Enterprise Sales Development (CIENCE)

In the latest episode of the Enterprise Sales Development Podcast, we speak with Nick Rathjen, Account development vice president at SamSara. Today, we're diving into some hot topics related to sales. First up, we'll share some valuable tips on how to find and hire the best sales talent. Then, we'll discuss effective strategies for growing a successful sales department. And finally, we'll explore the impact of AI on sales and how it's transforming the industry. So, if you're looking to improve your sales game, tune in now for some actionable insights and expert advice! WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Tips on hiring sales representatives  How to grow a sales department  How AI will affect sales  QUOTES “If you're interviewing well, the interviewer should not be spending that much time speaking, ask broad open ended questions, listen, be an active listener when you're interviewing don't just think about the next question you're going to ask”. - Nick Rathjen [11:27] “What's so important for FRONTLINE managers is to make information digestible, simplify what you were trying to convey, simplify what your product is”. - Nick Rathjen [23:32] “I mean prospecting is an art. I mean, sales is in everything that we do, every service. Every product needs to be sold at one point in time. And it's it is as competitive as it's ever been”. - Nick Rathjen [35:17] “But it is a really exciting time in where that will go will be pretty exceptional. And, you know, I think people have been leveraging chat bots, you know, once people fill out online forms or kinda hit that logo on a company page… chat bots are okay, but they don't really sell same the same thing”. - Nick Rathjen [43:20] “Is always going to be about communication in sales. Is that interpersonal interaction where you're able to present the value of your solution”. - Nick Rathjen [44:57] TIMESTAMPS [0:00] - Meet Nick Rathjen [6:50] - Nick on growing his sales department  [9:34] - Nick on finding the right candidates for sdr [17:09] - Nick on their account development representatives [20:03] - Nick on prospecting [23:16] - Nick shares tips for younger sales reps [38:08] - Nick on the biggest changes in the industry  [44:55] - Nick on communication in sales [46:55] - Connect with Nick CONNECT Nick’s LinkedIn CIENCE on LinkedIn CIENCE on Facebook CIENCE on Twitter CIENCE on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the latest episode of the Enterprise Sales Development Podcast we speak with Derrick Williams, founder of 3 Link. We delve into the crucial topic of message market fit, and why it's so important for sales success. We explore the asymmetry that exists in sales development, and how understanding the needs and pain points of your target audience can give you a competitive edge. We also talk about the importance of timing in sales, and how reaching out to prospects at the right moment can be the difference between a successful sale and a missed opportunity. To help you optimize your sales development strategy, we share some of the best practices that we've seen work in the industry. Whether you're a seasoned sales professional or just starting out, you won't want to miss this episode! WHAT YOU’LL LEARN The importance of message market fit The asymmetry in sales development Timing in sales Best practices in sales development QUOTES "...I had to realize that that's just the nature of the beast. Nine out of 10 organizations that start out aren't gonna take off”. - Derrick Williams [7:10] "And I think that's an important role of a consultant is to distill down and synergize, I should say information that's out there". - Derrick Williams [17:08] “So it's not just having that information that's being able to guide somebody through how to change and apply and sort of adopt that behavior, right? And be a teacher if you will or a coach on how to implement these best practices”. - Derrick Williams [20:48] “Absolutely timing is everything. Timing is everything timing, the market timing, your outreach, it all comes back to reaching out the right time”. - Derrick Williams [31:50] "...the single most important activity that a FRONTLINE leader can be doing with their time is developing their people". - Derrick Williams [43:09] TIMESTAMPS [0:00] - Meet Derrick Williams [2:56] - Derrick’s beginning as an entrepreneur  [6:35] - How Derrick dealt with being laid off [9:03] - Derrick on sales development at the top of the funnel [13:04] - Derrick on expectation setting clients [16:07] - Derrick on message market fit [25:54] - Derrick on asymmetry in sales development  [31:49] - Derrick on the importance of timing in sales [35:55] - Derrick on founding a new department  [41:38] - Derrick’s best practices on coaching [49:47] - Connect with Derrick CONNECT Derrick’s LinkedIn CIENCE on LinkedIn CIENCE on Facebook CIENCE on Twitter CIENCE on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the latest episode of the Enterprise Sales Development Podcast, we had the pleasure of talking with Philipp Humm, the founder of “Power of Storytelling”. During the episode, we discussed the power storytelling has in sales, and the concept of constructive embarrassment. Philipp shared his insights on how storytelling can be a powerful tool in sales, allowing salespeople to create a deeper connection with their prospects and convey the value of their product or service in a more compelling way. He emphasized the importance of asking questions, sharing stories, and highlighted the role of authenticity and vulnerability in building trust and credibility. In addition, Philipp introduced the concept of constructive embarrassment, which involves putting oneself in an uncomfortable situation in order to learn and grow. He discussed how this mindset can be applied in sales, encouraging salespeople to step outside of their comfort zone and take risks in order to improve their performance and achieve better results. Throughout the episode, Philipp provided practical tips and examples for how sales professionals can incorporate storytelling and constructive embarrassment into their approach, and shared his own experiences and learnings from his successful career in sales and leadership. This episode is packed with valuable insights and inspiration to help you elevate your game and achieve greater success. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN The power of storytelling in sales How asking questions and sharing stories could improve your sales Constructive embarrassment and its benefits QUOTES “We have these facts and I use arguments all the time but I have to be honest, let's see my approach. I wasn't particularly successful with that because every time that you just use facts persuade someone well, first of all, people don't let themselves be persuaded”. - Philipp Humm [5:52] “I think the one thing though that people often underestimate it's how to ask the right question because actually sharing the story, it's pretty easy. Everyone can come up with something on the spot right now. But to ask a question that the other person can respond with the story in return. That's really the tough part”. - Philipp Humm [11:18] “The basis of every question that prompts a story is when and where after that? You can go on and ask, hey, tell me more about that”. - Philipp Humm [14:04] “The moment that I share a story with you or if it's a good story, if it is a story that has an arc, your brain releases oxytocin, itosin. Is this a man that makes you more amenable to my ideas? It makes you empathize with me. So the moment I share a story, well, it's easier to share an idea that actually I want to have buy in for”. - Philipp Humm [18:01] “Pretty much when you put yourself on purpose in an embarrassing situation? You learn how to deal with judgement and learning how to deal with a judgment”. - Philipp Humm [22:02] TIMESTAMPS [0:00] - Meet Philipp Humm [2-14] - Philipp’s story selling method [5:25] - The power of storytelling and Philipps inspirations for his book [7:25] - How to put customers as the main character in our story [13:22] - How to ask better questions [14:46] - How to apply storytelling and start asking great questions [21:36] - Philipp on constructive embarrassment  [30:42] - Philipp on his customers before and after working with him [37:12] - Connect with Philipp Humm CONNECT Philipp Humm on LinkedIn CIENCE on LinkedIn CIENCE on Facebook CIENCE on Twitter CIENCE on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the latest episode of the Enterprise Sales Development Podcast, we talked with Dan Fantasia, president of TreeLine. During this episode, we covered multiple topics, including the macroeconomic state of the sales job market and how it has changed over the last few years. We also talked about how to hire for sales roles, what to look for, and even for candidates, what they can improve to attract recruiters' attention on LinkedIn. Learn this and much more in this insightful episode!. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN How to attract a recruiter’s attention on LinkedIn The macroeconomic state of the sales job market in 2023 How to manage your sales career Hiring the right people for sales roles QUOTES “Things are changing. They continue to change. So, if a company right now is a Virtual remote or hybrid find no problem, but the companies that are requiring individuals to come back to the office, the conversion rate on that, getting somewhat excited to go to an office every day is incredibly challenging”. - Dan Fantasia [5:01] “People find new opportunities. We have like no turnover, right? It's there's, no, you don't want to be forced into an opportunity, find a good fit. And if you have concerns, then don't move forward. We'll just keep working with you. Let's just keep building a pipeline and educating you about new opportunities until you do find the right fit”. - Dan Fantasia [8:54] “To change 6,000 people's lives by 2029. We, and we're not doing it like as a, you know, big commercial organization, we generally are invested in the… that we help BDR and SDRS, and over their life, you know, over their career, we continue to help advance their careers and Grow. And it's wonderful. I just like it's awesome. Really”. - Dan Fantasia [23:13] “Kids that get out of college, they have no idea what they wanna do, right? What's next. And then after that, when you are in your career, there there are many people that just get stock and they just, they get promoted and they follow a path”. - Dan Fantasia [28:53] “People just get lost. They just don't know and they haven't talked to anyone. It's the same as we just mentioned it companies, when we first get started with a company, they say they know exactly what they want, but usually 99 percent of the time that changes a bit as they get into the search and they realize what kind of talent we can introduce it, just it all starts to change and what that costs by the way it's the same thing for the candidate when they start to understand what options they're qualified for, and what kinds of companies they could consider. It opens up that, you know, it's an open horizon to new opportunities that they've never considered before”. - Dan Fantasia [30:57] TIMESTAMPS [0:00] - Meet Dan Fantasia [2:50] - How the sales landscape has changed  [4:40] - Dan on remote work   [7:02] - Dan on TreeLine and their experience in hiring sales professionals  [11:35] - Dan on candidates' lifecycle  [15:52] - What to look for on SDR Managers  [22:11] - Dan on what to “settle” for when hiring  [26:13] - Dan on the macroeconomic changes in the sales industry [28:30] - Dan on how to manage your career [32:01] - Dan’s approach to coaching companies [36:55] - How to attract a recruiter’s attention on LinkedIn [46:50] - Get in touch with Dan CONNECT Dan Fantasia’s LinkedIn CIENCE on LinkedIn CIENCE on Facebook CIENCE on Twitter CIENCE on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Enterprise Sales Development Podcast, we speak with Lydia Hutchison, Head of Sales Development at HyperCurrent. She discussed the best approach to cold calling, and shared tips on how to research prospects before calling, and craft effective messaging. She also discussed the best and worst habits among SDRs, including the importance of being organized and coachable, as well as the pitfalls of relying too heavily on templates and not personalizing outreach. Finally, they delved into the future of the SDR role as a whole, exploring how technology and automation are changing the landscape and what skills SDRs will need to succeed in the years to come. Tune in to gain valuable insights that can help you improve your sales game! WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Best approach to cold calling Best and worst habits among SDR’s The future of the SDR role QUOTES “And that's why it's so important like as a leader and a people manager to make sure that your team really understands… the value of them as a person to the business as a whole. And that's harder to do in bigger organizations for sure. It's hard to do at any size. Let's be honest. It's really kind of a management skill that you have to pay attention to people get caught up in the daily grind and, you know, you can tell when someone starts to lose their excitement or they seem disconnected from the rest of the team. So staying on top of that like, you know, you matter here's what you're doing here's. How you're contributing to bottom line like that's. Who doesn't wanna feel important at their job. Like without that, your moral is gonna suck.” -Lydia Hutchison [18:00] “Make sure your value page is the same, define MQL SQL, all that stuff together, write it down. Have it on paper because what sales considers a qualified lead is often very different from what marketing considers a qualified lead.” -Lydia Hutchison [21:53] “This stuff that field sales is talking about and saying to prospects is different than the conversation that SDRS have because they don't know who we are yet.” -Lydia Hutchison [23:11] “I think AI can help with that. But if you're like asking chat PT to just write your sales emails, I mean