The Sales Evangelist

Sales objections? They’re just pauses in your journey to a yes! Stay calm and dig deeper to uncover the true reasons behind objections like 'not interested.' Using permission-based questioning and the 'five whys' technique can reveal surprising factors. Offer innovative solutions like trials to break old vendor ties without causing disruption. Embrace objections by acknowledging them, asking insightful questions, and collaborating on responses to transform challenges into opportunities for success!

Ghosting can be a nightmare for salespeople, and this discussion dives into the top reasons why it happens. Discover how missed details and targeting the wrong people can lead prospects to vanish. Learn the art of asking the right questions to uncover their decision-making power. Are they just shopping around? Find out how to directly address this. Plus, shifting priorities and urgent timelines can play a huge role in ghosting. Equip yourself with practical tactics to remain engaged and secure that next step!

Explore five sales techniques that can turn prospects off. Discover why BANT can feel like an interrogation and how to ask the right questions. Learn how to engage stakeholders without offending and avoid the pitfalls of too-rapid follow-ups. Uncover the risks of false urgency and the importance of eliciting genuine timelines. Also, find out why scripted small talk annoys prospects and how to make cold outreach more relevant with a tailored approach.

Finding B2B prospects isn’t as hard as it feels when you know where to look and what to focus on. Most people struggle because they are spending their time in the wrong places or chasing companies that are not ready to buy. In this episode, I am walking you through five sales strategies that help you find the right B2B companies faster and with less effort.1. Leverage LinkedIn Sales Navigator·  Sales Navigator gives you access to one of the most powerful databases for B2B prospecting. It helps you identify decision-makers who have recently stepped into their roles, when they are often most open to new solutions. ·  The advanced search and account filters make it easier to narrow in on the right prospects without wasting time. ·  (And yes, I also have a course that walks you through how to use it properly.)2. Utilize Third-Party Databases·  LinkedIn is great for identifying people new to their roles, but their contact information isn't always accurate. That is where third-party tools come in. ·  Platforms like Apollo, Lusha, Lemlist, and Liskit provide direct emails, phone numbers, and intent data so you know whether a company is actively researching your type of solution. ·  It is a smart way to confirm interest and ensure you reach the right person at the right time.3. Tap Into Referrals·  Referrals remain one of the best ways to generate high-quality leads. It may feel old school, but it still works. ·  The real issue is that most sellers never ask, and clients are usually willing to give them when asked. ·  Even a cold contact can point you to the right person if you approach them correctly.4. Reconnect With Your Existing Network·  Don’t forget about the people already in your phone, inbox, or LinkedIn connections. Take the time to warm them back up. ·  A simple “permission to ask a question” message can reopen a conversation without pressure. ·  Try using a tool like Connect the Dots can also show hidden overlaps in your network and make reintroductions easier.5. Build Partnerships·  Partnerships kind of take the marketing aspects off your hands for a bit. Collaborate with agencies, consultants, or service providers who already work with your target audience.·  It creates shared value and opens doors that would be harder to access alone.Bonus Tip: Use LinkedIn Posts and Hashtags·  Remember, LinkedIn is a social media platform! When you post, comment, or engage with content, include relevant hashtags. ·  This helps the algorithm show your content to more B2B prospects who are already looking for solutions like yours.“Concepts and ideas can be great, but if you’re not applying them, they won’t work.” - Donald Kelly.ResourcesIf these prospecting tips helped, my LinkedIn Prospecting Course for more guidance.Got questions? Reach out to me 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.

Discover how to transform your LinkedIn profile into a powerful prospecting tool. Learn why a resume-style profile is a miss and how to design a compelling banner that captures attention. Craft a headline that showcases your value and an About section that speaks directly to client pain points. Create targeted micro-lists for better outreach and engage thoughtfully with prospects to build rapport. Plus, actionable homework to enhance your profile and connect with 20 potential leads!

