Making Sales Social Podcast

In this episode of Making Sales Social, hosts sit down with Steve Spiro, the “Master Connector” a fourth-degree black belt, accomplished speaker, and LinkedIn powerhouse with over 30,000 connections. Steve shares his inspiring journey from art school and advertising to mastering the disciplines of martial arts and sales. Discover how grit, authenticity, and a “Go-Giver” mindset transformed Steve from a self-described introvert into a world-class connector and thought leader. He reveals why ditching the pitch, focusing on human connection, and leading with heart are the true keys to social selling success. From practical networking advice to mindset shifts that turn conversations into meaningful relationships, this episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone looking to build stronger connections, both online and off.

In this episode of Making Sales Social, Brynne Tillman sits down with Tom Jackobs, creator of the Selling with Heart Framework, to explore how empathy and authenticity can transform your entire sales process. With over 30 years of experience, Tom shares how his HEART approach; Hugs, Engage, Ask, Referrals, and Testimonials, helps service professionals build genuine connections, earn trust, and double their sales without using high-pressure tactics. They dive into the power of empathy in sales, the art of engaging prospects through the What-Why-What-Why questioning technique, and how to turn satisfied clients into referral and testimonial champions. Plus, Tom reveals how his background in theater shaped his approach to scripting and delivering authentic, persuasive conversations.

Leveraging AI tools has become essential for sales professionals, marketers, business development experts, and entrepreneurs. The magic of AI lies in its ability to generate insightful responses based on the prompts you provide. However, many users struggle to get optimal results due to common pitfalls in prompt writing.

In this episode of Making Sales Social, Brynne Tillman sits down with Amelie Marivain, founder of Late Bulb and an impact-driven business leader with global experience across APAC, the U.S., and Europe. Amelie shares how her journey in marketing, fintech, and grief tech has shaped her approach to building human-centered systems that align people, markets, and meaning. Together, they explore how to balance AI-driven efficiency with authentic human connection, the growing convergence of sales and marketing, and how brands can differentiate themselves in an increasingly crowded digital landscape. From redefining the buyer journey to staying visible in a world where SEO is evolving into “AI search,” Amelie delivers actionable insights on how businesses can stand out while staying true to their values. If you’re looking to understand the future of marketing, sales alignment, and the role of AI without losing the human touch, this conversation is packed with inspiration and strategies you can apply today.

The goal is to position your solution at the intersection of your client’s challenges and their desired results. For sales professionals, positioning yourself at the center of this overlap is how you become essential to your clients’ success. Let’s break down this framework and explore how leveraging platforms like LinkedIn and AI tools can enhance your approach to delivering tailored solutions

In this episode of Making Sales Social, Brynne Tillman sits down with Michael “Buzz” Buzinski, a decorated Air Force veteran, serial entrepreneur, international speaker, and bestselling author on a mission to eradicate entrepreneurial poverty. Known as a “visionary marketer” by the American Marketing Association, Buzz shares how business owners can escape the trap of “random acts of marketing” and instead build a marketing operating system that works in lockstep with sales. He unpacks his FOCUS framework (Fix One Clearly Urgent Struggle), the power of aligning marketing and sales messaging, and why leading with conversations, not pitches, is the key to social selling success. You’ll also hear how to integrate AI as a creative assistant (without losing human context), why consistency beats luck in marketing, and how to move prospects from awareness to action with the right content at the right time. If you’ve ever felt stuck juggling too many marketing tactics with little payoff or if you want a roadmap to scalable, predictable growth, this conversation will leave you with actionable insights you can implement right away.

Your sales team is posting content, sending connection requests, even liking industry news, but conversations aren’t happening. And without conversations, there are no opportunities, no discovery calls, and no revenue. The problem isn’t LinkedIn. The problem is how your team is showing up on LinkedIn. Most sellers are told to “be active” on the platform, but they’re rarely given a clear strategy. So they default to “random acts of social selling”, sporadic posts, surface-level comments, inconsistent outreach, and no follow-up process. The result? A lot of activity, but very few conversations.

In this episode of Making Sales Social, Bob Woods sits down with Jim Fuhs, a Marine Corps veteran turned digital marketing strategist and the president/COO of Fuhsion Marketing. Jim shares his journey from military leadership to becoming a trusted voice in live streaming, content strategy, and social selling. Together, they dive deep into the power of Substack—why it’s more than “just a newsletter platform,” how it helps sales professionals build trust and authority, and why it could be the next big tool for creating authentic conversations. Jim also reveals how platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, and Amazon Live fit into his strategy, and how sales professionals can use these tools without coming across as salesy. If you’re looking for practical insights on growing your influence, sparking real conversations, and leveraging new platforms to drive sales success, this episode is packed with strategies you won’t want to miss.

As a leader, understanding and leveraging LinkedIn Sales Navigator is essential for driving your team’s sales performance. Sales Navigator is LinkedIn’s premium sales tool, tailored to enhance the sales process for professionals. It offers advanced capabilities that are not available through the basic LinkedIn platform, such as advanced search filters, lead recommendations, and CRM integrations for Advanced Plus subscriptions. These features are vital for efficient prospecting and relationship management. LinkedIn consistently invests in enhancing Sales Navigator. To stay updated and maximize its use, consider exploring resources like the Making Sales Social podcast.

In this episode of Making Sales Social, Brynne Tillman and Bob Woods sit down with David Banko, founder of Calomation, to explore how AI is transforming customer engagement for service-based businesses. Drawing on his journey from gym owner to tech innovator, David shares how his AI-powered virtual receptionist helps business owners capture every lead, eliminate missed calls, and boost conversions without losing the human touch. He discusses the biggest challenges service providers face, the pitfalls of poorly implemented automation, and how to strike the right balance between efficiency and authenticity. Whether you’re in B2C or B2B, this conversation will give you practical insights into leveraging AI to scale your leads, nurture relationships, and increase ROI.