that's probably not gonna last very long” -Lydia Hutchison [36:20]  TIMESTAMPS [0:00] - Meet Lydia Hutchison  [3:58] - Lydia’s first SDR role  [6:31] - Lydia’s biggest sales lessons  [8:03] - Lydia on managing SDR’s [10:52] - Lydia on coaching sales calls [13:03] - Worst habits in cold calls among SDR’s [19:56] - Sales development and marketing [22:40] - Sales and marketing pitch deck differences [27:31] - Why Lydia does not like list lead outbound  [33:55] - Lydia on the zone resistance [35:07] - Where is the SDR role heading into [39:49] - What makes a successful SDR at the start [45:38] - Connect with Lydia CONNECT Lydia’s LinkedIn CIENCE on LinkedIn CIENCE on Facebook CIENCE on Twitter CIENCE on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Enterprise Sales Development podcast, we speak with Parveen Marrero, Director of Sales Development, at Clozd. Parveen shares the skill sets she looks for when hiring SDRs, why candor is crucial between leaders and SDRs, and why it is important to understand the core values of your SDRs. She also discusses her experiences in commercial and residential trades and how she learned to successfully cater to different verticals and identify pain points. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN How to craft an effective sales approach Strategies for Increasing Conversion Rates and Quality of Sales Conversations The importance of grit, candor, and knowing your comfort zone as an SDR QUOTES “At the end of the day, with any sale, you need to really understand the prospects that you're outreaching to and connecting with on a personal level so that you can actually have meaningful conversations rather than putting your product first.” -Parveen Marrero [11:12] “I don't think that you can really perfect your craft if you are relying on a talk track, because at the end of the day, every person that you talk to is going to be different. So you have to understand the personas that you're reaching out to.” -Parveen Marrero [12:23] “I don't want to have my team waste their time. So in order to dissect to the real problem, then we need to ask some of these open-ended questions to ensure that they can identify what is the pain that we can solve.” -Parveen Marrero [21:07] “Your true success really comes from within and really focusing on your self-development. I try to preface it on my SDRs and they're doing a great job, but some are easier to grasp than others. And that's normal. Not everyone is made the same. But if I had some advice for anyone that's starting in an SDR role, it's focus on your self-development.” -Parveen Marrero [37:21]  TIMESTAMPS 2:53 Parveen’s Journey as a Successful Sales Development Representative 10:53 Crafting an Effective Sales Approach 20:06 Utilizing Open-Ended Questions to Identify Pain Points in the Sales Cycle 21:48 Strategies for Increasing Conversion Rates 31:44 The “Win/Loss” Analysis  35:33 Leveraging Unfair Advantages as an SDR to Become an AE 37:07 Self-Development for SDRs 42:36 Grit, Comfort Zone, and Candor 48:59 Advice for Sales Development Professionals CONNECT Parveen Marrero on LinkedIn CIENCE on LinkedIn CIENCE on Facebook CIENCE on Twitter CIENCE on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Enterprise Sales Development podcast, we speak with Sean King, a Senior SDR Leader with over a decade of experience in managing SDR teams of various sizes across a number of different companies. Sean shares what brought him into the sales development field and how dedication and passion are two of the best traits of an SDR. He also discusses the importance of collaboration when creating SDR programs and being open to feedback to grow as an SDR leader.  WHAT YOU’LL LEARN The cycle of evaluating and reevaluating for success The value of attitude and daily perspective for SDRs Sean's non-negotiable sales tools for SDR teams  QUOTES “Sometimes what you think is supposed to work and what you think is the norm and what you think works everywhere, it doesn't actually work that way. So it's good to take time, evaluate, reevaluate, and make changes when necessary, but also make changes quick.” -Sean King[09:47] “I would say it starts with attitude. I don't know how many people would agree with this, but attitude and how you wake up every single day is one of the most important things that you can manage. There are a lot of things that we can't manage, a lot of things that we can't control.” -Sean King [14:42] “When I think back on my time, one of my favorite leaders still to this day, he was giving me some of the most profound feedback in my career, just because it was always constructive, sometimes it was critical, and it was effective because I needed to hear it. That's how I developed. So