B2B EQ
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B2B EQ episodes

  • Cooking Up Recipes For Sales Success - Ali Rastiello - B2B EQ - Episode # 24

    Joining us this week is a sales expert with over 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, and revenue operations.She is on a mission to build the foundation for sustainable growth through clean data, simple processes, and an optimized tech stack. As an expert in Cajun cuisine, she uses her recipes as a metaphor to add some spice to the sales process. Please welcome to the show, VP of RevOps at Health Catalyst, Ali Rastiello!

    Soup’s on as Ali and Tim dive into the insights Ali has to share as a RevOps leader. Ali shares how RevOps can better interpret what your teams are saying, how to get your buyer’s attention, and the importance of understanding what sets your company apart.

    Takeaways:

    • As a RevOps leader, you need to treat your internal stakeholders as if you were their consultants. This commonly means carefully listening and interpreting what they say, as these teams know their issue, but may not know how to properly express it.
    • The core of any sale is disrupting your buyer’s status quo and convincing them to select you as a vendor. Instead of solely focusing on the product, you need to focus on how you are solving their pain points.
    • Gathering info is crucial in sales, but it needs to be the right info. Instead of asking questions to check them off, focus on learning about their business objectives, the things they are struggling with, and how you can be of service.
    • At Health Catalyst, BDRs play a slightly different role. Prospecting is left to sales teams that feel more comfortable handling high profile leads. BDRs now solely interact with marketing to better qualify leads from that channel.
    • A strategy is only as good as its execution. Understand what sets you apart, understand your buyer, and ensure your data and processes are ready for action when the first lead hits you.
    • It’s tempting to lead with the flashy features of your product, but that won’t get your buyer’s attention. What buyers really want is a solution that will simplify their work, help them do multiple things with one option, and a strong relationship with their vendor.
    • To pull off a successful sale, you need to fully understand who you are selling to. An often overlooked group is the financial department. In many companies finance has a large sway on deals, without a budget, there is no sale.

    Quote of the Show:

    • “You're not talking about the product, you're talking about the pain point the person has and how we solve it.” - Ali Rastiello

    Links:

    • Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diva_Ali
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alirastiello/
    • Website: https://www.healthcatalyst.com/
    • Personal Website: https://www.alirastiello.com/#about-me

    Ways to Tune In:

    • Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
    • Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
    • Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
    49 min
  • Elevating The Role Of Revenue Operations - Rosalyn Santa Elena - B2B EQ - Episode # 23

    RevOps is a field that is hard to pin down, and selling to RevOps leaders presents a heightened challenge. Fortunately, we have the pleasure of being joined by a world class RevOps leader to help provide some clarity. She’s a household name in the RevOps community. Welcome to the show, Host of the Revenue Engine podcast, Founder and Chief Revenue Operations Officer at The RevOps Collective, Rosalyn Santa Elena!

    Rosalyn joins Host Tim Harris to shed light on the world of RevOps. Rosalyn outlines the many hats Ops leaders wear, the challenges they face, and how that knowledge can help sellers better speak to Ops leaders.

    Takeaways:

    • When a lot of people think of RevOps, they default to someone who manages technology. While tech management is a core function, RevOps leaders will often also select vendors, manage implementation, and help negotiate contracts.
    • There’s a lot of great tech out there, and it can be hard to fend off shiny object syndrome. To reduce tech debt, it’s crucial to have your RevOps leader involved in the buying process to ensure you buy the right tech for the right reasons.
    • Buying a good piece of tech isn’t enough for success, you also need an effective plan. RevOps leaders are also responsible for creating a technology roadmap, and overseeing the rollout and implementation of new software.
    • One of the most important factors for a buyer is the relationship with the vendor. As attributes like price and product offering are fairly equivalent, what a buyer really wants is a partner who will truly work with them to provide ongoing assistance.
    • While RevOps leaders aren’t selling externally, they are selling internally. They need to combine empathy and communication to understand the problems other teams are facing, and communicate how the solutions will help.
    • When selling to RevOps leaders, you need to know where they sit and what their priorities are. System administrators want solutions that drive adoption and save time. Senior leaders want solutions that better position them as an internal thought leader
    • One of the most valuable insights for sales reps to have are the motivations of buyers from stage to stage. By understanding why someone booked an interview or filled out a form, you can make incremental changes that increase conversion rates.

