Sales Is King

Dan is back with the CMO and CCO of GWI, Rhiannon Staples and Carrie Seifer. The conversation explores the current state of B2B marketing and sales alignment, as well as the trends and challenges in the industry. The guests discuss the need for personalized and targeted messaging in a noisy market, the difficulty of reaching prospects on the phone, and the importance of building trust and loyalty with customers. They also emphasize the importance of a unified go-to-market team and transparent communication between sales and marketing. The guests share their experiences of working together and solving disagreements through open-mindedness, vulnerability, and a focus on problem-solving. In this conversation, Carrie Seifer and Rhiannon Staples discuss the importance of having a plan to overcome disagreements and move forward. They emphasize the need to consider the customer's perspective and to bring insights and solutions to the table. They also highlight the importance of communication and collaboration between sales and marketing teams, and the need for a culture of accountability and mutual support. They discuss the changing profile of individuals being hired, with a focus on combining creativity and analytics. Carrie and Rhiannon share their personal journeys and early sales experiences, highlighting the importance of empathy and understanding in sales and marketing roles. Takeaways The standardized playbook for B2B marketing no longer works in a noisy market, and personalized and targeted messaging is key to attracting buyers. Reaching prospects on the phone has become increasingly difficult, and alternative channels like text messages are becoming more prevalent. Building trust and loyalty with customers requires a unified go-to-market team and transparent communication between sales and marketing. Open-mindedness, vulnerability, and a focus on problem-solving are essential in solving disagreements and building a strong working relationship. Having a plan can help overcome disagreements and move forward. Considering the customer's perspective can lead to different outcomes. Communication and collaboration are key for sales and marketing teams. A culture of accountability and mutual support is important for success. Combining creativity and analytics is crucial in marketing roles. Empathy and understanding are essential in sales and marketing. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage 01:12 The Shift to Personalized Messaging in B2B Marketing 07:53 Building Trust and Loyalty in a Hybrid Work Environment 13:18 The Power of a Unified Go-to-Market Team 15:46 Transparent Communication: Solving Disagreements and Driving Success 29:27 Considering the Customer's Perspective 30:29 Communication and Collaboration between Sales and Marketing 32:43 Creating a Culture of Accountability and Support 35:02 The Changing Profile of Individuals in Sales and Marketing 40:09 The Importance of Empathy and Understanding

Summary The conversation between Dan Sixsmith and Leandra Fishman explores the challenges and changes in B2B sales and marketing. They discuss the importance of productivity and efficiency, the role of AI in sales, and the need for thoughtful solutions that provide value and ROI. They also touch on the difficulties of selling and buying in today's market, the importance of building relationships, and the need for personal development and continuous learning in sales. In this conversation, Leandra Fishman and Dan Sixsmith discuss various aspects of sales, including negotiation, effective communication, and personal branding. They emphasize the importance of knowing your own style and strengths in sales, as well as the need for preparation and practice. They also discuss the challenges of selling to different generations and the importance of adapting to different communication styles. Additionally, they touch on the role of coaching in sales and the impact of remote work on sales teams. Throughout the conversation, they highlight the importance of authenticity, empathy, and building genuine connections with customers. Takeaways Productivity and efficiency are top priorities in B2B sales. AI can enhance productivity but should not replace the human connection in sales. Building relationships and understanding customer pain points are crucial in sales. Personal development and continuous learning are essential for success in sales. Know your own style and strengths in sales to refine your approach and increase success. Preparation and practice are essential for effective sales calls and negotiations. Adapt to different communication styles when selling to different generations. Coaching and feedback are crucial for sales professionals to improve their skills. Authenticity, empathy, and genuine connections with customers are key to successful sales. Remote work presents challenges for sales teams, including the loss of the collective power of the sales floor. Personal branding and social selling can be effective tools for building relationships and establishing credibility in sales. Success in sales is defined by attitude, effort, and intention. Sound Bites "Productivity and efficiency is really top of mind." "We have to be thoughtful about the solutions we're selling." "Understanding the customer and building relationships is key." "Really knowing your own style, knowing where your strengths are, looking to see at each aspect of the stage, how can you get ultimately more through in the end will help you really refine your scope." "You want to bring your best, and you want to make sure that that call is the one call that gets you the next call versus the one call that maybe has that customer not calling back or ghosting you." "Yeah, 100%. There was a stat a ways back and they haven't refreshed it. It was when I first started tracking all this stuff that it was only 17 % of sellers were getting a second meeting." Chapters 00:00 The Shift in B2B Sales and Marketing 02:06 The Role of AI in Sales and Marketing 06:34 The Importance of Personal Development in Sales 33:01 Adapting to Different Communication Styles in Sales 35:47 Building Genuine Connections with Customers in Sales 38:06 Personal Branding and Social Selling in Sales

