The Sales Evangelist

The Next Wave: Customer-Facing Solutions   With the new year, we are all looking towards the next wave in customer-facing solutions available for us. This is important as it helps improve our business and sales strategies.  Nicolas Venderberghe is a CEO and entrepreneur. Nicolas is originally from France but has now lived in the U.S. for a good part of his career. He’s been working for tech companies, working at Chilli Piper since 2016. The company’s biggest vision is to improve sales and completely transform the industry by using digital tools.  Big companies like SalesForce specialize in back end algorithms and can miss the opportunities on the front end.  This is where Nicolas’ company helps its clients thrive. Salespeople used to be technophobes and hated the idea of using technology in their sales process. As new technologies have become available, salespeople now adapt to a variety of tools and have become savvier.  Next wave in customer-facing solutions The sales industry tends to move in waves. First, it was about automating internal processes, and that’s why we have CRM. It ensures that everything is recorded so, in any situation, much of the sales cycle happens in the backend.  The next generation helps with the interaction and is referred to as customer-facing tools. This is the next wave in customer-facing solutions.  An opportunity that Nicolas’ team addresses is in the booking, or scheduling a meeting. In sales, even before the first meeting, an opportunity has to be created to book a time and engage with a prospect. The easiest example would include inbound products, called the concierge.  In earlier days, the concierge occurred when prospects visited your site, and let you know they were interested in learning more by filling out a form that provided contact information for the follow-up. Upon clicking the submit button, they’d be brought to a thank you page and told that someone would be in touch.  The prospect was left wondering who would get in touch and when. In some cases, there would be no follow up so retention was lost. Many companies are losing more than half their pipeline due to a broken process. Businesses can lose up to 80% of their leads because they don’t act fast enough.  Qualifying the prospects Nicolas and his team built an intelligence solution to address this problem. In their version, once the prospect fills out the form for submission, Nicolas’ company uses the information from the form to qualify the prospect right away. They look at the prospect’s company size and the criteria set by their client to qualify. They’re able to do this, and reach out to a salesperson, in real-time. They call the prospect’s number and when they pick up, the prospect is connected immediately to a salesperson. If the sales rep isn’t available, a calendar is made available so the prospect can book a time that works for them, all with one click.  Streamlining the front of the sales cycle allows for more direct revenues. Companies that work with Nicolas’ team have seen an increase in revenue and conversation rates between 50-100%. They’ve even seen many companies double their conversion rates.  Some companies have even started to work with them with as little as 30-40% conversion, losing 60-70% of their leads.  Business to small businesses When a prospect wants to purchase a product or service, the quickest company to reply is typically the one that will get the account. This concept is called business to small businesses, where a bigger company is sending to small businesses. They don’t have an army of people to go through a procurement process.  Instead, they’re going to look for a variety of vendors. These are the types of prospects that bigger companies are losing. It’s because they fail to act quickly and respond to their prospects’ needs.  For a larger enterprise, the buyer has more time but they’re also going to look at how they are going to be served. The solution to this is called the red carpet. This means showing up, taking the form, and immediately offering the option to talk to somebody. This strategy of being direct is another boost to your conversion rate. As a salesperson, you need to remember that the very beginning of the sales process is to make sure that things end on a very good note.  Things don’t go as fast for B2B because of the different teams involved in the sales process. The marketing team is in charge of bringing in traffic to the website. The sales team is in charge of managing the resulting. Each of these teams follows their own processes. The problems can begin when there’s nothing that brings these two teams together. The greater the number of people involved, the more inefficient the process becomes.  It takes a long time for people to adapt to the changes.  Different teams can have their own incentives and may not be completely aligned with the company’s goals.  The breakdown of the decision-making power between the marketing team and the sales team is the reason why B2B may not be as effective as B2C.  Increased conversion rates There have been many companies that have sought Nicolas’ company’s services and some have doubled their conversion rates. Every customer with Chilli Piper increased their conversion rates by at least 50% or more. The company called Grow.com and its marketing operation were very keen on optimization, especially after they plateaued at a 40% conversion rate. The company went to Chilli Piper. Upon implementation, they went up to 68% in their first month and 72% in the second month. That is a drastic jump from 40%-72%. More revenues mean more pipelines, and more pipelines mean more profits.  It can take time to get everybody on board to adapt and accept the changes. However, when that’s done and the solution has been deployed, it becomes a beautiful success story.  Re-educating the market  There are people working for a company whose sole job is to make calls and set an appointment. When they are able to set a schedule, they get a commission. These middlemen aren’t needed under the new system. This can understandably lead to resistance.  This process needs more education so people know how to use the resources available. This knowledge ensures that everyone is aligned.  Everyone using this system will be better off.  What can you do? Collaboration between sales and marketing is a recipe for success. When you meet your prospects, you need to be prepared. Have prior meetings so you can make the most of your time with the client. The marketing team prepared the presentation and the sales team meets with the customers. There must be something that connects the marketing team and the sales team.  To address this, Chilli Piper created the events workspace where it becomes easier for both teams to schedule. The marketing team will be able to explore the sales team’s calendar. They then schedule meetings ahead of time. The sales and marketing teams need to collaborate with each other to ensure an increase in revenue.  Salespeople need to understand these new customer-facing tools and their massive impact on their business. This a hyper-competitive market. Companies who are struggling should rethink their sales process and look for ways to optimize the opportunities that are currently available. Companies that ensure the buyer has the best and fastest experience all the way through the entire deal will have a much better chance at closing. Map out your journey and look at the places where your processes are optimal.  Make sure your buyer has the fastest and best experience before and after the deal. #SalesSuccess “The Next Wave: Customer-Facing Solutions”  episode resources Reach out to Nicolas Venderberghe via their website. You can also call out to Donald if has some time.  Reach out to Dave Mattson via his LinkedIn profile. You can also email him directly at Dmattson@sandlercut.com.  If you have more sales concerns, you can also talk to Donald about it via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns.  This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can also call us at (561) 570-5077.  We have a new semester beginning in January and we would love to have you and your team join us. Follow this link to apply to the program.  We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.  You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free 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

Disclaimer: This episode is in no way trying to influence listeners on their religious beliefs.    Best Sellers In History Series 3 -"Mother Teresa"   The Best Sellers in History series is focused on people who were influential in helping others recognize what was best for their future and motivated them to take action.The first episode focused on the impact of Jesus Christ and the second episode was about the persuasiveness of Abraham Lincoln. In this episode, the spotlight is on Mother Teresa.  Mother Teresa wasn’t viewed as a sales rep but she shared a vision and a cause with everyone she spoke to.  Her ability to influence and lead others gained such momentum that her impact reaches well beyond her lifetime and the borders of India where she served. The Missionaries of Charity, established by Mother Teresa in 1950 began as a small order of 12 nuns and has now grown to more than 4,500 nuns who are actively working in over 600 missions across 133 countries. Through her efforts, Mother Teresa went on to receive a Nobel Peace Prize.  After her death, she was honored as Saint Teresa of Calcutta. Mother Teresa set out to serve others and modeled to others how they could join her.  Let’s take a look at the reasons she was so influential and how we can use the same principles in your B2B sales efforts. In this article, we will discuss 5 main points that made Mother Teresa an historical figure of great impact but first, what were her roots?  Humble beginnings Mother Teresa was born on August 26, 1910, in Scopia, the capital city of North Macedonia. She eventually left to serve in Ireland and then went on to India where she spent the majority of her life. There, in 1950, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation. The nuns took the traditional vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience but in addition, they professed to wholeheartedly give their service and strength to the poorest of the poor.  Because of her tireless efforts and huge impact around the world, Mother Teresa’s lifetime was filled with awards and recognition, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. How did she go from such humble beginnings to gaining international recognition and worldwide impact? Five reasons: Deep conviction Ability to take action without hesitation Ability to build a strong rapport Ability to teach Drive to push against the status quo Let’s take a look at how these principles can be applied in B2B selling.    Deep Conviction  A nun is a member of a religious community of women living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They typically live in a convent or monastery under a life-long calling. Nuns can focus their efforts on various causes such as education and healthcare.  Unmarried, they focus on a higher calling. Unlike many missionaries who may commit to a finite amount of time in the mission field, most nuns commit their entire lives to service, like Mother Teresa. She dedicated her entire adult life to serving and helping others, usually the poorest of the poor. She was the epitome of selflessness, committing to what she believed in until she died in 1997. Millions of people around the world believe in God but not everyone has the same conviction to serve others the way Mother Teresa did.  Conviction should be important to you as a B2B sales rep because you need to believe in what you do, what you sell, and how you can serve others through your business. If you want to help others by asking them to take action toward change, there has to be a belief in you that will translate to your prospect. Sales reps often jump from one job to another looking for a company that will earn them more money or they go from one industry to another. If this is you, understand that frequent changes can keep you from the commitment to the product or service you’re selling. For buyers, a sales rep who doesn’t stick with a company can translate as someone not dedicated to sticking to what they represent. Buyers can see a salesperson who isn’t willing to be there long-term.  