    Quote of the Show:

    • “More than ever before, relationship selling is so critical.” - Rosalyn Santa Elena

    Links:

    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosalyn-santa-elena/
    • Website: https://therevopscollective.com/
    • Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-engine/id1554168319

    Ways to Tune In:

    • Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
    • Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
    • Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
    49 min
  • Sales Is Service - Todd Caponi - B2B EQ - Episode # 22

    Not having 5 star reviews, turning away leads, and telling prospective buyers the problems they might face with your solution seem like foolish mistakes for a business, but may actually be the key to your sales success. This week, we have the honor of being joined by a sales strategist with a focus on transparency. Please give a warm welcome to the Host of “The Sales History Podcast”, Author of “The Transparency Sale” and “The Transparent Sales Leader”, Founder of Sales Melon, Todd Caponi! Todd and Tim join forces to share must-knows for any sales leader. They’ll discuss the dangers of only focusing on the short term, expound the importance of transparency in the sales process, and provide a framework for being better leaders.

    Takeaways:

    • Buyers today are facing two main challenges, information overload, and their desire to predict bad outcomes. Sales reps need to help identify the relevant info for buyers, and be honest about predicting what challenges they may face.
    • Instead of trying to overcome buyer objections, sellers need to become consultants who help predict problems and forecast outcomes. People buy on an idea of what they predict might go wrong, rather than a false perception that everything will go right.
    • When markets get tough, it is tempting to focus on bagging as many short term wins as possible. Closing a deal that is a bad fit can end up creating a dissatisfied customer who hampers your brand as they share their negative experience.
    • When consumers shop for products on websites, products in the 4 star range sell better than 5 star rated ones. People intuitively know that perfection doesn’t exist, and if you only give the perspective that your product is perfect, it will dissuade buyers.
    • It is hard to turn away less than ideal leads. Referring them to someone else gains you long term trust, and saves you short term time. Bad leads take up as much time as good leads, without generating as much revenue.
    • Companies need to brand what they give up to be great. No brand is perfect, but by making your sacrifices part of your brand, buyers know what they are getting at the start, and build a stronger identity around your brand.
    • To motivate reps use the PRAISE framework. Reps need Predictability about their jobs, Recognition for their achievements, to know the Aim of their work, Independence in the workplace, a sense of Security, and to be treated Equitably with their other reps.

    Quote of the Show:

    • “We need to brand what we give up to be great at our core.” - Todd Caponi

    Links:

    • Twitter: https://twitter.com/tcaponi
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddcaponi/
    • Website: https://toddcaponi.com/
    • Podcast: https://saleshistory.buzzsprout.com/
    • The Transparent Sales Leader: https://a.co/d/bXpzRVR
    • The Transparency Sale: https://a.co/d/dNqAd7f

    Ways to Tune In:

    • Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
    • Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
    • Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
    50 min
  • Building Out Your Brand Narrative - Morgan J Ingram - B2B EQ - Episode # 21

    If your B2B content strategy is boring your audience, it’s time to shake up your plan. Our guest this week is a media mastermind who wants to help you create better content that drives authentic connections. Please welcome to the show, 4x LinkedIn Top Sales Voice, Founder & CEO of Ascension Media Productions, Morgan J Ingram!

    Morgan joins host Tim Harris to deliver a masterclass in content creation. Subjects in today’s lesson include: why sellers need to be focused on “time to value, how sales teams can make the narrative contextual, and why a strong brand increases both your reputation and access with your customers.

