The Sales Evangelist

While setting up discovery calls is the first half of the battle, the other half is getting the prospect to show up. And a great solution to drive attendance is by using a text message. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by founder and CEO of Salesmsg Chris Brisson to talk about how you can use text messaging to increase meeting show rates.  SMS can be used for anything, from lead generation to conversion and engagement. Sales is a three-step process: sign up, show up, and pay up.  Creating a multichannel approach is the best way to drive attendance. A simple text message offers a simple last-minute reminder shortly before meetings. We are a conversational society, so short messages with an understandable motive won't’ be considered spammy or annoying. Implementing SMS software into your business: If you want to test SMS messaging without a monetary investment, manually send a standard text message an hour before the meeting. But to scale this process, a system is necessary. With Salesmsg, you’ll have a way to respond to those messages if someone responds. Remember, it’s not a general broadcast message - it’s conversational.  SMS can also be the channel for micro-questions that need answering and lead to more meaningful discussions.  To start a conversation with a prospect, ask simple questions that ease them into a conversation. What are some ways to get the phone number of people? Start today. And, depending on your business, the way you gather phone numbers might be different.  You need an opt-in! Don’t just import a list and send mass text messages. (It isn’t legal.) Include the proper language and start the conversation. Providing your number first can help break the apprehension someone might have about supplying their number. For access to case studies showing the advantage of SMS messaging for business, visit  customers.salesmessage.com. The SaaS Academy case study is particularly helpful to see how people can use SMS to make more money. Use this link for free access to Salesmsg’s Text Size Your Business PDF, and head over to salesmsg.com to start a free 14-day trial to get introduced to the platform. (They’re the #1 integration on HubSpot.) For more content from Chris, connect with him on LinkedIn. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator. The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you! Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase. Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE.  This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real. But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com. This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle. Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)  With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. 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, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!  Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial. Audio provided by Free SFX 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

Discovery calls aren’t just the first part of the process - they’re where the close begins. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald will dive into seven common mistakes salespeople make when making discovery calls (and, more importantly, how you can fix them.)  Stop the lackluster pre-call prep. We know back-to-back zoom meetings can be tiring. But from the prospect’s perspective, you have just one meeting. So come prepared! It’s not just a discovery for you; it’s a discovery for the prospect to see if they’re interested in working with you. Consider creating an agenda for the prospect to review before the meeting to ensure everyone gets what they want out of it. Don’t ask what you should already know. Call the company ahead, speak to end-users, and get helpful information. Entering the discovery call with the intel you need will set you apart as a salesperson and demonstrate the qualities you want to convey. Talk less Salespeople should not be taking more than 40% of the time. Instead, ask questions that provoke the prospect to spend more time responding. Build a rapport. Top performers engage in 17% less small talk than other salespeople. When it comes to conversations with the prospect, don’t waste time on small talk that doesn’t contribute to a substantial discussion.  Even if it isn’t necessarily related to your product, discuss things that further develop a relationship between you and the prospect. (AKA, not the weather.) Fully understand pain points. Only 13% of customers believe a salesperson can understand their needs. 44% of customers feel that only 25% of current providers help them maximize their value As a salesperson, don’t be afraid to have the prospect explain their situation in detail, so you have a comprehensive understanding (and thus provide a comprehensive solution.) Don’t ask a set standard of questions - ask clarifying and follow-up questions to get the most out of your interactions!  While a scripted template of questions can be a starting point, it is far from the only thing you should ask.  Next steps Don’t end a meeting without setting up a plan for the next one. Instead, consider setting aside the final five minutes of the meeting to ensure time to arrange the next steps.  Focus on the wrong competitors. The biggest competitor you have isn’t a company; it’s the status quo. People like keeping things the way they are. What about your product should make them embrace change? 60-80% of deals end in no decision - meaning the prospects don’t see enough of a reason to change their current situation.  This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator. The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you! Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase. Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE.  This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real. But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com. This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle. Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)  With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. 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, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!  Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial. Audio provided by Free SFX 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

