A big problem a lot of sellers have is they don't know who their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is. But, with the right framework, you'll be able to go after the right buyers every time. My guest, Ronnell Richards, founder of Sayless Academy, will share how to find your ICP and how to reach them the right way.Meet Ronnell RichardsRonnell Richards is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and sales consultant with over 20 years of experience. He's put his sales and marketing expertise into comprehensive LinkedIn Learning courses and his book, "Shut The Hell Up and Sell." On top of his professional work, he mentors entrepreneurs and supports community initiatives, helping businesses succeed and creating social impact.Why You Got to Know Your ICPRonnell says a lot of tech companies don't actually have an ICP and just sell to anyone who comes along. But, in today's tough market, knowing your ICP stops you from getting pulled every which way and missing out on big wins. The more specific you are with your outreach and messages aimed at your ICP, the less you get lost in the crowd.What's the Difference Between an ICP and a Strong ICP?Ronnell made 37 questions for his clients to answer about their absolute best customers.This helps them figure out all the things they have in common with those top clients.They usually find their ICP is way more complex than they thought. A strong ICP means you're targeting buyers you know you can crush it with, and avoiding those who aren't a good fit.Seeing Your ICP as a PersonIt's a whole different ballgame when you see your ICP as a real person, not just a target. What's their day-to-day life like?Are they going through a rough patch? I actually just put up a LinkedIn post about this, it's titled "I'm Not Just a Sales Guy."Instead of getting bent out of shape when your ICP doesn't reply to your emails, Ronnell says it's way better to build connections and make sure your outreach lines up with what they need.The secret to building strong relationships with your ICP is having shared values. This is how you get repeat business."Relationships are everything. The reason I can still do business with someone I worked with twenty years ago is because we clicked and built a real relationship." - Ronnell Richards.ResourcesConnect with Ronnell on LinkedInFind more information on his LinkedIn course herePurchase a copy of his book, “Shut The Hell Up and Sell.” Visit Ronnell’s website to learn more about him. Sponsorship Offers1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.3.  This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.CreditsAs one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The OrganGrinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Everywhere you turn, there’s a new AI tool being developed, and you may be hesitant to try them out. AI technology is here to advance how we do things, especially within the sales industry. However, people tend to use them the wrong way. Luckily, my guest, Stan Robinson, is here to share three AI techniques you can integrate into your workflow.Meet Stan RobinsonStan is the CEO of Social Sales Link, which teaches revenue-driven professionals to create more trust-based sales conversations using LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, and AI.Having coached over 1,000 business development professionals on social selling, Stan, who studied Psychology at Harvard and international affairs at Princeton, continues to expand his expertise through ongoing courses on sales, leadership, and AI.AI for Sales Reps: How to Work SmarterAI tools shouldn’t replace your work ethic; instead, you should be using them to enhance your sales skills. Stan shares how sales reps should be using AI:Messaging that connects: Don’t use AI tools to create generic outreach messages. Instead, use them to tailor your messages based on a prospect’s industry, role, and unique challenges.Role-playing: Sales leaders can use AI-powered role-playing tools to help their reps prepare for real objections on calls. You can train it to act as a tough prospect with a price concern and refine responses in a low-pressure environment.Faster research: The best thing about AI technology is that it cuts down on time spent doing research. Use AI to scan industry trends, analyze competitors, and summarize prospects’ pain points. This can help you quickly understand your buyers and craft a personalized message that feels more natural.AI Should Enhance the Human Touch—Not Replace ItSales is all about building relationships, so use AI to make your efforts more effective. Stan shares these tips to keep the human touch when using AI tools:Build trust: Buyers connect with people, not bots.Use AI for support: Let AI assist in research and messaging—but keep conversations personal.Stay in control: The best sales reps use AI strategically while focusing on building genuine connections."AI tools are not going to take your jobs. It’s the individuals who are learning how to converse with the tools who will take away the jobs. So, start using AI tools to make them work for you.” - Stan RobinsonResourcesBook a call with Stan by going to askSSL.ai.Connect with Stan on LinkedIn.Sponsorship Offers1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.CreditsAs one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