OB Smith shared that confidence and enthusiasm are the greatest sales producers in any kind of economy. A sales rep without much confidence and conviction in what he’s selling usually doesn’t get many sales.  Sales reps must have conviction and passion. Confidence is contagious and that’s how people perceived Mother Teresa. They saw her confidence and passion and were convinced to work with her and support her cause.  When you keep hopping from company to company, you don’t give yourself time to believe in what you’re selling. #SalesFacts Build your confidence  You can build your confidence by sticking with a company and product you believe in. If you love CRMs than look for a company that makes you feel confident in their mission and what they’re doing. If you believe in the product you’re selling, and you’re a consumer yourself, you’ll be able to share the value of your product even better. Do your research.  Learn about how other customers are finding success with these same products, read success stories, and get personally involved with your own clients. Talking to people about their successes will bolster your confidence, conviction, and passion as well. Potential clients will see this in you and through that connection, you’ll make sales with a higher retention rate.  Ability to take action without hesitation Having conviction is great but you also need to check your commitment level. Mother Teresa took her commitment another level on September 10, 1946. She was on a train ride when she was struck by inspiration. Mother Teresa decided to leave the protective walls of her convent to help the poorest of the poor and be among the people who needed her the most.  It was her new calling and her mission to go into the streets to help the sick and afflicted.  It was during this time that India was gaining its independence recognize what was best for their future and motivated them to take action. The tension was high. Despite the chaos, the nuns were protected against all the violence. They had food, funding, and an education system. They were provided with everything they needed. While others prayed for the poor, she left the safety of her gated home to take food to people living on the streets. People saw her and told her she ought to get back to the convent where she was protected.  Locals looked up to her and people cared for her. The inspiration she had in the train was far more powerful, however, and she wouldn’t be deterred. She knew she needed to leave her position in the convent to serve the poor. Because of this, Mother Teresa sought exclaustration, an option given to members of the Catholic church who are religiously bound that allows time to live outside their religious institute. Mother Teresa had to get permission from the local leaders and hire ecclesiastical leaders from the Vatican to be granted permission to go outside and help the poor. She was given permission to have three years and upon completion, she filed to create her own congregation, the Missionaries of Charity.  Mother Teresa saw a problem, she wanted to fix it, and she took action. She didn’t wait to be asked.  She took the initiative and moved forward.  Taking action as a B2B sales rep  As a B2B sales rep, consider creating content that’s going to be relevant to your ideal customer. Most reps don’t take advantage of providing solutions for their clients. A member of  LinkedIn posts every single day. His followers know he will answer their questions or he shares insight to help his potential customers. This gives him a lot of connections and has led to more conversations. His efforts result in natural engagement because his posts make people curious about his services as they come to trust his expertise and level of commitment. It’s a simple concept but it takes a lot of work. What keeps him going is a commitment to do something for his potential customers every day.  Be dedicated to your cause and take action. Start by writing thank you notes or sending cards to your clients. Don’t wait for the HR department to do it. Have the initiative to take action. Do it because you care for them as individuals and as human beings. What separates the greatest salesperson from an average salesperson is their dedication and commitment to their job and their clients. Ability to build a strong rapport Mother Teresa built long-lasting relationships with people. She could have stayed in the convent but she needed to do something more. She left to live among the poor and her conviction was so strong that it pushed her toward action. She spent months with people from all walks of life after coming out of the convent. She built rapport and relationships with them. The people who once hated her eventually became her protectors.  You need to build rapport as a sales rep. Get to know people and your ideal customer. Listen to them when you have a conversation and be genuine. Follow people and businesses, read news that would be relevant to them, and stay updated.  Taking this extra time and effort will position you to be more caring and help in building genuine rapport. If you want to have a strong influence, find a way to become a part of the community. Find a way to give back.  Ability to Teach Mother Teresa was a teacher for 16 years before she left the convent. Because of her experience in teaching, not only did she know how to interact with people, she knew how to ask questions and was able to break down complex ideas in a way that people could understand. When she was outside the safety of the convent, Mother Teresa didn’t have the same resources but she did what she could. She began teaching the local children the alphabet and other beginning education. She knew how to command attention, and as she taught the children, the adults began to also pay attention.  As a sales rep, look for ways you can educate your customers even if you get nothing in return. Whether you’re going to an event or appearing as a guest on a show, look for new insights gained from these activities so more people will benefit from your experience. Offer effective guidance.  Drive to Push Against the Status Quo Mother Teresa told her leaders she wanted to go outside the compound and live among the poor.  At that time, it was unheard of. Some saw it as an act of defiance because it wasn’t the norm but she was determined. She went through all the proper channels and while there were people who were against her goal, there were even more who supported her. They understood she was on a mission to do God’s work.  Abraham Lincoln pushed against the status quo and so did Jesus. They were very passionate about elevating the people who lived during their era to build a better future. It pushed them to go against the current.  As a salesperson, you can do the same thing by veering away from the status quo. While others are just working 9 to 5, making traditional calls and appointments, and watching Netflix during breaks, you can set a higher standard for yourself and your customers.  Consider hiring a sales coach, read more books, and listen to sales podcasts. Educate yourself by going to different events, and take the time to research your product and services so you have a better understanding of their value. Being average will gain average income. Be someone who's earning significant income by making a difference in people’s lives. If you want to be somebody that's going to have a strong influence, be someone who acts beyond the ordinary.  Best Sellers In History Series 3 -"Mother Teresa" As a recap, here are the five reasons why Mother Teresa became so influential:  Deep conviction Ability to take action without hesitation Ability to build a strong rapport Ability to teach Drive to push against the status quo If you have more sales concerns, you can also talk to Donald about it via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns.  This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can also call us at (561) 570-5077. It’s also brought to you by B2B Sales Show with a different podcast format. It has a rotating co-host and they brought in multiple sales though leaders and half a dozen other co-hosts that are either interviewing the guests or sharing quick hit tactical content themselves from their own lessons throughout their sales career. They have multiple episodes a week.  We have a new semester beginning in January and we would love to have you and your team join us. Follow this link to apply to the program.  We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.  You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free 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

How To Grow Sales With Local Networking Events All salespeople have tried to grow sales with local networking events. Many organizations utilize these events to bring awareness and drive sales. It’s a strategy that truly works.  Sam Edwards is Chief Marketing Officer of SEO.co. It’s a content marketing and link building agency based in Seattle. He’s been in the digital and marketing space for the past 10 years and now he’s focused on hosting marketing events to get more clients on the sales side. Sam has experience working with TEDx talk and has written for Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, and other large publications.  Through this work he’s developed his teaching side and helps local communities build their own stories and plans.  Sam has a meet-up group with approximately 400 members.  Another he’s affiliated with has over 300 and a third has close to a thousand members. Sam’s group has an average attendance of about 50 - 100. They have an upcoming event this February 5th that’s slated for over 120 people. Typically, the idea of going to a networking event right after work isn’t that appealing to people who work 9 to 5 jobs. Sam’s group met that challenge by creating events that are more like fun outings so people were excited to attend, even after a long day.  That’s how they were able to obtain and retain the number of people coming month after month.  Monetizing networking events  Their very first event was agency-sponsored. That agency believed in their idea and wanted to look further into what Sam was doing. They spent $300 for the event and it was focused on an industry-specific topic about how to use the paid SCM data to influence the organic SEO strategy for search marketing. That event cost them $300 but they made eighteen thousand dollars. There are three main things you need to ensure when setting up a networking event.  There is no selling at events Focus should be on the quality of the event and the content you’re offering Take the time to build up the group. There is no selling at events People have their guard up when listening to a presenter. It’s after the presentations that everyone lowers their guard, especially when it’s time for the after-party and everyone is going to the bar for drinks. People tend to relax in that environment and it’s then you can start a conversation.  When talking to people, just talk, no pitching. People will see what you have to offer through talking with you. If they like what they see, they will want to work with you.  Focus on building a relationship using organic means instead of trying focusing on presenting a pitch.  Be transparent and honest when you are talking to people coming to your events. If you see the potential client isn’t going to be a good fit early on, be upfront. Don’t take the client just because they’re available. You want to make sure you’re qualifying the people who want to work with you.  Make your events free and organize them to grow through invitation. It takes everyone to help for these events to continue to grow, and that includes previous attendees.  Understand this is not a one and done quick fix. Even if you only have a handful of people coming to your first event, that shouldn’t deter you from planning another one. It takes time for the actual growth to happen. You will experience growing pains before you’re finally able to identify the kind of event that will attract attendance and growth. Event planning takes time and effort to build.  