in your organization.

Finding and keeping good talent is a warzone.

To be clear, there is no shortage of talent. But many hiring managers are just not looking in the right places or for the right type of people.
For example, hiring managers who look only in major U.S. cities completely ignore the rest of the country (let alone the rest of the world.)
In reality, there are intelligent and capable people no matter where you go, and they all bring different perspectives to a team.

Jerry’s strategies to recruit more diverse talent:

First, think about what’s important for the company and the sales team. In most instances, that does mean a wider array of diversity and experiences.
Jerry’s team goes to different states and countries, but not the major areas. So, for example, when recruiting in the UK, they checked places besides London.

Planning a diverse recruitment strategy:

Work backward. Look at your customers, your team’s territories, and the industries those territories fall in, and look for knowledgeable people in those areas.
Make entry-level jobs entry-level. Determine if the number of years of experience you’ve selected is essential. Most of the time, it isn’t.
Look for accomplishments rather than years of experience.

Addressing and creating diversity in his own company:

Jerry believes that diversity is his company’s biggest asset. But you have to put a focus on it. Focus on it in terms of country, gender, and especially race.
Don’t look to fill a quota; look to fill roles with good people. And you simply can’t get the best people by only looking in one location.
If you’re looking to hire entry-level BDRs, don’t just go to the same colleges. Instead, broaden your selections to find the best people at each of those institutions.

Jerry’s final word of advice? The sales profession is made better with a diverse group of people. In the long term, we’ll all be better for it. For more information or to contact Jerry, reach out to him at jerry@enable.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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“Money isn’t the most important thing in the world. But it’s right up there with oxygen.” - Donald Kelly.

Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration. But money is important. And effective prospecting is a great way salespeople can up their game to make more sales. In today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald shares his top three prospecting tips to find new clients and thrive in sales.

Prospecting is the only way people will get to the top of your funnel.
Sure, marketing will generate some inbound leads. But, especially for B2B sellers, you have to earn what you want.
Prospecting should be a part of everything you do. So always be in prospecting mode.
Remember, prospecting isn’t pushing your product down people’s throats. But there’s a difference between overbearing and passion. (Pro tip: Choose passion.)
Prospecting should be on your schedule.
While it might come naturally in the grocery store or at church, designating time to prospect is key to finding the number of potential clients you want.
On The Sales Evangelist, Donald interviews A.J. Vassar to learn how to prospect effectively and why it’s so important. (Check back for the link once the episode goes live!)
Get creative.
Don’t send a boring message that is a carbon copy of twenty other salespeople. That won’t garner the response you want.
Offer something that benefits them like suggestions, tips, or articles; anything that explicitly helps them, at no cost, to grab their attention.
Consider creating a video in their store, or send a LinkedIn message linking out to something of value. Send something nobody else is!

To surmise, your prospecting efforts will yield better results if you: actually prospect, set time to prospect and get creative with your prospecting. I know; it’s basic stuff. But perfecting the basics is something many salespeople never take the time to do. So get ahead!

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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What principles do Donald and his team live by to yield a 90-95% show-up rate to appointments with his prospects and clients? (Here’s a hint: it’s all about establishing a personal communication line!) Find out on today’s episode of Selling Color.

Establish a specific date and time for them to commit to the appointment.

If you don’t know a prospect’s information, ask for the best email to send a calendar invite.
Acquiring the prospect’s preferred email address is also a valuable resource for you to communicate with them and ensure they receive materials you might want to send them in the future.

Create a personal line of communication with the prospect.

Send a LinkedIn request. If someone doesn’t show up, send a quick LinkedIn message to them, where they’ll be much more likely to respond quickly than via email.
Or, even better, send a text message. (Is that something we can do? Absolutely!)
Offer your cell phone number first, telling them to text you if they can no longer make the appointment.
You let down your guard first, and they’ll be much more likely to reciprocate if you ask for it.

Automate your calendar system.

The best way to ensure a prospect's meeting information is recorded and sent is to automate the process! Platforms like calend.ly offer automatic email notifications that make sure everyone is on the same page.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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There’s a longstanding sales debate: is sales an art or a science? In Donald’s opinion, it’s actually a little of both! Striking a balance between understanding sales as an art form and as a science is the key to generating sales, whether or not you have experience! The key? Master sales like Kobe Bryant mastered basketball.

Sales is a lot like basketball:

You likely aren’t going to become a 7-foot giant by simply willing it into existence (if this does happen, we suggest seeing a doctor.)
But for some average-sized players who compensate for their height in other areas of the game.
The same holds true for sales. Some people are born with a silver tongue that makes it an easy gig, yet other salespeople compensate for the lack of that natural ability.

Kobe Bryant developed a strategy when he began playing:

While his dad was a professional basketball player, Kobe didn’t start playing until later in his childhood.
When he first started, on a list of 60-some players, he was near the bottom of the list.
Some were more skilled, some were taller, and some had more experience.
But Kobe was hungry. He isolated the core fundamental skills: shooting, dribbling, and endurance. Each year, he focused on mastering one of those areas.
Since many of these players weren’t working as hard as he was, he began to surpass them.
He dubbed it “the mamba mindset,” doing whatever it takes to be successful.

Similarly, sales require you to become masters of multiple skills.

If you notice you aren’t performing as well as others, isolate skills you need to improve or skills other sellers have that make them successful.
Each quarter, study and master a new segment of your sales performance. Truly master the individual skills so you can put them together later on.

People of color often don’t have the network, experiences, or internships that put them in a position to be successful. But your drive and passion for your work can equip you with the skills to surpass those with natural talent or status in life. If you do that, you can out beat them because you’re isolating, focusing, and repeating.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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As you’re looking to get your next (or even first) sales job, understanding what traits help you stand out can be a challenge. But on today’s episode of Selling in Color, we’re looking back to an episode from the vault of The Sales Evangelist (featuring Billy Keels.) This episode focuses on what criteria a hiring manager looks for when hiring successful sellers.

Hire the right behavior

The ideal candidate is someone proactive. They should work without needing someone to oversee their work.
Being proactive is a core strength for sellers. It opens more doors, creates more connections, and eventually points customers toward the sale.
As a hiring manager, a good interview question for potential candidates will allow them to talk about a time they were proactive.
New sales reps go through trial and error as they gain experience, so ask about that and what they’ve done, not what they would do.

Look for self-awareness

The benefits of being self-aware are tied to a candidate’s skills, ambition, and attitude.
As a sales leader hiring for a team, you compensate gaps in a candidate with how they can be supported through training programs and other sources.
To see if a candidate is self-aware, ask about issues they’ve had meeting quotas and what they did to improve those results.
The hard truth of sales? Sometimes we just don’t win. But a willingness to work to overcome that can make all the difference when hiring a potential candidate.

Consider the scale of the role.

Obviously, hiring someone for enterprise sales requires a more robust skill set than a sales training position. Therefore, consider the job itself and what degree of skills should be present in the ideal candidate when hiring.
Regardless of the position, avoid setting overly high expectations. This could result in burnout, which won’t help new sales reps reach their goals (or sell more products.)

Hire people who can self-manage.

Look for candidates who have goals and don’t need to be told what to do. They can work independently and do what’s best for their career and their business.
If they don’t reach sales goals, a candidate should self-correct and start a new plan. They don’t go to their boss every time they have to make a decision.

“Things To Look For When Hiring Successful Sellers” episode resources

Connect with Billy Keels via his LinkedIn. You can also check out his site, Billykeels.com.
You can also catch up with Donald via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns.
We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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No matter what size, all organizations need to ensure their sales teams actually have time to sell. Today’s episode of Selling in Color features an episode from The Sales Evangelist archives with Resa Gooding. As a certified trainer at Hubspot, she understands how sales teams can manage their time to make the most sales possible (while maintaining quality, of course.)

Challenges of the modern seller:

Lack of training given to salespeople is often considered the most significant challenge. This lack of experience causes inefficiency as companies throw sales reps in situations they might not be prepared for yet expect great results.
Many companies focus too heavily on their technology or products instead of the value and benefits they provide.
An untrained team ends up spending more time on administrative tasks instead of selling. They need to be given the information and the tools to effectively sit down with a new prospect.
There has to be a system in place so the sales team can report their activities and successes. This also gives management a tangible way of seeing the work their team is doing.

Three tools to ensure sales teams have more time to sell:

Connect your email inbox to your CRM software. (You can use HubSpot, SalesForce, or other similar CRM software.) Using this software allows your manager to see emails exchanged between you and prospects or customers, eliminating the need to summarize conversations at a later time. Using CRM increases the sales reps’ available time up to 21% compared to doing the reports manually.
Connect your Calendly to your email communications. This is an efficient way of setting up meetings with prospects and clients. Resa’s pro tip: Embed three specific times a client can meet with you so clients can easily figure out a time or date you’re available.
Use templates effectively. Templates mean you no longer have to reinvent the wheel each time you need a piece of content or a message for a specific phase of the buyers’ journey.

You can message Resa via her LinkedIn account. You can also check out her website: www.cacaomedia.co. For more sales information and questions, you can also catch up with Donald via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify (and leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for every episode!)

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Overcoming imposter syndrome is challenging enough, but navigating those feelings as a woman of color can be even worse. But, today’s guest Nia Lewis overcame those barriers and is now a thriving entrepreneur. As the host and founder of the Solopreneur Hustle Podcast, a show dedicated to helping solopreneurs build businesses designed for growth (rather than merely staying afloat), Nia explains how she overcame the imposter syndrome and how you can do the same.

Nia became an entrepreneur immediately after college.

She never worked a full-time job, decided to start a business immediately after graduating college. (She had nothing to lose. What better time to start?)
While gaining experience, Nia worked part-time jobs as a secretary, recruiter, and even a cosmetologist as a safety net to make ends meet.
Her business started as a consultancy, utilizing her degree in communications to help with marketing and communications work.
She eventually shifted to a content-driven platform, using the knowledge and skills she developed to create a content-based business built around the Solopreneur Hustle Podcast.