Prospecting is a critical element of the sales process. After all, how can you expect new business if you aren’t finding new prospects who can benefit from your product? In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by entrepreneur and speaker AJ Vassar to discuss how to prepare yourself for better prospecting.  Salespeople need new clients in their pipeline.  Despite this, it’s an area where people are frequently challenged. In sales, we learn ABC - always be closing. But, just as important is the idea of the prospecting ABC - always be connecting. Connecting and establishing a network is integral to being a successful salesperson. But don’t just connect with random people; find people you can provide value to (and vice versa.) When you also focus on connecting people with others, you’ll be top of mind in all instances. And that is a critical element to have. What if a salesperson doesn't have time to connect with new people? You have to make time. Connecting people with other people makes you an asset they’ll want to interact with (and hopefully do business with.) If you help enough people get what they want, you’ll get what you want. Relationships are like a bank account: Don’t make a withdrawal before making a deposit. Using this skill on LinkedIn:  If you’re connected on LinkedIn, what can you do in 10 minutes per day to find success? One of AJ’s mentors is Ronald Jackson, retired three-star army general, ex-referee for the NBA, and professor at Georgia Tech. The very first thing AJ asked him was, “tell me your goals, and what can I help you achieve?” People don’t mind talking about themselves - they love it. And everyone, no matter how wealthy, has goals you might be able to help accomplish. One major takeaway: The saying “your net worth is your network” is incredibly apt. But, more importantly, it’s not who you know, but who knows you. Follow AJ on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for more great content. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator. The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you! Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase. Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE.  This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real. But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com. This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle. Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)  With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. 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, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!  Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial. Audio provided by Free SFX 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

It’s no secret that mentors and coaches can be the extra push that gets us to the top. But how can we go about finding great mentors? In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by Gabrielle Blackwell (GB), co-founder of Women in Sales Club (which focuses on empowering and enabling women to succeed in sales), to discuss her tactics and strategy when finding and interacting with a potential mentor. The problem: There’s a need for mentors. When GB got into sales, she wanted to be the best. However, she needed to learn more first. After suffering a concussion from a car accident, she needed to revitalize her efforts and get back on her sales feet. So, GB talked to people to evaluate if she was moving in the right direction. Sales reps and leaders need to acknowledge that you don’t have to know everything. Admitting you don’t know something requires an environment where you feel comfortable. And, upon noticing the discrepancy between what you know and what you need to know, you can ask for help. People either want to change or have to change. “I don’t know” needs to be normalized.  And before management can care about meeting expectations, they need to show you how to meet those expectations. It’s their job to teach you. Part of advocating for yourself involves recognizing when you need to advocate for yourself. A mentor is not going to fall in your lap. Sandler’s You Can’t Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar discusses the Dummy Curve. (When you first start something, you ask questions. But as you learn more, you regurgitate what you know rather than listen to what’s happening around you.) You don’t need to let people know how much you know. If someone asked me to be a mentor, what is it you’re trying to accomplish? What is it about me that makes you uniquely qualified to be a mentor? Who are subject matter experts at what you’re trying to get better at? Once you target those people, consume their content—research what they’re doing. Approach them with questions and comments about their content and their work. Show the drive. It’s such a show of strength to ask for help. If you know what you need help with, that’s great. But if you don’t know what you don’t know, that’s also great. For more great content from GB, sign up for the Women in Sales Club Newsletter and connect with her on LinkedIn. This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real. But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com. This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle. Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)  With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. 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, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!  Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial. Audio provided by Free SFX 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