Focus should be on the quality of the event and the content you’re offering Regardless of how long you’ve worked in your industry, your event still needs quality content to be successful.  People won’t see the value of your events if they don’t see the benefits they will gain from attending. Sam makes it a point for his events to have specific themes or content so attendees know exactly what to look forward to.  The easy part is inviting people to their first event but the challenge is getting them to the events that follow. You do that by ensuring that attendees are presented with quality content. This doesn’t just speak to the presentations. It begins the moment they step into the hall, as you shake their hands, give them their gift bags, and prepare for raffles. A lot of effort goes into a quality event, including everything that is built around the actual presentation. Focus on the details that others may overlook.  Whatever industry you are in, try to make your events fun. Create a catchy event title.  Sam’s event last October had a presentation entitled, “The Spooky Tell-tale Signs You Need to Fire or Hire Your Search Marketing Agency.” Ken Shankman from bulkcandystore.com was one of their sponsors. They gave him the plugins and suggested that he dress up as Willy Wonka. The event planners made 65 gift bags for the attendees and a golden ticket was put in one of the gift bags. The recipient of the golden ticket won the opportunity to visit his candy warehouse for a tour. It was a fun giveaway and it turned out great. This event not only had great content in the presentation but the giveaway made it more exciting and fun. After the event, pictures were posted to their social media circle and meetup groups.  Seeing the fun the attendees had at the October event generated excitement in the following months. People who didn’t go in October did not want to miss out on the fun again! No one wants to feel like they could miss out on a really fun networking opportunity and a great session. Whether it’s a window washing company or a financial institution, you can create themes, presentations, and giveaways around those industries that are creative and have a lot of energy.  If you have sponsors, a win-win opportunity comes from inviting them to offer a prize. They get marketing at the event and another prize adds to the excitement.  People are more inclined to listen to sessions that are energetic and fun so make that a big focus in the planning.  Think about what will maintain attention and interest.   If content is dry and boring, break it up with a raffle.  Keep people’s attention by making it fun! #SalesEvent Take the time to build up the group. Location is important when starting out and building an event. You can start looking within your community for businesses that will allow you to host free events at their location. Sometimes you can negotiate with owners or managers to  host events as a sponsor. Sam makes events free as an incentive to attend. Look for places who are eager to help grow the community. These could even be co-working spaces and event spaces. Local coffee shops also host events for a small cost. Some restaurants may allow an event to come in on a slower night with the promise that attendees will purchase meals.  You also have to consider the environment in which you’re building the event. Don’t choose an off-putting location because that could affect ambiance you’re trying to create for your event.  Sam uses LinkedIn and Meetup as his main platforms to invite people to his events. Creating a group on meetup allows you to send an invitation to a group of people that are in similar businesses and industries.  Generally, people want to be involved especially in an event that’s similar to the industry they’re working in. This is how you can effectively build your group.  Sam likes LinkedIn for their outreach strategy. In the search bar, type in the industry you want to focus on. Once the results show up, you will see job content and more. You can click on these people and send them the same text you use for Meetup invitations. Include information about the event and a link to register. This way, you get to build a connection. It takes time to see results but these events are about building long-term relationships with people. This is the beauty of organic personal outreach.  What it comes down is, just be the real you, transparent and honest.  “How To Grow Sales With Local Networking Events” episode resources You can find Sam Edwards at sam@seo.co and via his LinkedIn account. Do you have any sales experience to share?  If you have more sales concerns, you can also talk to Donald about it via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns.  This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can also call us at (561) 570-5077.  We have a new semester beginning in January and we would love to have you and your team join us. Follow this link to apply to the program.  We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.  You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free 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

How To Plan And Set Goals You Can Achieve In 2020 With the new year comes new goals and resolutions. This episode’s guest offers new ways and suggestions to help you plan and set goals you can achieve in 2020. Many salespeople don’t realize that sales is easy if you follow a basic formula. Typically, however, sales reps have a habit of following the bouncing ball their prospects are throwing despite the many times it can lead to a dead end.  Dave Mattson started out as a client at (David) Sandler Training and he’s been with the company for 30 years. He worked his way up the organization and became a partner in 1994. He had an opportunity to work with Dave for six years before David passed away in 1995. Dave purchased the company in 2012 and is currently the Brand Manager and CEO. They have 265 training centers globally and just last year, they trained 31,000 people and streamed their training to 19,000 people.  This streamed training is becoming the way of the world, especially with the technology that is currently available. As a result, people in their system are represented by different age groups, different cultures, and different countries. Dave’s company creates content that is accessible in whatever format their clients need. For example, younger clients prefer several 4-minute micro trainings, versus a 45 minute lesson. With that knowledge, Sandler made 2,700 micro-learning lessons and added it to their suite of products and services.  Sales strategies keep evolving so Dave and his company must keep up with new trends.  With Sandler being one of the longest running companies, many people in the industry may view them as “dinosaurs” but year after year, they win awards for best sales training, management, and coaching. They clearly have the expertise to do it right.  Importance of goal setting and planning From a CEO’s perspective, planning is imperative to make sure all the different groups in the organization know where they’re going. The assumption is that you have great salespeople working for you, competent individuals, but you have to make sure  they are all heading in the right direction. It is the leader’s responsibility to see all the working parts. Each group needs to be assigned their tasks so everyone ultimately moves toward the organization’s goals.   As a leader, you need to set up a strategy on how to plan and set goals you can achieve in 2020. Layout the benchmarks you want your salespeople to achieve and how you intend to get there.  Show your team the contingency plans so they can better define daily goals for themselves. When the entire team has accountability, planning becomes a “we” exercise. The more you socialize it, the more people get involved. Dave suggests that for your corporate goal to become successful, each salesperson needs to link their commissions to personal goals that will keep them motivated.  A great question is, “If you earn your $250,000 commission, what are you going to do once you have your money?” Being able to visualize something that is meaningful to them, helps to keep up the momentum. There are two reasons why people leave a company.  The first is that they don’t feel like they're being stretched. The second is they don’t respect the person they work for. Sales leaders have to think of ways to motivate their sales reps to achieve their goal, not only for the organization but for individual goals as well.  When the team doesn’t play their role  The most common reason people say they don’t play their role say is they don’t have enough time. There has always been a serious time compression problem in sales. Many magazines claim that the top 3% of all producers are the people who have written down their goals so 97 out of 100 people don’t. This tells you how difficult the job of a sales leader is in an organization. They are in charge of producing revenue from people they can’t control.  Sales leaders need to find a way to motivate their people to make the organization’s plan a success.  The planning process The first thing you can do to plan and set goals that you can achieve in 2020 is to think about the different buckets of goals. What are the categories that are most important to you?  Job promotion? Family? Purchases? Think of the things you want to do in those areas and mind map. Doing this allows you to free your inhibitions and get comfortable with the things you want to do. It’s the fastest way you can brainstorm. Using your dream board or a journal, start putting these buckets in order of priority.    As a CEO, Dave usually focuses on no more than five goals. This allows him to really focus. Goals are more achievable when you don’t have a broad list that can serve as a distraction.  Have your mind map, narrow your goals to five, and have some plan of action. Break your plans down quarter by quarter, month to month, and day to day. If you can hit your goals for Q1, then you know you’re on track. If not, plan out your contingency and look for the people who can help you get refocused.  The problem with setting annual goals is, while there’s nothing wrong with that, these goals are a long way off and you don’t get to feel a daily win.  Become a behaviorist  Say you have a goal of $10 million. You may have a monthly goal of  $850,000. That may mean six sales a month and 24 presentations. Getting in front of people is part of the plan but you can’t control all aspects of that goal.  For example, you can’t control how your prospect will respond. You can’t control anything but your own behavior. An option is, then, is to take a financial goal is and then reverse engineer. What are the daily goals you need to meet? Make little daily goals because you may not be able to control the outcome but you can control your behavior every single day.  Sales reps from any company can break down their annual goal and reverse engineer to a daily behavior. Doing this will help them reach their quota faster. When setting goals, what matters most is your attitude and behavior. A sales rep must have a balanced mindset and do the things he is supposed to do on a daily basis.    Balance between realistic and stretch goals  You need to know the distinction between a stretch goal and a realistic goal is. Stretch goals are reachable in longer time frames and while that is okay, you still need realistic goals that you can hit.  Sandler taught Dave how to make some stretch goals.  When Dave was 70% to his goal, David would move the target even further. Sandler didn’t do it to be discouraging but, instead, he’d encourage Dave to keep moving because he knew Dave had the momentum to do even better.  Remember to move slowly and celebrate your success.  Goals are there to adjust. Be careful of setting goals that are too low just to feel good about yourself.  Motivate yourself to reach your goals Motivating yourself is a great idea way to reach your goals. Verbalize and publish your goals. Some people write down their goals in a journal so they can track their progress. It’s also good to have people around you who will hold you accountable to your goals and keep challenging you. They can be your partners, your colleague, or anyone else who won’t shy away from calling you out.  