Developing a client base as a new entrepreneur can be difficult.

At first, Nia perused job postings on LinkedIn, Indeed, and other job boards to find local businesses that needed what she wanted to do.
She viewed the skills and experience those jobs were looking for, and then she found opportunities and pro bono work to practice and develop those skills.
Once she had the experience and value that people would pay for, she used the stats and numbers from her past experiences to give her the confidence to get paid clients.

The Imposter Syndrome is real, but especially for a woman of color.

At networking events, she would often be the only woman or person of color there.
What helped was reminding herself of her value. Anytime she noticed a feeling of imposter syndrome, she remembered she deserved to be there.
People of color are wired to see ourselves as less than or not enough when walking into an event.
Remember that, regardless of what people may feel about you, your work will speak for itself.
People of color constantly deal with the belief and expectations of assimilation. But we don’t need to assimilate. We can carve our own path and be just as successful as anyone else.

Nia’s advice to someone breaking out of their imposter syndrome?

Write down what you want out of life.
Come up with what experiences you need to get you down the path you want. What value do you need to bring to the table?
Once you develop that experience and the projects you need, your confidence increases.
Surround yourself with people making money, reaching their goals, and doing the things you want to do.

To get in touch with Nia, message her at solopreneur hustle on Instagram and Facebook, and you can find her podcast (The Solopreneur Hustle) everywhere podcasts can be found. Check out her website for more resources and information about Nia! For a free five-day, self-paced business boot camp, visit subscribepage.com/businessgrowthebook.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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In 2020, the world changed. Not only did the pandemic spread across the world, but George Floyd’s death sparked the conversation about racial inequality in both personal and professional settings. While a lot of individuals and companies promised changes, not all of those are coming to fruition. In today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald discusses this topic with Janice B. Gordon, who shares her perspective as a person of color living in England, to learn how these topics were addressed across the pond.

From the U.K. perspective, the acknowledgment was massive.

Janice was born and raised in the U.K., and she was always aware of the issues of inequality. However, it wasn’t always acceptable to share those feelings, even at the expense of her personal rights.
A teacher once directly told her she wasn’t smart enough to move on to A-levels (higher education beyond general education in England.)

Particularly for sales, a major problem is recruitment.

Janice eventually earned her MBA, but she ought for everything she earned.
Once you get your first job, nobody really cares about school grades. But if someone blocks you from moving forward in schooling (which happened to Janice), the barriers to entry for the field are pretty severe. Because you can’t land even that first job.
While companies are becoming more inclusive in terms of developing a diverse employee base, that diversity is still not reflected on stage or in the executive boardroom.

The statistics tell an unsurprising story:

In a study researching diversity of people in positions of power (and in terms of ethnic minorities on company boards), there were 85 directors of color in a group of 1050 people.
Less than 10% of directors were people of color, which is typical in sales
While 39% of sales-related roles are female, only 19% of leadership roles are held by women.
Racial biases are still highly prevalent in the United States, and they are hard to escape espeically in hiring practices.

How can we make a difference and impact these biases in the sales arena?

Have a conversation with people who have biases and draw comparisons that help them realize their mistakes.
Start pushing back when you (as a person of color) experience a bias. Speaking up will bring awareness and hold others accountable.
Before working at a company, ask the company about the makeup of their senior leadership or board. That will reveal if they follow through with promises of diversity.
Some companies might get some people of color but then do nothing to change their company culture, meaning people of color might not fit in or feel ostracized.
Start with the end goal in mind, look at your customers’ needs and mindset. Are you reflecting that in your own mindset?

Find her episode on The Sales Evangelist

Check out Donald’s guest appearance on Janice’s podcast

Visit Scale Your Sales Podcast or LinkedIn

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As a sales professional, you’re going to face many objections from potential clients. So how do you help prospects overcome those challenges that might hold them back? In today’s episode of Selling in Color, that’s exactly what Donald will speak about: overcoming objections and racial bias.

The objection is a natural part of the sales process.

People like to buy things, but they seldom want to be sold things. To avoid that, make them feel like they had an active role in the process.
Great sellers can guide the process and the prospect to make a decision themselves rather than make the decision for the prospect.
People typically have an innate reason why they don’t want to buy something or why they have hesitation.
Especially in the 70s and 80s, people assumed people of color were not as experienced or knowledgeable about their products.
It’s not your job to teach people not to be racist per se, but it is nevertheless an obstacle you need to overcome to make the money you want.

Three most common objections when a prospect wants to think about the sale:

The prospect doesn’t know enough information.
They’re busy and don’t have the time to think about the deal.
They’re just not interested and don’t know how to say it.

Establish your expertise to overcome these objections.

Let them know you work with other credible organizations, demonstrate thorough product and industry understanding.
Give them options.
Regardless of the objection, you can work your way past it by demonstrating expertise and developing a relationship with the contact.
Even if they aren’t interested or genuinely do not want your product, use that as an educational opportunity. What about the product do they not like? What about their current product do they not like?
Use this conversation to both understand their objection and potentially address those issues to land a second meeting or demo.

Join Donald’s Facebook group, The Sales Evangelizers, to find a community of people to share, reflect, and grow with on your sales journey. We also encourage you to visit salesfortheculture.com to learn, connect, and grow with other sellers of color.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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We’re kicking off season three of Selling in Color, which features the sales tips, tricks, and strategies to succeed in the sales industry. Today’s topic? We’re learning Donald’s personal strategies to **identify and approach prospects on LinkedIn**.

If you aren’t using LinkedIn, you need to.

The platform boasts an impressive 756 million members, about half of which are active.
However, of those people, only three million post content on a weekly basis.
LinkedIn gets nine billion impressions per month, meaning that an insane amount of views goes to a relatively small number of creators.
What does this mean? There’s a huge space with relatively little competition currently on the LinkedIn platform.

Donald’s strategy is a three-part plan: Connect, share, and engage.

Connect with people who fit your ideal customer profile (at least ten of them per day).
Don’t send a boring request; view their profile and send a personalized request that shows you put effort into the connection.
Think about the top ten problems or questions you get from prospects and use those ideas to develop content.
Prompt people to engage and contribute to the conversation.
When your connections start to engage and respond to it, you’ll then be viewed by second and third-degree connections, some of who will be prospects and leads.
If you don’t have time to create new content, share podcast episodes or third-party blogs. But provide your own thoughts or spin as you share these posts to contribute to the conversation.
Whenever someone likes, comments, or engages with your post, continue the conversation! Start the dialogue and create relationships that make cold leads warm.

We’re excited to learn all the tips and tricks that are to come in the season ahead. So make sure to subscribe and tune in each week to upgrade your sales game!

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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We’ve hit the end of a fantastic season. Here’s a recap of some of the highlights over the last season of content. The first season highlighted people of color in sales, and season two focused on people of color who’ve thrived in sales. And season three? Stay tuned to find out!

We’ve had great takeaways from several of our guests: * For example, Jose Quiroz uses his Mexican heritage to help him in sales (and found out his grandfather was a salesman.) * Felix Montelara showed the importance of focusing on your audience is critical for salespeople. * Amanda Abella finds success in sales thanks to her heritage and family. * Simon Tecle made sure he was a leader in his sales role, and Wendell Jordan Jr. discussed the importance of overcoming cultural bias in the sales industry. * Donald himself broke down his experience as the first in his family to join the sales community * Ruben Alvarez leverages his color without abusing it, and Patrick Carter gave us several tips to advance our careers.

There are many powerful stories of people of color thriving in sales: * Oprah Winfrey and Harriet Tubman were two of the salespeople ever to exist, even if they weren’t traditional “salespeople.” * Kevin Cummings made more money as a salesman than his cousin (who was a doctor.) * DeJuan Brown fell into sales without meaning to, and it’s lead to an incredibly successful career. * Lin Hart spoke about Reginald F. Lewis, the richest black man in the world, and what he did to get there.

Selling in Color will take a two-week break, returning in October for another season of great content. The theme? Selling skills, strategies, tips, and ideas from fellow salespeople of color that they use to help in their sales efforts and that you can use in yours! It’s a season you won’t want to miss.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Today’s episode of Selling in Color features the second part of Donald’s archived interview with Lin Hart. He is the author of Reginald F. Lewis Before TLC Beatrice and was a close friend of Reginald F. Lewis, the richest black man on Earth, before Reginald’s untimely passing. His book focuses less on the makeup of Reginald’s money and more on the makeup of the man himself.

From Part One, a brief synopsis:

Reginald went to an HBCU, then attended law school, became a lawyer, and went on to be a businessman.
He came from an inner-city background with little money. He also wasn’t a naturally gifted student and worked hard for every good grade he got.
Reginald was a very proud person, preferring to operate behind-the-scenes instead of in the limelight.

Lin subscribes to the idea of how you find your passion.

Those who are most successful do things they love, but for money. (But really, they’d do it for free.)
People are often worried about success or failure in a field they have no love or passion for. Instead, ask yourself what you really enjoy doing.

Geniuses understand the importance of details.

It takes a lot of work to understand running a company, and Reginald was thorough in understanding the facets of his business.
That doesn’t mean become mired in details. But Reginald was willing to invest more time to understand what makes a successful venture. And most people aren’t willing to do that.
As a lawyer, Reginald took on a case during the civil rights movement. Instead of putting up the cash, he found some way to pay it off in securities and interest. (His autobiography has a detailed story.)

The most impactful limitations are the ones we put on ourselves.

Before you start selling stuff, you have to first sell yourself. Because if that sale doesn’t come off right, it’s very difficult to take the next step.
Reginald was highly opinionated and outspoken. (Meaning he could be challenging to be around.) As a result, he and Lin had many arguments. But when it was all over, they had a productive conversation.
No matter who you’re speaking with or what subject, that is the most beneficial and powerful way to produce a meaningful conversation.

