Sales Strategy & Enablement by Revenue.io

Aaron Ross is a bestselling author who co-wrote the playbook for new Saas companies. Today we discuss why you need to specialize your sales roles to create predictable, scalable revenue; how to grow and build a sales team; and how he built a $5M business while having nine kids...at the same time!

What is sales enablement? According to Forrester, sales enablement is "a strategic, ongoing process that equips all client-facing employees with the ability to consistently and systematically have a valuable conversation with the right set of customer stakeholders at each stage of the customer's problem-solving life cycle to optimize the return of investment of the selling system.”Yikes! I almost fell asleep reading that.Let’s see what Gartner has to say about sales enablement: "The activities, systems, processes and information that support and promote knowledge-based sales interactions with client and prospects."Better, but I still don't think it quite hits what sales enablement is.Here's my definition of sales enablement: Sales enablement is anything that enables a seller with the information, acumen, skills and tools to have more knowledge-based #sales interactions that are valuable to their buyers.Why? Well, I'm not going to make it that easy...You're going to have to listen to the first episode of my brand new show, Sales Enablement with Andy Paul. Our first guest is sales enablement expert, my friend and founder/CEO of ringDNA (the only all-in-one sales enablement platform). Today he join me to dive into all things sales enablement and explore why it's required for peak sales performance!

Bridget Gleason, Head of Sales and Customer Success at Tidelift, joins for the final episode of the Accelerate! podcast. What!? That's right. We have some HUGE changes coming to show next week. Tune in today to learn what's happening.

Jeff Shore, Founder and President of Shore Consulting, Inc. and a top-selling author, joins me talk all about follow-up. Listen and learn how to provide value that helps the buyer stay informed until they are ready to engage. ringDNA's Sales Madness Bracket Challenge. Vote for your favorite sales book here: ringDNA.com/salesmadness

Mary Grothe, Founder & CEO of Sales BQ®, joins me in this episode!

Brendan McAdams, Co-Founder at Expertscape, and author of SALES CRAFT: Proven Tips, Practices and Ideas to Advance Your Sales Success, joins me in this episode!

Joining me this week is Adam Hempenstall, the CEO of http://betterproposals.io/, a UK-based, digital proposal platform. We discuss how to build a proposal that converts and Adam shares data-driven insights gleaned from the experiences of their customers. Learn why a proposal is not meant to educate your prospect, what you should absolutely NOT include in your proposal and so much more!

Lisa Magnuson, author of The TOP Sales Leader Playbook: How to Win 5X Deals Repeatedly, joins me in this episode.

Lance Tyson, sales coach and author of Selling Is An Away Game: Close Business And Compete In A Complex World, joins me in this episode of the Sales Enablement Podcast!KEY TAKEAWAYS Selling is an ‘away game’; it happens in the mind of the buyer. Away games are harder because you don’t know the obstacles on the field. Skilled players win more. Lance shares a recent coaching story. He told them your goal for an interaction will determine the approach you will use. Asking for their time is a big commitment. It’s important to be extemporaneous in selling interactions. There’s no perfect script for every situation. Selling is 50% process and 50% art. Be likable. Don’t be the person that lights up the room by leaving it! Actively establish credibility and build trust. Display understanding. Andy comments that a friendship of utility, as Aristotle described it, is what you need in sales. Andy discusses trustworthiness and what it means to ‘know, like, and trust.’ Lance talks about how humans judge one another, starting with appearances. Sam I Am had to build rapport before he ‘sold’ green eggs and ham! People see quickly if you lack integrity. Talk about values and character in sales. Lance talks about having the strength and honor to act and behave the right way, which is important both in his company and his family. “What you do speaks so loudly, I cannot hear what you say.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, as quoted by Andy. Lance coaches sales leaders around their values. Lance claims empathy is misused. Be sympathetic to other people’s ideas and desires, as Dale Carnegie taught. Gather your customer’s ideas and understand them. Andy lists types of empathy and which one works in sales. What is the value you are going to deliver in your next interaction that brings the customer closer to deciding than before the interaction? If you can’t answer that, you’re not thinking. Focus on the value. Ask the buyer, “What got you to take this meeting with me today?” Be in the moment and make sure they are satisfied with the value of the meeting. Ask what’s on their mind. Give them an authentic response. Sales is a series of guesses; you’ll get a no or a yes. You have to get several yesses before you get an order. The sales process is a straight line; the buying process is a handful of spaghetti thrown on a wall. Andy compares rapport to dating app etiquette. Lance concludes you have to be comfortable enough to ask someone what their thoughts are, going forward. If they ‘have to think about it,’ ask what they like and don’t like. Powered by ringDNA: the revenue acceleration platform that helps businesses scale growth through AI. Visit ringdna.com/andy for exclusive Sales Enablement content._Formerly the Accelerate! Your Sales podcast with Andy Paul

John Livesay, “The Pitch Whisperer,” speaker, podcast host, and author of Better Selling Through Storytelling, joins me again in this episode.KEY TAKEAWAYS Storytelling makes you magnetic and memorable! People remember stories, not information. Why aren’t salespeople telling case stories, instead of case studies? John teaches the four elements of a good story. (Hint, the story is about your client or someone like them, not you.) In your story of origin, sell yourself, your company, and your product or service. How can people know, like, and trust you without your story? John explains how to tell it. Build trust first, give your prospect a reason to like you, and then give them something that helps them know you. Trust comes from trustworthiness. Make the prospect feel safe. Use video calls more than just audio calls. You don’t have to look perfect; you have to be authentic so people will relate to you. The steps in the buyer’s journey provide a better progress measurement than a sales funnel. Look at how your prospects see you. In his book, John teaches how to go from invisible to irresistible. What’s the old way of selling? John explains what he understands by the “old way.” Storytelling is part of John’s new way. Also, speak informally and conversationally. Where does Powerpoint fit in the final meeting? Never read from slides. People remember visuals, not what you read to them. John explains how to reverse-engineer your talk with a strong opening and a strong closing. To build your closing, first, consider what you want the prospect to think, feel, and do; then provide material to guide them. The best story will be the most memorable. The meeting needs a good opening. John explains a good opening. It’s never about how excited you are to be there! It’s about what the prospect needs and how you have met similar needs for others. Your company story needs to be relatable to your prospect. How do you differentiate yourself? Forget the “two guys in a garage” history. In the “beauty contest” or “bakeoff” — the prospect doesn’t care what’s in the specs or on paper. They will choose the salesperson they like the best because choosing will lead to a long relationship.  Powered by ringDNA: the revenue acceleration platform that helps businesses scale growth through AI.Visit ringdna.com/andy for exclusive Sales Enablement content._Formerly the Accelerate! Your Sales podcast with Andy Paul