It’s also important to be able to adjust in the event you don’t achieve your goals. Failing isn’t a bad thing when it offers an opportunity to make the adjustments you need to get closer to success. These tweaks are the way to get back on track. To plan and set goals you can achieve in 2020 write out your goals and create a plan of action. That will be your guide. Verbalize your goals too and make sure to break them down into achievable, daily goals. Believe in yourself and remember the Success Triangle: Attitude-Behavior-Technique. Know that it’s okay to fail. You are going to fail more than you win and the failures are not necessarily a negative to your goal setting. They just let you know it’s time to adjust.  We may be “dinosaurs” but we’re still winning awards year after year for our sales training, management, and coaching. #SalesCoaching “How To Plan And Set Goals You Can Achieve In 2020” episode resources Dave Mattson recently finished his book entitled The Road to Excellence. It’s a playbook to help small entrepreneurs take their businesses from where they are today to where they want to be in three to five years. He also just published the book Success Cadence, he wrote it with two other business minded people from the company called Splunk, they were able to take their company from 30 million to 1.2 billion in just five years. This book is about how to turn your organization and yourself as a producer into a sales focused machine and find people who are willing and able to do what it takes to succeed.  Reach out to Dave Mattson via his LinkedIn profile. You can also email him directly at Dmattson@sandlercut.com.  If you have more sales concerns, you can also talk to Donald about it via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns.  This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can also call us at (561) 570-5077.  We have a new semester beginning in January and we would love to have you and your team join us. Follow this link to apply to the program.  We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.  You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free 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

Best Sellers In History Series 2 - "Abraham Lincoln" This is the second episode from the Best Sellers in History series. This series talks about some of the most successful people and sellers in history. We’ll talk about who they are and what made them so successful.  Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States of America and led the nation during some of the most turbulent times in American history, such as the Civil War. It was the bloodiest war and  the greatest constitutional and political crisis faced by the U.S. at that time. President Lincoln persevered and was able to abolish slavery, strengthen the federal government and modernized the U.S. economy. Despite humble beginnings, Abraham Lincoln became one of the greatest statesmen leaders in our nation’s history. Sales Spotlight - Abraham Lincoln  A half-hour long episode isn’t enough time to discuss what made Abraham Lincoln persuasive and successful in his career. However, we can highlight The Gettysburg Address to illustrate how President Abraham Lincoln had the power of persuasion. Here are the four points we’ll be looking at in this episode:   He had the ability to tell stories He sought common ground He was empathetic He had the ability to give compelling reasons  In the era of Abraham Lincoln In the early 1800s, slavery in the United States was a very common thing. At its height, there were 700,000 individuals who were slaves. The first slaves came into the country as early as 1619 and slavery was finally abolished in the year 1865.  For 246 years slavery was entrenched in the U.S. economy and modern society. It was a fact of life and it brought in so much money that by today’s standards, slavery would account for roughly $6 billion. It’s been 154 years since Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery and still, slavery lasted almost a hundred years longer than we’ve known our country without it!   Abraham Lincoln was raised in Kentucky and eventually, it became a slave state. His father who was a farmer but they eventually had to leave their smaller farm.  Larger farms had slaves and they couldn’t compete with the manpower. In addition, his father was a Christian and didn’t believe in slavery. Thomas Lincoln took his family and would move several more times before eventually settling in Illinois where Abraham Lincoln grew into adulthood. Lincoln married and his wife’s father had his own slaves. Through this exposure, Lincoln came to know how slavery operated and he didn’t like it. Changing the system Slavery was big business and everywhere. It was a system where some of the most influential people were involved. It would be a difficult system to change but Lincoln didn’t believe that people should be property. It became his passionate to reverse slavery.  When he became a president in 1860, many from the southern states weren’t happy about it. They looked at it as the North trying to impose their rights over their way of life and their economy. This eventually led to the bloodiest war in U.S., the Civil War. The nation was divided. Family members who fought on different sides killed each other. This went on from 1861 to 1865. It was a difficult time for the nation. Democracy was hanging by a thread and with the war going on, everything was falling apart.  Through the need to unify, The Gettysburg Address was written. The four lessons highlighted in today’s episode came from this famous speech.  Lincoln had the ability to tell stories  The Gettysburg Address was delivered in an attempt to pull the nation together. Abraham Lincoln wanted people recognize they weren’t just the north and south but one nation.  Tim David wrote an article about this and he pointed out the lessons from the address,  The first was the power of storytelling. He emphasized that the opening line of the Gettysburg Address was a story about our forefathers and their legacy. From the very first line of his speech, people  wanted to know where Abraham Lincoln was going with his story.  Abraham Lincoln was a self-educated man. While kids during this time were working in the field, Lincoln was reading books. There were traveling teachers and when they came around, he’d get a formal education, but still, it wasn’t enough on its own. Most of his education stemmed from his desire to learn. He was dedicated to his education and as he read, he learned the power of a story and how it can make an impact when written well.  As a sales rep, you need to be able to engage your prospect\ with a story that is grounded in reality. Talk to your prospects a successful experience you had with a client. Help your prospects see the positive results that can come from working with you. Instead of just talking about the benefits of your products and services, offering a real scenario can help to illustrate the point better. Talk about how you helped previous clients and their companies. For example, a social media marketer may say, “We helped ____ generate X amount of return with their social media ads. If I could share with you how we did it in just 5 minutes, would you be open to  a conversation with us?” Like Abraham Lincoln, use a quick story to pique their interest.  Lincoln sought common ground  With the war over, Lincoln wanted to make sure his speech would unify a divided nation. The time was ripe for rebuilding the country. Abraham Lincoln looked for common ground to ensure that his message would speak to the hearts of his people. He knew that regardless of where they came from, both Northerners and Southerners loved their nation. They fought together against the English, against the mother empire, and they won. He implored everyone to bring back that feeling of solidarity when the union was founded. Abraham Lincoln used the word Liberty because it was something that would resonate through the hearts of his listeners.  He capitalized on the American ideal and it made his speech compelling. His writings is persuasive because he knows exactly what topics people are passionate about.    Sales reps can utilize this skill, especially when meeting with prospects. It is your job to make them feel connected and have common ground. Donald Miller’s book uses Joseph Campbell’s idea of The Hero’s Journey. It is the story of a hero who is transformed after the difficulties he faced in war. As the salesperson, your role is the guide.. As the guide, you’re not trying to take over or compete with your client, you’re trying to move your prospect to action.  Before meeting, do the research to find common ground.  It may be the school attended or other notable experience or hobby. Bring up topics that both you and your prospects love to talk about. Always follow the basics: Build rapport and help them realize you’re coming from common ground. . Lincoln showed empathy  Tim David pointed out how Abraham Lincoln used words that made people feel connected to him. He used a lot of personal pronouns like ours to help develop rapport and to create a sense of togetherness. The use of personal pronouns increased Lincoln’s status in the minds of his audience.  Tim continued to emphasize this point  with James Pennebaker’s studies about how people use functional words such as pronouns. In his book, The Secret Life of Pronouns, he wrote that in any interaction between people, the person with a higher status uses fewer “I” words and instead, use first person plural pronouns such as we, us, and ours. Abraham Lincoln’s use of personal pronouns early on in his speech allowed the audience to recognize his authority and role as a guide. They were able to classify him as someone they could listen to. Because he established his authority, people were willing to listen. From a sales perspective, we can do the same thing when talking to prospects. Use inclusive personal pronouns in your conversations as you talk about common ground. This will make your prospect feel involved in the process and let them know you’re there to help them. Assure them you are committed to their problem and you are there to work with them to come up with a solution.  Speak as if you are part of their organization.  Lincoln created a compelling reason Abraham Lincoln was particularly skilled at offering compelling reasons for people to do something different. Salespeople want to have influence as well.  We want to give prospects reasons to change and take action. Tim shared a 1970 Harvard Psychology research led by Helen Langer.  In her study she discovered that saying the word because increases your persuasive power from 60% to 92% even when you don’t actually have a compelling reason.  Tim has a concept called ABT or the Advanced Because Techniques. Abraham Lincoln may not have literally said because in his speech but even without using the word, he made the entire Gettysburg Address a speech that answers the question why. Lincoln was giving compelling reasons to many Whys:  Why we need to come together Why we need to to work together Why we need to be one nation People responded to his speech because he gave compelling reasons. They saw the bigger purpose Salespeople can’t just state facts about products and services. You need to give them reasons why your products and services will work out to their advantage. Examples are as follows:    “When you implement the software, we’re going to make it possible for you to actually get home and have dinner with your kids every night.” “When you implement this solution, we’re going to make sure you never have to pay a late fee to the government again.”   When you give them compelling reasons, people will take action. Best Sellers In History Series 2 - "Abraham Lincoln" episode resources We are no Abraham Lincoln and we are not facing a divided nation, however, we have daily battles and regardless of the severity, we can still use these principles in overcoming sales difficulties.  Do you have any stories worth sharing? Sellers in the history that made an impact in your life? Tell Donald about it via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns.  This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can also call us at (561) 570-5077.  We have a new semester beginning in January and we would love to have you and your team join us. Follow this link to apply to the program.  We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.  You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free 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

