B2B EQ: Recent Episodes
Uniphore
Welcome to B2B EQ. Join host Tim Harris as he interviews sales leaders to learn about the soft skills that have made them successful. Listen as he embarks on a mission to help you become 1% better, how to build stronger rapport, and trends in customer interaction.
Selling virtually is hard, but today’s guests literally wrote the book on how to do it. We have a special double feature episode this week with the co-authors of “How to sell virtually.” Our guests this week are none other than Sales Trainer & Coach at The Small Stuff - Susie Mathieson, and Sales Director at Sales Marvel - Keith Rozelle!
Keith and Susie join Host Tim Harris for an insight packed conversation that will help sellers of any level sell better virtually. The trio explores the best ways to curate your video appearance, actionable tips for getting and keeping your prospect’s attention, and the process of co-writing their book.
Takeaways:
- In in-person meetings, attention slowly builds, but in virtual meetings, attention spans are lost after 3 minutes. To keep people engaged you need to change what you do every 3 minutes. Sharing your screen or involving others in the conversation are potent tips.
- To build stronger connections over virtual meetings, work on looking the other person “in the eye”. While staring directly into your webcam may feel awkward at first, it is a small adjustment that will make your prospects feel more comfortable.
- The way you arrange your webcam plays a large role in how you are perceived. Frame your camera so you take up about a third of the frame with the camera positioned level with your face. Go the extra step by adding in personal elements to your background.
- Knowing your information is important, but you also need to make sure your prospects are ready to receive that information. Starting with small talk or asking for someone's opinion are good ways to prep your prospect to receive the rest of your pitch.
- It can be hard to have a virtual conference with someone who doesn’t want to have their camera on. Extenuating circumstances withstanding, telling someone “I can hear you but can’t see you yet” is a polite way to prompt them to turn their camera on.
- If you’re worried that people are multitasking during your presentation, the best way to involve them is ask them questions. Rather than put them on the spot at the end of your section, let them know that you’d like their opinion on a section before you start it.
- While technical issues can be frustrating, they don’t need to be the end of your presentation. If internet issues arise, turning off your video to save bandwidth will allow you to get the information across while still being understandable.
Quote of the Show:
- “Sales is not a dirty word. Sales is an honorable profession and the people who do it right are those that want to help somebody else make a decision.” - Susie Mathieson
Links:
Susie
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusieMathieson
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susiemathieson/
- Website: https://thesmallstuff.de/en/salestraining-coach/
- Book Link: https://bookboon.com/en/how-to-sell-virtually-ebook
Keith
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sales_marvel
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithrozelleb2bsales/
- Website: https://www.salesmarvel.co.uk/
- Book Link: https://bookboon.com/en/how-to-sell-virtually-ebook
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
Not giving your new sales reps any goals for their first year may seem like a mistake, but it’s the secret to this brand's success. Our guest this week is a skilled manager who works to enable her team for success, and help them hit their targets. Please welcome to the show, Senior Vice President - Director of Sales Enablement at BOK Financial, Linda Marcum!
Linda sits down with Host Tim Harris to discuss how BOK, and the banking industry at large, approach the sales process. Linda shares how BOK had achieved an average sales rep tenure of 11 years, the risks of siloed knowledge, and lessons the SaaS industry can learn from banking.
Takeaways:
- Compared to SaaS sales teams, banking teams are structured a bit differently. In banking sales, client relationships are much longer, and require a more one on one relationship. Average tenure for a banking sales rep is almost 11 years.
- The most important soft skill for a seller to have is curiosity. To truly help your clients, you need to understand their business. Sellers need to leverage their curiosity to learn about how clients sell, how they work with their clients, and how they operate internally.
- While you want clients to trust sellers, you don’t want sellers to get bogged down with service questions. To help alleviate workload, sellers need to establish a trusted relationship between their clients and specific service team members.
- A large challenge for sales teams is the dissemination of knowledge. While an individual seller may know all the nuances off the top of their head, siloed data makes it difficult to take time off or distribute workload.
- While client retention is a key indicator of success, you don’t want to become stagnant. Sales leadership should also be focused on establishing a good balance of satisfying current clients and bringing on new clients.
- The key to establishing a strong relationship with your clients is to meet them where they are. By allowing your sellers flexibility between virtual and in person selling, you increase client satisfaction and expedite the sales process.
- While not giving sellers goals in their first year may seem counterintuitive, it allows new hires to focus on truly understanding the clients. Instead of prioritizing quick wins, a focus on fundamentals builds stronger client relationships.
Quote of the Show:
- “Let your customers drive that decision. Don't make that decision for them.” - Linda Marcum
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-marcum-b105893/
- Website: https://www.bokfinancial.com/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
Our guest this week is a seller who strives to establish sales as the greatest profession in the world. His experience is truly holistic, having held roles as a rep, a VP of Sales, and everything in between. Please welcome to the show, Host of Make It Happen Mondays and CEO of JB Sales, John Barrows! John joins Host Tim Harris to explore the landscape of sales, and share how leaders can best enable their teams. John dives into the importance of proper research, why coaches need to also be actively selling, and why sales reps aren’t the ones who create urgency.
Takeaways:
- If you are a sales coach or manager, you need to also be selling. The past few years have been rife with advancements and techniques. If you are training on methods from 2 years ago, you are setting your sellers up for failure.
- Before reaching out to a company, figure out why you want to work with them. Whether it’s their product, team, or values, a genuine excitement in your prospects helps you make a connection and makes research easier.
- While studies show that more buyers don’t want sales reps, those same buyers show an increased regret rate. What buyers really want is someone who can demonstrate value, not someone who just goes through the motions of a sales process.
- A major concern for leaders looking to implement AI is that by the time a solution gets adopted, new technology will already be available. Leadership should look to strong vendors who offer easy implementation for solutions that meet their needs.
- While commenting on a prospects background is a common way to build rapport, you can use your own background as well. By curating your background, you create ways for prospects to interact with you that give you insights about them.
- Sales reps can’t create urgency, they can only uncover it and drive it. To do this, sellers need to focus on becoming priority based sellers, and align themselves with the priorities of the business and buyer.