Many salespeople rely on assumptions about salespeople - think the cringe-inducing car salesman from movies. But while there’s truth in its origins, that description is no longer true to the modern salesperson. And while the modern salesperson embraces technology to achieve more, they often fall short. The takeaway? We aren’t getting better at selling. So how can we improve? In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald brings on sales teacher, author, and consultant Andy Paul to discuss his strategy for revitalized selling. While there are commonalities, there is more than one way to sell well. The push to sales conformity is really for management, not the seller. Because management wants something predictable. However, the real world is more complicated.  You learn, take those learnings and apply them to life. And you become the sum of your experience and knowledge. We all end up doing things differently, even if they lead to the same result. Despite all the tools and technological advancements that benefit us, we aren’t getting better at selling.  We have ready access to a world of information, so it should make for a better and more efficient buying experience. However, our win rates are dropping. His book was a way of acknowledging the common sales behaviors, stopping, and doing only what works. The problem starts with educating sellers on what their job is. When asked “what’s your job?” The answer comes back “to persuade someone to buy my product.” In reality, your job is to listen to the prospective buyer’s challenges and help them find resources to overcome those problems. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. The Catalyst by Jonah Berger - Human beings have a resistance to being persuaded. Instead of persuasion, think about it from an influence perspective. Persuasion is coercive, while influence is affecting the actions of others without force. It’s a change in mindset. Four Pillars of Changing Sales Connection - Some people conflate a relationship with a friendship. While you don’t need to be friends with your buyers, you make connections in every interaction you have with them. Credibility and trust promote the relationship that makes a buyer choose to invest their time and energy into you. The seller is the first line of differentiation to the buyer. It costs you nothing to build a level of trust, but it does make a difference. Curiosity - We understand the world through curiosity and asking questions. The currently accepted sales process has a tiny time fr discovery. But in reality, this process should happen in every conversation with the prospect or buyer. To be interesting to someone else, you first need to be interested in them. Understanding - Our job is to listen to the most important thing to the buyer. What’s the context? A salesperson’s time to understand the buyer is a process that should never stop. Fully understand the buyer to determine how you can help them overcome challenges. Generosity - Humans are wired to give and collectively support one another. It triggers reciprocity, and the purpose of your generosity is to achieve what is important for both parties. Value exists only in the eyes of the buyer. The point you should achieve in sales is to help make a decision after an interaction. Were they closer to making a decision at the end of a call? If not, why did you have the meeting?  We don’t have a lot of control over our lives. But the baseline choices we make as sellers can help achieve what’s most important to them, which is all the difference you might need to make a sale.  Andy’s Manifesto - Sign it (especially as a sales leader) Go to his website andypaul.com, Amazon, or anyplace books are sold to check out and order his book TITLE. SIgn his manifesto  This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real. But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com. This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle. Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)  With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. 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, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!  Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial. Audio provided by Free SFX 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

More people use LinkedIn now than ever before. Is it the promised land? Not quite. But it’s still an excellent resource to find leads, start conversations, and ultimately convert connections. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by authentic seller and co-host of the making Sales Social Podcast Bill McCormick to discuss generating conversations that convert on everyone’s favorite professional social media platform.  Three groups of people to understand on LinkedIn: The Lion: The people with a ton of connections they might not know very well. (Recruiters are a great example of this group.) The Purist: People who only connect with people in their industry or area. While they have high-quality connections, they don’t have very many. The Networker: People who see LinkedIn as a networking room open to connecting with new people. This group is the median between the Lion and the Purist. A critical part of every LinkedIn connection strategy is the introduction. How many times do you connect without interacting with your contacts? Probably more than you think. In fact, you’re likely already connected to your ideal contacts, but you forgot about them. Bombbomb is a great resource to send video introduction messages that stand out and encourage communication with one another. It fosters conversation. Conversations aren’t rocket science. Even with the free LinkedIn platform, you can filter potential contacts based on area, industry, and more criteria. (The takeaway: you don’t always need Sales Navigator.) We listen with our eyes. (Yes, you heard and read that right.)  Being a helpful resource to prospects, even if that means working with someone other than you, is the best way to approach social selling and build credibility. Determine what kind of content is helpful to your prospect’s problems. But instead of just sending a link, ask to send the link. And only send it if they ask for it. Sharing content correctly conveys the trust and credibility that establishes yourself as a thought leader. Only 2% of LinkedIn users share content. You differentiate yourself by sharing content at least once per week. (Posting twice a week is even crazier.) You want your content to resonate with your followers before you pitch. Then, create curiosity. Make your audience think about something they’ve never thought about before. Teach them something new about their product or platform. Ask yourself if you’re creating curiosity or just pitching. Only then can you worry about disseminating content. Content should be a mixture of one-to-many, one-to-few, and one-to-one. Variety is the spice of life (and your LinkedIn feed) Final tip: LinkedIn is the Rolodex of today. You can search their connections and see if they can connect you with others. To get Bill’s referral formula, connect with him on LinkedIn. Subscribe to his podcast, Making Sales Social, which features interviews with top sales and marketing leaders and strategic tips to master LinkedIn. Finally, become a free member of Social Sales Link to access a free library of resources, from masterclasses to platform optimization tips. This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real. But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com. This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle. Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)  With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. 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, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!  Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial. Audio provided by Free SFX 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