How To Generate More Initial Appointments By Utilizing A Co-Content Building Strategy Salespeople are always looking for new ways to generate more initial appointments. How do you do that? There are many strategies. In this episode, Donald and Carman Pirie talk about utilizing strategies that include co-creating and content-building.  Carman Pirie is the co-owner of Kula Partners. It’s a manufacturing marketing agency that helps manufacturers transform their marketing and sales apparatus by making it more digital in nature. He is also a co-host of the podcast called The Kula Ring, a podcast that focuses on manufacturing marketers and telling their stories.  The challenge in sales prospecting  Prospecting is a huge part of the sales process. Carman personally does prospecting every single day and he coaches many salespeople on how to do it right. It can be difficult to pick up the phone and start a conversation with people. Many sales leaders and managers have not explored other options outside of traditional practices. They have limited their sales teams by thinking and training the old methodologies. While picking up the phone as a way to prospect isn’t bad, the answer to prospecting isn’t just activity management.  There are many tools available for sales reps to use in order to prospect. We don’t want to just bombard people with calls and emails or rely heavily on LinkedIn invites. This is where the challenge lies.   Breaking the challenge In working with B2B manufacturing organizations, Carman’s company almost always interfaces primarily with the marketing function. These marketers have an overwhelming thirst for people in sales to actually care.  Carman suggests three approaches that Kula Partners recommends for co-creating and content-building. The first is through a podcast. The Kula Ring podcast is their primary vehicle to generate prospects. They put out episodes weekly. They expand their reach by simply talking to more manufacturing marketers and getting them on as guests for the show.  Through the podcast, these guests become more familiar with what Kula is offering and some have eventually become their clients.  Sending out emails with a subject line that sounds like a request, or extending a LinkedIn invitation, doesn’t typically yield a positive outcome. Inviting somebody to be a guest on a podcast, asking about their industry and showing an interest in what they offer is a much better opportunity to build rapport. The interview gives you a better insight into their problems and challenges. This information then allows a salesperson to come up with specific solutions to offer. As a salesperson, you can use an intent data platform and bring in guests that are likely in a buying cycle. However, it’s best to approach them with the pure motive of getting to know them. After a relationship is built, a discussion about business can happen organically. This introductory conversation can even happen by the end of recording a podcast. Traditional outreach, like a phone call, can typically have a response rate of 10%.  In Carman’s experience, they’ve seen that the targeted podcast outreach campaigns have a response rate closer to 50%.  When you can’t afford to train with someone, invite them to a podcast.  You get to learn while they get their products promoted! #Podcasting Making it work Every business is different so it’s up to the salesperson to experiment with a variety of formats to see what works best for their particular industry. If scaling can work, then go for it. If it’s written content or other similar strategies that work, pick one of those. What works for others may not work for your client’s specific needs so take the time to find the right niche. Look for the right angle or a topic that’s of interest to your client. Create your podcast based on that information. Peer round tables  Another suggestion from Carman for co-creating and content-building is to host a peer round table discussion. For example, invite 12 - 20 target prospects in an information-sharing environment and serve as a host to the dialogue. They did this at Kula and they called these meetings marketing leadership exchanges. They brought in marketers who shared common characteristics and fostered an information-sharing conversation.  You can easily make an agenda out of five to six topics or questions and turn them into a 90-minute round table for information-sharing. For marketers who are widely distributed geographically, a virtual round table is more plausible.  When you can, however, the preference is to have everyone in person.  Despite the limitations in a virtual setting, the dialogue can still be rich. The exchange of information is still helpful for prospecting and building rapport. The guests are telling you the challenges they are facing in their business and asking their peers for advice. All you do is to play host to the dialogue. How to activate the conversation and transition it into a sales opportunity is up to you. After that dialogue, you now have permission to email them and build a working relationship with them. This is a much better choice as opposed to a cold call.  There’s a difference between the podcast and the peer round table. There is an ongoing continuous recruitment process in the podcast guesting. However, marketing leadership requires more effort as it needs time to get a specific number of people to gather for a particular time. It can be difficult to organize a date where everyone can come together and talk.  When traditional tools aren’t working, these co-creating strategies can be highly effective in moving someone from a prospect to a client.  Building content with potential customers You can start planning your co-creating and content-building by looking at some content pieces related to your niche. If you’re a salesperson in a technical space and you’re selling mostly to engineers, you can look at the challenges common to your prospects and your client base. You can partner with one or two clients or prospects in creating a solution to address challenges specific to that industry.  One of the great results in using the peer round table strategy is that guests naturally follow up with each other and continue to exchange and share information with one another. It’s important to trust the process and let these relationships happen organically. Marketing organizations are often hungry for sales reps who can offer insight into the sales process and customer needs, as well as someone who is active in the social media channels. Salespeople can be involved in the marketing function and develop relationships with their prospects before the prospect ever even has a need for their services or products. One of Carman’s guests was on their podcast and this guest had a manufacturing talk radio podcast himself. He used the podcast to give his business exposure and ended up becoming a source to develop his business. As a result, his steel company turned into a broadcasting company. It was unconventional but worked for them. If you want to use a podcast to sell, understand it won’t become daily bread for the next quarter, at least. It takes time for momentum to build.  Podcasts are a natural megaphone for great ideas but it’s really about building relationships and co-creating.  “How To Generate More Initial Appointments By Utilizing A Co-Content Building Strategy” episode resources Salespeople can start creating content with your prospects without other motives but to build a relationship with them and not just because you want to sell to them. Find Carman Pirie on Kula Ring in all major podcast. You can also check their site KulaPartners.com.  You can also catch up with Donald via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns.  This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can also call us at (561) 570-5077.  We have a new semester beginning in January and we would love to have you and your team join us. Follow this link to apply to the program.  We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.  You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free 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

How To Ensure Your Sales Teams Actually Have Time To Sell   All organizations, no matter what size, need to know how to ensure your sales teams actually have time to sell.  Resa Gooding is a partner in an Hubspot certified agency and they mostly help companies, especially startups, in Israel. As one of the top three agencies in Israel, they primarily work with startups and other traditional companies such as agriculture and manufacturing. They are helping them understand the value of CRM and how to effectively apply it to their companies.  Challenges salespeople face The most common problem in the sales force is the lack of training given to the sales team. This lack of experience causes inefficiency as the companies throw their sales reps in deep waters  and expect them to swim.  Many companies are so focused on the technology or the product they’re producing,  they don’t spend adequate time sharing the value and benefits of their product with the sales force.  An untrained team ends up spending more time on the administrative tasks instead of selling. They need to be given the information and the tools to effectively sit down with a new prospect.  If management fails to offer the sales team a way to stay accountable to the work day activities, management can mistakenly think their team isn’t working. There has to be a system in place so the sales team can report their activities and successes.  Having this in place also gives management a tangible way of seeing the work their team is doing. For example, how many calls they’ve made in the workday.  Resa set up marketing campaigns for her clients but began to see that if  sales people didn’t know how to work with the prospects that came from the marketing, the efforts were in vain. She saw that to make marketing effective, the sales people needed to be able to  summarize conversations properly and sales reps needed to reduce their time spent on administrative efforts. They needed to be equipped to spend their time selling. Resa aims to give salespeople the time to study their product, set up appointments, and communicate with prospects effectively, instead of spending their time doing administrative tasks.  Ensure that your sales teams are having the time to sell Sales reps need training in order to be successful and reach their goals. Sales processes they can follow have to be set up so their efforts can be checked by management.  This promotes accountability.  There are three tools that can be used to ensure that sales teams are getting more time to sell their company’s product. Connect your email inbox to your CRM software You can use HubSpot, SaleForce, or other similar CRM software. At the end of the day, what matters is that your sales team is more efficient in their work. The first thing you can do is connect your email inbox to the CRM software you’re using.  This is efficiency at its best.  Using this software allows your manager to see the emails exchanged between you and prospects or customers.  Enabling the manager to view this communication directly eliminates the need to summarize conversations at a later time.  Leave that to your CRM.  Both marketing and sales today can be measured through this software. Managers and the sales team no longer have to meet each time reports need to be made. All aspects of the sales process can be viewed as needed and everything is measurable.  Earlier salespeople, like the ones who sold door-to-door, had to write down all their data or write a report about their sales day. Today, the salesperson just needs to connect to their email inbox on the CRM platform and reports are immediate. Using CRM increase the sales reps’ available time up to 21% compared to doing the reports manually.  