Connect with Lin on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and check out his book on Reginald, Reginald F. Lewis Before TLC Beatrice.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Reginald F. Lewis Before TLC Beatrice: The Young Man Before The Billion-Dollar Empire

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Many of us want an opportunity to be successful. In today’s episode of Selling in Color, we’ve pulled a recording from The Sales Evangelist vault featuring Lin Hart. Lin was friends with Reginald F. Lewis, who was the richest African American in the world. But who was Reginald before the fame, and how did he get to where he got? Turn into this episode to find out.

Who was Reginald?

While he, unfortunately, passed away in 1993, he was arguably the richest African American man in the world.
Reginald had conducted and concluded several business deals, such as the international buyout of Beatrice Foods.
Lin and Reginald’s relationship stemmed from growing up together in Baltimore, where they became friends, competed against each other in sports, and both won athletic scholarships to play football at Virginia State University. While at college, they became roommates, fraternity brothers and stayed in close contact throughout their professional lives.

What happened that made Reginald the man he was?

At his core, Reginald was unusual. He didn’t come from wealth and had average grades, but he was a man who frequently told you he was going to do something meaningful.
Reginald had many things that make him unique. Reginald was incredibly sustainable in his beliefs of success. He never doubted for a minute he wouldn’t be successful.
From 1956-1965 a lot was going on in this country (but especially for African Americans) that would prevent people from success. But Reginald had a passion and dedication for his drive.
We’re all born with certain instincts. But we have to discover the thing that lights our fire.

When did you know there was something different about Reginald?

In 1961 (the beginning of the civil rights movement), they attended the HBCU Virginia State University. The two were looking for jobs their freshman year and entered a predominantly white bowling alley looking for work.
Lin didn’t think they could work there apart from cleaning, but Reginald didn’t want to do that.
A while later, Lin noticed Reginald kept coming home late and at odd times. When he finally asked Reginald why he revealed he now was a manager of the bowling alley.
He was playing a ball game most people never play.

Connect with Lin on LinkedIn, and check out his book on Reginald, Reginald F. Lewis Before TLC Beatrice.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Today’s episode of Selling in Color, an archive from The Sales Evangelist, features DeJuan Brown. Dejuan, like 40% of salespeople, did not plan to join the sales profession. In fact, his initial dream job was to be a chemist. And in today's episode, you’ll find out how DeJuan fell into sales.

DeJuan realized chemistry wasn’t for him.

After realizing chemistry and systems analysis involved too much math, DeJuan chose to major in psychology and philosophy.
He wasn’t super passionate about psychology, but at this point, he decided to stay on that path. It would be a while before he fell into sales.

He had a mixed perception of salespeople.

Because DeJuan’s father sold door-to-door insurance, DeJuan had an intimate relationship with salespeople. However, he noticed people’s aversion to his dad as he went up to the door; the pulled curtains, the slammed door, those experiences impacted DeJuan and his idea of salespeople.
This was a huge turn-off for DeJuan. He liked the money and rewards, but he didn’t like this negative perception and didn’t want to be associated with it.
Even though people told DeJuan he would be good at it, he didn’t want to be the sleazy salesperson. He saw sales as a poor use of his talents.
Because sales have such a low barrier to entry, you can encounter all sorts of people that might not be the best for the industry or perception.

But DeJuan had a change of heart.

While DeJuan was waiting tables in 2001, his friend got a job at Intuit. In 2002, he came to DeJuan (for the 5th time) and encouraged him to apply.
To appease him, DeJuan applied. He went to the interview and landed a part-time job.
This was the first time he thought about sales as a “clean” career path, and it was lucrative.
But he still had some concerns. Most of his fear revolved around the belief he had to push people. He didn’t want to drive people to something they didn’t necessarily need.
But that never happened. The lightbulb went off relatively quickly; he was helping people understand the options they had at their disposal.
There have been times DeJuan thought he should quit and move onto something else. But his time at Intuit made DeJuan know that he was legitimately helping people and their companies perform better and solve problems.

DeJuan started to see the success he wanted.

His final mental shift was an acceptance of the sales roller coaster. Results will never always go up. But if you control the inputs, the outputs will eventually take care of themselves.
He applied this mindset both personally and professionally.
DeJuan is now a director at Microsoft, and his career is progressing. And he’s looking to continue where he’s left off. To follow his success or learn more about him, connect with DeJuan on LinkedIn and Twitter.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

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Did you wake up one day and think, “wow, I really want to be a salesperson!” Yeah, I didn’t think so. But even if it wasn’t your childhood aspiration, sales is a great industry that has the opportunity for growth and compensation many people look for, even to the point where you make as much as a doctor! Today’s episode of Selling in Color features Kevin Cummings, a man who has sold in multiple industries and found the sales success we’re all searching for.

Kevin had no intentions of becoming a salesperson.

After working for years towards a B.S. in Biology, Kevin realized his senior year he had no desire to be a doctor.
Because of his personality, his friends encouraged him to work in pharmaceutical sales. However, after being rejected by multiple companies and organizations, Kevin felt dismayed and disheartened.
Eleven months after graduating, Kevin got a call from Grainger, and they were looking to hire 30 sales reps for a salesforce expansion.

Kevin knew this was his chance. But luck was not on his side.

On the day of his interview, there was a terrible blizzard. Halfway to the interview, Kevin realized he left his wallet at home and was unable to pay for parking.
Desperate, Kevin illegally parked next to a Chase bank, hoping he could get money to pay. He parks, only to be approached by the police.
He explained the situation, and the officer told him to leave his car parked illegally while he grabbed money. (And wished him luck on his interview.)
Kevin got to the interview and entered a panel. He ended up speaking to the hiring manager, who then introduced him to the regional director. He got the job three days later.

Kevin joins the sales profession.

He got his first promotion at Grainger after two years, but his new position required an entirely different sales technique from his previous role.
He now had to be strategic. He was expected to research and be a trusted advisor to his accounts, not just a salesperson.
It took him four months before he began to be successful, but he learned a great new skill set.

Kevin has since worked in many sales roles.

After leaving Granger, Kevin sold medical supplies. When he was interviewing for that role, he had to explain why he should be hired with no medical sales experience.
He explained he wanted to marry his sales accolades and experience with the biology degree that’s been catching dust on his top shelf. And they hired him.
He worked there for almost three years before his current job at LinkedIn.

The big takeaway Kevin wants listeners to know? Sales is the one profession that transcends every single industry. While you might not have a passion for sales, find your passion and see where sales fits in. You can make legitimate money in sales, so match your passion with a lucrative career for an all-around great solution. To reach out to Kevin, connect with him on LinkedIn.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

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In today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald looks at another one of the best sellers in history: Harriet Tubman. Harriet was born as a slave, but she escaped and rescued more than 300 slaves throughout her life. In this episode, Donald discusses why Harriet was so successful in convincing people to leave the life of slavery, even if being apprehended meant certain death.

Harriet’s history:

Harriet Tubman was born as Emerita Ross in March 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland.
Harriet was deeply religious, and that faith carried her through the many ordeals she had to endure as a slave.
When she escaped to Philadelphia in 1894, she immediately returned to Maryland to rescue her family. She brought slaves out, one group at a time, into a life of freedom.
She received the nickname “Moses” from other slaves because she brought people out of slavery and into the promised land.

Harriet’s drive to help others:

When the Fugitive Act was passed in 1850, Harriet was undeterred. Instead of leading escaped slaves to Philadelphia, she went further north and brought them to Canada.
During the Civil War, Harriet became an armed scout and was the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war.
After her impressive feats in the Civil War, she continued to fight for rights, directing her attention to women’s suffrage.
Harriet Tubman’s persuasiveness made an impact on history, and it was these five traits that made Harriet Tubman a force to be reckoned with:
- Vision
- Cause and bravery
- Selflessness
- Passion and a strong drive
- Creativity

How to apply Harriet’s mentality to your own sales process:

As a salesperson, you need to protect your mind and surround yourself with people who elevate you. Harriet could have stayed with people who shut down her vision, but instead, she moved toward people who encouraged her.
Her husband opposed the idea of freedom, and others told her it was dangerous. But Harriet didn’t listen because she was confident in her beliefs. Like Harriet, make sure you have a vision of what you want to accomplish.
As a B2B sales rep, you need to be brave. You have to be willing to do scary things, like speaking with high-level executives from large organizations. While it won’t always turn into an opportunity, it’s a key differentiator between average and above-average salespeople.
B2B sales reps need a burning desire to care for and help others. Be the sales rep who sees things from the buyers’ perspective and puts their interests above your own.
Salespeople need to have the willingness to go above and beyond to be successful in what they do. You may have to do things outside the norm and make sacrifices.
Harriet Tubman was creative. She utilized various disguises every time she made a trip, even dressing as a man when needed. She thought outside the box. Creative thinking will set you apart in sales as well.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

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What does being one of the best sellers in history entail? In today’s episode, Donald Kelly focuses on Oprah Winfrey as one of the world’s best sellers in history.

Oprah’s introduction to public speaking:

Oprah realized she loved public speaking after speaking to her congregation on Easter Sunday. She began writing and selling speeches at the age of 12, earning as much as $500 from her work.
Oprah’s success stems from five elements:
She is relatable, and she knows how to build relationships
Her creativity and willingness helped her act even under challenging circumstances
She’s a hard worker
She thinks big, and she continues to push herself
Oprah is selfless

Oprah builds relationships with everyone.

She is vulnerable, and she values authenticity regardless of whether there’s a camera or not.
She shows empathy to everyone she interviews. Instead of just asking point-blank questions, she sees the humanity of every person and asks them like a fellow human being instead of a reporter.
Oprah isn’t afraid of making mistakes and owning them.
The same is true for sales: salespeople can’t be perfect in everything we do. Making mistakes is part of the process and being honest about your mistakes makes you a relatable salesperson. That’s the kind of salesperson people gravitate to.

