The Sales Evangelist

Discover eight intriguing sales predictions for 2026, focusing on the growing role of AI in handling administrative tasks and BDR functions. Trust is identified as a key competitive advantage, emphasizing the need for genuine human connections in an AI-dominated landscape. The rise of referrals and the importance of LinkedIn authenticity are highlighted, along with a trend towards internal referral programs. Outsourcing outreach and utilizing influencers are expected to gain traction, while creative physical mail makes a comeback to cut through digital noise.

Jennifer Smith, Co-founder and CEO of Scribe, shares insights on optimizing sales productivity. She discusses the importance of minimizing low-value tasks to boost high-value selling. Jennifer emphasizes automating repetitive tasks and recommends A/B testing for efficient prospecting. She highlights the need for capturing processes to save time searching for information. Additionally, she advocates for creating referenceable guides to retain tacit knowledge and fostering an experimentation culture to enhance team learning.

show notes

Is it still possible to reach seven figures in SaaS sales? You got into sales to build a comfortable life and enjoy a little extra. But after how last year turned out, that goal may feel far-fetched.To help you reset and refocus, I’m revisiting episode 1528 with Brandon Fluharty, sales coach and founder of Be Focused. Brandon breaks down his seven steps to start making seven figures in SaaS sales, starting with one critical shift in mindset.1. Get In The Right Environment·  Find your Goldilocks situation concerning your ideal workplace, whatever that may be.·  What kind of internal infrastructure do you need to start making seven figures in SaaS? 2. Build A Transformation Mindset·  Seven-figure earners sell a transformation that doesn’t just solve an issue; it prevents the problem from happening again.·  In SaaS, you want to be the player touching multiple parts of the business. That requires a transformational mindset and is a key principle of Brandon’s framework.3. Be Strategic About Your Target Account List·  Sell to clients that give you purpose. Identify the reasons you prefer your ideal client and search for more that fit those criteria.·  Doing so keeps you motivated during the dishearteningly long sales cycles common with enterprise companies.4. Create A Standard No One Else Delivers·  The Diamond Standard: picture a coal field in your competitive landscape and be the diamond for your clients.·  It’s easier to perform to this standard when working with clients you’re genuinely interested in and passionate about.5. Break Through Personal Limitations·  The higher you climb, the more imposter syndrome you’ll feel. For example, Brandon initially thought his introversion limited his success.·  As he advanced, he realized he could listen more than he talked and that perceived weakness became a strength.·  Write down the traits you feel hold you back. Then ask yourself how you can repurpose them into strengths.6. Rally Others Inside Your Organization·  Nothing great is achieved alone. When you’re working toward seven- and eight-figure deals, you’ll need help.·  Be a generalist with your skill set, but a specialist to start making seven figures in SaaS.7. Develop A Personal Operating System·  Move away from hustle culture and work smarter.·  Balance Brandon’s Discipline, Flexibility, and Curiosity (DRC) and Plan, Rest, Effort, Performance (PREP) live life instead of hustling around the clock. (It’s a more humanistic approach.)“Be like a scientist and look back at your workday with curiosity.” — Brandon Fluharty.ResourcesFollow Brandon Fluharty on LinkedIn and subscribe to his bi-weekly newsletter for more content, information, and insights on tech sales.  Join my Sales Mastermind to get real-world feedback, accountability, and proven sales strategies.Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. 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.

Ashley Winston, a multi-passionate entrepreneur and author of 'Break Free', dives into how individuals often neglect their full potential due to fear and self-sabotage. She highlights the significance of transforming one's mindset, emphasizing the importance of cultivating positive beliefs and environments. Winston recommends practical networking and joining mastermind groups to elevate oneself. Sharing her personal story of sacrifice, she underscores that while growth is challenging, pursuing one's purpose is immensely rewarding.