receiving feedback is so crucial because that opens up a feedback loop moving forward with everything else.” -Sean King [27:50] “The way that SDRs are successful is by doing their job effectively and quickly, efficiently, and effectively. It should not take them 6 hours to accomplish certain tasks the best SDRs are able to do. They're working probably three to four hours a day and the rest of their day is in meetings or it's prospecting or it's doing some learning.” -Sean King [30:46]  TIMESTAMPS 2:20 Sean’s Career Journey 6:14 Workplace Wellness and the Transition to the Tech Industry 10:07 Data-Driven Decision Making 17:08 Attitude and Interviewing for Attitude 23:31 Setting Up an SDR/BDR Program 30:31 Evaluating Tools for Effective SDR Outreach 34:56 Navigating Layoffs in the Tech Space 40:28 “A Great Athlete Doesn't Get Tired" CONNECT Sean King on LinkedIn CIENCE on LinkedIn CIENCE on Facebook CIENCE on Twitter CIENCE on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Enterprise Sales Development podcast, we speak with Matt Reuter, Senior Director of Sales Development at RealPage. Matt shares his unique journey of getting into the SDR space and how he found a true calling and love for sales development. He discusses why personalization skills are key for SDR’s in order for them to communicate with prospects and stand out in an oversaturated market. Matt also talks about the value of bringing in outside perspectives on SDR teams and how RealPage is enabling its employees to reach their maximum level of productivity. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN What is personalization? How confidence leads to personalization Empowering SDRs through leadership and outside perspectives Growth, culture and creating opportunity within your company  QUOTES “I think the cool part about sales management is the creativity that you're able to use, being able to find something personal about somebody and then frame it up in a way that makes sense from a sales perspective of why you're using that information to begin with and then why they should use your products” -Matt Reuter [06:01] “One of the things that we found is by limiting the SDRs world and shrinking their market and their focus down to certain products or a certain buyer, it really helps them to elevate and learn this stuff a lot quicker.” -Matt Reuter [16:50] “If you can personalize ten emails and get one reply, and that's one reply, and you send out 100 unpersonalized emails and get no replies, it was worth the hour and a half that you put in to personalize in those ten emails.” -Matt Reuter [21:38]  “A non-negotiable for me is just a culture in which people feel like their work matters, they can see the results, and that we're producing high quality pipeline and meetings back to the organization. I talk to my leadership team all the time and say our main products are people and close one deals. If we're not providing value in those buckets, then they're paying us for nothing, because if our meetings aren't closing the deals and our people aren't getting promoted, then we're kind of spinning our wheels here in mud.” -Matt Reuter [25:17] TIMESTAMPS 2:35 Matt’s career journey 4:44 Building personal connections with clients 9:36 Creating an environment of personalization in sales development 12:41 Navigating the power dynamic in SDR roles 18:27 The role of confidence in SDR success 25:37 Product sessions, SDR workshops, and book clubs 28:27 Multifamily real estate and RealPage's hiring opportunities 36:23 How to connect with Matt CONNECT Matt Reuter on LinkedIn CIENCE on LinkedIn CIENCE on Facebook CIENCE on Twitter CIENCE on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Enterprise Sales Development podcast, we speak with Hyunjin Lee, an SDR veteran who has led inbound teams at Qualtrics, Domo, HireVue, and Rakuten, and is now an inbound leader at BILL. Hyunjin talks about the hot topic of “strike zones” and how to outfit your SDRs for success. He discusses the concept of 'extreme ownership' and how discipline equals freedom when managing SDR teams. Hyunjinn also talks about using open AI as a form of assistance and how automation can be used to help with mundane tasks and free up SDRs to focus on more meaningful activities. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Hyunjin’s coaching techniques and his wisdom from decades in the tech industry Exploring autonomy, mastery, and purpose in the sales process The Gas Metric SDR technology and automation QUOTES “The hot topic is strike zones and understanding the persona, obsessing over your buyers, listening to the same podcast that they listen to, and then helping them solve what they are most intrigued about. So by honing in on the why of my reps and enabling them to be curious and to be very proactive in understanding their buyers, that ultimately makes the impact where the prospects that they connect with some of them will become lifelong connections.” - Hyunjin Lee [07:11] “One of the metrics that I measure each candidate as I interview people, and I've interviewed thousands at this point, is the “gas metric”. And a lot of companies have different verbiage for it, but at the end of the day, it's considered the “give-a-shit” metric. The individuals I've hired are the ones that give a crap about literally everything. They put their whole heart and soul into it.” - Hyunjin Lee [16:03] “It's a very simple question. “How likely are you to recommend our company?” And I hope that the customers we have when asked, “How likely are you to recommend Bill or Divvy or any other company out there?”, always go back to what their first initial experience was with an SDR. And then how it translated from stage to stage.” - Hyunjin Lee [33:06]  “Go find individuals who are insanely passionate. Go create the best process to fully enable those passionate individuals. Then create metrics and milestones to go and fully deliver on mutual indicators for the business, for the prospects, for the customers, and for themselves. That's how you create a winning formula for companies.” - Hyunjin Lee [37:29] TIMESTAMPS [00:05] Intro [04:57] The evolution of sales development technology  [09:05] Driving successful SDR engines: process, people, and data [12:15] Extreme ownership and accountability for SDRs [16:35] The "Gas Metric": customer obsession in sales development leadership [23:15] Leveraging inbound SDRs to create a positive customer experience [31:41] NPS scores and the customer experience [37:53] Exploring the potential of AI-powered chatbots in B2B Sales [44:19] How to connect with Hyunjin CONNECT Hyunjin Lee on LinkedIn CIENCE on LinkedIn CIENCE on Facebook CIENCE on Twitter CIENCE on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Enterprise Sales Development podcast, we speak with Seth M. List, Founder and Principal Consultant at Sales Craft and the head of Global Sales Development at Talon. Seth shares his advice on how to successfully set up an SDR team from scratch and deploy them in the best way. He discusses the importance of building relationships, putting faith and trust in SDR teams, and leading with transparency, especially in startup environments. He also talks about the power of three simple words: “Help Me Understand”. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Seth’s journey through outbound sales and sales development The need to develop curiosity and listening skills in a fully distributed environment Facilitating internal alignment within SDR teams QUOTES “My product may not solve all your problems but my intent is for us to have a conversation so that wherever we land at the end we can move forward aligned in knowing that there is fit here or we part ways as friends because we poked all the holes in it and agreed you guys aren't ready for me or my product, or there is a misalignment in ethos.” -Seth M. List [15:54] “In very simple terms, the cheaper the solution, the faster the sales cycle, and the more commoditized the product. Craft is still relevant, but far less so than it is in the enterprise. And mid-market is a mixed bag. It really depends on what you're selling and how many other comparable solutions you're competing with.” -Seth M. List [25:53] “The exercise of trying to put myself in the shoes of this person that I'm going to reach out to and I feel like table stakes are just understanding the role they hold, doing the typical responsibilities because SDR is right. That one of the biggest challenges that individual SDR teams and their leaders face is just a lack of experience.” - Seth M. List [26:41]  “It is hard to detach from your own needs in order to produce an outcome in any conversation. But decide what reminders you need for yourself, make them visible, and practice. Imprint it.” -Seth M. List [37:13] TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Intro [05:57] Job hopping and building relationships in a professional setting  [09:06] SDR program expectations and strategies for success [13:45] Setting Expectations: Negotiating risk and attainable goals [20:31] Defining success through experiments [27:03] SDR challenges: Lack of experience and business acumen [37:50] Power of the phrase "Help Me Understand" [42:23] Reevaluating goals in the current economic climate [44:28] How to connect with Seth CONNECT Seth M. List on LinkedIn CIENCE on LinkedIn CIENCE on Facebook CIENCE on Twitter CIENCE on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices