The Sales Evangelist

In the last episode, I shared some hidden gems on what prospects really want when they go on LinkedIn. I also provided some examples of how to engage with customers on the platform. But what I didn’t show you was how to turn these prospects into appointments. You’re going to find out in this part two series of my little LinkedIn rant.Connect, Share, and Engage to Generate Leads on LinkedInIf you remember from the last episode, I discussed how connecting and engaging with a prospect is better than the generic connecting and pitching method. Connect with a prospect on LinkedIn, share relevant content there, and engage with those who engage with your content. Even if no one is commenting on your posts, still keep sharing. Another idea is for you to comment on other content in the groups your ICP is in. Remember the data I shared on why people are on LinkedIn?When you’re engaging and sharing content that your prospects are interested in, it helps you pop up in their news feeds more and become seen as an industry expert. When they become more familiar with you, they’ll be more likely to respond when you pitch.Start a NewsletterIt’s never too late to start a newsletter, and don’t get lazy with it. Consider the questions and challenges your prospects are having and share solutions on how they can fix them in your weekly LinkedIn newsletter. Doing this once a week will show you as a source of information for the industry. People are coming to you to become educated! I share how you can create weekly emails with ChatGPT without just copying and pasting.Also, once you’re well connected with your prospect, shoot them a message asking for permission, and then pitch them your services. If you’re not sure how to do this, send me a connection request and ask how.“Information from you allows you to engage with people on LinkedIn.” - Donald Kelly.ResourcesConnect and follow me on LinkedIn.Do you need help with creating a podcast? Check out Bluë Mango Studios.Join my LinkedIn Prospecting Course for more guidance. Sponsorship OffersThis 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.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.Mentioned in this episode:HubSpot Hubspot.com/marketersHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOSHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS hubpspot.com/marketers bluemangostudios.com

Navigating LinkedIn can feel like a minefield of immediate sales pitches that turn prospects off. A recent poll showed that 60% of users dislike getting pitched right after connecting. Instead of automating messages, focusing on genuine relationship-building is crucial. Authentic engagement is the key to successful networking. By avoiding the pitfalls of impersonal approaches, sales reps can enhance their chances of closing deals while creating a more favorable user experience.

There’s no way around it; you’re going to hear "no" repeatedly in this industry. However, how you handle those "no's" is what turns you into a better seller. My guest, Jacob Hicks, is going to show you how he turned 70% of his "no's" into future "yes's."Meet Jacob HicksHe is a successful sales coach passionate about empowering leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs to achieve clarity and fulfillment in both their business and personal lives.  Since 2014, he has been a sales leader who has exceeded goals, set records, and effectively led teams across diverse industries.  When he isn’t working, he is dedicated to continuous growth through reading, music, investing, and mission work.What to Do When You Get RejectedJacob believes that all success stems from prospects telling you "no." You learn significantly more from setbacks.This is where you can reflect on what went wrong and how you can improve your deal-closing process.He also believes that without a strong follow-up system, you will not be able to grow as a seller. You can work on your closing techniques, product knowledge, and other systems, but without a strong follow-up system, nothing else will be effective.Why Following Up Is Important?You call a prospective buyer, and they tell you they are not interested. Is there a way to still follow up, even after they have said "no"?Jacob views it as a retreat point and interprets the "no" as the buyer saying they are not interested in the product or service at this moment.His preferred line for this type of rejection is, "Would you be offended if I stayed in touch with you?" He has found that 90 to 95% of the time, people are open to you reaching out to them again.This allows you to continue following up with them a couple of times a month and provide value until they are ready to do business with you.Following Up Role-PlayJacob and I engage in a sales role-playing scenario where he is the seller and I am the prospective buyer. He demonstrates how he handles my rejection by providing value and establishing a follow-up system. Our role-playing illustrates that a "no" can evolve into a "yes" over time."When you’re stuck in a rut, you have to do something to change the dynamic. If you’re sitting at your desk all day, get up and stand or do something different to get you out of your comfort zone, helping you remember that you’re trying a new closing technique." - Jacob Hicks.ResourcesVisit Jacob’s website for more information and resources.Listen to his podcast to get more insider tips. Sponsorship OffersThis 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.Mentioned in this episode:bluëmango | STUDIOSbluemanostudios.comHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOSHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS hubpspot.com/marketers bluemangostudios.com

Ronnell Richards, a best-selling author and seasoned sales consultant, discusses the critical role of an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) in driving sales success. He reveals that many tech companies lack an effective ICP, leading to missed opportunities. Ronnell shares his framework of 37 questions to help businesses refine their ICP and target their ideal clients more effectively. He emphasizes the need for a humanized sales approach that builds trust and aligns values, ensuring stronger customer relationships and improved outcomes.

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.Mentioned in this episode:HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOSHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS hubpspot.com/marketers bluemangostudios.com

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.Mentioned in this episode:HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOSHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS hubpspot.com/marketers bluemangostudios.com

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.Mentioned in this episode:HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOSHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS hubpspot.com/marketers bluemangostudios.com

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. Mentioned in this episode:HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOSHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS hubpspot.com/marketers bluemangostudios.com

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.Mentioned in this episode:HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOSHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS hubpspot.com/marketers bluemangostudios.com