Masters of MEDDICC - John McMahon - The GOAT - Greatest Sales Leader of All Time - Episode #5
May 4, 2021
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John McMahon, the greatest sales leader of our time, discusses his new book on qualification in sales and the creative process behind his insights. He shares the importance of persistence, heart, and targeting the right market for success. Qualification extends beyond closing deals and applies to recruiting, managing reps, and engaging with customers. The chapter also highlights the value of preparation, including LinkedIn stalking, and expresses gratitude for the guest's book popularity.
Qualification in sales involves determining why the customer needs to buy, why they should buy from your company, and why they should buy now, focusing on major pain points and understanding the sense of urgency behind their buying decision.
Successful salespeople possess intelligence and persistence, being coachable and adaptable, while qualified sales leaders focus on building strong teams, coaching and developing their members, and being curious and continuously learning.
Deep dives
Importance of Qualification in Sales
Qualification is essential in sales, and it involves determining why the customer needs to buy, why they should buy from your company, and why they should buy now. It is important to focus on major pain points that require third-party attention, target specific industries and personas, differentiate your product from competitors, and understand the sense of urgency behind the customer's buying decision.
Characteristics of Successful Salespeople
Successful salespeople possess intelligence and persistence. They are willing to learn, practice, and develop new skills. They are highly competitive, goal-oriented, and motivated to succeed. The ability to be coachable and adaptable is crucial, allowing them to thrive in a changing market and take advantage of new opportunities.
Effective Leadership in Sales
A qualified sales leader understands the importance of being intimate with their team, knowing their strengths, weaknesses, and goals. They focus on coaching and developing their team members, creating a sense of camaraderie and helping them achieve success. A successful leader is curious and has an urgent curiosity, always seeking answers and continuously learning. They are focused on the character and behavioral traits of their team members when recruiting and building a strong team.
Choosing the Right Sales Opportunities
When evaluating potential opportunities, it is essential to consider the three lies: why the customer needs to buy, why they should buy from your company, and why they should buy now. Identifying major pain points and targeting specific industries and personas helps maximize the return on investment. Additionally, understanding the size of the market, the growth potential, and potential buyers when considering future growth and acquisition opportunities.
John McMahon is the greatest sales leader of our time. Both as the CRO of 5x public companies (PTC, GeoTel, Ariba, BladeLogic, BMC) and as an executive board advisor to some of the greatest companies of the last decade, such as AppDynamics, Glassdoor, HubSpot, Fuze, Sumo Logic, Sprinklr, Cybereason, Thoughtspot, MongoDB, Lacework, and Snowflake.
In this session, we talk about John's new book 'The Qualified Sales Leader', and why of all the topics on which John is an expert he chose qualification to write a book upon.
We dig into John's mind to find out his creative process for creating insights and advice that is understandable and relatable to both the most experienced and elite sellers through to technical founders who are brand new to sales.
And the question you all want to know the answer to - What would it take to get John back on the tools leading a tech company.