Revenue Builders

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan dive deep into the concept of negativity bias and its impact on sales performance. Joined by Jim “Pouli” Pouliopoulos, a seasoned sales management facilitator and author of "How to Be A Well-Being," the conversation explores the roots of negativity bias, its evolutionary significance, and practical strategies to counteract it. The hosts emphasize the importance of focusing on the sales process rather than fixating on closing deals, offering valuable insights for sales professionals looking to enhance their mindset and performance.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:57] Understanding Negativity Bias: Jim explains negativity bias as a hardwired human tendency to interpret external events negatively, rooted in evolutionary survival instincts.[00:02:25] Impact on Sales: The hosts discuss how negativity bias can adversely affect sales professionals, leading to self-doubt, fear of rejection, and a negative spiral in their approach.[00:03:27] Counteracting Negativity Bias: Jim suggests countering negativity bias by training the brain to focus on positive aspects daily, cultivating gratitude for small things.[00:06:28] Shifting Focus to Process: The conversation shifts to the idea of focusing on the sales process rather than fixating on closing deals, emphasizing the importance of controlling what can be controlled.[00:08:13] Empathy in Sales: Jim advises sellers to approach conversations with empathy, asking, "How do I help this person right now?" instead of being overly concerned about closing deals.[00:09:21] Managerial Support: The hosts discuss the role of managers in fostering a positive mindset, encouraging them to shift their focus from demanding closed deals to understanding and supporting the seller's efforts to help their clients.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:01:20] "Negativity bias is hardwired into us; it gave us the tools to evolve, but we need to recognize and manage it in sales."[00:03:45] "Training our brains to focus on daily positives can counteract the immediate negative interpretations of events."[00:07:53] "Instead of fixating on closing deals, ask, 'How do I help this person?' – it leads to better questions, rapport building, and positive outcomes."[00:09:21] "Managers play a crucial role; shifting focus from closing deals to understanding and supporting the seller's efforts leads to better results."Listen to the full episode with Jim “Pouli” Pouliopoulos through this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/how-to-be-a-well-being-in-salesCheck 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/

Joe Young, VP of Worldwide Commercial Sales at Zscaler, discusses organizing commercial sales teams, market segmentation, and the role of SDRs. He emphasizes consistency in processes, talent development, and challenges of territory balancing in this insightful episode.

SHOW SUMMARYIn this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan in a deep dive with industry expert Anne Gary as they explore the essential steps in preparing for the Economic Buyer meeting. Ann shares valuable insights on how salespeople can differentiate themselves, become true business partners, and align their solutions with both corporate and individual objectives.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:49] Research is Key: 8 out of 10 executives feel sales meetings are wasted time. Research company objectives, risks, and competition beforehand.[00:01:46] Be a Partner: Differentiate by helping run their business. Provide insights into unconsidered business issues.[00:02:56] Align for Success: Link solutions to corporate and individual performance, focusing on revenue growth, cost reduction, and risk mitigation.[00:04:55] Articulate the Pain: Quantify the current situation, showcasing the full ramifications of the customer's process and connecting it to positive business outcomes.[00:08:14] Differentiate Effectively: Identify required capabilities, differentiating based on unique strengths addressing specific pain points for winning the Proof of Value (POV).[00:09:00] ROI Confidence: Develop a preliminary Return on Investment (ROI) confidently before entering Proof of Concept (POC) discussions.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:01:25] "Be a business partner, not a salesperson. Help them run their business, inform them about business issues they haven't considered."[00:03:57] "The terms that resonate with your champion may not be the same terms that resonate with the economic buyer. Speak on their business terms."[00:07:54] "Understand how these people are measured. Highlight the business outcome that aligns most with how they're evaluated."Listen to the full episode with Anne Gary through this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/getting-to-the-economic-buyer-with-anne-garyCheck 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/

John Donnelly III, a seasoned global operational executive with over 25 years of experience, discusses his sales career journey, the challenges of business acquisitions, effective sales forecasting, and the importance of storytelling in sales campaigns. He emphasizes the need for sales reps to build emotional connections with customers and deeply understand their needs. Valuable insights for sales executives navigating forecast challenges and business acquisitions.

The podcast discusses key strategies for new Chief Revenue Officers (CROs), including understanding the team, exploring customer insights, seeking early wins, and establishing a well-defined sales process for training and forecasting. Terry Tripp shares valuable insights on connecting with team members, understanding customer needs, and driving quick successes in startups.

Former world-class Sales Engineering leader and published author, John Care, joins hosts to discuss the role of technical sales, importance of relationships and storytelling, partnership between SEs and AEs, and value of qualification and preparation before demos and POCs.