- Rather than ask a buyer what issues they are facing, research what issues their role typically deals with, and ask about those on the call. Doing so shows a genuine interest in your buyer and helps elevate you from other sellers.
Quote of the Show:
- “These days, the only way to really stand out is to be a person.” - John Barrows
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/
- Website: https://www.jbarrows.com/
- Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/make-it-happen-mondays-b2b-sales-talk-with-john-barrows/id1265697819
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
In a world of flashy new tools, leadership can often lose sight of what really makes a sales org excel: it’s people. We’re joined this week by a sales expert who wants to simplify the selling process, and help leadership build stronger teams. Our guest this week is Author of Six-Figure Sales Secrets and President and Founder of Venli Consulting Group, Marcus Chan!
Marcus sits down with Host Tim Harris to deliver a masterclass in all things sales. Marcus dives into strategies for standing out, provides actionable tips for improving your sales team development, and highlights the importance of training both emotionally and logically.
Takeaways:
- Sales should not be over complicated. At its core, sales is about solving problems for business owners, founders, and executives by understanding their needs and providing valuable solutions.
- In sales, focusing on the smallest details and making intentional decisions can greatly impact your success rate. Taking the time to thoroughly research and prepare before a call can set you apart from the competition and increase your close rates.
- In the age of technology and automation, sales organizations have become lazy in their approach, resulting in impersonal outreach. To break through the noise and succeed, it is crucial to prioritize hyper-relevant, targeted communication across multiple channels.
- In order to stand out in the noisy world of communication, it is crucial to focus on the quality of interactions and consider incorporating unique strategies like physical mailers. Being different and focusing on quality will set good sellers apart from the rest.
- Having a strong onboarding process and a well-supported leadership development program are crucial for building a successful and effective sales team, ensuring continuous improvement and growth in the business.
- Sales development tends to focus too much on the technical aspects of the product, without incorporating the emotional aspect of the buying journey. By blending both elements, you speak to both customer requirements and motivations.
- Recognizing buying signs in prospects, such as a shift in energy and asking specific questions, is crucial in determining winnable deals. Additionally, proactive involvement of other stakeholders signals a strong buying indication.
Quote of the Show:
- “If you're able to run your sales process in a way or position of the trusted authority, it's amazing how much more you'll close.” - Marcus Chan
Links:
- Twitter: https://x.com/themarcuschan?s=20
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcuschanmba/
- Website: https://www.venliconsulting.com/
- Website: https://www.sixfiguresalesacademy.com/home-1
- Book Link: https://a.co/d/gqaEMh3
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
Businesses are expected to change, but are you helping your sales team change with you? Here to help you tackle change head on is a leader who balances strategy with operational execution. Our guest this week is VP and Head of Strategy and Growth, Digital Infrastructure at Hitachi Vantara, Simon Ninan!
Simon shares the mic with Tim Harris to explore the ways leadership should be effectively enabling, and utilizing their sales teams. Simon dives into why innovation happens at the edge, the necessity of employing specialists and generalists, and how companies should look to grow with their customers.
Takeaways:
- Instead of selling on product alone, companies need to be focused on selling to a customer’s desired outcomes. By focusing on the desired outcomes, you create a long term partnership that is invested in your customer’s success.
- Change is inevitable for the growth of any company, but leadership needs to ensure that sales teams are kept up with that change. Transitioning sellers away from old products and habits is possible, but requires an intentional shift in their tactics.
- The rapid evolution of technology has resulted in a new kind of buyer, the biz tech buyer. This buyer values business outcomes and expects sellers to simplify complexity and address their core business issues.
- Building a sales force with athlete-like qualities, including discipline, versatility, and adaptability, is crucial for success. Investing in people who can connect the dots and evolve their skill sets is what separates thriving companies from the rest.
- Many companies restrict innovation to internal teams, yet innovation happens at the edge. By creating a system to allow salespeople to provide feedback, you are getting innovation that comes from direct customer interactions.
- Generative AI is transforming the way sales teams consult customers. While many buyers are curious about how a company may use AI in their products, many buyers are also wondering how AI can help evolve their business.
- To embrace what's next and drive future success, it is crucial to focus on anticipating customer needs and collaborating towards long-term goals. Salespeople should possess the skill of forward thinking and strategic planning.
Quote of the Show:
- “We're trying to make sure that culturally, but also in routine practice, our salespeople see themselves as seeders of innovation.” - Simon Ninan
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonninan/
- Website: https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/home.html
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
On this special episode of B2B EQ, we’ve compiled some highlights from past episodes around the topic of creating confidence in your buyers. Having a strong relationship where your buyer views you as a trusted partner is a crucial part of today’s sales landscape. In this episode we’ll show you how with clips from from Richard Harris: Founder of The Harris Consulting Group, Cassandra Anderson: VP of Revenue Operations at Drips, Ali Rastiello: VP of RevOps at Health Catalyst, and Kasey Stinson: VP of Sales Enablement & Product Marketing at Co-op Solutions. We hope you enjoy this episode!
Takeaways:
- You’re going to ask questions on a sales call, but you don’t want it to be an interrogation. You need to earn the right to ask questions by establishing the parameters, creating a good space for conversation, and giving your customer space to ask questions back.
- In today’s market, buyers are more educated, know the problem they are facing, and are actively looking for a solution. Sellers need to step up and hear past what customers are saying to identify the pain, to apply the right solution.
- Gathering info is crucial in sales, but it needs to be the right info. Instead of asking questions to check them off, focus on learning about their business objectives, the things they are struggling with, and how you can be of service.
- Building genuine connections and emotional rapport with clients is crucial in effective buying and selling, as it leads to easier business transactions and positive partnerships. Your people are your organization’s most valuable assets.