    Takeaways:

    • Content is important for any brand, but if you want to stand out, you can’t be the same. To build your best content, you need a strong narrative. Create content that resonates with your customers, and leaves them with a sense that you understand their problems.
    • As a sales rep, you can’t shape the content narrative for the whole company, but you can contextualize it for your buyers. Understand what the narrative is, sell to it in your own sense, and for a last extra boost, tie in customer success stories.
    • The best way to demonstrate that you are engaged on calls is to show your buyer what you know about their company. Instead of starting with questions and going through the motions, starting with what you know shows that you have done your research.
    • As a seller, you need to be intune with how your buyers are feeling after each part of the process, and then guiding them through that experience. Let buyers know what to expect at each stage, rather than just showing off features and asking what they think.
    • To have your content reach its full potential, it needs to have the right timing, topic, and talent. Your content needs to be relevant to the messaging being discussed today, have a clear topic, and have a talented crew creating and presenting your content.
    • Even as a seller, having a personal brand built around content is crucial, as it increases your reputation and access to clients. Evergreen content gives potential customers access to you 24/7, and gives you a strong first impression before a sales call.
    • While AI won’t take all our jobs, it will shift the distribution of them, and sales reps need to be prepared. Reps should start focusing on building their full cycle sales skills, identifying ways that AI can help them at their job, and on making strong connections.

    Quote of the Show:

    • “Brand is just building your reputation digitally at scale.” - Morgan J Ingram

    Links:

    • Twitter: https://twitter.com/morganjingram
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganjingram/
    • Website: https://ampcreative.io/

    Ways to Tune In:

    • Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
    • Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
    • Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
    49 min
  • Avoiding The Pitfall Of Toxic Empathy - Garin Hess - B2B EQ - Episode # 20

    It’s important to be empathetic to your buyer’s problems, but can being too empathetic hold you back? To help shine some light on the problem, we’re joined by a buyer enablement expert who knows how to get to the core of what a buyer needs. Our guest this week is Author of the book “Selling Is Hard. Buying Is Harder” and Founder and CEO of Consensus, Garin Hess!

    Tim and Garin team up to explore the process of being a leader for your buyers, the ‘recommendation, commitment, and facilitation’ framework, and how to champion your buyers to close deals.

    Takeaways:

    • Demos are powerful sales tools, but you don’t need to rely on a sales rep to provide them. If you have a video demo on your website, buyers can watch a demo on their own time, with the added benefit of putting them steps ahead when the actual call happens.
    • Your end goal in sales is to move buyers from a place of status quo to something new. The best skill to move people along that path is leadership. Solid leadership is the ability to challenge people to do the difficult things they don’t want to do.
    • Empathy is an important skill in the sales process, but you shouldn’t allow it to stagnate you by focusing on just what the buyer is feeling. In tandem with empathy, you need to help your buyers navigate the difficult tasks that will result in moving the deal forward.
    • To help buyers navigate hurdles, sellers should follow the ‘recommendation, commitment, and facilitation’ framework. Start with a specific recommendation, get the buyer to commit, and then work with them to facilitate the action.
    • When laying out your process for buyer enablement, start with mapping out the buying group. Identify the key decision makers, their roles, and why they get involved. From that start, move on to identify the materials they’ll want and the concerns they may have.
    • A strong way to keep buyers engaged is through data informed education. Go beyond the demo and show them how the solution will help them, how it’s helped other similar companies, and what a concrete financial benefit is.
    • At the end of the day, the only person who can close a deal is the buyer. To set your buyers up for success, you need to help them get other stakeholders involved, and get them engaged in the process.

    Quote of the Show:

    • “In sales, What you're trying to do ultimately is move somebody from a place of status quo to a place of complete and utter change.” - Garin Hess

    Links:

    • Twitter: https://twitter.com/garin_hess
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garin-hess-0017a0/
    • Website: https://goconsensus.com/
    • Book Link: https://a.co/d/aoeasjR

    Ways to Tune In:

    • Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
    • Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
    • Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
    46 min
  • Finding Your Motivations To Move Deals Forward - Donald C Kelly - B2B EQ - Episode # 19

    LinkedIn is inundated with connection requests that seem genuine at first, but quickly turn into the dreaded “pitch slap”. To help you up your LinkedIn outreach, we’re featuring a skilled seller who excels at creating connections. He’s a sales savant who has been recognized as a 2022 LinkedIn top voice in Sales and 2x Top Salesforce Influencer. Welcome to the show, Founder and Host of The Sales Evangelist Podcast, Founder and The Chief Sales Evangelist at The Sales Evangelist, Donald C Kelly!

    Donald joins Host Tim Harris to give sellers a masterclass in creating connections. Donald shares his “connect, share, and engage” tactic, the value of community, how to make the most of LinkedIn, and how to listen to what your buyers are really saying.

    Takeaways:

    • As a seller, having a good community is crucial. When you have challenges, or problems you need solved, your community can be there to lend a helping hand. Being part of a strong community creates better connections, leading to more deals.
    • LinkedIn is a strong sales tool, but only if you use it properly. Pitches in the dms won’t get you far, but posting quality content will. If you can post content that is helpful, and relevant to your buyer’s problems, they’ll end up reaching out to you for help.
    • To make LinkedIn work for you, you need to have the right connections. Aim to have 25%-50% of your connections fit within your ICP. If you need to get to that zone, focus on sending a few connections to high quality fits, rather than making it a numbers game.
    • Once you’re sharing and connecting, the last crucial strategy on LinkedIn is engaging. Be sure to interact with other peoples posts, and when your target ICPs interact with your posts, use that as an opportunity to reach out.
    • As a startup, spray and pray is great if you want to keep your sales team busy, but it comes at the cost of your brand feeling “spammy”. Instead of focusing on numbers, focus on getting quality results through meaningful outreach activities.
    • Good sales reps need good training, but without the proper motivation, the best training in the world won't get you anywhere. Sales leaders need to provide external motivation, and help reps discover their own internal motivators.
    • The most important soft skill sellers need is listening, and knowing how to read between the lines. If a buyer tells you they need a solution installed, look for other aspects of what they are saying. By listening for those hidden cues, you can quickly learn more.

    Quote of the Show:

    • “I would rather my team feel engaged and feel they’re finding progress rather than feeling defeated and not seeing any results.” - Donald C Kelly

    Links:

    • Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonaldCKelly
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldckelly/
    • Website: https://thesalesevangelist.com/
    • Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sales-evangelist/id788738885

    Ways to Tune In:

    • Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
    • Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
    • Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
    52 min
  • Working As A Team With Your Prospects - Ashley Zagst - B2B EQ - Episode #18

    You’ve armed yourself with info, you ask all the right questions, but when you try to close the deal, it turns out something’s missing. To help sellers overcome this all too common problem, we turn to the advice of someone who occupies the upper echelon of sales. They are a Salesforce top sales influencer for 2023 who helps revenue leaders reach their aggressive growth goals. After pivoting from marketing, she uses her expertise to drive better connections with customers. Joining Tim Harris this week is Senior Account Executive at Chili Piper, Ashley Zagst. Ashley dives deep into the importance of being present on calls, strategies for effectively training reps, and why sales calls shouldn’t be looked at as “battles to be won.”

    Takeaways:

    • Empathy is a crucial skill in B2B sales, but empathy goes beyond active listening and asking questions. True empathy is understanding that you cannot provide the solution until you make a connection with your clients.
    • It’s often thought that the biggest hurdle sellers face is disrupting the status quo. While there is resistance to change, the core of the issue is what buyers fear could go wrong. In the current economy, if a $30,000 deal goes wrong, that buyer could lose their job.
    • Empathy is the universal human need to be understood. To put this into action on sales calls, make sure you are compassionate, understanding, respectful, and fully present in the moment with your buyer.
    • The quickest way to lose trust on a sales call is by not being present. It’s easy to tell when you’re not being listened to. Put the phone away, turn off your notifications, and give your client your full attention.
    • When a client throws up objections, the typical response is to try to overcome them. Instead of viewing those calls as a battle you need to win, view them as collaborating with your buyer towards a solution.
    • Preparing for a sales call involves more than just gathering info. Good reps prepare themselves mentally, and take care of themselves. Carve out time to take breaks and de-stress before hopping on that next call.
    • When it comes to training reps, it’s not enough to teach a skill on Friday and expect it to be implemented on Monday. You need to carve out time for practice. Role play calls with other reps, revisit past calls, and drill down on the fundamentals.

    Quote of the Show:

    • “Empathy is understanding that you cannot provide the solution until you make the connection first.” - Ashley Zagst

    Links:

    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyzagst/
    • Website: https://www.chilipiper.com/
    • Surf Rider: https://www.surfrider.org/

    Ways to Tune In:

    • Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
    • Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
    • Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
    46 min
  • Distinguishing Buyer Outcomes From Intentions - Cassandra Anderson - B2B EQ - Episode #17

    With a 20+ year tenure in the technology industry, our guest is a seasoned seller who understands the ins and outs of the sales cycle. As a buyer herself, she blends her knowledge of both sides of the process to equip teams to sell like never before. Here to help you simplify your sales process by starting with the customer is the VP of Global Revenue Operations & Enablement at Optimove, Cassandra Anderson. Host Tim Harris and Cassandra are partners in pipeline and they dive into the difference between outcome and intention, how terminology can assist alignment, and how to teach soft skills.

    Takeaways:

    • The most important soft skills in B2B sales are communication and understanding. Active listening is a crucial part of understanding as you need to listen to understand the problems your clients are facing, before you can provide solutions.
    • In today’s market, buyers are more educated, know the problem they are facing, and are actively looking for a solution. Sellers need to step up and hear past what customers are saying to identify the pain, to apply the right solution.
    • Sales relationships revolve around intention, expectations, and communication. You need to understand the intention your buyer has for a product, meet their expectations for the selling process, and communicate the expectations of your own intentions.
    • You need to balance both group outcome and individual intentions. The primary outcome for a buying group is to fix a problem, but the marketing team and design team will have different intentions. Good reps can speak to both the needs of the group and individual.
    • Aligning with prospects can come down to something as simple as terminology. When they say ‘lead’, does their definition line up with yours? Discussing important terminology is a vital first step to understanding the nuances of the client.
    • EQ can be taught, but it needs to be handled with care. The most effective way to coach soft skills is to allow individuals to have the initial realization of the problem come from within. Once they feel ownership of the problem, then you can begin coaching.
    • In B2C sales, companies put effort into understanding their buyers' shopping habits. B2B sales should be no different. Understand what your buyers’ habits are and pursue methods along those lines.

    Quote of the Show:

    • “We believe brands that start with the customer build loyalty for life.” - Cassandra Anderson

    Links:

    • Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cass8775
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thecassandraexperience/
    • Website: https://www.optimove.com/

    Ways to Tune In:

    • Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
    • Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
    • Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
    54 min
  • Learning To Listen - Debra Senra - B2B EQ - Episode #16

    This week on B2B EQ we’re featuring an exceptional guest who balances growing both the bottom line and her team. She’s a skiller leader who is equally proficient in sales practices as she is dad jokes. Joining the show this episode is VP of Sales and Client Experience at ThreeFlow, Debra Senra! Listen along to host Tim Harris and Debra as they dive into a captivating conversation about the importance of active listening in sales, the need for adaptability in changing buying personas, and how to cultivate a culture of respect when teaching soft skills.