On being creative and having the willingness to act:

Oprah doesn’t just sit and wait for things to happen. She takes action and turns things around.
In sales, you may find yourself in a variety of difficult situations. But instead of being upset by your circumstances, make the best out of the conditions.
Sales reps can learn from Oprah Winfrey and her elements to success.
The door will still open if you are generous and give more to other people. The goal in sales is to help others and to give them solutions.

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

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Because people of color only make up 20% of the sales community, there’s a perception that we need to “fit in” to be successful. But, do you need to suppress culture to thrive in your organization? The short answer: heck no.

“Fitting in” betrays the entire point of diversity.

Your company might think you need to show certain behaviors to be successful, especially depending on the area you sell in.
However, the diversity people of color bring to an organization provokes diversity of thought and experiences that could be invaluable to the company’s success.
If you find yourself in a situation where a boss wants you to do certain things to fit in, it's probably a place you don't want to be.

Suppressing your culture doesn’t help your bottom line.

You might want to prove yourself in the organization and prove people wrong. While you certainly can, remember that you have no obligation to prove yourself when others do not.
If you're hitting quota, nobody cares. If you're able to bring in the largest deals in the organization, nobody cares. You can put your head down and hustle, letting your numbers speak for themselves.
You're not there just for the company; you’re there for your family and your own success.
You can't always change someone's views because it has to be up to that person to make a change.

You’re advocating for the next sales generation of people of color.

As a person of color in a predominantly white space, you’re pioneering for the students and other incoming people to understand they have the potential for success in the sales industry.
You're forging a path for those who come after you. You aren't just providing for your family; you’re showing the current youth that they can do great things and break barriers.
Ultimately, make sure you're at a company where you like to be. Find somewhere you fit in and feel comfortable.

Check out Sales for the Culture to join a community of people of color in the sales industry.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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How can people of color accelerate their careers? Today’s guest Patrick Carter explains that it wasn’t only his ambition that led to success, but his drive to help and support others like him that led to victory. That and finding the peers, mentor, and sponsor in your industry will lead to success.

Patrick has been in the sales industry for several decades.

He has sold anything that plugged into a wall, financial services, and now sells furniture.
Throughout his sales career, he’s learned not just from work itself but also learns from his mentors and people in the room who’ve walked down the same path as him.

How did Patrick accelerate his sales career?

As he matured in his career, Patrick was introduced to a gentleman named Walter Booker- the first black man Patrick saw in a senior leadership position.
Walter understood that others observed his actions and attitude in the organization, and he made it his business to see them and give encouragement.
After meeting Walter, Patrick’s career growth came from his mentality shift from a lone wolf to somebody who gives more than they get.
Patrick started looking to his peers and giving them the support they needed, and Patrick now looks for and wants to be in a position to mentor and sponsor others.
Patrick believes that's where many people of color feel marginalized, especially when people are hired as diversity tokens.

How can you overcome the lone wolf mentality?

Remember that an open door does not an opportunity make. Just because a door is open, you still need to walk through it and perform.
If a mentor or sponsor spends their influence opening a door and you underperform, you've done a disservice to both you and your sponsor. And that, unfortunately, can close off opportunities for those second, third and fourth in line.
Recognize that you will need help in sales, and recognize that you need the right team to succeed.

How can someone maybe they're in an industry where they don't have many people in leadership that looks like them?

Social media has allowed us to get outside our silos. You can start a social media relationship where you never actually connect with that person beyond messaging.
You can get on the phone and speak with someone, even if you meet over social media.
It's that “lead the horse to water, but you can't make them drink” analogy. The water is here and available. At some point, you need to recognize that others are performing at a higher level than you and learn from them.
Mentoring is a relative term, and you can do it at any point in your career.

Patrick’s major takeaway:

You don't have enough time in your career to make all the mistakes you need to. So learn from the mistakes of others.
By listening to your mentors, following their instructions, and zigging when others zag, you don't have to suffer all the pitfalls people in front of you suffer.

To get in contact with Patrick, connect with him on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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People of color in sales tend to stand out. Because only 20% of sellers aren’t white, people of color can use this to their advantage as they navigate their selling careers. But while you can use it to your benefit, you can also abuse it. In today’s episode of Selling in Color, the founder of The Marketing Hunter, Ruben Alvarez, shares how people of color can leverage your color without abusing it.

There’s power in being an underdog.

While people might not like it, there is power in being an underdog. And that perfectly describes Ruben’s approach to sales.
When companies first came under fire for lack of employee diversity, there was a period where people of color could quickly get a job as a “token” person of color.
Even if that applies to you, use the opportunity to work hard and break the glass ceiling to make it easier for more people of color to join the organization.

Ruben appropriately used his color to his advantage.

Ruben’s parents came to the United States illegally, and he can’t change that. What he can do is make the most of the opportunity and create opportunities for others.
His parents got their citizenship soon after emigrating to the United States. It showed him that if you’re going to do something, do it right.
He uses those experiences and history to motivate him to persevere and work harder to achieve his goals.

How has Ruben has seen success in his career without relying on his race?

You have to find places where you can associate and mingle with people of color but in a professional way.
Ruben sees a big problem in taking advantage of people who offer discounts or specials for people of color. If you need it, accept it. But if you support other people of color, you wouldn’t take revenue from them if you need it.
Know when to give back because eventually, stuff will come back to you.
Build a genuine connection with somebody and not just say, “Hey, you know what, I'm going to do this for them right now. Because later on, I expect them to give me something.”

Ruben’s advice to people who’ve thought about quitting their sales career:

Ruben’s boss was verbally abusive, and nobody wanted to deal with him. But because Ruben put up with this boss longer than anyone else, he got a lot of credibility.
There are generally two reasons to quit sales: you aren’t making enough money or mentally unable to handle the job.
If you aren’t making enough money, just learn how to sell better. But if you can’t handle the stress, just keep pushing through. No job gives you more security, empowerment, or the mentality that opens up doors for your next opportunity.

To contact Ruben, connect with him on LinkedIn, or visit his website at rubenalvarez.com. Additionally, you can email him at ruben@themarketinghunters.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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In today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald discusses the idea of being first. Whether you’re the first person of color selling in an organization or your first family member to join the sales industry, there are challenges and benefits to being first.

Donald experienced being first.

As the only black person at a software sales company, Donald found it awkward being surrounded by people who didn’t understand the challenges and difficulties people of color faced.
Fortunately, a person of color named Janice joined the ranks as an executive assistant, and she helped raise awareness of the issues associate with a lack of diversity.
When you’re exploring a new job as the first person of color, it’s going to be awkward. It’s going to be tough, but someone has to do it. Someone needs to be that first person.

Don’t focus on the naysayers.

You’re trying to make a change for your family and community, not for them.
Look at Kaepernick. When he decided to take a kneel, he helped push forward a movement. It took just one person to do it first.
So when you’re starting at a company, what kind of impact are you making for the future? What are you doing it make the organization more inclusive and aware of the topic?
It’s incredible that you’re the first person. But it’s not necessarily about you; it’s about the people after you.

With momentum from those first people of color in various organizations, and thanks to communities like Sales for the Culture, Sistas in Sales, and even this podcast, we’re bringing attention to this topic to help make the next generation more inclusive and accessible for all people of color.

It’s not always easy or convenient to be first. But what you’re doing for people of color down the line is inspiring.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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While diversity initiatives, societal shifts and focused efforts have helped many underrepresented communities join the professional workforce, many people of color still have to face immense cultural biases in their work. On today’s episode of Selling in Color, Donald is joined by digital marketing consultant Wendell Jordan Jr. to learn how he’s faced and overcome instances of cultural bias.

He experienced cultural bias while selling in New York:

Wendell noticed he and other people of color were pigeonholed and sent to specific demographical areas, keeping him away from more affluent (and white) neighborhoods.
Wendell doesn’t think his managers were racist, and they might’ve done it to make him more comfortable. But that doesn’t make it okay.
His manager assumed something with their own limiting beliefs, and expressed them on Wendell.

How did Wendell handle the situation?

Many people would feel uncomfortable confronting someone about cultural bias, but Wendell wasn’t.
He wanted to do something about the experience. When he sees situations like this arise, he feels the need to say something. Because it just isn’t right.
His intention wasn’t to turn the ship upside down, but to see if something different could be done and make positive change.
People of color tend to want to make people feel comfortable, often at the expense of their own comfort. Overcoming that feeling to address cultural bias in the workplace is necessary.

Why are there so few people of color in the business world?

When door-to-door sales first started in the early 1900s, it was considered a sophisticated job. One that white people believed was too sophisticated for people of color.
Culturally, people of color have a limiting belief that they don’t have the ability or know-how to do the job.
Many major companies hire based on inside connections. And until there are people inside those companies to begin creating a culture of inclusivity, it won’t just happen.

Wendell relies on his ability to identify other cultures to cultivate relationships.

A significant component of selling is just being able to relate to people and embracing other cultures. And there is a narrative that people of color are incapable of that.
Wendell’s final advice or takeaway? Be proud of your color. The diversity people of color bring to any sales culture is key, and the worst thing we could do is water that down because we’re afraid of not being accepted.

Want to get in touch with Wendell? Connect with him on LinkedIn or send him an email at wendell@jordanmarketingconsultants.com.

To listen to Wendell’s guest episode of The Sales Evangelist, check it out here.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Many people of color walk into an office or sales department only to see nobody that looks like them. In today’s episode of Selling in Color, we’re joined by Simon Tecle, VP of Sales at SynchroMSP, to learn how he gained experience and found success throughout his sales journey. And, more importantly, how you can too.

Simon values the work of Sales for the Culture.

Sales for the Culture is a group for black individuals in sales, revenue, and marketing to learn, connect, and offer jobs and mentorships within the tech industry.
Only about 20% of B2B professional sellers are people of color in the corporate tech world. Not just black, but any person of color. Sales for the Culture wants to make navigating the professional world more accessible for marginalized groups.