Links:
Connect with Richard:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rharris415
- Company Website: https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/
- Podcast: https://www.surfandsales.com/the-surf-sales-podcast
- Podcast: https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-rants-podcast/
- Book: https://www.amazon.com/Owning-Your-Job-Search-application-ebook/dp/B08TQHBVQF
- Episode: https://www.uniphore.com/podcasts/b2b-eq-podcast/?wchannelid=j4n6scbg66&wvideoid=za5a0owyav
Connect with Cassandra:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cass8775
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thecassandraexperience/
- Website: https://drips.com/
- Episode: https://www.uniphore.com/podcasts/b2b-eq-podcast/?wchannelid=j4n6scbg66&wvideoid=t6fjz5r4cj
Connect with Ali:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diva_Ali
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alirastiello/
- Website: https://www.healthcatalyst.com/
- Personal Website: https://www.alirastiello.com/#about-me
- Episode: https://www.uniphore.com/podcasts/b2b-eq-podcast/?wchannelid=j4n6scbg66&wvideoid=o6eaksapg6
Connect with Kasey:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasey-stinson-ab1b8210/
- Website: https://www.coop.org/
- Episode: https://www.uniphore.com/podcasts/b2b-eq-podcast/?wchannelid=j4n6scbg66&wvideoid=580e64qlz1
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
When it comes to enabling your sellers, it can be hard to know where to start. Fortunately, we’re joined by an enablement expert this week who has proven strategies for success. She has a unique understanding of the skills needed to close deals, and has firsthand experience as a seller. Joining the show this week is VP of Sales Enablement and Product Marketing at Co-op Solutions, Kasey Stinson!
Kasey sits down with Tim Harris for a conversation on the must implement strategies that will help your reps close more deals. She explores the value of quarterly webinars, the importance of consultative selling, and the best way to generate internal feedback.
Takeaways:
- Building trust and establishing a feedback loop with honest responses takes time but is worth doing. Creating a sales enablement task force from every sales group and actively implementing feedback can greatly improve success in meeting customer needs.
- The use of a sales enablement platform, combined with active participation in webinars, has shown a significant correlation to meeting or exceeding sales quotas. This highlights the importance of leveraging these tools and activities for improved sales performance.
- Building genuine connections and emotional rapport with clients is crucial in effective buying and selling, as it leads to easier business transactions and positive partnerships. Your people are your organization’s most valuable assets.
- Consultative selling is crucial because customers don't want to be sold to, but they do seek advice and expertise. By training sales teams to focus on consulting instead of solely selling, a successful and valuable partnership is fostered with customers.
- Having a well-connected and knowledgeable team is essential for effective marketing. Tailoring messaging to the right audience and leveraging all channels help ensure success in driving customer engagement at every stage of the buyer's journey.
- Through quarterly livecasts, where executives discuss the strategy, product statuses, and customer outcomes, sellers get first hand knowledge of what buyers want. Sharing this knowledge results in better enabled reps who assist customers more effectively.
- AI technology, including chatbots and GPT, presents exciting opportunities for enhancing client experiences and improving sales efficiencies, motivating organizations to explore its potential impact on tools, training, and interactions.
Quote of the Show:
- “We want to make our organization as client-centric as possible.” - Kasey Stinson
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasey-stinson-ab1b8210/
- Website: https://www.coop.org/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
80% of all marketing majors go into sales roles, but paired with a lack of formal sales education, many graduates are left floundering. To discuss the future of sales education, we’re joined by someone who helps future sellers put theory into practice. Our guest this week is Associate Professor at Florida State University, Leff Bonney!
Leff and Tim sit down for a conversation on the challenges of providing formal sales training, and a discussion on an upcoming report on the role of EQ. Leff shares his insights into why you need to focus on differentiation, how to overcome perceptions about sales as a profession, and why EQ is the tool box that holds all of your sales tools.
Takeaways:
While high EQ is focused on in sales and talked about as being a crucial skill, there is a lack of academic knowledge on it. With the new study from Uniphore and Leff, sellers can start to fully understand how EQ works, and the role it plays in sales.
Sales is a crucial position for any company, but there is a lack of formal education around the profession. As 80% of all marketing majors go into sales, FSU saw a need to better equip graduates with training to prepare them for their future roles.
When a college only teaches sales, the course load leans heavily on the personal experience of the teachers. Because FSU also conducts sales research, they can back up their teachings with verified knowledge from their studies.
For a sales student at FSU, their first class is focused on re-examining the mindset around sales. From there they go on to sales behavior classes, classes that focus on role play and feedback, and sales management courses.
EQ is not a factor, it’s the factor. EQ is not a standalone skill in the same way presentation ability or objection handling is, rather, EQ is an accelerant that betters every other skill a seller has.
It’s not enough to make your sellers better, you need to also make them different. As training and technology has gotten better, most sellers have gotten better in the same ways. Without differentiation, competing brands end up in a sales stalemate.
Sellers are great about remembering facts from their conversations, but not sentiments. Just because a buyer mentions a feature, doesn’t mean they like it. Sellers need to focus on how buyers feel, so they can discuss the right elements on sales calls.
Quote of the Show:
“It's not just about being better. It's what does EQ do for us in our sales organization by being different, and that's important.” - Leff Bonney
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leff-bonney-03b63452/
- Website: https://salesinstitute.business.fsu.edu/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
In a market that is more competitive than ever, sellers are having a harder time standing out. Your new product isn’t as new anymore, and your buyers don’t want to deal with lengthy contracts. We’re joined this episode by a RevOps expert who wants to help you close deals faster by building the right relationships. Our guest this week is CRO of the Carabiner Group, Cliff Simon.
Cliff and Tim Harris sit down to share strategies for selling in a more digital world. Cliff explores the value of personal branding, the need to know how your target accounts drive revenue, and B2C tactics that can help B2B sellers.
Takeaways:
- Personal branding and authentic networking humanize a company, making it more relatable and approachable. These strategies foster trust and credibility, positioning the company as a top-of-mind choice when opportunities arise that align with its offerings.
- Building relationships and becoming a subject matter expert are crucial for establishing credibility and trust with potential clients, two key factors in decision-making. The digital age allows for far-reaching connections, driving organic business growth.
- Understanding the financial and operational aspects of customers' businesses is crucial for success. Without this insight, solving the wrong problems and misaligning solutions can lead to ineffective outcomes and missed opportunities.
- When it comes to improving RevOps, assessing current performance and identifying bottlenecks is crucial. Understanding the customer's buying journey and leveraging technology creates more successful processes, regardless of the company's stage.
- B2B buyers are adopting B2C purchasing behavior, necessitating companies to adjust their approach. Simplified checkout processes, inspired by Amazon, are replacing complex contracts, reflecting a shift towards streamlined experiences.
