

Sales [UN]Training
Kelly Riggs & Pod About It Productions
Your weekly sales strategy guide that will rewire your sales brain to bust bad habits and crush your number. The way that companies train salespeople is broken. Host Kelly Riggs discusses what ACTUALLY works in sales with leading experts in our industry.
Forget what you think you know about sales. It's time to train hard and play to win.
Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.
He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.
His third book is the award-winning Counter Mentor Leadership: How to Unlock the Potential of the 4-Generation Workplace, co-written with his Millennial son, Robby Riggs. It was selected as the 2019 Gold Medal winner in the leadership category by Axiom Business Books Awards. Note: No trophies were awarded during the writing of this book. For more information, visit www.BizLockerRoom.com.
Forget what you think you know about sales. It's time to train hard and play to win.
Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.
He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.
His third book is the award-winning Counter Mentor Leadership: How to Unlock the Potential of the 4-Generation Workplace, co-written with his Millennial son, Robby Riggs. It was selected as the 2019 Gold Medal winner in the leadership category by Axiom Business Books Awards. Note: No trophies were awarded during the writing of this book. For more information, visit www.BizLockerRoom.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 20, 2024 • 25min
Do You Prepare Your Salespeople for Chaos? VUCA...training to think and make decisions in complex environments.
In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs explores the challenges salespeople face in today's volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) marketplace. He talks about the importance of deeper discovery, emphasizes the importance of adaptive performance, effective questioning, and practical training techniques like role-playing. Kelly also discusses the need for sales leaders to cultivate critical thinking and emotional intelligence, moving beyond traditional product-focused training and to coach instead of solve. It's a VUCA world out there, and Kelly's advice can help to make it a lot more clear. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

May 13, 2024 • 21min
Mastering the Language of Your Customer In Sales
In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs is talking about language. Why is there a disconnect that happens so often between salespeople and a buyer? Kelly puts it simply. The majority of salespeople are taught the language of product, not the language of the customer. Drawing parallels between communicating in a foreign country and effective sales strategies, he argues for a customer immersion approach. This method involves understanding and speaking the language of business to better relate to customers' needs, and challenges, ultimately leading to more successful sales outcomes. He also gives some practical tips for sales training and the importance of aligning sales language with customers' daily challenges. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

May 6, 2024 • 19min
The Most Important Thing In Sales - Opportunities Drive Sales
In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs reveals the most important thing in sales. The most important thing is opportunity, and what is the one thing that creates opportunity? Yeah, you might not like the answer, but prospecting is the key to creating that most important thing, because it turns leads into opportunities. And yes it may be a bit of a dirty word, because it's often the most laborious part of a seller's job. But three-quarters of salespeople fail due to lack of high-quality, qualified opportunities. Kelly also discusses the weaknesses of sales training, the 80/20 rule, balancing good service with good sense, gives a strategic approach to trade shows that can make them a goldmine for lead generation, and introduces the Objective Management Group's sales candidate assessment tool to improve hiring processes. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

Apr 30, 2024 • 19min
Sales Is a Competition, Why Waste Time on Sales Pretenders?
On today's episode, Kelly is here to make it clear that sales is indeed a competition, and there are no second place trophies. But fear not, he has four foundational principles to implement inorder to play at the top of the sales game. He gets into strategies for developing a winning sales team, the importance of continuous training, and the necessity of fostering a high-performance culture. Kelly advises on why and how to remove underperformers and set clear expectations to transform salespeople into competitors, all aimed at enhancing sales effectiveness Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

Apr 22, 2024 • 28min
The First Thing to Do Differently in Sales Training

Apr 15, 2024 • 24min
How to Solve Your Biggest Sales Headache
In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs get to the root cause of many sales problems and it all comes back to people. The systemic issues plaguing sales teams often comes down lackadaisical approach to hiring and the prevalence of mediocrity in sales. Finding the right people is HARD, making coaching your B and C players to A level work is more critical than ever! He stresses the necessity of adopting a more rigorous and strategic hiring process to consistently onboard high-caliber talent. He underscores the critical role of sales leaders in coaching and developing their teams, asserting that top-performing salespeople thrive under competent leadership. Riggs concludes with a call to action for sales leaders to reevaluate their hiring and coaching practices, thereby transforming their teams and alleviating the persistent "headache" of underperformance. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