How did Simon start his tech sales journey and get to where he is now?

Simon’s first sales jobs were cold-calling for a mortgage company and knocking on doors for a roofing company.
His favorite job, however, was selling cell phones at Kmart. He was supposed to sit at a table, but it was super slow. He started walking up to people at the Kmart and sold $800-1000 of product a week.
He leveraged his previous experiences with cold calling, knocking on doors, and wandering around Kmart to make a career.

Simon realized he had a passion for sales.

At first, he valued it mainly for the money. But as he learned and grew his skills, he began to love the thrill of the chase.
Upon his college graduation from Ohio State, Simon managed a team selling Dell computers at a mall kiosk. He enjoyed management because it balanced time in the trenches with helping people develop.
After Dell, he joined the startup Everyday Health (a competitor to WebMD) in their small business division and realized he enjoyed the startup lifestyle.
He was able to leverage these past experiences to later start divisions at Angie’s List and Thrive.

Simon’s advice to someone moving into sales:

Whatever path you want to go down, people are doing that role who look like you. Finding them is key.
For people of color, the environment right now is focused on diversity. Many of the barriers enacted to prevent underrepresented people from gaining job entry are being removed. For people of color looking for employment, this is your moment.

Simon’s final takeaway? Be the president of your own university and development. If you want to connect and learn more from Simon, follow him on LinkedIn or send him an email at simon@synchromsp.com. To join or learn more about Sales for the Culture, visit their website.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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People in underrepresented communities might feel imposter syndrome when selling in major industries. In today’s episode of Selling in Color, founder and CEO of Make Money Your Honey, Amanda Abella, tells us how she overcame her imposter syndrome by learning she’s been selling for far longer than she thought.

Amanda had been selling most of her professional life.

After graduating college, Amanda went six months without finding a job. But a friend gave her the book The Art of Nonconformity by Chris Guillebeau, and it opened her eyes to what she could do in life.
She wanted to be a writer, so she took an opportunity to write financial articles.
She got a job in recruiting but continued writing. In 2012, all of her internet friends quit their jobs to work freelance.
Amanda was hesitant to follow suit, but she had to get over those fears before doing the same.
She hired her first coach, and that woman helped her realize she’d been selling her entire career.

How did Amanda get involved in sales?

She started a coaching side-hustle in addition to her writing work. But Amanda soon realized she couldn’t easily scale a freelance writing business.
She created Persuade to Profit, which is now her signature sales training program.
The takeaway? You will never worry about money again if you know how to sell.

Amanda kept training, learning, and putting herself in uncomfortable situations.

Most female coaches teach you marketing launch strategies and how to warm up leads, but people have become way savvier to that. What they often don’t teach is sales.
Amanda understands why women are uncomfortable in some traditional sales environments, and she realized she could be a translator and teach the mindset of sales to women.
Amanda started a community around it and now has a free Facebook group for women coaches and course creators that organically grew to 1000 people within three months.

Amanda’s advice to step out and find a place in sales?

Reach out to people who bought your stuff and ask them how their purchase was - they're always shocked when an actual human reaches out to them.
A lot of people experience imposter syndrome, and everyone has had a really crappy sales experience. (Just think of your high school friend DMing you to join their MLM.) But with the proper training and coaching, you can develop a feeling of confidence that can fuel success.

Get in touch with Amanda:

If you’re a woman, join her free Facebook group, where they do complimentary training once a week.
Find her podcast and videos on her YouTube channel, and connect with her on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World (Perigee Book.)

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Selling can be challenging, especially when your target audience is from a different culture. On today’s episode of Selling in Color, we’re joined by Felix Montelara, founder of the Latin Podcast Awards, who shares his challenges selling as a Latino, and how he overcame them to find success.

Felix encountered challenges as someone of Latin descent.

Some challenges are the same - finding a way to address people's needs and wants. (Which are often two different things.)
As a Latino, Felix found he had to put his best foot forward to compete with the type of seller someone might expect.
Because he sold something specifically for brown and black people, his market was smaller, meaning he was limited on the number of potential sales.
People of color are often not in certain circles because they’re only a small percentage of media and the population.
Felix has also been hired for sales, only to have his company show him off for token diversity.

How to overcome these challenges:

Whatever you go into, know your market. You want to go into each meeting feeling prepared to address any issue or concern.
You can find a mentor, read books, or just learn more about sales to obtain success.
Don’t just sell to sell. Instead, sell to solve your target’s problem.
When Felix tried to sell to white people, he found them much more apprehensive and questioning his product. That’s when his deep product knowledge paid off- because he could address concerns to overcome reluctance.

The importance of community in sales:

People of color can't expect an outside group to come to bail them out.
We need to create men and women who know what they're doing and can support from within.
Simultaneously, we need to branch out and create unity between different groups of people.

Felix’s final thoughts:

We’re all in sales at some point in our lives. Everyone. Even just to get that first job, you put your best foot forward and present information that's needed to grab someone’s attention.
Don’t allow your thoughts about “them” to sabotage your success.

If you want to get in touch with Felix, contact him via the Latin Podcast Awards’ website, or email him at fmontelara@latinpodcastawards.com

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder wrote by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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For some people, sales is in their DNA. Today’s guest, Jose Quiroz, is one of those people. He is a digital operations expert who comes from a long line of salespeople, even though he wasn’t initially aware. But as the son of an entrepreneur, Jose quickly learned to use his natural sales abilities to create opportunities for himself.

Two things inspired Jose to begin selling:

First, was Mark Cuban saying that sales is about helping people. “You have a problem. I got a solution for you.”
The second was Jose’s trial and error methodology. He had to figure out how to sell, communicate, and analyze situations.
The biggest thing that resonated with Jose was the importance of listening instead of talking.

A time Jose failed:

Jose was trying to penetrate a local market, and through his Chamber of Commerce connections, he met a local retailer who had a name for herself.
They had a conversation, but Jose went into it with the intent to sell rather than to understand.
They talked over each other, didn’t see eye to eye, and the conversation ended with awkward tension.
A few months later, through the work he did with people around her, she gave him business. But he fired her as a client two years later because of those same communication issues.

The takeaways?

Understand when you are in a sales call and when you aren’t. Don’t assume one way or another until you’ve had a chance to learn from the individual.
Be quiet and listen to the other person beyond what they're saying to you. Look at their mannerisms and what's in between the lines to find information that might not be as apparent.
A smart salesperson comes with ammunition; they understand who the individual is, what moves them, what drives them, and their interests.

Learning those takeaways led to Jose’s success.

His team recently sold a national company on a regional part of the business, and they were invited to do a national pitch.
Jose knew he needed to take a deep dive and research everything he could about the company. Understand who the key players are, who's the decision-maker, and what influences them.
He went into this meeting with the intent to listen and tell a story, not just to sell.

Jose’s advice for someone of color to be successful in sales:

Realize that sales is everywhere around you. You're always selling; whether trying to get a date or job, there are many instances you sell yourself to others.
Take advantage of business and sales development opportunities. You’ll learn a lot about yourself and practice getting out of your comfort zone.
Jose believes in reciprocity: The more you give, the more you get back.
If you want to go into sales, know that there will be trials and tribulations. It will take time, and you’ll need to develop a thick skin, but it will be well worth it.

Want to get in touch with Jose? Connect with him on LinkedIn, and check out his company’s website!

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access your CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences from the comfort of your inbox. NetHunt helps move leads down your sales funnel and never lets a valuable prospect go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first three months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Try NetHunt CRM today at https://nethunt.com/tse.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes, tune in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

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Today’s episode of Selling in Color features the founder and Chief Investment Officer of Stone Hill Wealth Management, Phillip Washington Jr. From his first job at Best Buy to door-to-door sales, Phillip learned that his hard working mentality and refusal to give up were traits that helped him overcome obstacles in the sales industry.

Phillip’s sales origin story.

His dad did Amway growing up, so sales did not have the dubious reputation found in other households.
Phillip’s first job was at Best Buy, but he didn’t like the idea of being paid the same amount no matter what he did, so he began selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door.
Phillip was later offered an internship with Northwestern Mutual, selling insurance on commission. He was nervous about accepting because it did not come with a salary, and he was worried about making ends meet after selling his previous business.
Despite his nervousness, he accidentally scored number two intern in their United States South sector and converted to full-time after graduating. He worked there for eight years.

Philip’s biggest sales challenges and how he overcame them:

Sales is mentally tough, no matter what color you are. But Phillip overcame those mental obstacles by working hard to meet his goals.
Another challenge he had was overcoming ignorance. He wondered why other people made so much more money than him in his early career, even though he worked harder than anyone.
In reality, some people just have more resources, and Phillip learned to keep his head down and work for what he wants.
You don't understand the muscles you're building when it's harder for you. And that’s a blessing.

What gave Phillip his success?

Phillip claims he’s not the smartest, but he won’t give up and will outwork anybody to achieve success if he locks onto something.
He takes the required risks to put supply and demand on his side.
If a white guy and a black guy are selling the same thing and they’re perceived as equal, they're probably going to buy from the white guy. But, if you clearly provide more value than the competition, you’ll get the sale.

Phillip’s final sales tip:

Have somebody to talk to and help process your thoughts and perspectives.
Phillip wouldn’t have achieved success without his coaches and community supporting him.

Want to get in contact with Phillip? Find all his contact information on Stone Hill Wealth Management’s website.

If you want to get in touch with Joseph, find him on LinkedIn. You can find host Donald Kelly on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access your CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences from the comfort of your inbox. NetHunt helps move leads down your sales funnel and never lets a valuable prospect go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first three months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Try NetHunt CRM today at https://nethunt.com/tse.

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Today’s episode of Selling in Color features Joseph Villegas, a pharmaceutical sales representative who has been in sales since college. Before working in medical sales, he worked in home health sales and, through these jobs, has found sales success as a Hispanic salesman.

Joseph didn’t just fall into sales.