I’m digging into The Sales Evangelist archive to bring you another gem! One of the best parts about this podcast is that so many episodes share timeless sales strategies you can use for years.This rerun features Brynne Tillman, CEO and “LinkedIn Whisperer” at Social Sales Link, and author of The LinkedIn Sales Playbook. If social selling feels like a mystery, you’ll want to hear Brynne break down her 4 LinkedIn Pillars for business development.The Value of a Great LinkedIn Profile·  Your LinkedIn profile isn’t just an online résumé—it’s your first sales tool.·  When prospects visit your page, they’re not looking for your mission statement or how long you’ve been in business. They want to know how *relevant* you are to them.·  Head to getmyssicore.com for a personalized score that rates your social selling skills.·  The higher your score, the more likely buyers are to see your value.·  Write your summary like a mini blog post—something that instantly helps your reader.·  Highlight the challenges your buyers face, and share three to five insights they can use right away.·  When you lead with value, you build credibility faster and move through the sales cycle with less friction.Pillar 1: Establish Your Professional Brand·  Your professional brand is your profile. By positioning your profile to offer insight and value, you build credibility and spark curiosity.·  You’re getting prospects excited to take your call. If they can learn something just by visiting your profile, they’ll imagine a conversation with you will be even more valuable.·  Position yourself as a subject matter expert and thought leader.Pillar 2: Find the Right People·  How are you using LinkedIn to find your buyers and influencers? If it’s true that an average of 6.8 people are involved in every major buying decision, how are you identifying all the right people within an organization?·  Instead of focusing only on the champion, who else should you reach out to or engage?·  Prospecting and relationship-building go hand in hand. It’s about offering real value and leveraging your network to get introductions to your target prospects and buyers.·  Create search strings using your buyers’ titles, tailored to your target location or industry.Pillar 3: Engage With Insights·  How are you sharing, commenting on, and engaging with content? Are you using hashtags to find the right conversations? Are you feeding your network with valuable insights that move them closer to your solution?·  It’s more than just liking or sharing. LinkedIn rewards consistent engagement—sharing, commenting, and contributing to conversations.·  Avoid “random acts of social.” Anything done without intention or purpose rarely leads to success, especially on LinkedIn.Pillar 4: Build Relationships·  “Connecting and forgetting” is like collecting business cards that just sit in a stack on your desk. How valuable is that? That’s not a network.·  There’s more value in genuinely connecting with a few people at a networking event and having meaningful conversations than there is in collecting every business card in the room. Bring that same thoughtfulness online.“There’s no reason to network differently online than you do in person.” - Brynne Tillman.ResourcesYou can also check out episode 1088 to hear the rerun with Brynne Tillman. Connect with her on LinkedIn and grab a copy of her book, The LinkedIn Sales Playbook.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.

In this engaging discussion, Matthew Pollard, a renowned storytelling and sales expert known as the Rapid Growth guy, reveals how to overcome fourth-quarter objections with impactful narratives. He emphasizes the pitfalls of overwhelming buyers with jargon and how to pivot towards personal storytelling to build trust. Matthew shares a concise framework for crafting persuasive 45-second stories, delving into the costs of decisions that affect buyers. He also highlights the importance of making buyers champions for your solution, ensuring they rally for your proposal.

Most sellers tend to get caught up in the technical side—asking the “right” questions, handling objections, and checking all the boxes. But in the process, we often overlook something just as important: the emotional side of selling. That’s why I invited Alex Kremer, founder of Alluviance, to join me. He breaks down how the right mindset can help you close more deals and build lasting relationships.Meet Alex Kremer·  Alex Kremer is the Founder of Alluviance, a community and organization dedicated to transforming sales and leadership through authenticity, purpose, and performance. ·  With over 15 years of experience, he has worked with top companies like Salesforce, AWS, and Gong, and played a key role in scaling Outreach from $25M to $250M. ·  He’s hired, trained, and led over 100 Account Executives and Sales Managers, earning President’s Club honors 7 years in a row.·  Alex is known for helping leaders build high-performing teams and purpose-driven cultures that achieve lasting results.Beyond the Tactics: The Role of Mindset in Sales Success·  Alex pulls back the curtain on his journey, opening up about the hidden struggles he faced even when he seemed most successful. ·  Despite hitting top quotas and leading major accounts at Microsoft, he battled depression, highlighting a key truth: salespeople can meet every external standard and still feel empty inside. ·  Alex explains how mental, emotional, and even spiritual health are often overlooked but absolutely crucial to sustainable, fulfilling sales success.Practical Strategies: Filling the Void and Mastering the Inner Game·  Alex introduces the concept of “parts work,” a therapeutic approach to identifying and relating to various emotions without self-judgment. ·  He stresses the importance of self-awareness, inviting reps to treat their emotional states with the same curiosity as they would a sales prospect in discovery. ·  Simple practices like mindful breathing, walks without phones, and reflective journaling can create the internal space needed for clarity.Leadership in Action: Bringing Mindfulness Into Sales Teams·  For sales leaders, Alex suggests starting meetings with grounding exercises such as box breathing or gratitude practices. ·  Investing a few minutes in presence and connection sets a more productive tone than jumping straight to numbers.“When you connect more deeply with yourself, it allows you to connect more deeply with other people, which is very interwoven with sales.” - Alex Kremer.ResourcesAlex’s company, Alluviance, hosts regular retreats blending sales tactics with inner game work. Reach out to Alex on LinkedIn or the Alluviance website for future retreat details.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.

Lorenzo Bizzi, a researcher and author, spent four years diving into the science of sales, challenging common myths in his book, Myth vs Science of Selling. He discusses how data-driven research can significantly enhance sales outcomes. Lorenzo reveals that organization trumps likability in B2B sales, emphasizes the importance of helping buyers diagnose their problems, and clarifies when excitement can genuinely drive sales versus when it falls flat. Balance in customer orientation is key, as is focusing on long-term mindset growth for sustainable success.

Zoltan Vardy, a messaging and value-proposition consultant, shares his insights on crafting clear value propositions. He discusses why founders often struggle to articulate their products simply. Zoltan introduces a five-question framework for creating compelling messaging and highlights the importance of understanding the customer's perspective. They dive into defining target customers and identifying key benefits that set a service apart. Listeners learn how to draft a concise value statement and the significance of iteration in messaging.