You've heard me talk about multithreading over and over again. Today, I’m sharing more insight with a personal experience of mine and how I worked with multiple people in an organization to close a deal. Don’t forget to connect with me on LinkedIn and send a message with the title: "multithreading" and tell me what you liked about this episode.Sales Challenge with MultithreadingMultithreading is where you take two or more different paths to connect with individuals in an organization. The challenge I find that most sales reps have with doing this is whether someone will get mad at them for doing it. I even had this problem when first starting out.Will they think of you as a playa? Maybe if you’re doing it with a small company, but with a bigger one, it’s actually a good idea to multithread.The thing is, you can’t be giving the same value proposition.If you’re saying the same thing over and over again, you’re going to lose.The CEO and marketing director have two different problems and responsibilities, so you’re going to have to provide two different value propositions to do multithreading correctly.My Multithreading Case StudyI share my personal experience of multithreading for my production company, Bluë Mango Studios. I engaged with Mike on LinkedIn, who was overseeing events for the organization. He wasn’t the right person for me to discuss the proposition with, so he told me who else I could connect with.I reached out to Lenny on social media, but I didn’t hear back from him. This is where I went back to Mike and asked how he saw my proposition benefiting him and the company. After talking with him some more, Mike was kind enough to let Lenny know that I was going to contact him about how I could help the organization.When you do multithreading correctly, one individual can see how your value proposition can help solve a company’s problem.Also, get out of your own head. People get busy and may not have been able to see your message yet. Give it some time and try again to get your value proposition across.“People often fail at multithreading because they’re using a generic message and not reaching out to the individuals.” - Donald KellyResourcesConnect and follow me on LinkedIn.Do you need help with creating a podcast? Check out Bluë Mango Studios.Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourselfat hubspot.com/sales.2.   This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.3.  This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.CreditsAs one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The OrganGrinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

One of the biggest mistakes new salespeople make is winging it, even after receiving training. This is going to have you leaving lots of money on the table, and the only way to turn this around is by developing a framework that actually works.My guest, Luke Lunkenheimer, is going to share the 3 C’s Selling framework that’ll change your mindset to improve your sales game. Give it a listen; it may even help you in other areas of your life!Meet Luke LunkenheimerLuke grew up as a regular guy from a small town and started out in the industry as a car salesman. For years, he did not live up to his full potential in the sales industry, losing unnecessary money. He finally figured out what he was doing wrong.After developing his new sales approach, he realized that you need a certain mindset and values in order to make it in this industry, which he is going to share with you in this episode.Now, Luke is a successful entrepreneur, owning the Paid 2 Persuade sales training platform that is transforming and empowering sales teams to achieve lasting success.What is the 3 C’s Selling Framework?Luke shares that the sales framework isn’t something that provides a step-by-step introduction to closing a deal. Instead, it helps you differentiate a leading sales professional from someone who just does it to get a paycheck.The framework is also the foundation of what he teaches in his Paid 2 Persuade sales training course. It includes:Content: From the time of saying hello in a sales conversation, you need to know what you’re trying to accomplish right now. Are you trying to get them to buy a product from you, or are you trying to change their way of thinking?Confidence: Sales is the act of transferring your certainty onto the client. The only way you can do this successfully is by having a high level of confidence as a sales representative.Cadence: Start role-playing, practice your sales skills, and educate yourself on how to become better. Once you get into your rhythm, it’ll help you with being uncomfortable and push yourself to do better.How to Create Your Own Sales FrameworkIf you prefer not to use Luke’s framework, creating your own is simple. He shared some advice on how to do this:Self-education: Don’t think that because you’re not in school anymore, you should stop learning, especially in this industry. Read books or take courses to help improve your sales skills.Endure pain and get comfortable: If you haven’t realized already, in this industry you’re going to have to get used to being uncomfortable. Nothing stays the same. The key is to adapt to the change and figure out how you can do better.If you’re brand new and don’t want to spend any money, implement your own framework by tallying up all of the objections you have faced already and practice how you can overcome them. It’s a good idea to practice this with your coworkers to become better at this.With your next customer, build rapport with them and then get into inquiries to see if the objections you were having are present in this conversation. This can help you solve the objections immediately, instead of at the end of the call.