The Power of References in Sales

Getting your buyer live on the phone isn’t old school—it’s elite. In this episode, Michelle Cecil, two-time President’s Club winner at Procore, shares how dialing instead of emailing builds trust, collapses timelines, and puts you back in control of your deals. Her approach proves that the phone isn’t dead—it’s your most underused weapon.

🎙 ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS:

• Don’t negotiate over email — Use a “carrot on a stick” to earn a callback, then close the gap in live conversation where nuance and urgency can thrive.
• Own the reference process — Prep your prospect and your customer, set the agenda, and run the call. You are the producer—don’t outsource the close.
• Call before big demos — Reach out to every stakeholder with a simple message: “I want this meeting to be worth your time.” You’ll get more replies than you think.
• JUST DO THIS: Pick one deal in your pipeline. Find a reason to call your champion today—and do it.

MICHELLE’S PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB:

• Commercial AE: 2X President’s Club winner with 11 consecutive fully ramped quarters at or above quota from day one as an AE.
• AE to Commercial Manager: Promoted 5 times internally from SDR to Enterprise AE to Manager demonstrating consistent growth, adaptability, and long-term impact.
• Commercial AE: In 8+ years, missed only 2 quarterly numbers

RESOURCES DISCUSSED:

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• Free Sales Templates, Scripts and Guides

JOB LISTINGS

• Account Executive (Sponsorships)
• Account Executive (Courses)
• Content Strategist