People often stumble into a sales career, but Joseph actively wanted a sales career.
While pursuing a marketing degree, Joseph’s friend said his brother just got a job as a sales rep, and Joseph thought that career sounded perfect for himself.

Why did Joseph want to be in sales?

He wanted to be a person who serves his community. He thought, “what better way to do that than help the medical community.”
After learning more about the sales profession, he thought his personality fit perfectly.
He, of course, loved the idea of making money.

Why aren’t there more Hispanic people in sales?

While Joseph’s oldest brother is a VP in commercial insurance, none of Joseph’s other friends or family are salespeople.
He thinks there’s a lot of misinformation in the Hispanic community that prevents people from joining the sales profession.
Many young Hispanic people go straight into working construction after high school because they think that’s the only way to make a large amount of money.

What are some challenges he faced as a Hispanic salesperson?

Like any other person of color, he has to battle the fact that about 80% of people in the sales industry are white males.
There’s a barrier when selling to people who wouldn’t expect a Hispanic man to sell in the medical industry.
On the flip side, when Joseph is selling to other POC, they often have an unspoken rapport that makes Joseph more confident.
He’s been passed up for promotions and bigger territories, even if his competition has the same education and sales numbers.
Joseph was written up for not hitting a sales goal while other people who also don’t hit a sales goal go unpunished.

Joseph’s advice to the Hispanic community:

You can’t just sit back and wait to be invited to the table; you have to make things happen.
It’s easy to get in sales. Hispanic people are hardworking people, and they’re taught social interactions at a young age.
You don’t have to break your back doing manual labor. If you want to, then that’s great. But know that it isn’t your only option.

If you want to get in touch with Joseph, find him on LinkedIn. You can find host Donald Kelly on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access your CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences from the comfort of your inbox. NetHunt helps move leads down your sales funnel and never lets a valuable prospect go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first three months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Try NetHunt CRM today at https://nethunt.com/tse.

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Today’s on Selling in Color Donald is joined by Kristi Strickland, she has worn many different hats in the sales industry throughout her career, and we’re thrilled to hear her give her perspective on how we can draw more people of color into the sales industry.

Kristi, like many others, had a warped understanding of sales as a child.

Kids often think sales are purely the people selling door-to-door vacuum cleaners, which gives them an assumption that a sales career would not provide long-term results or benefits.
While Kristi went to school to pursue medicine, a small interaction with her advisor completely changed her career trajectory.

Once she joined sales, Kristi realized the benefits of sales positions.

Once she got into sales, Kristi saw that there are many roles available, and she could move around to different positions until she found a great fit.
Kristi had a preconceived notion that salespeople had to be very aggressive, like a car salesman, but that’s far from the truth.
Lots of sales reps make millions of dollars a year. But whether you want to be in sales for money, be a mentor, or take on leadership and sales enablement roles, there is a position that suits your goals.

How can POC salespeople share their sales success stories?

Teaching people of color about the many avenues and places for success will draw more people of color into the industry.
Be a bit obnoxious about your success. Talking about your achievements shows others what they can do for themselves.
Recruit friends and those we know to fill roles. Many companies have referral bonuses, and with the myriad of diversity and inclusion initiatives, companies are hiring for people of color.
Make it clear a person doesn't have to have ten years of experience to start. The idea is that you get in here, crush it, and quickly move up the ladder.
Talk to the younger generation; make them aware of sales options that they have.

What is Kristi’s parting advice?

Sales doesn’t have to be your life career. It can be a way to stack up money and then pursue your passion.
Kristi’s major takeaway? Don’t be afraid to try sales, especially if you’re a person of color.
Take advantage of the resources like Sales For the Culture and The Sales Evangelist Podcast that teach you skills to carry yourself as a professional in the industry.

If you want to get in touch with Kristi, connect with her on LinkedIn. Or, if you just want to hear more of the sales experience Kristi has to offer, check out her guest episode of The Sales Evangelist.

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We’re thrilled to welcome Roderick Jefferson on this episode of Selling in Color. As the Vice President of Field Enablement at Netskope with over 20 years of sales leadership, he knows how to create bridges between organizations to empower sales to exceed expectations. In today’s episode, we ask him one important question: why aren’t companies hiring more black people?

Many companies are not hiring people of color. Why is this the case?

It starts at the leadership level; there often aren’t people of color making the hiring decisions.
The recruiting process is flawed for two main reasons. First, recruiting is based mainly on referrals. And that's usually people who look like you or are in your circle. Second, companies continually recruit from the same schools year after year.
The cost of this is not just diversity by gender, color, or ethnicity; you lose diversity of thought.
Unfortunately, we have many people of color who aren’t utilizing the resources and platforms they have to support other people of color.

To current company leaders - here’s how you can help:

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Stop doing what you've always done, broaden your horizons and put on a different set of lenses. Think about what is missing on your team, as far as diversity of thought.
Ask people of color inside your company how to find more people. But don't just say, “how can I find more people like you?” because that puts you in a box. Humbly explain that you’re looking to diversify.
From the company perspective, recruiting starts with your website. If there is no show of diversity, equity and inclusion, it makes people of color feel like they aren’t welcome.
Make sure that your hiring managers are asking to see diverse recruits.

Roderick’s parting advice:

We get excited when a company moves from 1% to 2% in diversity - that’s the wrong response.
To Roderick, diversity means being invited to the table. Equity means being able to order anything he wants off the menu. Inclusion means the people in the restaurant sit down and break bread with him.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and get away from doing things the way you've always done it. Because the world older generations grew up in doesn't exist anymore. It's not going to happen by accident.

Want to get in touch with Roderick? Find him all over social on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can also check out his website and congratulate him on his new book!

Sales Enablement 3.0: The Blueprint to Sales Enablement Excellence

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On today’s episode of Selling in Color, we welcomed Joel Burstein, CEO at Keep it Simple Training and Development and board chair and MBEIC for the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council. Joel gives us an in-depth look at his perception of sales and how his childhood beliefs shaped those beliefs.

Joel’s childhood shaped his perception of selling.

Only 20% of salespeople are people of color. The reason? Speaking from his Caribbean-American background, money was a culturally weird thing to talk about for Joel. And, essentially, that’s a guiding component of sales.
His parents told him he could be anything he wanted to be. But he never thought to look to sales because there was nobody like him in that career.
Joel didn’t believe a lucrative job existed because he had never been exposed to one.

How to sell when you’re unexpected:

Childhood beliefs only change through actions. Once you start to do something and see its possibilities, you can see the shift in momentum.
There are two sales: the first is selling that you belong in that room, and the second is the product.
Connect with the people you’re selling to based on common ground. Connect on a shared business or family values, something that will prevent the conversation from becoming uncomfortable.
Sometimes some people take too much pride. Acknowledge that it might be an uncomfortable situation, and look for ways to make it a good position.

Joel’s main takeaways:

Lots of things we do are habitual. The question then is can you identify them and use them for your benefit.
It’s not about you. Sometimes it’s about them. Don’t internalize what happens in the sales environment, and try not to take professional conversations to heart.

Want to get in contact with Joel? Connect with him on LinkedIn.

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In this episode, join Donald Kelly, and Larry Long Jr discuss how sales leaders prioritize the recruitment and retention of people of color.

Larry Long Jr is the CEO and founder of LLJr Enterprises. A professional speaking motivation, inspiration, sales, keynote, speaking, coaching, training, consulting, and more.

The recruitment process

We know that there’s a need to prioritize hiring people of color as employees but knowing is different from doing.
We know that a diverse team is a must, and we need women of color, but when we look at companies, they don’t necessarily do it.
Diversity sounds good on paper, but it’s challenging to execute.
Recruiting has two major parts - the first is the need to go where the diverse talent is. We need to expand our sphere and expose ourselves to other communities.
The second part is retention. It’s about knowing how to support the people of color you’ve hired and making them feel welcomed.
Companies hire people of color to feel that they’re in a supportive environment, not in a hostile one.

Recruiting where the diverse candidates are

Even in the past, many companies and organizations would say that they want more diversity, but they’re not recruiting where the diverse candidates are.
They’re not at HBCUs. They are the traditional universities and other mainstream universities.
You can’t expect diversity if you don’t have a diverse pool of candidates.
It’s difficult to be serious about diversity when the leaders and executives are not diverse as well.
Organizations must be honest and must be comfortable taking it a step further to take action.
We need to ask the tough questions to become successful.
There has to be a conversation on how your company can advance both the recruitment and retention process. The newly hired people of color feel welcomed and feel equality in the workplace.
It’s essential to start at the very top. You need to have the leadership on board and all the other people on the table.

When it’s not working out for you

If you observe that things aren’t working out for you, you need to take measures to protect your mental health - your mind, your body, and your soul.
The hard truth in some companies is that they don’t prioritize you. So, you need to prioritize yourself.
Sometimes you need to change the sandbox you’re playing in if that sand isn’t nice enough.

“What Gaps in Recruiting Processes are Preventing People of Color From Working in Sales?” episode resources

Reach out and follow Larry Long Jr. on LinkedIn.

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Try NetHunt CRM today → https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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In this episode, Anita Nielsen joins Donal Kelly as they talk about the gaps in recruiting processes that are preventing people of color from working in sales.

The challenges across the board

Anita Nielsen hasn’t worked with many companies that are deliberate in their recruiting of a diverse workforce.
There’s a need to have that commitment to do what it takes to reach the people where they’re at and help them draw these people to their companies.
Today, it’s getting harder and harder to find good talents out there that fit. The right people are now fewer and far between.
This is partly because job seekers are more deliberate about the companies that they go after.
People who are looking out for jobs are looking at the company’s website and if they see that the website has all Caucasian/white people then that tells job seekers that the company isn’t deliberate enough to be inclusive in their website.
Younger generations today want to help in companies with healthy cultures that have multiple thoughts and are innovative.
Organizations need to do two things - to be deliberate and to check themselves. Evaluate your ways on how you are making your workforce more diverse and inclusive.
Inclusion isn’t just about getting the right people for the open jobs in your company but it’s also about getting multi-colored buyers.