Apr 8, 2024 • 22min
The ONE Thing Sales Leaders DON'T Do That's Killing Sales
In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs tackles a pervasive issue in sales management: the lack of active, on-the-field engagement between sales leaders and their teams. Riggs emphasizes the critical need for sales managers to step away from their desks and directly participate in sales calls with their representatives. He reminisces about his early days in sales management, highlighting the importance of "ride-alongs," where managers would accompany salespeople on client visits to observe and coach in real-time. Riggs argues that these face-to-face interactions are essential for understanding the realities of the sales process and for providing meaningful, situational coaching. Riggs expands on the theme by discussing the concept of "curbside coaching," where managers and salespeople debrief immediately after client meetings to analyze what went well and identify areas for improvement. He stresses that sales coaching should be an ongoing, interactive process that helps salespeople refine their strategies and tactics based on actual experiences rather than assumptions. Through anecdotes and personal experiences, Riggs illustrates how active engagement helps uncover the truth behind sales performance, revealing that what is often reported in CRM systems or sales meetings may not fully capture the on-ground realities. The episode concludes with a strong call to action for sales leaders to be more involved in the field, ensuring they provide the hands-on guidance and support necessary for their teams to succeed. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

Apr 1, 2024 • 32min
RE-AIR: Mike Weinberg - Sales Training Without Accountability is a Waste of Time
In this episode of "Sales [UN]Training," host Kelly Riggs welcomes renowned sales expert Mike Weinberg, author of several influential sales books including "The First Time Manager: Sales." The episode centers around the critical theme of accountability in sales, a topic that resonates deeply with sales managers and teams. Mike Weinberg emphasizes the pivotal role of accountability in sales success and dismantles common misconceptions around it. The discussion begins with a focus on the challenges faced by first-time sales managers, particularly in establishing a culture of accountability. Weinberg shares his experiences and insights from his book, stressing that accountability must start with the manager before it can be expected from the sales team. He argues that sales is inherently results-driven, and without a clear focus on goals and outcomes, a high-performance sales culture cannot be cultivated. The conversation then shifts to the practicalities of implementing accountability, with Weinberg advocating for regular, focused one-on-one meetings. These meetings, he suggests, should not be lengthy or convoluted but rather focused on factual data review and pipeline health. This approach encourages salespeople to take ownership of their performance and results. Kelly and Mike emphasize the difference between being a top salesperson and an effective sales leader. They conclude that transitioning from individual sales success to leading a team requires a significant mindset shift, with a focus on coaching and developing others rather than continuing as a 'super doer.' In this episode... 4:40 - Focus on RESULTS rather than effort 9:00 - Mike confornts a manager who doesn't confront his underperformers. 12:00 - How you can hold your team accountable in ONE meeting per month Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

Mar 25, 2024 • 23min
Two Crystal Clear Clues That You're NOT Coaching
In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, hosted by Kelly Riggs, the spotlight is on the crucial role of coaching in sales leadership. Kelly begins by sharing a startling statistic: only about one in ten sales leaders consistently engage in coaching, despite clear evidence that it significantly enhances team performance. He challenges the conventional understanding of coaching, emphasizing that it extends beyond mere training to involve behavioral change and skill development. Through a detailed exploration of the differences between training and coaching, Kelly underscores the necessity of consistent, hands-on guidance in molding effective sales strategies and behaviors. Kelly reveals 2 crystal clear clues that your coaching is ineffective and tells you how to fix it. Through practical examples and data-backed arguments, Kelly paints a vivid picture of what true coaching should encompass, urging sales leaders to adopt a more structured, skill-oriented approach to improve their teams' performance. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

Mar 11, 2024 • 35min
Sales Turnover is LOWER When Expectations Are CLEARER with Michael Lang of SG Partners
In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs hosts Michael Lang, the founder of SG Partners, to dive deep into the intricacies of hiring salespeople and the common pitfalls that sales leaders encounter in the recruitment process. The discussion kicks off with a reflection on how sales organizations often miss the mark by not setting clear expectations during the hiring phase, leading to a high turnover rate. Lang shares insights from his 16 years of experience in helping sales and leadership teams enhance their effectiveness, emphasizing the importance of strategic hiring, clear communication, and the development of a bulletproof sales process. He argues that success in sales recruitment is not just about finding candidates with the right skills but also about ensuring they align with the company's culture and sales strategy. Lang highlights common hiring mistakes, such as prioritizing industry knowledge over sales capability and the failure to develop clear criteria for assessing candidates. This episode offers valuable perspectives for sales leaders aiming to reduce turnover and build a more effective sales force, making it a must-listen for anyone involved in sales leadership or recruitment. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions


