The Audible-Ready Sales Podcast

Today, John Kaplan joins Rachel to explore the many elements involved in building a healthy pipeline, and doing so in a purposeful manner. He talks about prioritizing strategy during pipeline generation as opposed to merely chasing a number, pinpointing an Ideal Customer Profile, articulating your value by tying technical requirements to business outcomes, and the art and skill of getting the customer to stand in their moment of pain.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Ascender’s Prospecting Elite Selling™ CertificationPlan to Make Your Plan | Ascender CourseThe Franchise Mindset | Ascender ArticleFour Questions to Ask About Your Most Critical Accounts | Ascender ArticleWhen to Use Customer Case Studies in the Sales Process | Ascender ArticleOvercoming Seller Deficit Disorder | Ascender VideoBuilding Your Pipeline | Ascender VideoWhen AI Isn’t Enough: Getting an Opportunity | PodcastFive Areas Where You Need Consistency | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every day with insights to help you level up in your sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/PlanComparison

Tim Caito, a seasoned sales leader, shares invaluable insights on enhancing sales conversations to engage high-level decision-makers. He emphasizes the need for sales reps to understand strategic priorities and prioritize influence, not just org charts. Caito discusses how to tailor messages to address buyers' specific concerns and the importance of preparation in sales calls. He also highlights common mistakes in communicating with executives and the necessity of adapting engagement strategies as priorities shift throughout the sales process.

In this episode, Antonella O’Day joins Rachel to discuss best practices on managing the transition of prospects from initial interest to buying intent. Over the course of the conversation, Antonella touches on the need for sellers to approach early sales calls with a mindset of curiosity, shares strategies for testing a prospect’s intent in order to qualify deals early on, advises reps to make use of mutual action plans (MAPs) to build consensus and trust, and supplies questions to help reps gauge progress.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Creating a Compelling Business Case | Ascender CourseMoving Buyers to Action | Ascender ArticleHow to Convince Your Customer to Take Action in Your Sales Process | Ascender ArticleHelping Customers Persuade Themselves | Ascender VideoHow Do I Get My Customer to See the Importance of My Differentiation? | Ascender VideoHow to Uncover Buyer Needs | PodcastAligning with Corporate Initiatives | PodcastDeveloping Mutual Action Plans | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every day with insights to help you level up in your sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/PlanComparison

In this episode, John Boney and Rachel speak about the need for sales leaders to coach based on value. They explore ways in which leaders can endeavor to make every conversation with reps an opportunity to drive growth, not just hit a number. You’ll learn how to ask questions that uncover your reps’ motivations and struggles, differentiate solving and coaching, and lead in a way that builds trust and empowers your reps to take ownership of their challenges.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Coaching Model Essentials | Ascender CourseEffective Opportunity Coaching Sessions | Ascender CourseCoaching the Coaches – Front-Line Sales Managers | Ascender CourseThree Ways Managers Can Drive Value-Based Selling Practices | Ascender ArticleHow to Coach Value-Based Sales Messaging Aligned with C-Suite Priorities | Ascender ArticleRemember These Key Steps to a Value-Based Sales Conversation | Ascender ArticleKeeping the Focus on Value | PodcastHow to Uncover Buyer Needs | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every day with insights to help you level up in your sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/PlanComparison

In this episode, Rachel and John dive into a critical moment every seller faces: recognizing when it's time to pause, reassess, and reset a deal. They explore how to identify red flags, reframe conversations, and re-engage buyers without losing credibility.Visit these other episodes for more on this topic.Go High, Go Low – Adjusting Your Sales ConversationLearn how to shift your conversation up or down the org chart when your deal is stalling or misaligned.Confidence and ConvictionThis episode explores how to re-engage with confidence when you need to reset a deal.Influencing Your Customers’ Solution RequirementsA key skill when backing up a deal—this episode dives into how to shape decision criteria around your differentiation.Competing Initiatives: Moving Your Deal ForwardWhen your deal is stuck behind other priorities, this episode helps you reassess and reposition.The Outcome ConversationFocuses on aligning with buyer outcomes—critical when reframing a stalled opportunity.

John Boney, an expert in selling to government agencies, shares insights into navigating the complexities of federal procurement. He emphasizes the importance of uncovering value drivers through mission-oriented questions. John discusses aligning sales strategies with stakeholder priorities and adapting to evolving government needs. He provides practical tips on building a stakeholder map, focusing on ROI, and managing the post-award delivery phase. The conversation highlights the necessity of storytelling and effective communication to create trust and drive success in government sales.

Brian Walsh from Force Management shares his insights on the essential mindset sellers need for successful product launches. He emphasizes understanding customer problems and the outcomes new products can deliver. Walsh discusses the importance of customer-centric training and avoiding the pitfalls of overpromising. He also highlights the significance of aligning sales strategies with customer needs and effectively communicating new features, especially in the realm of AI, to drive long-term value.

In this engaging conversation, John Kaplan, a dedicated sales strategist and advocate for elite selling, joins to share his invaluable insights. He highlights the importance of discipline, preparation, and strategic questioning in boosting sales effectiveness. Kaplan emphasizes shifting conversations from product features to the customer's business issues, enhancing decision-making through value differentiation. With a focus on mastering one’s mindset and prioritizing high-value opportunities, he provides listeners with practical strategies to elevate their sales game.

Jim Pouliopoulos, a Force Management facilitator and author of 'How to Be a Well Being,' shares insights for new sales reps. He emphasizes prioritizing processes over outcomes, advocating for a growth mindset to boost success. Jim discusses the importance of self-awareness and managing energy for improved performance. He highlights curiosity as a key driver for sales skills and viewing rejection as a learning opportunity, encouraging persistence. With relatable anecdotes, this conversation equips newcomers with the mindset needed to thrive in sales.

Enjoy this replay of a great episode with John Kaplan. Sellers often hear from prospective customers that they have too much going on and thereby cannot take on a solution. When you’ve got numbers to hit, how do you get a prospect to prioritize your solution over the other initiatives they are considering? John Kaplan joins us to share how best to align your solution with the business issues that matter most to a customer.Here are some additional resources:https://www.forcemanagement.com/seller-blog/what-to-do-when-youre-competing-against-do-it-internallyCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.