- In today's market, sellers need to overcome previous bad experiences, brand loyalty, and products from competitors. Building trust and establishing yourself as a credible resource will create a large differentiator for your brand in the eyes of your buyer.
- With RevOps offering better efficiency on tech implementation, they more frequently are offered a seat at the buying table. Sellers need to understand how to work with, and sell to, those teams to ensure a smooth integration of their product.
Quote of the Show:
- “You only get one chance to build a reputation.” - Cliff Simon
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliff-simon/
- Website: https://carabinergroup.com/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
Your top rep crushes quota and has a great conversion rate, but when you put them in a leadership role their success seems to stagnate. Our guest this week is someone who helps bridge the experience gap between sales rep, and sales leader. She’s frequently billed as a Top Coach and a Top Woman in Sales, and is the Founder of the sales bar, and #girlsclub. Welcome to the show, Founder and President of Factor 8, Lauren Bailey.
Lauren and Tim team up to talk about sales strategies. Lauren shares why skills as a rep don’t always transfer over to leadership, why video selling is a benefit, and how to better customize your demos.
Takeaways:
- On a video call, it seems intuitive to want to share your screen to review your slides. By doing so, you miss out on the major benefit of video, building human connections. Send them a link to your slides or demo, and spend the video call making those connections.
- If you’re doing the same demo over and over again, you’re doing it wrong. Demos should feel like a custom sample, rather than a product tour. Identify the three things your buyer will care most about, and highlight those.
- Instead of looking at video as something you need to do, look at it as a gift that allows you to better connect. Text, email, and phone don’t allow you to see the other person. When you have that visual element, you can give better cues that show you’re involved.
- 70% of people who get into sales, get out of sales. Instead of being taught to sell, they are being taught to hit send. To prevent attrition, focus on teaching your reps meaningful outreach and sales skills to make them feel less automated.
- If you want to teach sellers to be better, you need to start by teaching their manager. A leader needs to be primarily focused on developing their employees. If they don’t know how to develop themselves, they won’t get far.
- Avoiding the shiny new tool on the shelf can be tricky, and figuring out what to buy can be trickier. Sales leaders tend to buy solutions for their former selves that solve a problem they used to have, rather than one they have now.
- When looking internally for a sales leader, it’s intuitive to promote your top rep. But being a great rep doesn’t make you a good leader. Many of the top skills for reps are focused on the individual, and being a leader requires a team mentality.
Quote of the Show:
- “Don't think of it as a product tour, think of it as a custom sample.” - Lauren Bailey
Links:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Factor8Sales
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/insidesalesadvisor/
- Website: https://factor8.com/
- Website: https://wearegirlsclub.com/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
Joining us this week is a sales expert with over 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, and revenue operations.She is on a mission to build the foundation for sustainable growth through clean data, simple processes, and an optimized tech stack. As an expert in Cajun cuisine, she uses her recipes as a metaphor to add some spice to the sales process. Please welcome to the show, VP of RevOps at Health Catalyst, Ali Rastiello!
Soup’s on as Ali and Tim dive into the insights Ali has to share as a RevOps leader. Ali shares how RevOps can better interpret what your teams are saying, how to get your buyer’s attention, and the importance of understanding what sets your company apart.
Takeaways:
- As a RevOps leader, you need to treat your internal stakeholders as if you were their consultants. This commonly means carefully listening and interpreting what they say, as these teams know their issue, but may not know how to properly express it.
- The core of any sale is disrupting your buyer’s status quo and convincing them to select you as a vendor. Instead of solely focusing on the product, you need to focus on how you are solving their pain points.
- Gathering info is crucial in sales, but it needs to be the right info. Instead of asking questions to check them off, focus on learning about their business objectives, the things they are struggling with, and how you can be of service.
- At Health Catalyst, BDRs play a slightly different role. Prospecting is left to sales teams that feel more comfortable handling high profile leads. BDRs now solely interact with marketing to better qualify leads from that channel.
- A strategy is only as good as its execution. Understand what sets you apart, understand your buyer, and ensure your data and processes are ready for action when the first lead hits you.
- It’s tempting to lead with the flashy features of your product, but that won’t get your buyer’s attention. What buyers really want is a solution that will simplify their work, help them do multiple things with one option, and a strong relationship with their vendor.
- To pull off a successful sale, you need to fully understand who you are selling to. An often overlooked group is the financial department. In many companies finance has a large sway on deals, without a budget, there is no sale.
Quote of the Show:
- “You're not talking about the product, you're talking about the pain point the person has and how we solve it.” - Ali Rastiello
Links:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diva_Ali
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alirastiello/
- Website: https://www.healthcatalyst.com/
- Personal Website: https://www.alirastiello.com/#about-me
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
RevOps is a field that is hard to pin down, and selling to RevOps leaders presents a heightened challenge. Fortunately, we have the pleasure of being joined by a world class RevOps leader to help provide some clarity. She’s a household name in the RevOps community. Welcome to the show, Host of the Revenue Engine podcast, Founder and Chief Revenue Operations Officer at The RevOps Collective, Rosalyn Santa Elena!
Rosalyn joins Host Tim Harris to shed light on the world of RevOps. Rosalyn outlines the many hats Ops leaders wear, the challenges they face, and how that knowledge can help sellers better speak to Ops leaders.
Takeaways:
- When a lot of people think of RevOps, they default to someone who manages technology. While tech management is a core function, RevOps leaders will often also select vendors, manage implementation, and help negotiate contracts.
- There’s a lot of great tech out there, and it can be hard to fend off shiny object syndrome. To reduce tech debt, it’s crucial to have your RevOps leader involved in the buying process to ensure you buy the right tech for the right reasons.
- Buying a good piece of tech isn’t enough for success, you also need an effective plan. RevOps leaders are also responsible for creating a technology roadmap, and overseeing the rollout and implementation of new software.
- One of the most important factors for a buyer is the relationship with the vendor. As attributes like price and product offering are fairly equivalent, what a buyer really wants is a partner who will truly work with them to provide ongoing assistance.
- While RevOps leaders aren’t selling externally, they are selling internally. They need to combine empathy and communication to understand the problems other teams are facing, and communicate how the solutions will help.
