The Audible-Ready Sales Podcast

There’s as much differentiation in how you sell as in what you sell, and standing out as a sales rep requires you to exhibit those special characteristics uncommon amongst your peers. Establishing differentiation is a tricky task, however, so today John Kaplan teaches how to simplify the process with ideas enactable by a mindset of open-mindedness, empathy for the customer and their needs, and conviction in the importance of what you have to offer.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Solution Mapping to Create Strong Value Propositions | Ascender CoursePreparing for and Engaging in Virtual Meetings | Ascender CourseMaking Sure the Customer Understands Your Differentiation | Ascender VideoRise Above the Noise | Ascender VideoOvercoming Seller Deficit Disorder | Ascender VideoPreparing for Sales Conversations | Ascender VideoTips for Active Listening | PodcastArticulating Value and Differentiation After the Sale | 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, an expert in sales negotiation strategies, shares invaluable tips for effective deal preparation. He emphasizes starting negotiations early and mastering the art of anchoring, both for yourself and your customer. Caito advocates for a well-defined 'give-get' strategy, ensuring team alignment on concessions to avoid surprises. He also discusses the benefits of providing customers with multiple options to enhance engagement and decision-making. Preparation and strategy, he argues, are key to maximizing value in every negotiation.

Whether you're the top rep looking for even greater heights or someone looking to improve, you need a plan for success. And, you need to put it in motion now.What is your plan to make your plan this year?Force Management’s Co-Founder John Kaplan has been on all sides of this journey as a rep, sales leader, and top-tier trainer. He joins our Ascender team for a practical conversation on how to improve your sales execution right now. We'll cover how you can gather and analyze, plan and strategize, and then organize and execute your way to your best year yet.We're giving away a one-hour coaching session with John to one attendee. Sign up here: https://hubs.la/Q033B0m10

With the extensive attention from leadership directed toward the planning of sales kickoffs, the need to focus on what’s to follow too often gets lost. Today, John Kaplan joins Rachel for a discussion on the incumbency of managers leading SKOs to dispense the knowledge, skills and cultural spirit to spark enthusiasm and a drive for success amongst employees in attendance. In the process, he also insists upon the need for sales reps to have a gameplan, as he puts it, “after the hoopla” of the SKO.Speaking of John Kaplan, you don’t want to miss our upcoming live Ascender Insights special, “The Plan to Make the Plan”, hosted by the man himself! Join us on January 23, 2025, from 10 to 11 AM Eastern Standard Time to hear John’s practical and time-tested advice on putting together a plan to improve your sales execution in no time.And that’s not even the best part—get this: All quota-carrying reps and first-line managers who register for the discussion are automatically entered into a raffle to win a free, one-on-one coaching session with John! Sound good enough? Click here to register!Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Plan to Make Your Plan | Ascender CourseGet the Most Out of Your Next Sales Training | Ascender ArticleThree Ways Managers Can Drive Value-Based Selling Practices | Ascender ArticleHow to Coach Value-Based Sales Messaging Aligned with C-Suite Priorities | Ascender ArticleSales Managers: Test Your Reps’ Ability to Compete in Deals | Ascender ArticleHow to Structure Effective Feedback to Your Sales Teams | Ascender ArticleSales Managers: Your Four Critical Roles | Ascender ArticleTen Questions to Help Sales Managers Give Better Feedback | Ascender ArticleOur Best Content on Decision Criteria | Ascender ArticleAsking for Help | 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

Antonella O’Day, a B2B sales expert, discusses the art of knowing when to walk away from a deal. She emphasizes evaluating whether you can actually solve a client’s problems and identifies key indicators for deal stalling. The conversation highlights the importance of tangible customer verifiable outcomes as signals of interest. Antonella also shares strategies for tactfully disengaging from deals while keeping relationships intact, reminding us that a no today can lead to opportunities tomorrow.

Antonella O'Day, an expert in sales planning and strategy, shares invaluable insights on setting up for success this year. She emphasizes analyzing past trends and the competitive landscape to inform personal targets for 2025. Antonella discusses the importance of identifying ideal customers and uncovering new growth opportunities. Reflecting on past performances to learn from successes and mistakes is essential for future strategies. Additionally, she invites listeners to join an upcoming webinar with a chance to win a coaching session, making this a must-listen!

Our own John Kaplan tells his own story of a time when he had to decide what it meant to be uncommon. It’s the story that brought the often-heard phrase, “Who’s doing this?!” that many of you have heard in our Command of the Message® training. This episode is meant to bring you some motivation and inspiration as you focus on this month, this quarter and this year.Visit 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

Listeners are warmly thanked for their support, highlighting how vital their feedback is for shaping future content. There's an open invitation for suggestions on topics to discuss, ensuring the audience feels involved. Excitingly, plans for extending the show into 2025 are also shared, indicating a commitment to continued engagement and growth in the sales community.

It’s crunch time as you work to get those last-minute deals in by the end of the year. In this short episode, John Kaplan gives you some words of advice as you finish strong. Visit 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

As we approach the end of the year, it is time to reflect on what’s gone well and what can be improved going forward. An important part of your year-end reflection is evaluating whether or not you’re at the right place to apply your skills. Today, John Kaplan gives you the tools to assess if you’re at the right company and breaks it down to three key considerations: what, how and why you sell.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Essential Questions to Help You Become a Better Salesperson | Ascender ArticleThe Currency of Value | Ascender ArticleMaking Sure the Customer Understands Your Differentiation | Ascender VideoAttaching to the Biggest Business Problem | PodcastFinding the Next Sales Job | 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