    Takeaways:

    • Listening is a crucial sales skill, but it goes beyond just hearing what a person is saying. Active listening means paying attention to what they are saying, and absorbing the information rather than trying to plan your response.
    • While playing a game of golf and charming your prospect used to be a reliable strategy, it isn’t as effective anymore. As buying personas have shifted and become more diverse, many buyers are finding that style of selling off putting. Sales reps need to adapt.
    • To teach soft skills, you need to make the learner feel respected. Assume they have positive intent in demonstrating that skill. Instead of accusing them of not listening, provide some ways they can better display their listening.
    • To make clients sure you are listening to them, you need to establish a space where it is obvious you are listening. Using verbal cues, sharing some personal insights, and ignoring distractions are great ways to build that environment.
    • If your main sales strategy is having a lot at the top of the funnel, your true problem is a lack of conversion. Instead of overloading the top, focus on increasing the percentage of deals that close, and the size of those deals.
    • When you hire, you need to hire for EQ. Start with a plan that details the important soft and hard skills to identify in interviews. When you get to the interview stage, a candidate who asks genuine questions and is conversational has the signs of high EQ.
    • For buyers, the problems they are trying to solve are complex and can be overwhelming, preventing them from seeing the solution. As a sales rep, a focus on simple solutions is an antidote to a complex problem.

    Quote of the Show:

    • “The absence of being listened to is obvious, the presence of being listened to is harder to establish.” - Debra Senra

    Links:

    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrasenra/
    • Website: https://www.threeflow.com/

    Ways to Tune In:

    • Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
    • Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
    • Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
    35 min
  • Vanilla Doesn’t Work - Stephanie Benavidez - B2B EQ - Episode #15

    Vanilla is great in ice cream, but not so much in sales outreach strategies. Our guest on this week’s episode is here to help add some flavor to your sales processes. She's a highly recommended sales leader who got her start in sales selling girl scout cookies door to door. She redefines the way companies operate, and revamps sales teams to work smarter, not harder. Joining host Tim Harris this week is Head of Sales Enablement at Loadsmart, Stephanie Benavidez. Stephanie shares why sellers need to be unique, ways you can revamp your demos, and some of the key characteristics of high EQ individuals.

    Takeaways:

    • Being different and unique in sales reach is not only okay, but encouraged! We’re all constantly inundated with emails and dm’s and those methods get lost in the noise. If you want your buyer’s attention, you need to think outside the box.
    • Sales is never just about selling a product, it's about selling a solution. Sellers need to be curious and learn about the client’s end goal, challenges, and pain points. Once you’ve identified the problem, then you can sell the solution.
    • An hour long, feature filled demo no longer attracts buyers. To revamp demos, start by cutting them down to 40 minutes. Spend the first 30 in an open conversation around the solution, and leave the last 10 to follow up on what the buyer was curious about.
    • Characteristics of high EQ employees are found both in and out of the office. At work, encourage self motivation, grit, and passion. Outside of work, high EQ employees have routines, engage in personal development, and make time to take care of themselves.
    • While markets are tough, it provides sellers an opportunity to grow and focus on being creative. A challenging environment will result in sellers who have sharpened their skills, and are better equipped to adapt to change.
    • Features and functions are important to any product, but without a cohesive story, they fail to stand on their own. Align features to client’s pain points, and demonstrate what the solution does for the client, rather than just what it is.
    • Coaching on the sales floor builds strong foundations, but training needs to go further. To build sellers skills, run sessions that get them thinking outside the box. Training improvisational skills allows sellers to react to whatever a buyer throws at them.

    Quote of the Show:

    • “Being different is ok, being unique is ok.” - Stephanie Benavidez

    Links:

    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smbenavidez/
    • Website: https://loadsmart.com/

    Ways to Tune In:

    • Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b2b-eq/id1672326834
    • Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1T2zlqNsSYATzXFPH1DquY
    • Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mYXN0Lndpc3RpYS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbHMvajRuNnNjYmc2Ni9yc3M
    44 min

About B2B EQ

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to B2B EQ. Join host Tim Harris as he interviews sales leaders to learn about the soft skills that have made them successful. Listen as he embarks on a mission to help you become 1% better,…