Mental Selling: The Sales Performance Podcast

Salespeople face a multitude of challenges including burnout or understanding their why, all of which can hinder personal growth. Because of this, it’s crucial to cultivate resilience, clarify roles, and foster open dialogue to combat these issues and enhance overall well-being. Jaclynn Robinson, Executive Coach and Senior Workplace Consultant, assists clients who seek to improve performance and business outcomes through sociocultural drivers. Her focal points at Gallup are in Strengths-Based development, workplace practices, and development training to improve performance and business outcomes. In this conversation, Jaclynn discusses the challenges salespeople face in maintaining their well-being and performance in the workplace. She explains the importance of self-awareness to recognize burnout. Join us as she shares her insight on how sales professionals can build resilience and navigate burnout in their role. **Resources:** - Jaclynn’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jaclynnrobinson - Learn more about Jaclynn: www.jaclynnrobinson.com - Gallup: www.gallup.com

When Chantel George, Founder & CEO of Sistas in Sales, started her own journey into sales, she had no idea how much support and community she really needed to thrive. Once she found that support system, everything changed! Sales can be rewarding IF you're passionate about negotiating, problem-solving, and creating client relationships. With these attributes, you not only help your clients excel in their business, but you're also making a significant impact on your colleagues' success. In this episode, Chantel shares advice for navigating complex dynamics in sales and the power of finding a community of like-minded individuals. Chantel founded Sistas In Sales in 2017, the first and only global organization serving women of color in sales, out of a determination to build a community where diversity is celebrated and underrepresented talent is found and recognized. Today, Sistas in Sales is transforming lives, providing opportunities, and making sales a better place its more than 8,000 members. She emphasizes the importance of building a supportive community and highlights the need for intentional efforts from companies to attract and retain more diverse talent in sales. Chantel also shares insights into the changing dynamics of the buying journey, and the significance of curiosity and passion in successful selling. Lastly, she discusses the impact of providing validation, opportunities, and resources for her members, contributing to a more inclusive and empowered sales community. What to listen for: [1:19] - Chantel's journey into sales and her assumptions (and misassumptions) about sales as a profession [3:35] - What salespeople need around them to succeed and avoid imposter syndrome [04:50] - Intangibles that set successful salespeople apart [7:24] - Chantel's unwritten rules in sales [9:52] - The shifting buyers' journey and how to better meet customer expectations [11:23] - Asking tough questions, being genuinely curious and overcoming objections as ways to solve problems [14:02] - Having genuine belief and interest in the products and services you sell [16:40] - The motivation and goals for starting Sistas in Sales and how it evolved [21:36] - Reasons minorities are still so underrepresented in sales and sales leadership [23:58] - Advice for women of color getting into (or considering getting into) sales [28:24] - Going from good intentions to action in attracting (and retaining) diverse sales teams [29:24] - The best advice Chantel ever received [30:03] - Better preparing future sales leaders and what makes great sales leaders [33:15] - Empathy, feedback, and importance of the humanity in leadership Chantel sheds light on the challenges faced by (and opportunities for) underrepresented groups- especially women of color- in sales. She explores the significance of representation and role models in executive sales positions and the need for providing equal opportunities for success. Additional Resources: - Chantel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantelgeorge - Follow Chantel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChantelCreates - Learn more about Sistas in Sales: http://sistasinsales.com/

Sales is an emotional roller coaster. It comes with high highs and low lows, rejection, triumphs, and everything in between. Success requires the ability to focus on what you can control in the midst of everything you can’t. Mary Browning is one of those resilient people. She’s an experienced sales leader who's passionate about empowering others and believes she's only as good as the team she leads. She's currently VP of Sales at StarLifter, and she's dedicated to helping more women earn roles in sales management. In this conversation, Mary emphasizes the importance of curiosity and resilience in sales and shares her perspective on how to handle difficult situations. She shares how salespeople can learn from both wins and losses, and how to maintain a curious attitude when faced with tough decisions in the industry. She also discusses sales from the perspective of a leader, sharing how to build strong relationships and effectively coach team members to create a healthy, successful culture. Additional Resources: - Mary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryej/ - Follow Mary on Twitter: https://twitter.com/marybjolly - Learn more about StarLifter: https://www.starlifter.io/

In this engaging conversation, Matthew Dicks, an author and storytelling expert, reveals the remarkable power of storytelling in sales. He discusses how stories can create emotional connections that are 22 times more memorable than facts alone. Matthew highlights the importance of humor and vulnerability in sales interactions and shares tips on crafting captivating narratives. He also emphasizes the effectiveness of personalized video content in enhancing audience engagement, making connections that turn strangers into friends.