Summary Mark Niemiec, Chief Revenue Officer at SalesLoft, discusses the challenges in B2B sales and the importance of delivering a compelling value proposition. He emphasizes the need for sellers to understand their customers' language, challenges, and context in order to rise above the noise and deliver a 10 out of 10 message. Niemiec also highlights the importance of executive-level conversations and the need for sellers to communicate the power and value of their sales cycle to executives. He shares strategies for creating a point of view and delivering a clear and concise message that resonates with executives. Additionally, Niemiec discusses the role of AI in sales and the need for sellers to embrace it in order to differentiate themselves and stay ahead in the rapidly changing sales landscape. The conversation covers topics such as the use of AI in sales, the importance of timing and relevance in sales, the role of face-to-face meetings, personal branding and social selling, and the value of mentors and continuous learning in sales. The guest, Mark Niemiec, shares his experiences and insights from his career in sales and leadership roles. Takeaways Understanding the customer's language, challenges, and context is crucial for delivering a compelling value proposition. Sellers need to communicate the power and value of their sales cycle to executives. Creating a point of view and delivering a clear and concise message is essential for resonating with executives. AI is a game-changer in sales and sellers need to embrace it to differentiate themselves and stay ahead in the rapidly changing sales landscape. AI can be a valuable tool in sales, helping to identify and prioritize customer buying signals. Timing and relevance are crucial in sales, and sellers need to be proactive in engaging with buyers at the right time. Face-to-face meetings are still important in sales, especially for strategic enterprise accounts, but video calls can be effective for lower velocity deals. Personal branding and social selling can be valuable, but the focus should be on delivering unique insights and value to customers. Mentors play a crucial role in sales success, and continuous learning is essential for improvement. Success in sales is measured by the ability to solve customer problems and make a positive impact on customers' lives. Sound Bites "In order to get above the noise, you've got to deliver a 10 out of 10 in every one of those categories." "Exposure is super important. Our sellers need exposure to executives." "How do you take that six month, nine month sales cycle and condense it down into 60 seconds or 90 seconds?" "I didn't Uber was getting into space, but maybe the water's warm guys jump on it." "Yeah, I mean, it's all about timing today and relevance." "So in I think 2010 or 2011, I started getting the itch to want to do something a little bit different." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Assessment of the Current State of B2B Sales 03:08 The Importance of Delivering a Compelling Value Proposition 06:12 The Role of Executive-Level Conversations in Sales 10:10 Creating a Point of View for Effective Communication 15:00 Embracing AI to Stay Ahead in Sales 28:30 The Importance of Timing and Relevance in Sales 32:55 The Value of Face-to-Face Meetings 36:43 Personal Branding and Social Selling in Sales 40:34 The Impact of Mentors and Continuous Learning in Sales 46:38 Defining Success in Sales

The conversation between Dan Sixsmith and David Keene explores the state of B2B marketing today and the challenges faced by marketers. They discuss the importance of aligning sales, marketing, and customer success to provide a cohesive and integrated experience for buyers. They also touch on the impact of AI in marketing and the need for more practical use cases. David shares his career journey and highlights the skills required for modern CMOs, including being a people person, having technical knowledge, and being able to navigate various aspects of marketing. In this conversation, Dan and David discuss the challenges and importance of the modern CMO, the balance between brand development and demand generation, the power of storytelling and personal branding, and the value of hiring diverse talent. They also touch on the influence of mentors and the need to give young people a chance. Overall, the conversation emphasizes the need for CMOs to have a deep understanding of various disciplines, the importance of building a strong brand and culture, and the significance of connecting with customers through authentic storytelling. Takeaways Aligning sales, marketing, and customer success is crucial for providing a cohesive and integrated experience for buyers. The gap between sales and marketing is a major challenge in B2B marketing. AI in marketing has a lot of hype, but practical use cases are still limited. Modern CMOs need to be people-oriented, have technical knowledge, and be able to navigate various aspects of marketing. Metrics in marketing should focus on meaningful data and not just vanity metrics. The modern CMO needs to have a deep understanding of various disciplines and be able to go sufficiently deep across many areas. Balancing brand development and demand generation is crucial, and metrics should focus on the entire customer journey rather than just clicks and conversions. Storytelling is a powerful tool in marketing, and brands should focus on developing narratives that resonate with their target audience. Personal branding is important for marketing and sales professionals, as it helps establish credibility and thought leadership. Hiring diverse talent and giving young people a chance can bring fresh perspectives and energy to a team. Mentors play a pivotal role in career development, and it's important to seek guidance from experienced professionals. Sound Bites "The big trend of super successful organizations is getting marketing and sales to ride together." "You have to adopt a revenue operations model where you're looking at, look, what's our pipe look like six, nine, 12 months out?" "For a business to be successful, your customers have got to love you." "Either go for design and narrative and use focus groups and those kinds of things, or go for metrics that actually take you right through the funnel on a journey rather than just a click to cash kind of thing." "The great organizations are the ones where there is an understanding of the power of brand, the power of the values under the organization, the power of the intangible things the organization does, as well as the brand, as well as the demand and growth pieces." "Digital is failing in many areas. The internet's dying in lots of places and where it's strong is where you've got a real world analog pull and then a digital side to it as well." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and State of B2B Marketing 01:27 The Importance of Aligning Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success 11:36 Moving Beyond Vanity Metrics in Marketing 26:38 The Skills Required for Modern CMOs 30:20 The Challenges and Importance of the Modern CMO 33:15 Balancing Brand Development and Demand Generation 36:39 The Power of Storytelling and Personal Branding 45:29 The Value of Hiring Diverse Talent 53:57 The Influence of Mentors

[From a Linkedin Live Broadcast] Henry Cubillan, VP of Sales Strategy and Operations at Schneider Electric, discusses the challenges and changes in B2B sales today. He highlights the post-pandemic hangovers and macroeconomic challenges that have affected the sales industry. Cubillan emphasizes the need for sales professionals to transition from being bearers of information to becoming consultants who understand the customer's environment and challenges. He also discusses the importance of emotional intelligence and financial acumen in sales. Cubillan shares his own sales journey, including his early entrepreneurial experiences and his time at Dell, where he held various sales leadership roles. Henry Cubillan discusses his decision to join Schneider Electric and the importance of driving significant change in his role. He emphasizes the distinction between being a great seller and being a great sales leader, highlighting the qualities of effective leaders. Cubillan shares his leadership style, which includes being authentic, open, and focused on coaching and development. He also discusses the value of face-to-face interactions and the importance of social selling, emphasizing the need for authenticity in online interactions. Cubillan defines success as making a lasting impact on others. Takeaways The B2B sales industry is facing challenges due to post-pandemic hangovers and macroeconomic uncertainties. Sales professionals need to transition from being bearers of information to becoming consultants who understand the customer's environment and challenges. Emotional intelligence and financial acumen are important skills for sales professionals. Sales leaders should prioritize training and development to support the success of their sales teams. Renewals in the sales process are becoming just as challenging as acquiring new customers. Transparency and providing the best customer experience are key in sales. Early entrepreneurial experiences can shape a salesperson's career. A formalized sales training program is invaluable for new sales professionals. Sales leaders should have a deep understanding of the sales process and the impact on the bottom line. Career progression and alignment with company goals are important factors in making career decisions. Joining a company that is driving significant change can be a great opportunity for personal and professional growth. Being a great seller does not necessarily translate to being a great sales leader. Leadership requires the ability to inspire, develop, and lead a team. Authenticity is key in leadership. Being open, transparent, and genuinely caring about your team members can foster trust and loyalty. While social selling is an important tool, face-to-face interactions are still crucial for building relationships and making a lasting impact. Success is defined by the impact you have on others and the value you bring to their lives and businesses. Sound Bites "We're the consultant now." "We're still doing things the way we were doing them 10 years ago." "The one thing that hasn't changed is the customer experience." "The company is driving significant change. And that's where I excel." "Leaders are leaders. It's a calling, it's not a career progression." "I want to build a culture of excellence, a culture of being different, of being better." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and State of B2B Sales 02:59 Transitioning to Consultative Sales 06:39 Challenges in Sales Training and Development 11:37 Customer Experience and Transparency in Sales 24:12 Building and Leading Sales Teams 26:14 Career Progression and Making Career Decisions 26:42 Joining Schneider Electric and Embracing Change 29:36 The Distinction Between Great Sellers and Great Sales Leaders 33:38 Authentic Leadership: Openness, Transparency, and Genuine Care 40:04 The Value of Face-to-Face Interactions in a Digital World 40:34 Social Selling: The Importance of Authenticity 52:55 Defining Success: Making an Impact

