Masters of MEDDICC - Andy Sadler: 2x CRO, Built 4x revenue teams to over $10bn in exits - Episode #9
Jan 6, 2022
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In this episode of Masters of MEDDICC, Andy Sadler, EMEA hyper-growth specialist and GM of EMEA at Imply, discusses his epic career in B2B sales, the importance of effective strategies in a complex competition landscape, and the qualities he looks for when hiring to create successful teams. He also explores the concept of distributed companies and the art of understanding and leveraging competitor strengths. Additionally, Andy emphasizes the significance of champion building in sales, the importance of believing in your product, and the relevance of diverse skills and personalities in recruitment. Finally, he discusses the role of metrics, decision criteria, and champions in the sales process, and shares his experience teaching a subject to non-business background students.
Champion building and development is crucial for sales success, as champions can navigate the decision-making process and advocate for the product or service.
Intelligence and coachability are important qualities to look for in sales recruits, as they enable individuals to understand the sales process and adapt to continuous learning and improvement.
Deep dives
The Importance of Champion Building and Development
Champion building and development is essential for sales success. Champions are salespeople who work internally to defend your cause and can be incredibly valuable in navigating the decision-making process. It is crucial to recruit and develop champions to ensure that they have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to effectively advocate for your product or service. This involves teaching them objection prevention, understanding the decision process, and helping them become a trusted advisor. By investing in champion building and development, sales teams can have a significant impact on their success.
The Value of Intelligence and Coachability in Sales Recruitment
Intelligence and coachability are key qualities to look for in sales recruits. Intelligence is crucial for understanding the complexities of the sales process, while coachability ensures that individuals are open to learning and adapting. In addition to these qualities, former athletes can bring valuable traits to the sales profession, such as discipline, teamwork, and the ability to learn and develop over time. By selecting candidates who possess both intelligence and coachability, sales organizations can set the stage for success and nurture a culture of continuous improvement.
The Significance of Influence in Sales
Influence plays a critical role in sales success, allowing sales professionals to navigate complex organizational structures and gain access to key decision makers, including economic buyers. Building influence involves understanding the decision process and identifying individuals who can serve as influential champions. By leveraging influence, salespeople can circumvent traditional organizational hierarchies and connect directly with decision makers, often resulting in more streamlined sales cycles and increased chances of success.
The Power of Continuous Learning and Development in Sales
Continuous learning and development are crucial for sales professionals to stay ahead in the ever-evolving sales landscape. Just as athletes invest time in training and honing their skills, salespeople must prioritize ongoing learning and sharpening their sales acumen. This involves immersing oneself in sales methodologies such as MEDDIC, SPIN Selling, and Power-Based Selling, as well as staying current with industry trends and developments. Sales organizations should prioritize development opportunities for their teams, creating a culture of continuous improvement and ensuring long-term success.
We are extremely excited to get our latest episode of Masters of MEDDICC live, with the EMEA hyper-growth specialist Andy Sadler, GM of EMEA at the mega Imply! 🙌
In this episode, we dig into Andy's epic career in B2B sales that spans over 20 years and includes 16 quarters at PTC and being part of John McMahon's legendary Bladelogic team.
Andy's association with the GOAT's of our industry doesn't stop with John, as he has also worked with revenue leadership titan Mark Cranney
A two-time CRO, who has been a part of 4x successful exits that have amassed more than $10bn it is no wonder Andy is the person on Andreessen Horowitz's speed dial when they need a leader to launch EMEA operations for one of their portfolio companies.
Andy is a believer in "value-based social selling" and his mantra to success is crystal clear: "focus on the development of staff" and then the results will follow for all, not the other way around!
Andy's go-to-market processes have helped boost revenue for his clients and he's left no stone unturned to show up as a great leader driving growth at every company he's built or worked at.
In this episode, Andy shares how he believes MEDDIC is a personal phenomenon rather than a company ethos, how over time competition has become more complex so effective strategies are key to surviving and how he hires in order to create successful teams.
“…Pick a leader, not a role. If you're going to go into battle you need to pick the right team to be with”
Timestamps: [00:06] Introduction to Andy Sadler [00:35] Background on Andy Sadler [04:00] Software startups, distributed teams, and changing locations represent the second C in MEDDIC [05:36] The art of War and evolving strategies [10:11] Human behavior aligns to personal wins [12:38] Understanding Fear and Intelligence in Sales [15:50] The psychology, science, and stigma in Sales [27:30] Why just hire the Sevens & the Nines? [35:20] Frameworks over time and the dynamics of The EB & Influence Line [43:58] Developing and building Champions [45:28] Enabling teams to go to market [47:37] Recruitment and legacy
Key Points: - Transparency is key. Establishing yourself as a salesperson earns you the right to continue a conversation openly. - Be confident in yourself, your proposition, and the value that you bring to the table. - While selling, strategy building, and having your facts in place is imperative. You need to have the mentality of stop, learn and then go forward. If you're looking to learn more about the MEDDIC framework and how you can implement it to drive more growth, check out our other videos on the channel.
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