- When selling to RevOps leaders, you need to know where they sit and what their priorities are. System administrators want solutions that drive adoption and save time. Senior leaders want solutions that better position them as an internal thought leader
- One of the most valuable insights for sales reps to have are the motivations of buyers from stage to stage. By understanding why someone booked an interview or filled out a form, you can make incremental changes that increase conversion rates.
Quote of the Show:
- “More than ever before, relationship selling is so critical.” - Rosalyn Santa Elena
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosalyn-santa-elena/
- Website: https://therevopscollective.com/
- Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-engine/id1554168319
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
Not having 5 star reviews, turning away leads, and telling prospective buyers the problems they might face with your solution seem like foolish mistakes for a business, but may actually be the key to your sales success. This week, we have the honor of being joined by a sales strategist with a focus on transparency. Please give a warm welcome to the Host of “The Sales History Podcast”, Author of “The Transparency Sale” and “The Transparent Sales Leader”, Founder of Sales Melon, Todd Caponi! Todd and Tim join forces to share must-knows for any sales leader. They’ll discuss the dangers of only focusing on the short term, expound the importance of transparency in the sales process, and provide a framework for being better leaders.
Takeaways:
- Buyers today are facing two main challenges, information overload, and their desire to predict bad outcomes. Sales reps need to help identify the relevant info for buyers, and be honest about predicting what challenges they may face.
- Instead of trying to overcome buyer objections, sellers need to become consultants who help predict problems and forecast outcomes. People buy on an idea of what they predict might go wrong, rather than a false perception that everything will go right.
- When markets get tough, it is tempting to focus on bagging as many short term wins as possible. Closing a deal that is a bad fit can end up creating a dissatisfied customer who hampers your brand as they share their negative experience.
- When consumers shop for products on websites, products in the 4 star range sell better than 5 star rated ones. People intuitively know that perfection doesn’t exist, and if you only give the perspective that your product is perfect, it will dissuade buyers.
- It is hard to turn away less than ideal leads. Referring them to someone else gains you long term trust, and saves you short term time. Bad leads take up as much time as good leads, without generating as much revenue.
- Companies need to brand what they give up to be great. No brand is perfect, but by making your sacrifices part of your brand, buyers know what they are getting at the start, and build a stronger identity around your brand.
- To motivate reps use the PRAISE framework. Reps need Predictability about their jobs, Recognition for their achievements, to know the Aim of their work, Independence in the workplace, a sense of Security, and to be treated Equitably with their other reps.
Quote of the Show:
- “We need to brand what we give up to be great at our core.” - Todd Caponi
Links:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tcaponi
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddcaponi/
- Website: https://toddcaponi.com/
- Podcast: https://saleshistory.buzzsprout.com/
- The Transparent Sales Leader: https://a.co/d/bXpzRVR
- The Transparency Sale: https://a.co/d/dNqAd7f
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
If your B2B content strategy is boring your audience, it’s time to shake up your plan. Our guest this week is a media mastermind who wants to help you create better content that drives authentic connections. Please welcome to the show, 4x LinkedIn Top Sales Voice, Founder & CEO of Ascension Media Productions, Morgan J Ingram!
Morgan joins host Tim Harris to deliver a masterclass in content creation. Subjects in today’s lesson include: why sellers need to be focused on “time to value, how sales teams can make the narrative contextual, and why a strong brand increases both your reputation and access with your customers.
Takeaways:
- Content is important for any brand, but if you want to stand out, you can’t be the same. To build your best content, you need a strong narrative. Create content that resonates with your customers, and leaves them with a sense that you understand their problems.
- As a sales rep, you can’t shape the content narrative for the whole company, but you can contextualize it for your buyers. Understand what the narrative is, sell to it in your own sense, and for a last extra boost, tie in customer success stories.
- The best way to demonstrate that you are engaged on calls is to show your buyer what you know about their company. Instead of starting with questions and going through the motions, starting with what you know shows that you have done your research.
- As a seller, you need to be intune with how your buyers are feeling after each part of the process, and then guiding them through that experience. Let buyers know what to expect at each stage, rather than just showing off features and asking what they think.
- To have your content reach its full potential, it needs to have the right timing, topic, and talent. Your content needs to be relevant to the messaging being discussed today, have a clear topic, and have a talented crew creating and presenting your content.
- Even as a seller, having a personal brand built around content is crucial, as it increases your reputation and access to clients. Evergreen content gives potential customers access to you 24/7, and gives you a strong first impression before a sales call.
- While AI won’t take all our jobs, it will shift the distribution of them, and sales reps need to be prepared. Reps should start focusing on building their full cycle sales skills, identifying ways that AI can help them at their job, and on making strong connections.
Quote of the Show:
- “Brand is just building your reputation digitally at scale.” - Morgan J Ingram
Links:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/morganjingram
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganjingram/
- Website: https://ampcreative.io/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
It’s important to be empathetic to your buyer’s problems, but can being too empathetic hold you back? To help shine some light on the problem, we’re joined by a buyer enablement expert who knows how to get to the core of what a buyer needs. Our guest this week is Author of the book “Selling Is Hard. Buying Is Harder” and Founder and CEO of Consensus, Garin Hess!
Tim and Garin team up to explore the process of being a leader for your buyers, the ‘recommendation, commitment, and facilitation’ framework, and how to champion your buyers to close deals.
Takeaways:
- Demos are powerful sales tools, but you don’t need to rely on a sales rep to provide them. If you have a video demo on your website, buyers can watch a demo on their own time, with the added benefit of putting them steps ahead when the actual call happens.
- Your end goal in sales is to move buyers from a place of status quo to something new. The best skill to move people along that path is leadership. Solid leadership is the ability to challenge people to do the difficult things they don’t want to do.
- Empathy is an important skill in the sales process, but you shouldn’t allow it to stagnate you by focusing on just what the buyer is feeling. In tandem with empathy, you need to help your buyers navigate the difficult tasks that will result in moving the deal forward.
- To help buyers navigate hurdles, sellers should follow the ‘recommendation, commitment, and facilitation’ framework. Start with a specific recommendation, get the buyer to commit, and then work with them to facilitate the action.
- When laying out your process for buyer enablement, start with mapping out the buying group. Identify the key decision makers, their roles, and why they get involved. From that start, move on to identify the materials they’ll want and the concerns they may have.
