Do you want to master the art of effective closing? The only way for you to become one of the greats in enterprise sales is by listening to an expert. 

In this episode of "The Sales Evangelist Podcast," host Donald Kelly chats with David Blaha, a seasoned professional with a 30-year track record, including pivotal roles at American Express and his current position as Chief Revenue Officer at Extend.

Listen to these proven strategies to gain practical closing skills for enterprise-level sales. Click play now!

David Blaha’s Background

• David Blaha's rich negotiating background starts from his impactful years at American Express. 
• After American Express, David transitioned to working with startup companies, enhancing their growth trajectories before joining Extend as the Chief Revenue Officer.
• Through his story, you'll discover the importance of continuous learning and growth to develop a positive mindset for enterprise sales.

Enterprise Sales: A Strategic Approach

• The secret to effective closing in enterprise sales is to remember it's an ongoing process. Never fall into the trap of believing that this step only matters at the end of the sales cycle. 
• David shares how this approach establishes connections and secures smaller commitments throughout the negotiation. 
• New Sales Motto: It's a marathon, not a sprint! 
• If you like to rush through deals, you might want to stop. Donald and David both share how enterprise selling is like running an ultra-marathon. Sellers need persistence and strategic pacing, no matter how big or small the sale is!

Negotiation and Relationship Building

• Peak curiosity and ask questions to understand customer needs to help you close deals. David shares how these seller's techniques build trust, create genuine connections, and offer tailored solutions to customers.
• One of the top negotiation skills sellers must master is non-adversarial tactics. David advocates for radical candor and transparency, aiming for mutually beneficial outcomes rather than merely focusing on margins.

Key Principles of Enterprise Sales

• David shares his five essential principles for sales professionals:
• 1. Mindset: Maintaining a positive mindset is crucial, especially when facing rejections and diverse opinions from various stakeholders.
• 2. Connection: Building internal connections within organizations is vital to understanding different departmental goals and leveraging these insights.
• 3. Discovery: Conduct thorough discovery phases to tailor solutions based on explicit customer feedback and needs.
• 4. Adapting/Adjusting: Flexibility in adjusting offerings to align better with client expectations ensures long-term satisfaction and contract retention.
• 5. Negotiation: Strategic negotiation focuses on growth and long-term relationships rather than short-term wins.

To achieve long-term success in enterprise-level sales, you must master effective closing. Commit to negotiation transparency to build customer trust; you'll become as great as our special guest.

Listen to this episode and hear David Blaha's refined approach to the sales process. Take these tactics and apply them to your dealings, ensuring a trajectory of growth and success in the intricate world of enterprise-level sales.

"Radical candor and transparency in negotiations are key. It's about negotiating in good faith and aiming for growth rather than just focusing on margins." - David Blaha.

Resources

David Blaha’s email: [email protected]

David Blaha on LinkedIn

Sponsorship Offers

1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.

2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.

3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.

Credits

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

hubpspot.com/marketers

bluemangostudios.com