For example, when you attend a conference, typically you have to wait until you get home to  input information manually. You can potentially delay communicating with the contacts you made at the conference up to a whole week.   This is valuable time wasted in a world where transactions can happen so quickly.  When you are using CRM software, you are able to reach out  immediately by asking for their email and starting a conversation while still at the conference. This is a huge advantage to setting up CRM software and free up so much time in the sales process.  Connect your Calendly to your email communications  The second way to ensure your sales teams are getting the time to sell is to connect your Calendly to your email communications. This is an efficient way of setting up a meeting with prospects and clients. Hubspot has an amazing tool that can help salespeople connect with speed. It’s suggested that you also embed three specific times a client can meet with you.  It’s more efficient when they don’t have to work as hard to figure out a time or date you’re available. It cuts down on the emails that have to be exchanged to firm a meeting which also saves valuable time.  Use templates effectively  Templates are ways to streamline the time it takes to write and send an email while it makes communication customizable.  This can be set up in HubSpot once your inbox is created and by simply clicking a button, it will copy all the text and bring it straight to your HubSpot. You can then change the information and content to make it more personalized and unique to your prospect or client.   Resa has observed that this feature is especially helpful for salespeople who may not be  strong in written communication. This is where marketing team can be especially helpful. Marketing can set-up the templates for salespeople to use.  After emails are sent, the software can then track when it’s opened by the recipient.  Having this information helps salespeople become more efficient about timing and targeting the call back or follow up.  It’s much easier to build a rapport with someone who has already shown initial interest. The recipient won’t get any notifications that you’ve seen them open the email.  It’s just a helpful tool for you to time the response.  These three tools help make your sales team more efficient as it reduces their time on administrative tasks.  Using Hubspot also allows access to reports summarizing all the activity as well. HubSpot is free so businesses can check it out and test it in their own sales systems. This is a good platform for startups that don’t have the budget to invest in programs and software.  Many startup companies that Resa has helped have seen positive results when they use her three suggestions for saving time.  “How To Ensure Your Sales Teams Actually Have Time To Sell” episode resources  You can message Resa via her LinkedIn account. You can also check out her website: www.cacaomedia.co.  For more sales information and questions, you can also catch up with Donald via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns.  This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can also call us at (561) 570-5077.  This podcast is also brought to you in part by Reveal the Revenue Intelligence podcast. It’s about utilizing data to make business decisions instead of just guessing your way through major sales decisions. Visit gong.io for their podcast.  We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.  You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.  Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.Mentioned in this episode:HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOSHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS hubpspot.com/marketers bluemangostudios.com

Best Sellers In History Series 1 - "Jesus Christ"   Disclaimer: This episode isn’t a podcast to convince listeners to become Christians. This episode simply highlights how Jesus Christ persuaded people, an important trait in sales.  There are so many individuals who have been great persuaders throughout history. This new series, The Best Sellers in History, will be a game-changer for salespeople of today.  The best persuaders in history were people who could prompt others to take action and move toward a better way of life. Great salespeople who know they are guides for prospects and clients make great B2B sales reps. With the exception of social media, the way communication works in sales today is historically similar. This eight-episode series will begin with Jesus Christ, whose existence has been proven by history.  In the sales spotlight - Jesus Christ  It’s the perfect time of year to put Jesus Christ in the spotlight. Today is Christmas, a day where people celebrate Jesus’ birth. In his time, he was referred to as Jesus of Nazareth, the common way people were referred to. Men were known by their name and the place they were from. Donald would have been known as Donald of West Palm Beach.  Jesus was a preacher, a rabbi or teacher, and a leader. Today, to Christians around the world, he is the Son of God and the Savior of all mankind.  Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and after his baptism, he began his ministry. Most of his preaching and teaching weren’t done in Synagogues but in the countryside where most people lived.  Jesus was teaching people they could repent, turn their lives around and return to God. His teachings were based on love. Jesus opened the path for many to know eternal life. People were astounded by his teachings and followed him. He was changing the minds of common people and undermining the wayward teachings of the Pharisees. Because of this, Jesus faced opposition from the leaders of the day. This conflict, and the outcry of many Jewish people, eventually led to his death by the hands of  Roman soldiers.  While he died long ago, his teachings did not die with him. His words became so influential, to this day, one-third of the world’s population is associated with Christianity. By far, it is the largest religious group. There are seven reasons why Jesus was so persuasive and Donald is going to expand on each to show how they can be applied in B2B selling, even today.  He Showed Sympathy and Built Rapport  He Was a Skilled Storyteller He Shared a Vision He Challenged the Status Quo He Listened Effectively He Asked Powerful Questions He Invited People to Change He Showed Sympathy and Built Rapport  The first reason for Jesus’ persuasiveness was his ability to empathize and build rapport with the people he talked to.  Jesus made the time to sit down with common people, who made up the largest portion of the population, as they do today. He talked to people who were marginalized by society and could relate to them. During his time, Romans had the power and ruled over many territories. They hired people to collect taxes from the citizens, including Jewish people, and this money funded the Roman empire. Because the work is done by tax collectors they were not approved of by the communities they lived in.  At public gatherings, they were not welcomed to be among everyone else. As a result, they became marginalized citizens.  The status put upon tax collectors didn’t keep Jesus from them.  Jesus sat down with them and had dinner with them.  One of these tax collectors even became one of Jesus’ disciples.  His name was Matthew. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector from Jericho.  He was a wealthy man but hated by many. When Jesus went to Jericho, people flooded the town and swarmed him. Being a short man, Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus. Jesus noticed and asked the man to come down so he could be a guest at Zacchaeus’ house, unheard of during this time. Jesus also showed sympathy toward Levi, another tax collector and the son of Alphaeus. Jesus saw him at his booth, invited Levi to follow him, and he did.   People didn’t understand these actions but Jesus shared that a physician comes to heal the sick, not the healthy. In the same way, Jesus was spending time with people who needed his help the most.  He went out of his way to help the poor and heal the sick.  Jesus wanted to make an impact by modeling how he wanted people to treat one another. As a B2B sales rep, how do you show your clients and prospects you empathize with their needs? Set yourself apart from others by taking the time to understand where they are coming from. Identify their pain points and tailor your message to their specific issues. An example of how a salesperson can distinguish himself or herself can be illustrated by two sales reps who want a nursing home to be a new client. Sales rep A sens a generic email to the chief administrator that says he can help them save more money. This same message, however, has been sent by many salespeople and it gets lost among the others. Sales rep b, on the other hand, has spent time reading trade magazines and learning about the industry. This sales rep sends a personalized message that talks about the losses the administrator may face when the new Medicare starts cutting back and what it is going to cost them. Sales rep B also talks about how their company has crafted a new service that could benefit the nursing home despite the cutback. In this case, sales rep B will surely get the deal because they have discovered a problem and are providing a solution. While it takes more time and effort to learn about your prospect or client by listening to their needs and hearing about their challenges, it will help you craft a more personalized message. In the sales training program, we call this a deliverance message. Share with your prospects the challenges they didn’t know they could face. These are called blindside challenges. Distinguish yourself among other salespeople by studying, being prepared, listening, and offering a solution.  Another way you can show empathy and create value is by writing a blog post or creating content that’s related to the challenges your prospects are facing. When a potential client feels understood, sees you’ve done the work, and you’re building rapport through your efforts, you’ll find prospects are going to pick up the phone to talk to you.  He Was a Skilled Storyteller The second reason for Jesus’ persuasiveness was his storytelling ability. In one instance there was a lawyer in the crowd where Jesus was preaching and the lawyer wanted to trap Jesus. He asked Jesus how to receive eternal life, one of Jesus’ core messages. In response, Jesus replied with a question about what was written in the law. In reply, the lawyer replied that the law states that one should love the Lord with all his heart, his soul, and strength. One also has to love his neighbor as he loves himself.  He then asked Jesus who he should consider his neighbor and Jesus shared the story of the Good Samaritan. This story talks about a man robbed and attacked on a countryside road. There were several people who walked past him and didn’t help him, including a priest, a Levite, and the good Samaritan. The first two men just passed by. The priest crossed to the other side of the road as did the Levite. It was the good Samaritan who took the injured man and tended to his wounds, brought him to an inn and told the innkeeper to take care of the man, paying for all the expenses. All the people who ignored the man were his people but it was the Samaritan who showed compassion and saved him.  By sharing this story, Jesus was able to illustrate the actions of a neighbor. The story that Jesus told was relatable and the people listening understood the point he was trying to make.  Selling to highly educated professionals, like doctors, can be unnerving. They can ask a question that may be out of your scope of expertise. You can navigate their questions by sharing a story. Understand the purpose of the question and solve their problem through a story that promotes rapport. If you need more information, ask a clarifying question and share a story that’s similar to your clients’ situation or problem and share how that problem was solved. Stories are a great persuasive tool.  He Shared a Vision Jesus was skilled in promoting hope for the future. The people already knew the prophecy of the Messiah who would come and save mankind. The Messiah would deliver them from their enemies and the tyrannical rule of the Roman empire. People believed in Jesus because he fulfilled the prophecies laid out in scripture. When Jesus came and preached to people listened to hear his message of hope. As a sales rep, it’s your responsibility to understand a prospect’s pain, their struggles, and their challenges.  As you get to know them and learn more about their needs, you have the opportunity and then to offer hope and solutions through the products and services you have to offer.  For example, if you are selling digital marketing services, you may discover that a prospect’s website is not functioning effectively.  It’s your job to convey to this potential client how you can help make their website work faster and appear on the first page of a Google search. Approach the client with the knowledge of their struggle and offer a vision of a better future by working with you. He Challenged the Status Quo Jesus treated women with care in a time when women didn’t have much value in society. Women were separated from men in public and religious life. They were not allowed to participate in public prayers but they were encouraged to pray privately. In contrast, Jesus showed immense respect for women.  An example of Jesus’ compassion toward women was illustrated in the story of the Canaanite woman who yelled after Jesus to help her daughter. Jesus showed compassion to the woman, a gentile, and helped her after hearing her great faith. This was unheard of during Jesus’ time. There are many examples in the Bible where Jesus pushed the boundaries of the status quo to create change. In sales, we can experience the status quo and many industries can get stuck in these familiar patterns. In many instances, the most daunting competitor isn’t another sales rep but your client’s comfort with the existing routine inside their organization.   As salespeople, we have to face the status quo head-on. It would be easy to ignore the need for change.  Very few people are willing to break the norm and face being rejected by society. Sometimes, even when we know that our prospect is doing something wrong and their system doesn’t work in their best interest, it can be tempting to stay silent in order to avoid conflict. For example, Donald joined a sales training program with David Sandler about how to challenge the status quo. In that training, Donald learned that you can overcome the status quo by using off-the-record conversation. When things are dying down and everyone’s starting to relax, hit up your prospect with your suggestions. Tell your prospects about the problems that you have found in their system and back it up with proof. Creating this margin allows prospects space to really see what you’re trying to point out. The conversation may be bold but sometimes it takes boldness to get people to change. Push against the status quo and don’t be afraid.  He Listened Effectively Jesus knew how to listen to people and it became another tool in building rapport. Let’s go back to the story of the woman who was bothering Jesus and asking for help. The lady was persistent despite the disciples’ efforts to turn her away. Jesus listened to her and heard her troubles. Throughout his ministry, Jesus listened to the people and showed up to teach. He tuned in to their stories and showed mercy and compassion.  As a salesperson, you can imitate Jesus by listening intently to your prospects. The act of listening comes in many forms. For example, you can listen through a phone conversation, or by reading LinkedIn posts and seeing what’s going on under someone’s profile. You can also listen by going through reports, annual filing, and quarterly earnings.  When you’re listening, don’t let your mind roam. Focus on what they’re saying instead of thinking of what you can say next. Listen for opportunities to ask a clarifying question that leads to a value-rich conversation. If a prospect is trying to decline your offer because it’s not a good time, instead of just giving up or trying to force your own solution,  try listening to what’s between the lines and figure out what the prospect is really saying. Ask why it isn’t a good time for them and get closer to finding out what the core of the objection really is.  He Asked Powerful Questions Jesus was skilled in asking for effective and clarifying questions.  When the lawyer wanted to trap Jesus, instead of answering his question, Jesus asked a question in return. In sales, sometimes you don’t have to give your prospects the answers right away.  Alternatively, additional questions may be needed.   When you hear “I’m not interested” you don’t have to take that at face value and end the conversation there. Ask them questions and let them talk. Your ability to ask questions can help you become successful in sales. In every objection you face, there is potential to learn more and get closer to helping your client find a solution. He Invited People to Change The last reason why Jesus was persuasive was his ability to ask people to do hard things. Jesus began gathering his disciples early on in his ministry. Some of his first were Peter, James, and John, who were all fishermen. Jesus told them to leave their livelihood and invited them to become fishers of men.  His invitation was a much bigger vision than they had ever seen for themselves. Peter, James, and John recognized that Jesus was the Messiah and they gladly left their lives behind to follow Jesus. More would soon follow. When salespeople ask clients to use their products or services, you are inviting change to take place. You can successfully do this when you ask the right question, are a good storyteller, and when you show empathy.  Never assume a potential client is going to come to the conclusion to work with you on their You are their guide to finding solutions through your products and services.  Always be proactive, ask for the change, and be prepared to show them the action steps.  Jesus showed us how to be persuasive in order to offer a better way of life. Do the same for your clients. The act of selling is persuading someone to do something that is in their best interest.   #SalesTips Best Sellers In History Series 1 - "Jesus Christ" episode resources Selling is not complicated but you have to have a strong foundation. Learning fundamental practices and implementing them will offer potential clients hope for positive change based on what you have to offer.  Watch out for the next episode in this series.  You can also catch up with Donald via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns.  This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can also call us at (561) 570-5077.  We have a new semester beginning in January and we would love to have you and your team join us. Follow this link to apply to the program.  We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.  You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.  Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.Mentioned in this episode:HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOSHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS hubpspot.com/marketers bluemangostudios.com

Why Your Contracts Are Not Working and How To Fix Them!    Ever ask yourself why your contracts are not working and wondered how to fix them? Jason Kren is the man with the answer to that frequently asked question.  Sales people want nothing more than to see their contracts and deals turn into a close. Unfortunately, there are times when the inefficiency of getting contracts signed can delay income or prevent a closing all together.  How can you make this process more streamlined so this doesn’t occur? Jason Kren’s company PactSafe could be the solution you’re looking for. PactSafe is a company that was built from the ground up. They manage clickwrap contract acceptance at scale. This means they have the ability to manage millions of clickwrap contracts at a super high velocity.  An example of this type of contract is illustrated by Disney+.  The company recently launched its video streaming service and opened with 10 million subscribers in the first 24 hours of launch. At the end of the sign-up process is a contract that states the terms and conditions of the service that users are getting. These contracts are often the highest valued contracts that a company’s legal department manages on an annual basis.  Jason’s company takes this type of contract and utilizes the PactSafe platform. It’s a quick wrap embedded contract and once it’s accepted, the platform will track the version that’s accepted. Using the platform, they can track the time when the contract was accepted and who accepted it. PactSafe can also reproduce what the contract looks like on an individual screen and know whether the contract is downloaded on a mobile device, computer, or  tablet.  In terms of sales contracts, this platform makes things run smoothly. With just one click, users have signed a legally binding agreement. In the sales application, this same type of contract and platform can be used to speed up the process for sales.  Making contracts easier to understand Sales people and legal departments can partner together to make a contract more user friendly and understandable to the customer so closing is easier. The first step is for sales leaders to talk to the legal department about contract design.  This includes the language used in the contract, down to the words and phrases, so the contract is easier to accept and lessens the points of negotiation. Ultimately, this removes friction from every step. Moving toward a standardized contract in the contract design includes multiple components that should have the end result in mind. Efficiency and speed of acceptance by the customer is the goal. These contracts are often in order forms for upsells and cross-sells within the organization.  Adopt a standardized language  A key area to review when moving toward a standardized system for contracts is reviewing the areas that don’t need to be negotiated each time. These areas can already be written and in place each time. Contracts such as these are better for the customers and for the salesperson. While the legal team handles the design of the contract, it’s the sales team’s job to change the language used in presenting the contract to the customer.  Most salespeople today are still using archaic language when talking about contracts. An example is “I’m going to send you the contract and once you’re done reviewing it and signing it, we can start.” You want to streamline the process. Sending the contract over for a potential client to dictate the turnaround time can lead to a delay in closing and waste time. With a new design the approach changes to “The contract is ready to go. I’m going to send you its link so you can click on it and we’ll get started.”  It eliminates having to talk about the contract and you’re sending the terms they just have to accept. That little shift in your language can increase velocity and reduce the friction of the contract process.    Moving away from PDFs Another key change that salespeople can make is to move away from cumbersome PDFs.  When you try to close a deal using this archaic method of sending over the contract via signature platform it is costing you money. If your prospect is traveling and they’re on the road with only their phone available, they won’t be able to move through the contract because they still have to go through a PDF process to sign off on certain points. This delays the closing by 48 hours or more.  The better alternative is to standardize and minimize your contracts by moving to a clickwrap, one-button acceptance system. By doing that, you increase your customer experience and your deals. When running a particularly high-velocity business, you should know the components that make up your sales velocity equation. If you can tweak these areas then the results can reflect a massive increase in your business and customer satisfaction.   Reducing the friction  When you can speed up your contract process by one or even two days, that will  increase your overall sales velocity. Embedding an email with a link to the contract and sending them as a ClickWap eliminates the unnecessary process of opening a PDF format and having it digitally signed. The clickwrap is more efficient for the salesperson and the client. Removing these delays will greatly improve your overall revenue.  It’s true some businesses can’t  let go of the signature contracts altogether because there are some transactions that still require negotiation, such as large enterprise deals. However, smaller deals such as non-negotiable customer agreements, can use standardized contracts to reduce friction in the sales process.  In the sales spotlight - DoorDash and BMC DoorDash is one of the companies using PactSafe’s services. DoorDash has three primary groups who enter into contractual relationships with dashers, the people who deliver food.  One group includes the restaurants who provide the food. DoorDash has a massive sales division to call the managers of restaurants so they can be enrolled as dash merchants. These restaurants can then have their food delivered by DoorDash and expands what can be offered to the consumer. These end users are the people who download the app.  Restaurant managers don’t have time to review a contract in the traditional PDF format.  They’re often on their feet and checking that everything in the restaurant is in order. There is no time to check their computers and respond to an email containing a PDF they have to read through in order to sign off.  Jason’s company worked with DoorDash and their sales team is now sending contracts through a clickwrap which is so simple and efficient. It eliminated the whole e-signature workflow.    The massive enterprise software company, BMC, didn’t have centralized control of the contract acceptance process across dozens of their product lines. They needed a third-party to control and enhance their contracting process. Enter PactSafe.  They eliminated more than 10,000 different forms for BMS’s 14 products. This gave BMC’s legal department the ability to regain control over any changes to agreements that didn’t require code changes and it provided them the visualization and analytics they needed.   When you think about efficiency for your own business, you’re not only transforming your legal team but you’re also transforming your sales team.  This creates a frictionless digital transformation across the organization.    Creating the pilot program Changing how an organization works requires effort. Jason suggests that before making any permanent changes, create a pilot program. It’s important to test a new launch with a subset of your sales team so they can help refine the process by making sure it works before you roll it out to the whole organization. In sales, you only have one shot to launch well so  make sure the new system is ready to go. Having a smaller section of the sales team try the new system can offer valuable feedback and once it’s ready to launch, they can be your greatest cheerleaders in moving the entire team forward.   Updating the process of closing a contract can lead to massive increases in efficiency, revenue and turnaround. For any companies who have high volume contracts, one-clicks are the way to go. #SalesContract   “Why Your Contracts Are Not Working and How To Fix Them!” episode resources Catch Jason Kren via his LinkedIn. He is also on Twitter with the username @jasonkren. Visit their website PactSafe as well  You can also catch up with Donald via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns.  This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can also call us at (561) 570-5077.  We have a new semester beginning in January and we would love to have you and your team join us. Follow this link to apply to the program.  We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.  You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.  Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.Mentioned in this episode:HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOSHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS hubpspot.com/marketers bluemangostudios.com

Things To Look For When Hiring Successful Sellers Hiring is part of the sales process but businesses know there are things to look for when hiring successful sellers. Getting the right people to join your sales team is one of the most effective ways to boost your sales revenue.  Billy Keels is a businessman living the life of a busy entrepreneur. In addition to being a happy husband and father, he is also working for a very large enterprise software company. There, he takes on different sales and leadership roles from regional to global levels. He’s done businesses in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Recently, he’s been doing enterprise sales in Barcelona, Spain by day as well as building his own investing business in the U.S.  Things to look for when hiring successful sellers  Sales leaders are always looking to hire successful sellers to help increase their revenue. The model in which a business is working is an important consideration when hiring new people.  Business models vary.  While some are constantly looking for new businesses, others adopt a farming role where they want to sell more within their existing customer base. Another consideration is the size of the business, whether it is a multinational brand or targeting a smaller niche.  Hire the right behavior  Of the three things to look for when hiring successful sellers, the first and the most difficult is the right behavior.  If a business is hiring someone to work inside sales or remote selling, for example, and you’re looking to hire a salesperson who's going to have to make fifty to a hundred calls a day. The ideal candidate will need to be someone who can be proactive. They should be able to work without someone having to tell them to pick up the phone and make calls. This is a challenge because no matter how skilled the salesperson is, if he doesn’t have the impetus to pick up the phone, smile while talking with the customers, or keep the calls energetic, then he won’t have the behavior be successful in that position.  Most successful salespeople didn’t have this proactive spirit when they started selling. It had to be developed over the years of working in sales. Being proactive is a core strength for sellers. It opens more doors, creates more connections, and can eventually point their customers toward the right decisions.  At the end of the day, when you consider the sales process, regardless of the products and services you sell, it all comes down to being proactive and having the ability to go out and do what’s needed.  Whether it’s selling knives door-to-door or selling in an enterprise, a salesperson should be able to design and execute an effective sales process by talking about the value they lend to the consumer through their products.  As a hiring manager,  a good interview question for potential candidates will give them the opportunity to talk about an experience when they got to be proactive. New sales reps tend to go through trial and error as they gain more experience, so ask about their experiences and what they have done, not what they would do. As they answer, listen carefully as they explain the way they dealt with needing to be proactive. Their answer will help you understand how they will do things in the future. Look for self-awareness  There is so much opportunity that comes from being self-aware. The benefits are tied to existing behaviors as well as understanding the candidate’s skills, ambition, and attitude.  Looking back at the successful people Billy hired in the past, he saw their high sense of self-awareness. Self-awareness is also integral to the type of model the seller is in.  If you are hiring a salesperson for inside selling, then you might forego knowledge and go for a person who has a higher potential in selling products and services over the phone. As a sales leader, you compensate for that gap and understand that their self-awareness may not come with as much knowledge but they can be supported by the strength of available training programs that are offered to sales reps.   To see if a candidate is self-aware, you can also ask about the issues they had with quotas and what they did to improve those results. Listen to what they tell you and tune in to the things that they did to address their challenges. When they say that they haven’t had any challenges in the past, then that can set off a big red flag.  It’s a hard truth in sales that we don’t win all the time. Being able to overcome their issues and how they came through can shows you how self-aware they are.  People who are self-aware typically know where they need help, they recognize where they are in a specific model, and most importantly, they know if they’re ahead or behind the curve. They’ll come to a sales manager with the areas they need support based on the models that they’re in. It helps support the seller and it helps the sales leader be more focused on the areas where they need the most help.  Having a methodology, skill, and understanding of the product is key to success.  Considering the scale of their roles  When hiring a salesperson consider the scale of their role. If the person is on the enterprise level and they have a knowledge gap, that’s probably going to be an issue. However, if you hire that person knowing they are going to be part of a sales academy program, there is less worry that you’re hiring someone who doesn’t have the full skill set.  You know that it’s coming after the proper training.   What skills the salesperson needs to have at the point of hire, depends on the role that your candidate will be playing in the company.  There is a process that you need to follow in sales. You also have to have certain behaviors to convey that you understand what you’re selling.  It is also equally important to have realistic expectations as a sales leader because if you set your expectations too high, the new sales reps will never be able to reach those goals no matter how much they produce. This isn’t setting them up for success.  Hire people who can manage themselves  These people are able to take a specific situation, diagnose and execute planning. No one may be getting the results they’re going for but they can assess, see the need and come up with a solution. Look for candidates who have sales goals who approach you with a plan. They are the ones who don’t need to be told what to do. They can work independently and just do what’s best for their career and their business.  In the event that they didn’t reach their sales goals, they are able to self-correct and start a new plan. They don’t feel the need to go to their boss every time they have to make sales decisions. They can manage not only themselves but also their situation or their virtual account team.  The key is understanding that no one is perfect. People are going to step up to the plate, swing, miss, strike out, and learn what to do the next time they go to bat.  There are different types of successful sellers out there and even when we work on a sales team, treat your team at an individual level because every salesperson has their own environment where they succeed. As a sales leader, you need to know what environment you need to create for your sales team to thrive. When your sales team is clicking on all cylinders, it makes every quarterly business review a pleasure to sit in.  “Things To Look For When Hiring Successful Sellers” episode resources Connect with Billy Keels via his LinkedIn. You can also check out his site, Billykeels.com.  You can also catch up with Donald via LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for any sales concerns.  This episode is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can also call us at (561) 570-5077.  This podcast is also brought to you in part by Reveal the Revenue Intelligence podcast. It’s about utilizing data to make business decisions instead of just guessing your way through major sales decisions. Visit gong.io for their podcast.  We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.  You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.  Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.Mentioned in this episode:HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOSHubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS hubpspot.com/marketers bluemangostudios.com