- A strong way to keep buyers engaged is through data informed education. Go beyond the demo and show them how the solution will help them, how it’s helped other similar companies, and what a concrete financial benefit is.
- At the end of the day, the only person who can close a deal is the buyer. To set your buyers up for success, you need to help them get other stakeholders involved, and get them engaged in the process.
Quote of the Show:
- “In sales, What you're trying to do ultimately is move somebody from a place of status quo to a place of complete and utter change.” - Garin Hess
Links:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/garin_hess
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garin-hess-0017a0/
- Website: https://goconsensus.com/
- Book Link: https://a.co/d/aoeasjR
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
LinkedIn is inundated with connection requests that seem genuine at first, but quickly turn into the dreaded “pitch slap”. To help you up your LinkedIn outreach, we’re featuring a skilled seller who excels at creating connections. He’s a sales savant who has been recognized as a 2022 LinkedIn top voice in Sales and 2x Top Salesforce Influencer. Welcome to the show, Founder and Host of The Sales Evangelist Podcast, Founder and The Chief Sales Evangelist at The Sales Evangelist, Donald C Kelly!
Donald joins Host Tim Harris to give sellers a masterclass in creating connections. Donald shares his “connect, share, and engage” tactic, the value of community, how to make the most of LinkedIn, and how to listen to what your buyers are really saying.
Takeaways:
- As a seller, having a good community is crucial. When you have challenges, or problems you need solved, your community can be there to lend a helping hand. Being part of a strong community creates better connections, leading to more deals.
- LinkedIn is a strong sales tool, but only if you use it properly. Pitches in the dms won’t get you far, but posting quality content will. If you can post content that is helpful, and relevant to your buyer’s problems, they’ll end up reaching out to you for help.
- To make LinkedIn work for you, you need to have the right connections. Aim to have 25%-50% of your connections fit within your ICP. If you need to get to that zone, focus on sending a few connections to high quality fits, rather than making it a numbers game.
- Once you’re sharing and connecting, the last crucial strategy on LinkedIn is engaging. Be sure to interact with other peoples posts, and when your target ICPs interact with your posts, use that as an opportunity to reach out.
- As a startup, spray and pray is great if you want to keep your sales team busy, but it comes at the cost of your brand feeling “spammy”. Instead of focusing on numbers, focus on getting quality results through meaningful outreach activities.
- Good sales reps need good training, but without the proper motivation, the best training in the world won't get you anywhere. Sales leaders need to provide external motivation, and help reps discover their own internal motivators.
- The most important soft skill sellers need is listening, and knowing how to read between the lines. If a buyer tells you they need a solution installed, look for other aspects of what they are saying. By listening for those hidden cues, you can quickly learn more.
Quote of the Show:
- “I would rather my team feel engaged and feel they’re finding progress rather than feeling defeated and not seeing any results.” - Donald C Kelly
Links:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonaldCKelly
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldckelly/
- Website: https://thesalesevangelist.com/
- Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sales-evangelist/id788738885
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
You’ve armed yourself with info, you ask all the right questions, but when you try to close the deal, it turns out something’s missing. To help sellers overcome this all too common problem, we turn to the advice of someone who occupies the upper echelon of sales. They are a Salesforce top sales influencer for 2023 who helps revenue leaders reach their aggressive growth goals. After pivoting from marketing, she uses her expertise to drive better connections with customers. Joining Tim Harris this week is Senior Account Executive at Chili Piper, Ashley Zagst. Ashley dives deep into the importance of being present on calls, strategies for effectively training reps, and why sales calls shouldn’t be looked at as “battles to be won.”
Takeaways:
- Empathy is a crucial skill in B2B sales, but empathy goes beyond active listening and asking questions. True empathy is understanding that you cannot provide the solution until you make a connection with your clients.
- It’s often thought that the biggest hurdle sellers face is disrupting the status quo. While there is resistance to change, the core of the issue is what buyers fear could go wrong. In the current economy, if a $30,000 deal goes wrong, that buyer could lose their job.
- Empathy is the universal human need to be understood. To put this into action on sales calls, make sure you are compassionate, understanding, respectful, and fully present in the moment with your buyer.
- The quickest way to lose trust on a sales call is by not being present. It’s easy to tell when you’re not being listened to. Put the phone away, turn off your notifications, and give your client your full attention.
- When a client throws up objections, the typical response is to try to overcome them. Instead of viewing those calls as a battle you need to win, view them as collaborating with your buyer towards a solution.
- Preparing for a sales call involves more than just gathering info. Good reps prepare themselves mentally, and take care of themselves. Carve out time to take breaks and de-stress before hopping on that next call.
- When it comes to training reps, it’s not enough to teach a skill on Friday and expect it to be implemented on Monday. You need to carve out time for practice. Role play calls with other reps, revisit past calls, and drill down on the fundamentals.
Quote of the Show:
- “Empathy is understanding that you cannot provide the solution until you make the connection first.” - Ashley Zagst
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyzagst/
- Website: https://www.chilipiper.com/
- Surf Rider: https://www.surfrider.org/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
With a 20+ year tenure in the technology industry, our guest is a seasoned seller who understands the ins and outs of the sales cycle. As a buyer herself, she blends her knowledge of both sides of the process to equip teams to sell like never before. Here to help you simplify your sales process by starting with the customer is the VP of Global Revenue Operations & Enablement at Optimove, Cassandra Anderson. Host Tim Harris and Cassandra are partners in pipeline and they dive into the difference between outcome and intention, how terminology can assist alignment, and how to teach soft skills.
Takeaways:
- The most important soft skills in B2B sales are communication and understanding. Active listening is a crucial part of understanding as you need to listen to understand the problems your clients are facing, before you can provide solutions.
- In today’s market, buyers are more educated, know the problem they are facing, and are actively looking for a solution. Sellers need to step up and hear past what customers are saying to identify the pain, to apply the right solution.
- Sales relationships revolve around intention, expectations, and communication. You need to understand the intention your buyer has for a product, meet their expectations for the selling process, and communicate the expectations of your own intentions.
- You need to balance both group outcome and individual intentions. The primary outcome for a buying group is to fix a problem, but the marketing team and design team will have different intentions. Good reps can speak to both the needs of the group and individual.