“You need to invest in yourself. Nothing is more important than spending money to get better. When you see something that is different from everything else, the logical conclusion is that it is.” - Luke Lunkenheimer.ResourcesWant to improve your sales skills? Consider taking the Paid 2 Persuade training course.Connect and follow Luke on Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.Grab Dale Carnegie's book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” to build your conversational skills.Sponsorship Offers1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a singleplatform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself athubspot.com/sales.2.  This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to youremails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.3.  This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.CreditsAs one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Marcus Sheridan, author of "Endless Customers" and a renowned sales and marketing expert, shares insights on navigating the AI-driven market. He discusses the challenges of gaining consumer trust in an era dominated by AI and highlights four key pillars to become a trusted brand: share what others won’t, embrace innovative video content, sell differently, and maintain a human touch. Marcus emphasizes the importance of breaking industry norms to stand out, urging listeners to prioritize authenticity and adaptability in their marketing strategies.

I’m giving you another rerun again. Yes, I know, but you’re going to love this episode with my guest Bob Burg, who is an expert sales leader and author with a real go-giver attitude. Listen to this live episode to get the right mindset to help you get prospects. Meet Bob Burg Bob Burg is a salesman who has written a series of books about The Go-Giver, a parable about the principles behind the kind of success most sellers are hoping to achieve. After spending some time in the sales industry, he realized that he wasn’t living up to his potential. Until one day he had a conversation with another salesman and recalling how his parents worked to make other’s lives better, it hit him.   Instead of trying to meet quota, Bob shifts his focus on how he can serve others, and his reward happens to be more money coming into his pockets. Great salesmanship is about the other person and how they’ll benefit from your product or service. Focus on Value People aren't going to buy from you because you need to meet quota or because you’re a nice person. They are going to buy from you because they’ll be better off after they do. Salespeople need to focus on bringing value to the prospect’s life. Value comes first, and the money you receive is a natural result of the value you provided. Value Without Attachment Although people often suggest you should give without expecting anything in return, Bob doesn’t exactly agree with that. Instead, give value without attachment to the result. If you’re in business serving other people, you should expect to profit greatly because you’re bringing value to the marketplace. Just don’t be attached to that result. Give value because it’s who you are and what you do. When that happens, you create a benevolent context for success. You develop great relationships with people who feel good about you. Communicating Value Bob shares how sales reps can communicate value to prospects through these five elements:  Excellence Consistency Attention Empathy Appreciation To the degree that you can communicate these things to your customer, that’s the degree to which you take price and competition out of the picture.  “Money is the thunder to lightning’s value. The value comes first.” - Bob Burg.  Resources Listen to Bob Burg’s The Go-Giver Podcast for more mindset tips.  Join the Sales Foundation Course for a blueprint to closing more deals.  Grab Bob Burg’s The Go-Giver book set.   Another book discussed in this episode was Everybody Matters by Bob Chapman.  Connect with Bob Burg on Facebook and LinkedIn  Also, don’t forget to visit his website.  Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

You started working at a new company, and on the outside everything seems great. But when it comes time to find leads, everyone completely ghosts you. Even the management-level employees are nowhere to be found. It kind of makes you feel like everyone hates you. I have experienced the same situation, and I’m here to share some tips to help you out when you start a new sales position and it seems like no one can help you get started. Find People Close to Your Proximity If you’re struggling with finding leads, consider getting on LinkedIn and network with your connections who are close to your ICP. I share a strategy that I teach in my LinkedIn prospecting course. It’s a neat sales trick that works every single time, only when they know you already! You can also ask your proximity connections how they can give you insights on getting leads if my first strategy doesn’t work for you. Target Accounts When you have an understanding of those who can potentially buy from you, you can focus on your ICP and target those accounts. Per week, find two to three accounts within a specific organization that are a part of your ICP. Tier 2 Outreach Campaign As an individual sales rep, you may not be able to do a full cold outreach campaign. But you can use tools to help you do one on a smaller scale.  I share how you can use FullEnrich to find emails and phone numbers of your prospects. "The best time to find a job is when you have a job. So if you have a job and it’s stable, it might be a good idea to look to see what’s out there. Just make sure you maintain longevity in your current position before searching." - Donald Kelly.  Resources Book more appointments with our LinkedIn Prospecting Course Test out FullEnrich to find more clients Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

In this engaging discussion, Christian Jack, founder of Sales Dojo and a renowned sales coach, dives into the intricacies of persuasion in sales. He emphasizes the importance of understanding psychology to enhance sales effectiveness. Christian reveals that it’s not just about pushing for a sale—it's crucial to connect with clients through active listening and recognizing non-verbal cues. He also discusses the impact of social masks in communication and how becoming more attuned to body language can build trust and improve relationships.

Staying curious is one of the top skills a sales professional must have in order to succeed in this industry. But why is it so important? My guest, Denise Murtha Bachmann, a sales coach and founder of the Sellovatorz programs, is here to tell you about it in this episode. She's going to share how to flawlessly conduct a discovery call and get to the root cause of a problem to help close a deal. Meet Denise Murtha Bachmann Denise Murtha Bachmann is a sales strategist, coach, and fractional sales leader who helps businesses humanize their sales approach while leveraging AI for smarter selling. With a deep focus on relationships, curiosity, and uncovering the probable root cause, she empowers sales teams and founders to build predictable pipelines and close more deals with authenticity.  Through her Sellovatorz programs Denise is redefining modern sales by balancing cutting-edge technology with the human touch buyers demand. Take a Step Back and Slow Down Most sellers try to rush through the sales process to hurry up and close the deal. However, Denise shares that it's better to slow down and ask prospects questions to learn their root problem. Prospective buyers know they have a problem and want a solution to it. But if sellers take the time to help them identify the root cause of the problem, prospects will realize that money isn’t a problem when it comes to fixing it. When you give them the ability to see that you’re trying to solve the bigger problem, you build a connection with them, which builds trust and credibility with your clients. Working together will help them see that you care about them and make them want to continue through the sales process. Prepare Yourself Before The Call Denise shares that before you jump on a call with a client, you should take the time to educate yourself about them. Here are some things you can do before your discovery call: Have your discovery questions ready. Decide on the difference between a good call and a great call. Understand the client you’re looking at: What is their problem and buyer persona? You can use AI tools to help you study your client better. Sales Process Role-Playing Denise and I do some sales role-playing of a startup company competing for the SMB space against HubSpot.  I act as the founder, and she guides me through the process by asking questions to help me understand my root problem and how I can compete in this competitive industry. For sales leaders, Denise shares the biggest takeaway to help you determine the root cause for prospects: Lead with a mindset that you have to slow down to speed up. Let go of the metrics and focus on quality over quantity to meet sales goals. "I think that as leaders and sales representatives, we're constantly on the go because we have metrics to meet.  However, in today's sales environment, we need to let go of those metrics and focus on quality over quantity." - Denise Murtha Bachmann.  Resources Get in touch with Denise on LinkedIn  Sellovatorz Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Tim Riesterer, author of "Three Value Conversations," dives into the power of effective communication in sales. He emphasizes the importance of understanding unconsidered needs to enhance customer engagement. The conversation also highlights the efficacy of using hand-drawn visuals over PowerPoint in presentations, referencing a Stanford study. Riesterer stresses mastering pivotal agreements in negotiations and the role of decision-making science in improving sales techniques, urging professionals to challenge themselves for better outcomes.