Video is one of the most successful and valuable tactics salespeople can implement to land more meetings and reach higher sales goals. But it can be challenging to start without understanding the basics. On today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by Vidyard’s VP of Marketing and Chief Video Strategist Tyler Lessard to discuss how you can start integrating video content into your outreach campaigns. Common Video Mistakes: The largest mistake is the perception of video in today’s business world. Video is no longer a one-to-many, high-quality product like movies and advertisements. Now it’s about connection, not perfection. Video is just a new mode to communicate with prospects like phone calls, social media, and traditional email. However, short videos are a visual medium that drastically help create a connection. You don’t need a scripted, rehearsed monologue. The goal is authenticity. A viewer can see the passion and excitement for the product or service that email just can’t quite convey, making it a more emotionally effective strategy than traditional messaging. Subject LIne Best Practices: People typically send video messages as an email. Therefore, getting people to open the email is your greatest challenge. Teasing a video in the subject line piques curiosity and stands out from what’s happening out there, resulting in higher open rates. When people end video the same way they send emails, it doesn't feel right. These videos are an opportunity to convey authenticity and show passion, likely with a more interest-based CTA.  If you can incorporate something immediately relatable to your audience, it can stimulate higher engagement.  How creative do you need to be to send video content? You don’t need to be a creative video-maker. However, be creative in your messaging. For example, visiting a prospect’s LinkedIn profile with a screen-share to show something you notice. Consider filming pre-meeting and post-meeting videos. Even if it’s a short, 20-second reminder, it creates a rhythm of communication and increases the meeting show rate. Post-meeting, send a video recap to attendees and people who missed the meeting, which increases your exposure and familiarity with the team. Tyler’s final takeaway? Whatever industry you’re in, video is here to stay and now is the time to figure out how you can use it to communicate your ideas. Vidyard has a tremendous amount of free resources for salespeople on their website, vidyard.com. Get in touch with Tyler on LinkedIn for more resources and content. His book, The Visual Sale, is available on Amazon. Check out co-author Marcus Sheridan’s appearance on The Sales Evangelist.  This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real. But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com. This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle. Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)  With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. 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, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!  Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial. Audio provided by Free SFX 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

Converting web leads is the dream for virtually every B2B company. What if we told you there’s a way to increase the conversion rate for web visitors by as much as double your current rates? In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by co-founder and CEO of Chili Piper, Nicolas Vandenberghe, to discuss how his SaaS platform does just that. Only a fraction of website visitors turns into sales leads. The key to improving your conversion rate is to automate your inbound process.  The old inbound strategy depended on a human salesperson reaching out to a prospect (typically based on a form submission.) This humanist delay can result in up to days of lag time between the form and the response. And the business world is just too fast-paced for that. Speed to Lead helps overcome this issue by automating the qualification process and scheduling meetings in real-time. Prequalification is critical to faster client acquisition. You don’t want to waste time interacting with a potential client who won’t be suitable for your product. (And conversely, you shouldn’t want to waste their time.) Because so much data is available, clients can be pre-qualified automatically. For example, prequalification based on company size or revenue is easily accessible information that can be automatically checked with the initial form submission. Qualifying based on intent is trickier, but it can be accomplished through observing website visit frequency to gauge intent. Consider reallocating manpower to positions only humans can do. Human beings are better at influencing and building trust, which is why Nicholas recommends inbound SDRs be reallocated to outbound SDR positions.  Many elements of the inbound process are menial and repetitive, like scheduling meetings and answering form submissions. People don’t need to spend so much time on the administrative elements of the profession. The added value of a real salesperson is in our ability to influence - something machines just can't do as effectively. Nicolas’s final takeaway? The beauty of machines is that you can continually optimize them to better serve you and your prospects. You can experiment with which criteria are most important and adjust accordingly. Decisions are made fast, and they go to the fastest-moving person. So don’t let a lag time in inbound messaging cause slow sales cycles that result in opportunity loss. If you're interested in demoing this automated conversion platform, visit chilipiper.com. (They use their tool, so we’re sure you’ll be contacted promptly.) This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle. Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)  With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. 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, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!  Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial. Audio provided by Free SFX 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