Navy SEAL veteran Brent Gleeson discusses growth vs. fixed mindsets, sharing how to spot disengaged individuals and lead teams effectively. Learn the importance of continuous improvement, embracing challenges, and fostering a shared purpose for success.

Tammy Sexton, Chief Revenue Officer at Skyflow, discusses the importance of data privacy and Skyflow's data vault as a service. She shares insights on the impact of data breaches on brand reputation and revenue, as well as the role of data privacy in building customer trust. Tammy also reflects on her journey as a sales leader and provides valuable lessons on transitioning to a manager, managing managers, and becoming a CRO.

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we delve into the intricate world of sales negotiation with expert Tim Caito from Force Management. We explore the crucial aspects of negotiation, from preparing champions to dealing with procurement and the power of starting early in the sales process. Tim shares valuable insights and strategies to help organizations preserve value in the final deal and achieve successful negotiations.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:01:07] Starting early in the sales process is crucial for successful negotiation.[00:02:09] Begin the negotiation process before the other side believes you're negotiating.[00:02:58] Having a better alternative gives leverage in negotiations.[00:04:00] Making negotiations about the client's alternative rather than yours is a powerful tactic.[00:05:51] Procurement's role and the importance of preparing champions for the negotiation process.[00:08:23] The significance of creating a powerful cost justification to resist procurement pressure.[00:10:46] The role of champions as the great equalizer in the negotiation process.[00:12:17] Anticipating competitive tactics and preparing champions to handle external pressure.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:01:26] "Start the negotiation process before the other side believes we're negotiating."[00:03:18] "If the rep doesn't have a solid alternative, it gives the power back to procurement."[00:08:48] "You have to have done such a good cost justification that they feel like they're losing every day that goes by."[00:10:27] "Champions are the great equalizer in a negotiation process."[00:13:52] "We have to prep them because it is going to happen, and we have to role play and ask specifically, what are you going to say when they ask this question."Listen to the full episode with Tim Caito through this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/the-secrets-of-sales-negotiation-with-tim-caitoCheck 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/

Carl Cross has an established career transforming and leading superior teams resulting in high performance and vibrant revenue growth. Carl has advanced through multiple leadership roles and has consistently been asked to lead key projects that drive corporate strategy. Currently, Carl is the Chief Revenue Officer of Alkami, a SaaS based digital banking platform. He started his career at Peoplesoft where he climbed into the sales leadership ranks before moving to SAP. After SAP he moved to BMC where he was responsible for the company's global outsourcing business and after a two year stint with HP, Carl headed up worldwide sales at AppSense and helped lead the company through its acquisition by ThomaBravo. He then held the position of Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Workfront and remained in that role leading the go to market integration after the acquisition by Adobe.In this episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, Carl Cross, the Chief Revenue Officer at Alkami, shares his insights on sales leadership and scaling a sales organization. He emphasizes the importance of effective leadership, creating a strong sales culture, and aligning sales and marketing efforts. Carl also highlights the significance of understanding the buyer's journey and conducting thorough discovery in the sales process. When it comes to scaling a sales force, Carl discusses the need for a sales capacity plan and the importance of staying ahead in recruiting to avoid falling behind in sales goals.Tune in to this conversation with John McMahon and John Kaplan on the Revenue Builders podcast.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:05:20] Lesson learned as a first line manager: it's not about you[00:09:59] Challenges of transitioning to a second line manager[00:12:24] Transition from tactical to strategic thinking[00:17:16] Importance of skills and pipeline in sales[00:19:27] Accountability for recruitment and development of reps[00:23:11] Importance of understanding and motivating individual team members[00:27:08] Living by the culture and taking responsibility for it as a leader[00:32:08] Challenges of being a CRO and the need for alignment[00:41:27] Motivation and individual differences in sales[00:51:14] Lessons on scaling a sales forceADDITIONAL RESOURCESLearn more about Carl Cross and about their company:https://www.linkedin.com/in/crosscarl/https://www.linkedin.com/company/alkamitech/Download our Sales Transformation Guide for Leaders:https://forc.mx/3sdtEZJHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:52:48] "But for me, scaling is really it's, you know, do you have a sales capacity plan? Right? And I'm not talking about like we're getting ready to come into a new year. We already know the sales capacity plan. We know what we're hiring to, but the most effective CROs, most every SAS company is going to have a 3, 4, 5 year plan, right?"[00:53:28] "But have the plan higher to it, hold the leadership accountable to it and that's how I think about scaling it. There's a lot of things in it, but your sales capacity plan and your average productivity per head is probably the biggest driver in that well."