In this conversation, Dan Sixsmith interviews Omri Avdi, the Chief Sales Officer at Grant Thornton, about the current trends in B2B sales and the challenges faced by sellers. They discuss the increased scrutiny over spend, the involvement of CFOs and C-level executives in the purchasing process, and the importance of building enduring relationships with clients. They also touch on the decline in quota attainment, the need for coaching and continuous learning, and the impact of culture on hiring and retaining top talent. Omri shares his personal journey and his approach to hiring elite salespeople. In this conversation, Omri Avdi, Chief Sales Officer at Grant Thornton, discusses the qualities and skills that make a successful salesperson. He emphasizes the importance of being competitive, hungry, and taking responsibility for both wins and losses. Avdi also highlights the significance of curiosity, command, and situational dominance in sales. He shares insights on retaining sales talent and the role of culture in employee satisfaction. Avdi stresses the importance of personal branding and social media presence for salespeople. He also discusses the value of storytelling and the impact of mentors and role models, such as Kobe Bryant. Takeaways CFOs are more wary about macroeconomic conditions, leading to reduced discretionary spend. Customer loyalty has decreased due to increased scrutiny over spend and more procurement scrutiny. Building enduring relationships with clients is crucial for success in B2B sales. Coaching and continuous learning are essential for sales professionals to stay competitive. Culture plays a significant role in hiring and retaining top sales talent. Successful salespeople are competitive, hungry, and take responsibility for both wins and losses. Curiosity, command, and situational dominance are important qualities in sales. Retaining sales talent requires a focus on culture and recognition. Personal branding and social media presence are essential for salespeople. Storytelling is a valuable skill for salespeople to connect with clients. Mentors and role models can have a significant impact on personal and professional growth. Chapters 00:00 Trends in B2B Sales 03:16 Building Enduring Relationships with Clients 08:28 The Importance of Coaching and Continuous Learning 28:05 The Qualities of a Successful Salesperson 33:39 Retaining Sales Talent: The Role of Culture and Recognition 39:49 The Importance of Personal Branding and Social Media Presence 41:44 The Power of Storytelling in Sales 46:52 The Impact of Mentors and Role Models

Ophelie Janus joins Dan. She is the Global Head of Thought Leadership at Siemens. The conversation explores the importance of trust and ROI in business decisions, the role of thought leadership in building trust, and the impact of thought leadership on buying decisions. It also delves into the types of thought leadership content, the journey to a thought leadership role, and the measurement of thought leadership success. In this conversation, Ophelie Janus discusses the importance of events, community building, and thought leadership in the corporate world. She also shares insights on employee advocacy, brand building, and the industrial metaverse. Ophelie highlights the impact of her parents on her career and personal life, and shares her definition of success. Takeaways: Trust and ROI are essential factors in business decisions, and thought leadership plays a crucial role in building trust. Thought leadership content should be consistent, informative, and authentic to build credibility and rapport with customers. Thought leadership content can influence buying decisions and should be part of a comprehensive content strategy. Measuring thought leadership success involves tracking share of voice, sentiment, and data-driven metrics, as well as participating in speaking engagements and events. Events play a crucial role in corporate engagement and thought leadership. Community building is essential for trust and brand advocacy. Employee advocacy and thought leadership are driven by people, not just corporate brands. The industrial metaverse has the potential to transform everyday life and drive positive change. Parental influence can have a significant impact on career and personal development. Success is defined by making every day count and striving to become the best version of oneself. Chapters: 00:00 The Role of Trust and ROI in Business Decisions 03:03 Building Trust and Credibility Through Thought Leadership 06:24 Influencing Buying Decisions with Thought Leadership 09:41 Journey to a Thought Leadership Role 22:00 The Power of Events and Community Building in Thought Leadership 24:16 The Industrial Metaverse and Its Impact on Everyday Life 37:12 Parental Influence and Personal Development 42:43 Defining Success: Making Every Day Count

