Revenue Builders

Jane Thompson, Director of Strategic Accounts at Big Panda, brings 25 years of sales expertise to the table. She dives into the challenges of managing B2B strategic accounts and emphasizes the need for value-driven selling. Key traits for success include confidence, curiosity, and a deep understanding of customer needs. Jane discusses the necessity of building trust and the pitfalls of mismatched skills in account management. She also addresses how startups can approach large clients by honing in on their Ideal Customer Profile for effective targeting.

Frederik Maris, CRO at Atoss Software SE, shares his expert insights on hiring elite enterprise sales talent. He emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, character, and curiosity over traditional resumes. Learn about the ICE criteria—Intelligence, Character, Coachability, and Experience. Frederik reveals how to spot top performers by blending instinct with analytics. He discusses the relevance of 'Spin Selling' in interviews and highlights how self-awareness can be gauged through specific questions, proving intuition is key in hiring.

John Rowell, co-founder of Pinned Golf, shares his inspiring journey from a successful sales career at EMC and Dell Technologies to launching an innovative golf startup. He discusses critical skills like preparation and leadership that paved the way for his entrepreneurial success. Rowell explores the importance of defining customer profiles and the emotional connections in sales. He also highlights the unique challenges of working with friends and the thrill of creating market-defining golf products, showcasing a blend of passion and strategy in business.

Chris Vik, the Chief Revenue Officer at Leapwork, shares his insights on the dynamic world of pipeline generation in sales and recruiting. He debunks the myth that pipeline generation is dead, stressing the importance of leaders being actively involved with their teams. Chris emphasizes that recruiting should be a hands-on effort, advocating for leaders to build high-performing teams rather than outsourcing the process. Tune in to learn strategies for inspiring talent engagement even for lesser-known companies and the value of leading by example.

Bob Ranaldi, a global sales executive with over 20 years of experience, offers invaluable insights on optimizing the relationship between Chief Revenue Officers (CROs) and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). He emphasizes the importance of high communication and aligned goals. Bob discusses the balance between growth and EBITDA, as well as how sales efficiency impacts financial success. He also shares strategies for navigating remote environments and fostering a winning mindset among teams, ensuring CROs take ownership of sales forecasting and metrics for effective collaboration.

Discover the importance of shifting focus from sales activities to accomplishments. Learn how to train reps for impactful meetings and why clarity in expectations is key. Explore strategies for engaging economic buyers and adapting to changing funding landscapes. The conversation emphasizes aligning daily actions with business outcomes for maximum effectiveness. Simplifying sales execution can lead to small wins that drive success.

Frederik Maris, Chief Revenue Officer at Atoss Software SE, brings a wealth of B2B sales leadership experience. He discusses the importance of recruiting sales talent with qualities like intelligence, character, and coachability. Frederik emphasizes the need for a strong discovery process to deeply understand client challenges. He also highlights the crucial role of first-line managers in fostering continuous learning and accountability within teams, coupled with the power of self-awareness in driving sales success.

Discover insights on retaining top sales talent through authentic leadership. The conversation emphasizes building a culture of buy-in, where employees feel valued and aligned with organizational goals. Learn how transformational management can foster long-term loyalty by investing in employee growth. Mike Earnest highlights the necessity of helping teams envision their future within the company, ensuring they see a path for personal and professional achievement.

In this engaging discussion, Christopher Vik, Chief Revenue Officer at Leapwork, shares his extensive experience in sales leadership. He highlights the evolving landscape of pipeline generation and the critical role AI plays in it. Chris emphasizes building a strong pipeline generation culture through five key components and the importance of preparing A-players for success. He also illustrates how aligning candidate values and company needs can enhance recruitment, alongside effective collaboration between sales and marketing for optimal results.

In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we revisit the discussion with Patrick Ball, CRO of Crux Informatics, to explore the power of a well-defined sales process. Patrick shares how aligning with the buyer’s journey improves win rates, eliminates wasted efforts, and sets the foundation for a strong business case. He also discusses key red flags to look for, the role of stakeholder engagement, and how to structure a sales motion that drives real value. If you're in B2B sales, you won't want to miss this deep dive into sales execution.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:01:37] 53% of buyers select a vendor based on the buying process, making structured engagement essential.[00:02:05] How a clearly defined sales process builds trust and credibility with prospects.[00:02:53] The importance of “go/no-go” checkpoints to prevent wasted time and stalled deals.[00:04:15] Red flags that indicate you’re dealing with the wrong person in the buying process.[00:05:09] Why business value assessments (BVA) are critical to securing executive buy-in.[00:06:10] Understanding the complexity of selling a managed service vs. traditional SaaS.QUOTES[00:01:37] “53% of buyers choose a vendor based on the buying process. So why wouldn’t we want to control that in the best possible way?”[00:02:53] “A well-structured sales process keeps both the vendor and the prospect in lockstep, ensuring we’re not wasting time on deals that won’t close.”[00:04:15] “If a prospect resists engaging in a business value assessment, it’s often a sign you’re talking to the wrong person.”[00:05:40] “Sales isn’t just about a single point of contact—it’s about engaging all the necessary stakeholders to drive a deal forward.”Listen to the full conversation through the link below.https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/complex-sales-critical-stages-in-a-customers-buying-processEnjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox:https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0Check out John McMahon’s book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Force Management is hiring for a Sales Director. Apply here: https://hubs.li/Q02Zb8WG0Read Force Management's eBook: https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging