The Audible-Ready Sales Podcast

Today, Jim “Pouli” Pouliopoulos joins Rachel for a conversation on the uncertainties reps often face in trying to discuss metrics with prospects. Pouli’s advice provides clarity on when and how to discuss the finer details of the deal with the customer. He talks about:Getting past the fear of disrupting the flow of a conversation.Remaining curious throughout a sales cycle.Coaching reps to embrace the uncomfortable conversations.Viewing different individuals in the prospect company as rungs of a ladder.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Negotiation Foundation & Mindset | Ascender CourseManaging Challenging Negotiation Tactics | Ascender CourseKey Questions to Ask in Your Sales Discovery Conversations | Ascender ArticleAsking the Tough Questions in Your Sales Conversations | Ascender VideoVisit 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 move into Q3, some of you may find yourselves struggling to get deals over the line. In today’s episode, John Kaplan gets you refocused on the fundamentals in order to reopen closed doors and get deals moving. He discusses:Getting the buyer to understand how your solution increases revenue, decreases cost and mitigates risk.Connecting technical pain to business pain to create urgency.The importance of multi-threading.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Achieving a Collective Yes | Ascender CourseHesitant Buyers? Aligning Your Solution to Corporate Initiatives | Ascender ArticleMoving Buyers to Action | Ascender ArticleThe Coat of Pain | Ascender VideoPodcast: How to Engage Other Departments in Your Sales Process | PodcastGetting Different Departments to Agree | 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

Do you have customers delaying their signature? Do you have deals that are moving forward, but then stall right before the finish line? Force Management’s Tim Caito walks through action steps to reignite the stalled deal, including: What areas to assess to determine how you can reignite the dealThe people you should be using to help you drive urgencyHow to prevent the situation next quarter. Other Assets with Tim CaitoMaking QBRs Valuable | PodcastAnchors and Give-Gets | PodcastThe Right Mindset for Sales Negotiations | PodcastShifting the Negotiation Away From Price | PodcastNegotiating Value – Presenting Multiple Options | PodcastHow to Use “Most Likely Alternatives” to Improve Sales Execution | 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/PlanComparisonCheck out this and other episodes of the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Sales expert John Kaplan discusses key questions for deal qualification: Do we belong in the deal? What are our strengths and weaknesses? Steps to move deal forward efficiently. Emphasis on MedPIC, value frameworks, and discipline in sales. Importance of deal fit, ideal customer profile, and Medic/MedPIC. Tools like MEDIC for organization qualification processes.

Understanding the needs of the buyer is the critical component of any sales process, and successfully doing so encompasses a wide spectrum of sales best practices. Joining us to shed light on this topic is Force Management Facilitator John Boney. In his first appearance on the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, John hammers home the strategies necessary to get to the root of a customer’s pain. He discusses:The importance of active listening.Identifying patterns while refraining from assumption-making.Conducting a thorough needs assessment during a customer conversation.Dealing with a buyer’s resistance to questioning.The need for quantifiable metrics.The WAIT acronym: “Why Am I Talking?”Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Selling to the CPO (Chief People Officer) | Ascender Insights EventAttaching to the Biggest Business Problem | Ascender Insights EventSelling to the CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) | Ascender Insights EventActive Listening | Ascender CourseExecuting Your Discovery Strategy | Ascender CourseOvercoming Seller Deficit Disorder | Ascender VideoPreparing for Sales Conversations | Ascender VideoImprove Your Active Listening Skills | PodcastSales Qualification Best Practices: How to Back up Your Deal | 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/PlanComparisonCheck out this and other episodes of the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Jim “Pouli” Pouliopoulos discusses the importance of recognizing different buyer personas in sales and adapting communication styles accordingly. He highlights using DISC assessments, adapting to buyer personalities, and understanding the motivations of various persona types.

In today’s quick discussion, John Kaplan sheds light on a challenging decision for many reps: walking away from a deal. As ever, John shares the no-nonsense approach to sales qualification that has brought value to so many. This episode’s talking points include:The importance of voracious qualification.Signs that you should consider leaving an account.Common gaps in deals that require sellers to take action.Generating a significant enough pipeline to prevent the need to cling to a lost cause.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Prospecting Certification | Ascender Course SeriesImprove Sales Qualification: Know When to Walk Away | Ascender ArticleThe Sales Conversations You Need for Great Qualification | Ascender ArticleAscender’s Best Content on Decision Criteria | Ascender ArticleBuilding a Rhythm Around Pipeline Generation | PodcastBeing Confident in Your Selling Process | 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/PlanComparisonCheck out this and other episodes of the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Jim Pouliopoulos, Force Management facilitator, discusses the challenges of finding a true Champion in sales. He clarifies common misconceptions, provides indicators of a true Champion, and talks about 'Champions Amnesty.' The podcast explores strategies for identifying, nurturing, and developing Champions for successful sales deals.

A comprehensive knowledge of sales fundamentals means nothing if you fail to apply it consistently. Today, John Kaplan discusses five areas that demand consistent application of reps looking to be elite. They are:Pipeline generation.Building relationships.Discovery.Qualification.Avoiding excuses.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!John’s LinkedIn Post About Commitment and ConsistencyBuilding Rapport Through Virtual Channels | Ascender CourseExecuting Your Discovery Strategy | Ascender CourseAscender’s Best Content on Discovery | Ascender ArticleThe Sales Conversations You Need for Great Qualification | Ascender ArticleMerchants of Change: The Excuse Department is Closed | Ascender VideoBuilding a Rhythm Around Pipeline Generation | 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/PlanComparisonCheck out this and other episodes of the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

If you’re trying to exceed your quota this year, you need to make sure you’re spending as much time as possible on high-value sales activities. Elite salespeople execute in a way that helps them efficiently qualify and advance deals. In this episode, Antonella O’Day runs through three key ways you can save time as a rep. 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 of a similar nature 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/PlanComparisonCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.