Communicating well is at the heart of sales effectiveness. It goes beyond words on a page or messaging we can recite. It's about the ability to truly understand others, create emotional connections, ask great questions, and check for understanding before moving forward. In this conversation, communication expert [Johnny Walker](https://www.linkedin.com/in/characterinc/) shares how to harness the power of effective communication to boost sales performance. As the Founder and President of [Character Inc.](https://characterinc.com/) and a longtime training facilitator with Integrity Solutions, Johnny’s expertise in sales communication centers around understanding others in the pursuit of improved relationships and increased sales. Listen to hear Johnny share how to tap into your natural curiosity, craft questions that foster connection, and truly understand your customers’ needs. **Resources:** - Johnny’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/characterinc/ - Follow Johnny on Twitter: @JohnnyWalkerCo - Learn more about Johnny’s company: [Character Inc.](https://characterinc.com/)

Thought leadership is a critical tool for brands, especially in B2B, but what does it do for individual sellers? In this conversation, we speak with Bill Sherman, COO of Thought Leadership Leverage and Co-Host of the Leveraging Thought Leadership podcast. He helps connects the dots between the value and role of thought leadership and creating better sales outcomes. He explains how to use the four pillars of a successful thought leadership strategy to overcome objections, instill confidence, and build relationships. Bill emphasizes the importance of getting ahead of buyers’ online research. He explains if you aren’t getting your ideas and insights out early, you're missing the opportunity for creating new conversations. **Resources:** - Bill’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-sherman-274a02/ - Follow Bill on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillSherman - Thought Leadership Leverage: http://t.co/cfzEai6X7t - Tune into Bill’s podcast: [Leveraging Thought Leadership](https://thoughtleadershipleverage.com/thought-leadership-podcasts/) - And hear from Will on the Leveraging Thought Leadership podcast: https://thoughtleadershipleverage.com/creating-a-thought-leadership-engine-will-milano/

It's never been more important to understand your customers and what they value. But where does the customer experience begin? And how do you tactically create a consistent experience that will keep customers loyal? Jeannie Walters, Founder and CEO of Experience Investigators, joins the show to share tangible ways to put customers first through their entire journey with your organization. She connects the dots between customer success and sales, and explains how the two groups can partner to optimize outcomes for all parties. She also dives into the use of technology in the customer experience, revealing how it can help and where it can hurt. Related Resources: - Jeannie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/ - Follow Jeannie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanniecw - Jeannie’s LinkedIn Learning courses: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/jeannie-walters - Jeannie’s website: https://experienceinvestigators.com/ - Hear Jeannie’s podcast: https://www.experienceactionpod.com/

Happiness and confidence are the keys to reaching your potential in sales. Alan Allard, founder and President of Genius Dynamics, shares how developing a positive, confident mindset enables salespeople to approach clients without fear, build trust, and bounce back from rejection. Drawing from his decades of sales experience, Alan brings insights into behavior change, sales coaching, and what it takes to truly be happy at work and in life. **Additional resources from this episode:** - Alan’s LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanallard/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanallard/) - Follow Alan on Twitter: @alanallard - Explore Alan’s website and blog: [alanallard.com](https://alanallard.com/) - Read Alan’s book: *[Seven Secrets to Enlightened Happiness](https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Secrets-Enlightened-Happiness-Guide/dp/1481961829)*

The road to success in sales is paved with passion and purpose. Understanding your personal wiring as well as your customers’ leads to measurable results. Most people understand this concept on a surface level but have a hard time being introspective enough to actually connect their passion with their work. [Alaina Love](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alainalove/), speaker, consultant, and CEO of [Purpose Linked Consulting](https://thepurposelink.com/), shares actionable advice for aligning your passion and purpose with your work for optimized sales performance. She explains how authenticity and reflection allow you to build trust with your customers and teammates, and shares how to use the ten passion archetypes to foster lasting relationships. **Additional resources from this episode:** - Alaina’s LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alainalove/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alainalove/) - Follow Alaina on Twitter: @workwithpassion - Read Alaina’s book: *[The Purpose Linked Organization](https://www.amazon.com/Purpose-Linked-Organization-Passionate-Leaders/dp/0071624708)* - Keep an eye out for Alaina’s upcoming book: *Permission to Be*

Why should brand matter to salespeople? Isn’t that marketing’s job? Marketing expert Vince Freeman and sales leader David Schweisthal invite salespeople to think twice when it comes to brand. In this conversation, they share why every salesperson should be keenly aware of both their company’s brand and their personal brand as they work with customers. They explain how brand influences the sales process, leads customers down the sales funnel, and even mitigates risk for buyers. Press play to learn how to leverage your brand to win customers. **Additional resources from this episode:** - Davids’s LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/schweisthal/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/schweisthal/) - Vince’s LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vince-freeman-55ba152/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vince-freeman-55ba152/) - Check out Vince and David’s podcast Brand Matter: [https://brandmatter.fm/](https://brandmatter.fm/)