Summary Jon Miller, pioneer, market maker, thought leader and the OG of MarTech joins Dan for over 60 minutes of engaging dialogue and new revelations. The conversation covers the journey of Marketo, the emergence of marketing automation solutions, the challenges faced, and the eventual merger with Demandbase. It also delves into the creation of Engagio and the lessons learned from early success. The themes include Marketo's market entry, product development, category expansion, leadership impact, and the evolution of ABM solutions. The conversation covers Jon Miller's career journey, the merger of DemandBase and Engagio, the changing landscape of marketing, the impact of AI on marketing, and the definition of success. Jon shares insights on thought leadership, personal branding, and the evolving role of marketing in the modern era. Takeaways Marketo's success was driven by the right positioning, a good product, and strong sales and marketing execution. Early success can lead to an overly rosy signal of product-market fit, and it's important to be cautious of early signals. The evolution of ABM solutions and the need for a full ABM platform that covers the entire spectrum of ABM capabilities. The impact of leadership changes on marketing performance and the importance of having the right leadership in key positions. Lessons learned from the creation of Engagio and the challenges faced in building a new company after early success. The eventual merger of Engagio with Demandbase and the vision of combining the strengths of both platforms to create a comprehensive ABM solution. Jon Miller's career journey and the merger of DemandBase and Engagio The changing landscape of marketing and the impact of AI Insights on thought leadership and personal branding The evolving role of marketing in the modern era Jon Miller's definition of success Chapters 00:00 The Market Entry and Success of Marketo 03:30 Product Development and Category Expansion 07:03 The Impact of Leadership and Early Success 13:45 Lessons Learned from Engagio and Building a New Company 27:14 Navigating the Marketing Landscape: Jon Miller's Career Journey 30:49 The Impact of AI on Marketing: Changing the Game 34:30 Thought Leadership and Personal Branding in the Modern Era 41:03 Redefining Marketing: The Evolving Role and Future 53:30 Defining Success: A Moving Bar

Summary Tom Pisello, the ROI Guy and serial entrepreneur and David Yockelson, senior fellow at Gartner and Value Selling expert join Dan on this episode. The conversation covers a wide range of topics related to B2B marketing and sales, including the challenges of subscription fatigue, the impact of AI on decision-making, the role of value engineering in sales, and the importance of post-sale value and customer success. The speakers discuss the need for an orchestrated approach to value execution, the impact of technology on customer success, and the challenges of renewing customers in the current market landscape. Takeaways The impact of subscription fatigue on B2B marketing and sales. The role of AI in decision-making and its impact on buyer behavior. The importance of an orchestrated approach to value execution in sales. The challenges and opportunities in post-sale value and customer success. The impact of technology on customer success and the renewal of customers. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Technical Setup 06:13 Challenges of Subscription Fatigue in B2B Marketing and Sales 11:13 The Impact of AI on Decision-Making and Buyer Behavior 43:34 Post-Sale Value and Customer Success 50:03 Renewing Customers and the Impact of Technology on Customer Success

Summary Usman Sheikh, CEO and founder of XIQ, discusses the changing dynamics of B2B sales and the impact of generative AI on sales productivity. He shares his journey from architecture to software and the founding of XIQ. The conversation delves into the core solution of XIQ, its target audience, and the use of behavioral science to decode human buying behavior. The conversation explores the use of AI in sales engagement and the impact of personalized communication on email open and click-through rates. It delves into the role of AI in building and cementing relationships with prospects and clients, as well as the importance of personalization in engaging customers. The discussion also touches on the significance of family support in entrepreneurship and the key factors to consider when evaluating AI solutions for sales. Takeaways The changing dynamics of B2B sales and the impact of generative AI on sales productivity Usman Sheikh's journey from architecture to software and the founding of XIQ The core solution of XIQ and its use of behavioral science to decode human buying behavior AI can significantly enhance the personalization of email communication, leading to higher open and click-through rates. The use of AI in sales enables the building and cementing of relationships with prospects and clients, contributing to improved engagement and trust. Family support is crucial in entrepreneurship, providing a stable background and perspective amidst the stress and time-consuming nature of the journey. When evaluating AI solutions for sales, B2B buyers should consider the solution's ability to meet their use case, its potential to accelerate processes, and its intuitive nature for easy adoption. The shift in buyer dynamics and the importance of credibility in sales and marketing collaboration are key factors driving the adoption of AI solutions in the sales space. Chapters 00:00 The Changing Dynamics of B2B Sales 07:33 From Architecture to Software: The Journey of XIQ's Founder 13:47 Decoding Human Buying Behavior: The Core of XIQ 21:14 Building and Cementing Relationships with AI in Sales 22:59 The Role of Family Support in Entrepreneurship 29:21 Key Factors in Evaluating AI Solutions for Sales 31:09 Shifting Buyer Dynamics and the Importance of Credibility