The gaps in recruiting

For sales, there isn’t much recruiting that happens out of college.
There are several programs in colleges today that are devoted to sales, even graduate schools have some programs that are focused on sales.
As an organization, be where the people are. Go to these schools or universities and see the range of the different kinds of people out there. Go out and find the people of color who may be a fit for your company.
Check out organizations, forums, and groups with people of color who have the right training and who are perfect additions to your company.
As businesses, we need to recognize that we are losing some of the top talents in the industry today if we are not serious about diversifying our workspace.
Being deliberate in your recruiting doesn’t happen by accident, it should be a priority.

“What Gaps in Recruiting Processes are Preventing People of Color From Working in Sales” episode resources

Reach out and follow Anita Nielsen on LinkedIn.

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Try NetHunt CRM today → https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Sales is for everyone. The truth, however, is that it still has a long way to go in terms of diversity. In this episode, Jaunai Walker joins Donald Kelly as they talked about why we don’t see more black women in sales.

Jaunai Walker is in the medical sales industry and she’s been in pharmaceutical sales for about 13 years. Throughout her entire experience in sales, there have only been a few instances that she saw black women in the industry.
Culturally, sales wasn’t seen as something that’s viable because of the frequent ups and downs. There is not much consistency in sales.
From an early age, we are taught that consistency is the source of steady income.
Not all people realize that sales isn’t something we should be afraid of. In fact, a lot of sales skill sets today are important. Sales skill sets are something that one doesn’t have to really dive and learn because most of these skill sets are already innate.
Since we were kids, we were already learning how to get what we wanted. Knowing how to get what we want is a critical skill set for salespeople.
There are good days and bad days in sales. There will be times that you won’t be able to get your sales goals but in the grand scheme of things, it’s still one of the most rewarding careers that one could have.
Black women today can take advantage of the people who paved the way for them to get into the sales industry. They now have mentors who can help and guide them.
There’s always been a stigma on sales and it’s important that we reduce that stigma, especially for black women.

Are women paid less?

Jaunai believes that it’s not just the pay but women are also chipped with the opportunities for growth in the sales field as well. Many still look at black women and see them as the aggressive type. They don’t want to scare the salesforce by putting black women in an executive position.
Sometimes, it’s even because of the appearance. Jaunai shares that she couldn’t easily wear her natural hair out at the beginning because people looked at her differently. She was also called the Obama Girl by her white counterpart.
The downside to these obstacles is that you start doubting yourself. On the upside, however, you would eventually start showing up ready to fight for your job.
Jaunai decided to come on strong and took her stand. She wore her hair naturally, it was her way of being authentic and it didn’t impact her numbers in sales.

Changing the opportunity gap

If you have a seat at the executive’s table, you need to be aware not only of the opportunities but also of the responsibilities. Don’t forget what you’re supposed to do which is helping others.
Don’t be tied with the thought that you don’t want to be seen as the person who just wants to bring in more people who look like you.
You need to become more visible. When you see other people in the industry who share the same color, go up to them and strike up a conversation. Try to form a connection because that’s part of your responsibility.
Sales is a great industry to be in. So, don’t be afraid to show up because the financial reward is here.
When you find yourself in the industry, make sure to find the people who are willing to give you tips and share their knowledge with you.

“Why Don’t We See More Black Women in Sales” episode resources

Reach out and follow Jaunai Walker on LinkedIn.

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Try NetHunt CRM today → https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

View Details

Sales is for everyone, no matter the race or color. It’s not just for white people. Today’s guest is Toya Brown-Riberdy. Tune in and listen as Toya Brown-Riberdy and Donald Kelly talk about why recognizing that black people sell every day is now important.

The ‘black people aren’t good salespeople’ notion

The notion probably stems from the truth that a lot of black people work nine to five jobs, they have a minimum wage, and that the six-figure jobs are not something that black people should strive for.
Toya believes that it’s about the opportunity and the conversations we have around the dinner table. What we see with the people around us prompts us to put ourselves in this certain box and in this box, we can only do limited things.
Success for black people often means that you have to be an athlete, a TV personality, or a musician.
Not all black people know that sales is also for them.
In truth, black people are the consummate customer service representatives but unfortunately, it’s not the kind of job that’s presented for most of us.

The limiting belief

It somehow comes from the fact that we don’t know that there’s an opportunity. The position of the world and the society is that sales is not a position that you see a black person is doing. In the movies, black people have always been the assistants and the sidekicks.
Valuing and getting an education is one way of setting yourself up on the opportunities and roles that you think are outside your realm.
Not everyone has the financial capacity to get a college degree. If you have something that you’re good at, then use that edge to get to school. Use the system to your advantage. If you’re good at sports, use that to get an education.
Take advantage of any opportunity and don’t pack it up. Stay for the education because that will take you to the next level.

Sell yourself every day

We sell ourselves every day in a way that we put our best foot forward at all times.
Black people know how it feels to walk into a room and be the only black person there. Sell yourself well and make a friend. Introduce yourself and start a conversation. It’s the same with sales. We pick up the phone and start a conversation first.
We have so much more to offer. Other people see so much potential in black people even when sometimes, we don’t see these potentials in ourselves.

Handling objections

Black people always face objections, every single day, from the moment we walk into a room full of people and sense that we’re not expected.
People always have the perception of how black people talk and act. Until they hear you speak, they won’t really know that you have a proper tone or that you’re articulate.
The important thing is that we continue our story and not let that objection get to us.
We are resilient and adaptable. Use that to handle objections.
Believe in yourself. If you know you have the capabilities to pin down the role, then go to the table with confidence.

“Changing Perceptions: Recognizing the Black People Sell Everyday” episode resources

Reach out and follow Toya Brown - Riberdy on LinkedIn.

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Try NetHunt CRM today → https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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Sales never occurred to Caleb Norris as a potential career, and despite his struggles in high school, he broke into tech sales fresh out of college.

He had started to believe limiting ideas about himself before graduation, but he got a job in a restaurant and he had a chance to start working on marketing and ROI for the restaurant. Eventually, he went to college and identified some bigger opportunities for himself.

Legacy of sales

Caleb wanted to ultimately land in technology or energy because he recognized that those two industries would never go away. The problem, as he saw it, was that he didn’t really have the skillset for either one.
He was connected to someone who was hiring entry-level sellers for a tech company, and Caleb hounded him for a month trying to land an interview. He ultimately earned the interview and was offered a job as a business development rep. Within a month he was managing the team of BDRs.
There’s a significant overlap between sales and restaurant work because you learn a lot about engaging with customers and pleasing your audience. If, for example, you focus on the kids, the parents will love you.
Caleb calls restaurants “breeding grounds for leaders.”
People of color don’t typically have a legacy of tech sales in their families. Caleb didn’t either, but he overcame that.

Mastering sales

RangeForce works hard to create equal opportunities for many different people, and the company does this by removing the gate-keeping. You can come into the company with no prior knowledge but still earn a place in the company by starting at the beginning.
Caleb found that if you’re about your paper or your coin, sales is where you should be. People like the idea of leadership or marketing, but if you can master sales, there’s no limit on your financial game.
Think of sales as a consultative opportunity. You’re offering something of value, so both sides are winning.
Find a mentor who is in the industry you’re pursuing; someone who can help you get a foot in the door. People in technology often love to talk about their industry.

Past experience

People often cite the need for a four-year degree to land an entry-level sales position, but that isn’t necessarily true. Don’t let that be a deterrent for you.
The thing that helped Caleb most was learning how a company builds revenue. He learned during his time at the restaurant that there were areas they could improve, and as he studied reports, he looked into the details that helped him understand how the company could operate better to build more revenue.
His boss at the restaurant helped him understand how the team’s success could positively impact the people who worked there. Their success would allow other employees to create a great life for their families.
His understanding of the intersection between sales and marketing helped him, but he gained it primarily working at the restaurant.
If you’re a good salesperson, you can overcome that objection.
Use your powers of influence to land yourself an interview.
Even if your past experiences aren’t in sales, they can help you land a sales position. Figure out how you can cast your past experience in the context of sales.

“How I Broke Into Tech Sales Fresh Out of College” episode resources

Connect with Caleb Norris on LinkedIn to ask questions or hear more about his journey. He’d love to connect you with others who can help.

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Try NetHunt CRM today → https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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A lot of us grew up believing that sales is for white people. In truth, sales is for everyone. In this episode, Donald Kelly is joined by Agnel Ingalls. Listen to the episode as they both talk about this subject and the assumption that sales is for white people.

Getting to know Agnel Ignalls

Agnel only stumbled into sales. He was originally from Kensington, Philadelphia. It’s a poor and drug-infested neighborhood. Growing up, he learned how to prioritize education.
Going to school wasn’t easy. He was a 15-year old kid and had to commute for two-and-a-half hours every day to get to school. His day started at 4:30 AM, and he got home by 2 AM. He would transfer from one bus to another and sneak into the school bus to get to school on time. He also worked at Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch after school to pay for his transportation.
He got kicked out of the school because they found out that he was commuting. He went to a different school, and still, he learned how to be uncomfortable. He still worked and landed an internship, and then he went to college.

The Notion of Sales

Agnel didn’t think of sales as a career for only white people because he discovered sales when he was in college.
He was with one of his professors, and they were going over career paths. Knowing how he loves talking to people, his professor just threw it out there, ‘Sales.’
Agnel didn’t think that sales was a career for him. Growing up impoverished, however, and always on the search for money, he got interested in sales for the financial gain that comes with it.
The stigma that sales is for white people is just that same stigma that everything is for white people. In this generation, we’re trying to move past that mindset.
A lot of organizations are now seeing the importance of diversity to improve their team and their revenue.
As for sales, it’s no longer just for white people. It’s also for the black and the brown people. It’s for everyone who wants to make a lot of money to help their families and for whatever personal reasons they may have.
People only suggest careers in law and medicine during high school because these are the paths that lead to making a lot of money. They don’t mention sales to high school students as potential careers. That’s why high school students don’t know much about it.