There aren’t many people in the world who look forward to cold calling. (And if you're one of those people, you deserve an award.) But if you want to see an immediate improvement in your cold outreach, there are two things your prospects should know as soon as you start your first interaction. Find out what those are on today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist.  1: Who are you? Your initial outreach should include your name (we hope that’s obvious). Still, it should also include the relevant information about you that will ease prospect anxiety and make them more receptive to what you have to say. This information could be how you found them, like LinkedIn or at a networking event. Even better, you could reference other people in the company the prospect works with, and that they suggested the connection.  2: What do you want? Once a prospect understands who you are, the seller must explain why they’re calling. Typically, there’s a reason you selected these specific people to cold call. As a result, you (hopefully) know a few pain points that you can use to prompt them into a conversation. They might not be receptive to an interaction at this particular time, but in explaining what you want, even if it’s just to schedule a follow-up meeting to discuss if your product is right for them, they’ll be more likely to agree to the next step. Remember, you call dozens of similar people each day; you have experience and knowledge beneficial to these prospects.  This two-part strategy is necessary for any cold outreach campaign, whether on the phone, email, or LinkedIn networking. Bring value to the table, and you’ll have a better chance of landing that next appointment.  This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real. But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com. This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle. Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)  With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. 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, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!  Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial. Audio provided by Free SFX 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

Many salespeople dream of reaching the illustrious seven-figure earners club. But how can you achieve this goal? In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by Brandon Fluharty to discuss his seven-step framework for making seven figures in enterprise SaaS sales.  There are core truths to seven-figure selling:  You’re likely selling to large enterprise companies. While you can do it with small and medium-sized companies, it is challenging. You have experience (and confidence) selling to large clients.  You need the patience to endure incredibly long sales cycles. 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 feel comfortable and successful? 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. And that takes a transformational mindset. Be strategic about your target account list. Sell to clients that give you purpose. Identify the reasons you like you prefer your ideal client, and search for more that fit those criteria.  Doing so keeps you motivated during dishearteningly long sales cycles that enterprise companies have. Create a standard no one else delivers. The Diamond Standard - Picture a coal field in your competitive scenario, and be the diamond for your clients.  It is easier to perform to this standard when working with the clients you are interested in and passionate about. 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.  But, as he climbed the ranks, Brandon realized he could listen more than talk. And that weakness turned into a strength. Write down traits you feel hold you back. Then, how can you repurpose those and turn them into strengths? Rally others inside your organization Nothing great is achieved alone. And when you’re talking about seven and eight-figure deals, you’ll need help.  Be a generalist with your skillset, but be a specialist with your outcome. Be confident that you’re engaged and can make an impact. Don’t dictate; collaborate. Develop a personal operating system Move out of hustle culture and work more intelligently. DFC: Discipline, flexibility, and curiosity. Anything with a start, middle, and end should utilize these components. PREP: Plan, Rest, Effort, Performance.  Balance these two frameworks to operate and live life instead of hustling around the clock. (It’s a much more humanistic approach.) Follow Brandon on LinkedIn for more content, information, and insights. Subscribe to his bi-weekly email newsletter Be Focused, LIve Great for a discounted copy of his e-book upon its release!  This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real. But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com. This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle. Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)  With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. 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, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!  Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial. Audio provided by Free SFX 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