- Aligning with prospects can come down to something as simple as terminology. When they say ‘lead’, does their definition line up with yours? Discussing important terminology is a vital first step to understanding the nuances of the client.
- EQ can be taught, but it needs to be handled with care. The most effective way to coach soft skills is to allow individuals to have the initial realization of the problem come from within. Once they feel ownership of the problem, then you can begin coaching.
- In B2C sales, companies put effort into understanding their buyers' shopping habits. B2B sales should be no different. Understand what your buyers’ habits are and pursue methods along those lines.
Quote of the Show:
- “We believe brands that start with the customer build loyalty for life.” - Cassandra Anderson
Links:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cass8775
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thecassandraexperience/
- Website: https://www.optimove.com/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
This week on B2B EQ we’re featuring an exceptional guest who balances growing both the bottom line and her team. She’s a skiller leader who is equally proficient in sales practices as she is dad jokes. Joining the show this episode is VP of Sales and Client Experience at ThreeFlow, Debra Senra! Listen along to host Tim Harris and Debra as they dive into a captivating conversation about the importance of active listening in sales, the need for adaptability in changing buying personas, and how to cultivate a culture of respect when teaching soft skills.
Takeaways:
- Listening is a crucial sales skill, but it goes beyond just hearing what a person is saying. Active listening means paying attention to what they are saying, and absorbing the information rather than trying to plan your response.
- While playing a game of golf and charming your prospect used to be a reliable strategy, it isn’t as effective anymore. As buying personas have shifted and become more diverse, many buyers are finding that style of selling off putting. Sales reps need to adapt.
- To teach soft skills, you need to make the learner feel respected. Assume they have positive intent in demonstrating that skill. Instead of accusing them of not listening, provide some ways they can better display their listening.
- To make clients sure you are listening to them, you need to establish a space where it is obvious you are listening. Using verbal cues, sharing some personal insights, and ignoring distractions are great ways to build that environment.
- If your main sales strategy is having a lot at the top of the funnel, your true problem is a lack of conversion. Instead of overloading the top, focus on increasing the percentage of deals that close, and the size of those deals.
- When you hire, you need to hire for EQ. Start with a plan that details the important soft and hard skills to identify in interviews. When you get to the interview stage, a candidate who asks genuine questions and is conversational has the signs of high EQ.
- For buyers, the problems they are trying to solve are complex and can be overwhelming, preventing them from seeing the solution. As a sales rep, a focus on simple solutions is an antidote to a complex problem.
Quote of the Show:
- “The absence of being listened to is obvious, the presence of being listened to is harder to establish.” - Debra Senra
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrasenra/
- Website: https://www.threeflow.com/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
Vanilla is great in ice cream, but not so much in sales outreach strategies. Our guest on this week’s episode is here to help add some flavor to your sales processes. She's a highly recommended sales leader who got her start in sales selling girl scout cookies door to door. She redefines the way companies operate, and revamps sales teams to work smarter, not harder. Joining host Tim Harris this week is Head of Sales Enablement at Loadsmart, Stephanie Benavidez. Stephanie shares why sellers need to be unique, ways you can revamp your demos, and some of the key characteristics of high EQ individuals.
Takeaways:
- Being different and unique in sales reach is not only okay, but encouraged! We’re all constantly inundated with emails and dm’s and those methods get lost in the noise. If you want your buyer’s attention, you need to think outside the box.
- Sales is never just about selling a product, it's about selling a solution. Sellers need to be curious and learn about the client’s end goal, challenges, and pain points. Once you’ve identified the problem, then you can sell the solution.
- An hour long, feature filled demo no longer attracts buyers. To revamp demos, start by cutting them down to 40 minutes. Spend the first 30 in an open conversation around the solution, and leave the last 10 to follow up on what the buyer was curious about.
- Characteristics of high EQ employees are found both in and out of the office. At work, encourage self motivation, grit, and passion. Outside of work, high EQ employees have routines, engage in personal development, and make time to take care of themselves.
- While markets are tough, it provides sellers an opportunity to grow and focus on being creative. A challenging environment will result in sellers who have sharpened their skills, and are better equipped to adapt to change.
- Features and functions are important to any product, but without a cohesive story, they fail to stand on their own. Align features to client’s pain points, and demonstrate what the solution does for the client, rather than just what it is.
- Coaching on the sales floor builds strong foundations, but training needs to go further. To build sellers skills, run sessions that get them thinking outside the box. Training improvisational skills allows sellers to react to whatever a buyer throws at them.
Quote of the Show:
- “Being different is ok, being unique is ok.” - Stephanie Benavidez
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smbenavidez/
- Website: https://loadsmart.com/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
On this episode of B2B EQ, we are joined by a leader in B2B Sales and marketing. And an advocate of human connection. He has spent the past decade helping business professionals be more personal and human through simple video messages. Today’s guest is the host of the Customer Experience podcast, author of “Human-Centered Communication” and “Rehumanize Your Business”, and the Chief Evangelist at BombBomb, Ethan Beute. Host Tim Harris interviews Ethan to learn more about the importance of curiosity and listening, the role an “evangelist” plays in B2B sales, and the value of video.
Takeaways:
- The biggest soft skills to have in B2B sales are curiosity and active listening. It’s important to wonder why and be willing to ask. It’s also important to be able to step back and be present and listen.
- Sincerity is important. People can tell when others are just going through the motions. It isn’t enough to just say the right words to customers, you need to have the right feelings behind those same words.
- You can be both empathetic with customers and efficient with your time. Being empathetic doesn’t mean becoming their best friend or having lots of small talk, being empathetic comes down to finding and fixing the issue.
- As more and more sales calls go virtual, reps need every advantage they can get. Having your camera on creates a better sense of connection. When you show up, be present and focused on the call, turn off your phone, and move away any distractions.
- An evangelist role at a company assists sales from the opposite direction. While reps focus on the product, evangelists focus on a problem. In innovative companies, evangelists are crucial as your customer base may not have yet considered the problem.
- A video based communication tool offers a lot of benefits, particularly in a post call setting. Instead of a follow up email, a follow up video allows you to utilize their words, meet them where they are, and show that you are aligned with them.
- There are many things that are hard to communicate verbally alone. If you tell someone “I’m trustworthy”, those words almost make you sound less trustworthy. These attributes are more effectively communicated over a video medium.
- Humans have evolved to judge interactions via two metrics, warmth and competence. Warmth is more important than confidence, and a video tool makes it much easier to communicate your warmth.
Quote of the Show:
- “It's not hearing the right words. It's hearing words that have the right feeling.” - Ethan Beute
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanbeute/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ethanbeute
- Company website: https://bombbomb.com/
- Book: https://www.amazon.com/Human-Centered-Communication-Business-Against-Pollution/dp/1639080007
- Book: https://www.amazon.com/Rehumanize-Your-Business-Accelerate-Experience/dp/1119576261
- Podcast: https://bombbomb.com/podcast/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
He’s a growth marketing mastermind who has literally grown-up in startups. He’s helped to grow three top 100 Inc. Fastest Growing Private Companies and when it comes to achieving business growth, he is a force to be reckoned with. Jason Hubbard is the COO at RevGenius, and our guest on this episode of B2B EQ. Jason joins host Tim Harris to share the importance of intellectual curiosity, why you should create a community for your product users, and his favorite music festivals.
Takeaways:
- One of the most important skills Jason looks for when hiring is intellectual curiosity. If you’re curious, you will have a drive to go out and learn things.
- Sales calls need to be more of a conversation, rather than an interrogation.
- Creating a community around your product has 3 main benefits. First it provides an additional touchpoint. Second, it creates a resource for users to help other users. Third and most important is the ideas and feedback generated from your power users.
- Creating an online community is not without its challenges. As your group grows, your moderation teams will need to as well. It’s also important to encourage users to engage in multiple sub groups in the community.
- While no one in a community appreciates being pitch slapped, there are a few ways to pitch respectfully. If you start from a genuine point of assistance, it is ok to ask to do a follow up call. However, lead gen can't be your motivation for helping others.
- You need to be careful in how you grade your reps, as they will often optimize against that. If you tell your reps to make 100 calls a day, they will make 100 calls, but they won’t be high quality calls.
- Augmenting your sales calls with resources that address your prospects' pain points is a great way to boost your win rate. You’re no longer just selling to them, you’re helping them fix a problem.
Quote of the Show:
- “Make your customers feel like they're actually appreciated, and then enable them to be able to go out and spread the word.” - Jason Hubbard
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hubbardjason/
- Website: https://www.revgenius.com/
Ways to Tune In:
- Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
- Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
On this episode of B2B EQ, our guest is a serial entrepreneur, marketing mastermind, and adventurer. He’s the author of Marketing Automation Unleashed and the host of the podcasts “Creating The Greatest Show” and “The Hard Corps Marketing Show”. Joining the show this week is none other than the Founder & Podcast Architect at Ringmaster Conversational Marketing, Casey Cheshire. Host Tim Harris interviews Casey and takes us on an exploration of the value of listening, why you should be giving your customers attention rather than trying to just get their attention, and the value of podcasting as a listening tool.
Takeaways:
- One of the most important soft skills to have is listening. Your prospects will often tell you how they want to be sold to and the problems they are facing, you just need to know how to listen to them.
- The marketing world can put too much of an emphasis on creativity. While flashy subject lines and ad reads are great, they can make you lose track of who you are actually trying to communicate with.
- Listen to the whole spectrum of customers who engage with your brand. While listening to potential customers is a good place to start, there is value in having a conversation with existing customers.
- As a B2B brand your clients may come from an industry you are less familiar with. If you listen to the language they are using, and learn the jargon, it allows you to create a tailored customer experience that feels more genuine.
- In the B2B world, everyone is trying to get attention, but no one is trying to give attention. Casey found that giving potential clients attention by interviewing them on a podcast helped cut through the noise.
- A B2B podcast offers a cascade of value to your company. The biggest benefit is a one on one conversation with a valued guest. A podcast can also be turned into almost endless marketing content, a community around your brand, and an educational asset.
- An increasing amount of the sales and marketing process is happening before a customer talks to a rep. Creating content your customers can consume is the best way to build those relationships early on.
Quote of the Show:
- “There's noise because everyone's trying to take attention, but no one's really trying to give attention.” - Casey Cheshire
Links:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaseyChesh
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycheshire/
- Company website: https://ringmaster.com/
- Creating The Greatest Show: https://www.creatingthegreatestshow.com/
- Hard Corps Marketing Show: https://www.hardcorpsmarketing.com/
- Marketing Automation Unleashed: https://www.amazon.com/Marketing-Automation-Unleashed-Strategic-Growth/dp/1599327384
Welcome to the first episode of B2B EQ! We're launching with an accomplished and dynamic professional who exemplifies the ideals of teamwork and collaboration. He’s seen the ins and outs of what it takes to make a successful team at the highest levels. Joining the show this week is Director of Revenue Operations Technology at Paycor, Chris Varites. Chris discusses the importance of listening as a RevOps lead, why you should lead how you want to be lead, and his typical Costco snack buys.
Takeaways:
- The most important soft skill your RevOps team can have is empathy. To drive successful relationships, you need to be able to understand the problem your customer is having.
- The three pillars of team well being are health, home and welfare. It is crucial to take care of physical and mental health, to create a supportive home environment, and ensure that you feel you are being adequately compensated for the work you are doing.
- RevOps can often feel like a thankless job. As a team leader, part of your role is to truly care and share concern for the wellbeing of your team members.
- When taking over a new leadership role, you often feel the pressure to start crushing KPI’s and exceeding your numbers. Take the first 30 days as a listening tour. Sit down with employees, identify challenges, and figure out their strengths and weaknesses.
- When taking on new projects, lead beyond the OKRs. While you are required to hit your objectives, understanding how your work will help the respective teams can make the work more meaningful.
- Building a cohesive team culture can be tough, building that culture remotely is even more challenging. In a remote work environment it is important to have in person events, both work and non work related.
- When your company has large victories that may seem separated from your team’s work, take a pause to highlight and shout out the work your team has done to help achieve that win.
Quote of the Show:
- “I lead how I would wanna be led.” - Chris Varites
Links:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/varites
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varites/
- Website: https://www.paycor.com/