Changing the mindset

The communities just need a lot of support.
There is a need to start educating people and showing people that sales career paths are available for them.
It’s also helpful to learn how to be uncomfortable because that feeling will motivate you to move forward.

“Sales is for White People” Episode Resources

Connect with Agnel Ingalls on LinkedIn.

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Try NetHunt CRM today → https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

View Details

As sales leaders, do we ask ourselves how we can help those coming into sales after us to find success? Sales is difficult if you are without a mentor or coach. In this episode, Jacob Gebrewold talks about the importance of helping new salespeople to succeed.

Jacob’s beginning in sales

Jacob didn’t get into sales on his own. It was a team effort in the sense that a lot of people rallied to lead him to where he is right now.
He started his first sales development rep role when he was 18 and went on to become an account executive after that.
His passion is tied to helping people solve their problems and there is no greater industry where he could solve problems at scale but in the tech space.
It wasn't originally his plan but he was tapped by some people on LinkedIn. He got help from many people on how to navigate the interview process and how to best articulate what he is bringing to the table.
Having diverse people in the team who use different methods in solving problems based on their life or work experiences makes the team better. They add value to the team.

Challenges that hold people from getting into sales

Oftentimes, people are not aware that a B2B sales career is an option.
Some white people who previously didn’t know about tech roles still end up in the tech sales space because of their network and the community they are in. It’s different for black men and women who probably do not hang out at the Golf and Country Clubs. Most of the black people do not have those established social numbers.
Generally, there’s a misconception about sales and what salespeople do.
It’s also difficult for black people to walk in a space where they don’t see that many people who can relate and understand their experiences. There are some conversations that black people can’t relate to and vice versa and that may leave them feeling lonely and without a sense of real belonging.

Helping others understand the opportunity in sales

Black salespeople should be disproportionately equipped out of anyone in any career path to speak about what you do.
While money is not the only measure of success or value, it’s still nice to have an impact on your income and sales have that. Many people in sales put in more effort and they are rewarded incredibly.
Targeted communication to black folks about what they’re hoping to get done will be helpful. This is something that black sales leaders should be excited to bring to the black community.
Sales is a career where you don’t need that tertiary education but would still be able to earn six figures. This truth should be communicated more to the community.

The Sales for the Culture community

It’s a community of black sellers for black sellers to make sure that black people are attracted to, empowered in, enabled for, and included in the tech sales profession.
Sales for the Culture community is created to make sure that the black folks don’t do the sales game alone.
It partnered with a non profit organization called Re:work Training. They tag people from untapped backgrounds, especially the black folks. They give them free training and get them up to speed on how to get a tech sales job.

“How Can We Help Those Coming Into Sales After Us Find Success?” Episode Resources

Connect with Jacob Gebrewold on LinkedIn. Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

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There are many black women in sales and despite the challenges, they keep on moving forward to have success. Tune in as today’s guest, Cynthia Barnes, speaks of the challenges affecting black women in sales.

Cynthia Barnes is the founder and CEO of the National Association of Women Sales Professionals. It’s a member-based organization of women who sell B2B services in a male-dominated industry such as SAAS (Software as a Service), tech, cloud, and others. The organization provides two things to its members: access to laser-focused companies on achieving parity for women in sales and training created by women for women to reach the top 1%.

Women’s participation in sales

Anytime there’s an underrepresented population, there will always be challenges that are specific to them and vice-versa.
When women are working from home, they aren’t only employees. They are also mothers and wives. They juggle three or more different roles all at the same time.
These women are doing a good job of making sure that they’re staying balanced, but that comes at a price. Sometimes at the expense of their mental health.
When women give so much to their company, to their husbands, and their kids, they have nothing left for themselves.
Cynthia emphasizes the thought that you can’t pour from an empty cup. You always need to fill the cup to be a rockstar at work, home, and with the kids.
Organizations can make a difference in ensuring that their employees are appropriately compensated and given the work-life balance they need.
When sales members are well taken care of and they’re engaged, their output greatly improves. The money organizations put into their employee care is an investment.
The expression, ‘Happy wife, happy life,’ is also applicable at work. If women in sales are happy, engaged, supported, and heard, they’ll be able to perform better. As it is, women already outsell men by 5%. With that support system at work, women can do so much more.

Challenges women face in sales

Sales leaders who did not grow up with a diverse background will less likely prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion because it’s only thought to get more revenue, not an actual idea where they feel and see tangible results.
With the racial and systemic bias in the previous year, many companies wanted to get women in sales. They wanted not only black women but also the other underrepresented minorities.
The problem is that there are no programs in place to elevate women in sales. They only attract them but they do not make an effort to retain them.
There are still no organizational changes that make the women feel respected, welcomed, and represented.
When it comes to bringing in more diversity to the table, all you often see is a team of leaders who are all men.
Women are leaving the workforce because they can’t be a wife, a mother, and a teacher at the same time.
It’s about creating a culture of belonging. Women should have a voice at the table, not just a seat. They need to be heard and to be treated fairly.

Breaking the barriers

There should be more women in leadership roles.
As a leader of an organization for women in sales, part of Cynthia’s responsibility is to empower women to have the right mindset, get the right verbiage, and build awareness around microaggressions.
Women shouldn’t sit idly waiting for the opportunities that they’ve already earned.
Women should be the change that they want to see.

“Challenges Affecting Black Women in Sales?” episode resources

Connect with Cynthia Barnes on LinkedIn. You can also check out their official site here.

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Try NetHunt CRM today → https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

View Details

This episode is sponsored by:

Skipio - Get one month free on an Individual plan with code TSE, or, 2 free seats/licenses on Teams. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.
NetHunt - NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

DeJuan Brown - Where Are All the Black Folks in Sales?

Sales is a huge industry and there is much space for everyone. Still, one could ask “Where are the black people in sales?” DeJuan Brown talks about this subject in today’s episode.

Black folks in sales

There are many black salespeople out there across industries. They are, however, below the surface because they’re not vocal on LinkedIn and other platforms. They are focused on hammering down the work and there are reasons for that.
The black community is rich with sales leadership but unfortunately, we don’t have many black salespeople in the tech industry. We don’t know where they are because we don’t necessarily hear their voice, they’re not putting out a lot of content, and they’re not doing other things aside from hustling year after year.

The struggle of people of color in sales

There is a problem with mobility within sales for black people.
There need to be more black people, black sales leaders, and black sellers because the more diverse a team is, the more profitable it becomes.
The ability to have diverse thoughts, perspectives, and ideas within the team improves the performance of everyone in the team.
It takes a long time for black sellers and black leaders to get to the level of social credibility and that is a problem in itself.
Black people can speak of a subject matter and post it without getting any invite to any platform. It’s different for white people. They’d post one thing and all of a sudden, they’re invited to all the platforms.
Even when a black sales leader has proven his/her work for a long time, there will still be others who’d remain doubtful. Even when heshe has years and years of experience, you’d still be considered a risk to work with.
Some companies are trying to fix the problem and starting to invest money in taking away the implicit bias in job descriptions and other hiring practices, promotional practices, and speaking engagements.
While the work on fixing the issue has begun, we still have a long way to go towards diversity.
There is a good community out there where the black people congregate and help each other out. Along with DeJuan and others, they sharpen their tools in sales, and they put each other in a position where they can understand the waters and become successful.
It’s important to broaden our scope on how and where we’re recruiting from and how we view talent.
It’s essential to broaden your network and to always be on the lookout for the people on your contact list and the people you connect with on LinkedIn. Be intentional in diversifying your network and the people you speak to and learn from.

“Where Are The Black People In Sales?” episode resources

Check out Sales for Culture that’s about to launch on February 1st. It’s a space, not only for sales leaders but for everyone who wants to be empowered. It’s a community to help others improve your skills and hone your talent in sales. It’s a place where black tech sellers, leaders, and more congregate.

Connect with DeJuan Brown, Marcus Knight, and Jacob Gebrewold on LinkedIn. Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

View Details

This episode is sponsored by:

Skipio - Get one month free on an Individual plan with code TSE, or, 2 free seats/licenses on Teams. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.
NetHunt - NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Welcome to the first episode of Selling in Color. In today’s episode, let’s talk about why people of color and sales match perfectly together!

The misconceptions in sales * When talking about sales, people immediately think about individuals who annoy customers. Many people have negative ideas about a sales job. * There’s always a general stigma around sales, people of color, and then people of color and sales.

Black people and sales * IBM started recruiting black people in the 70s, and the turnout was good, but the rate of people of color in a sales job or white-collar jobs didn’t increase until today. * The jobs available for people of color were in retail. * Today, there are already several other sales jobs out there. In the next episodes, we will have other people of color who work in other industries and in different roles and positions.

Becoming a salesperson * It takes work before one can become a great salesperson. The barriers to sales, however, are way fewer than the barriers to other careers such as lawyers and doctors. * While those careers make good money, the road going there is long and steep. * On the other hand, sales also give you the same level of income, but the road isn’t as long and steep. You don’t need a master’s degree or doctorate degree to become a great salesperson. You only need to develop the right skills to become a great salesperson. * Sales allowed Donald to have a good lifestyle, take care of his family, and help other people as well. * With a better income, you are able to build generational wealth for your family. * When it comes to sales, you need to hustle and be creative. You need to stand up against the extreme competition. You need persistence and tenacity. There’s a need to have thick skin to be able to weather objections or rejections. * All these mental attitudes are common among people of color. * People of color continue to face challenges and oppressions. We understand difficulties. * Sales is how you can use that attitude and make the best out of it.

“People of Color and Sales” episode resources Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

View Details

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real.

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM. NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan.

Try NetHunt CRM today → https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. “We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

Selling In Color: Recent Episodes

Donald C. Kelly