Traditional selling pushes prospects away. In this episode, Jeremy Miner breaks down why old-school persuasion no longer works and how modern buyers respond to questions that help them uncover their own problems and motivations. We explore how to reduce resistance, increase trust, and guide prospects to decisions without pressure by using a question-based, psychology-driven approach.Why Prospects Resist Being Sold (00:02:14 – 00:03:40)Jeremy explains that buyers are more informed than ever and can sense manipulation instantly. When salespeople push solutions too early, prospects naturally defend themselves by shutting down or disengaging. The key problem isn’t price or timing, it’s resistance created by the sales approach.Why Features and Pitches Kill Momentum (00:03:40 – 00:05:22)Most sales conversations fail because sellers talk too much about themselves. Jeremy shares why feature-dumping and early pitching overwhelm buyers and prevent emotional engagement. People don’t buy when they’re told, they buy when they discover.How Question-Based Selling Reduces Pressure (00:05:22 – 00:07:10)Instead of convincing, Jeremy teaches how to guide prospects with thoughtful, problem-aware questions. The goal is to help buyers verbalize:Their challengesThe consequences of not changing The urgency to act When prospects say it themselves, belief and commitment increase.Helping Prospects Connect Emotion to Problems (00:07:10 – 00:08:55)Logical reasons start conversations, but emotional reasons close deals. Jeremy explains how to ask questions that uncover frustration, fear, or missed opportunity without sounding manipulative. Emotion creates urgency; logic justifies the decision.How to Talk About Solutions Without Sounding Salesy (00:08:55 – 00:10:30)Jeremy emphasizes delaying solution talk until the prospect fully understands their own problem. When solutions are positioned as answers to their words, not your pitch, resistance disappears. Timing matters more than wording.Preventing Ghosting by Creating Commitment (00:10:30 – 00:12:05)Ghosting happens when prospects aren’t emotionally invested. Jeremy explains how confirming commitment throughout the conversation instead of at the end, keeps deals moving forward. If there’s no internal urgency, follow-ups won’t matter.The Role of Neutrality in Closing More Deals (00:12:05 – 00:13:55)One of the most powerful ideas Jeremy shares is remaining neutral. When sellers stop needing the deal, prospects feel safer opening up and making honest decisions. Confidence comes from control not pressure.Key Lesson: Stop Convincing, Start Guiding (00:13:55 – 00:15:30)The biggest shift modern sellers must make is moving from persuasion to facilitation. When prospects feel understood instead of sold to, decisions happen faster and with less resistance.“The moment you stop trying to convince someone is the moment they start convincing themselves.” Jeremy MinerResourcesLearn more about Jeremy Miner and his question-based selling framework at: 7thlevelhq.comExplore training on modern selling psychology and objection-free conversations.Want help applying these strategies directly to your pipeline and hitting your quota?Join The Sales Evangelist Mastermind, a 90-day program designed to help you close more deals and hit your number.Learn more at thesalesevangelist.com/mastermindSponsorship OffersThis episode is brought to you in part by HubSpot.With HubSpot Sales Hub, your data, tools, and teams come together on one platform to help you close deals faster. Try it at hubspot.com/sales.This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.Tired of prospects not responding? Get 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 LinkedIn outreach and land 3–5 appointments with our LinkedIn Prospecting Course.Visit thesalesevangelist.com/linkedin.CreditsAs one of our podcast listeners, we value your feedback and want to keep improving the show.Complete our two-minute survey at thesalesevangelist.com/survey.Join us for future episodes on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Music credits include The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Bright Seed and Hill.

Benjamin Dennehy, known as the UK's most hated sales trainer, dives into the art of closing deals efficiently. He discusses how sellers often close at the wrong time due to being trapped in a 'sales matrix,' where they lose control of the process. Dennehy emphasizes starting with a close, aiming for a 'no' instead of a 'yes,' and invites sellers to rewrite their meeting agendas to regain authority. He also highlights the importance of detaching emotionally from outcomes to improve selling effectiveness.

In this episode of the Sales Evangelist podcast, Donald C. Kelly reveals the top three reasons why enterprise deals stall, offering listeners practical solutions to overcome these hurdles. Whether you're new to enterprise sales or struggling to close deals, this episode is packed with actionable insights that can elevate your sales game.Misalignment Within the Buying Committee● Understand that decisions in enterprise sales are often made by committees, leading to internal misalignment among stakeholders. ● Use a mutual action plan to align all committee members, ensuring everyone is on the same page and clear about the project's importance. ● Leverage tools like digital sales rooms to facilitate communication and provide access to demos and materials for all committee members. Perceived Risk and its Impact● High perceived risk can paralyze decision-makers; ensure to highlight previous successes with similar organizations to reduce apprehension. ● Customize demos to reflect the prospect's unique environment, showcasing specific processes to minimize perceived risk and create relevance. Providing Clear Value● Focus on the most impactful features that resonate with each committee member to highlight your solution’s value effectively. ● Use stories, testimonials, and case studies to reinforce the solution’s benefits and drive home its ROI, ensuring buyers see the potential for personalization and growth. Homework Challenge or Action Steps● Create a mutual action plan for your next enterprise deal to foster committee alignment. ● Focus on understanding each committee member's individual goals and challenges related to the project. "Don't sell on everything—sell on the thing that matters the most." ● Donald C. Kelly.Timestamps● 00:00 ● Introduction ● 01:20 ● Misalignment Within the Buying Committee ● 03:44 ● Perceived Risk and its Impact ● 08:32 ● Providing Clear Value ● 10:58 ● Closing thoughts Resources● Sales Evangelist Mastermind: [Join Here](https://thesalesevangelist.com/mastermind) ● Mutual Action Plan Guide: [Learn More](https://www.mutualactionplan.com) 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.

Bob Kocis, a seasoned sales leader and author of The President's Club Mindset, dives deep into preventing deal slippage. He emphasizes three critical questions that sellers must address, focusing on why the customer is buying. Bob advocates for agenda-free listening to truly uncover buyer intent. He also highlights the importance of a robust unique value proposition to differentiate from competitors. Lastly, he encourages a culture of curiosity in sales by always asking follow-up questions to keep deals on track.

Discover why prospects vanish after proposals and how to convert interest into commitment. Learn to identify competing vendors and the importance of discussing budget transparently. Get tips on clarifying decision-making processes and scheduling apples-to-apples comparisons. Explore how mutual action plans and live proposal reviews can secure commitments, alongside final strategies to keep the conversation alive and prevent ghosting. Equip yourself with essential tools to enhance your sales conversations!