B2B Sales Trends

Outcome-based selling in healthcare sales is the difference between educating your buyer and actually moving the deal forward. In this episode, Harry sits down with Simona Grandits, VP EMEA at QIAGEN and newly selected EU Women Leaders 2026 cohort member, to explore how modern healthcare sales leaders balance scientific credibility with commercial discipline - without losing momentum.

Simona shares how consultative selling, customer centricity, and disciplined stakeholder management must work together to drive real sales performance in complex healthcare and medical device sales environments. She reflects on what disciplined sales leadership truly requires across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

🔗 Explore more insights: https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Why outcome-based selling matters in healthcare sales

03:45 – When expertise kills momentum in medical device sales

09:10 – The danger of skipping sales discovery questions

15:00 – Confidence in selling: handling price & budget conversations

22:40 – Sales leadership, stakeholder management & scaling performance

29:30 – The future of sales: transformation in healthcare

You’ll learn:

– How to use outcome-based selling without losing relationship selling

– Why sales discovery questions often get skipped (and what it costs)

– How confidence in selling changes difficult budget conversations

– What modern sales leadership looks like in healthcare sales

– Why the future of sales requires both empathy and commercial control

💡 Key Takeaways

- Expertise builds trust - but without commercial intent, it slows momentum.

- Outcome-based selling keeps conversations anchored to impact, not features.

- Sales discovery questions are simple - yet often avoided.

- Confidence in selling is less about dominance and more about clarity.

- The future of sales in healthcare demands transformation, not just innovation.

👤 About the Guest

Simona Grandits is VP EMEA at QIAGEN, leading commercial operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in the healthcare and life sciences space. She specializes in building high-performing medical device sales teams that balance scientific expertise with commercial discipline.

Simona was recently selected as one of the EU Women Leaders 2026 - a highly competitive initiative recognizing 20 outstanding women across Europe from over 1,500 applicants across public and private sectors.

You can view the announcement here:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/carol-constant_all-20-activity-7430189473377853440-SmTH?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAG-SA4BAe8LLkM02b3JmhFFQqNxDUUFNyU

This recognition reflects not only Simona’s commercial leadership in healthcare sales, but her growing influence in shaping the future of European board and executive leadership.

Connect with Simona Grandits on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simona-grandits-global-leader-emea-diagnostics-pharma-managing-director/

If this episode sparked new thinking, share it with your team.

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👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

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We feature senior B2B sales leaders, commercial executives, and operators shaping modern go-to-market strategy.

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Product led growth isn’t about generating more leads - it’s about deciding who deserves a conversation. In this episode, we unpack how Navan approaches lifetime value optimization, balances CAC to LTV, and uses product qualified leads to increase sales efficiency while scaling sales teams intelligently.

The real challenge in modern B2B selling isn’t demand - it’s focus. In this episode of the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Amit Shalev, VP of Growth at Navan, to explore how product signals, data, and human judgment work together in a high-volume product led growth model.

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

🔗 Explore more insights: https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Why product led growth breaks without prioritization

04:18 – The “activity trap” hurting sales efficiency

08:40 – CAC to LTV and lifetime value optimization in SMB sales

13:25 – What makes a Product Qualified Lead (PQL)?

18:05 – AI in sales & automating repetitive work (without losing the human touch)

24:35 – Leadership, empathy & scaling sales teams the right way

You’ll learn:

– Why not every inbound signup deserves a sales conversation

– How CAC optimization and lifetime value should guide scaling decisions

– When AI in sales increases efficiency - and when it shouldn’t replace people

– How product qualified leads help sales teams focus where they add value

💡 Key Takeaways

- Product-led growth requires disciplined prioritization - not more activity.

- CAC to LTV is the economic guardrail for scaling sales teams sustainably.

- Product signals should determine when human intervention creates value.

- AI in sales should remove repetitive work, not remove the human connection.

- High-volume environments demand clarity, not more effort.

About Guest

Amit Shalev is VP of Growth at Navan, where he leads the SMB revenue engine at the intersection of product led growth and sales strategy. He specializes in using product qualified leads, CAC to LTV modeling, and data-driven prioritization to scale sales teams without unnecessary headcount growth.

Connect with Amit Shalev on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitshalev/

If this episode sparked new thinking, share it with your team.

🎧 Subscribe for weekly insights on modern B2B sales, leadership, and performance.

🔗 Explore more at http://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

🎙️ Want to Be a Guest on B2B Sales Trends?

We feature senior B2B sales leaders, commercial executives, and operators shaping modern go-to-market strategy.

If that’s you - or someone you recommend - submit a short application here:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/guest-submission/

Sales psychology and strategic selling are the real drivers of sales performance - not another sales process, CRM tweak, or enablement playbook. In this solo episode, we unpack why outcome-based selling and the uncomfortable conversations most reps avoid are what truly move B2B deals forward.

In this episode of the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, Harry challenges a common leadership reflex: when performance drops, leaders adjust the sales strategy instead of addressing the human side of B2B selling. But selling is a psychological sport - and performance lives in those strategic conversations most teams hesitate to have.

🔗 Explore more insights: https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

⏱ Timestamps:

00:00 – Why sales psychology drives sales performance

02:20 – Strategic selling vs. staying in your comfort zone

04:45 – Outcome-based selling and avoiding financial conversations

06:30 – Confidence in selling: competence over bravado

07:15 – Consultative selling approach & provoking new needs

08:40 – Sales culture, trust, and leadership impact

You’ll learn:

– Why comfortable conversations destroy sales performance

– How outcome-based selling shifts you from product to ROI conversations

– What real confidence in selling actually looks like

– Why strategic selling requires engaging senior stakeholders and the C-suite

– How sales coaching and sales culture determine long-term performance

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

💡 Key Takeaways

- Sales performance drops when sellers retreat into safe, technical conversations instead of engaging in strategic selling.

- Sales psychology - not just sales enablement - determines whether deals move forward.

- Confidence in selling comes from competence and deliberate practice, not motivation.

- Outcome-based selling requires engaging stakeholders who can shape ROI and business impact.

- High-performing B2B sales teams build a culture where uncomfortable conversations are normalized.

If this episode sparked new thinking, share it with your team.

🎧 Subscribe for weekly insights on modern B2B selling, leadership, and performance.

🔗 Explore more at https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

🎙️ Want to Be a Guest on B2B Sales Trends?

We feature senior B2B sales leaders, commercial executives, and operators shaping modern go-to-market strategy.

If that’s you - or someone you recommend - submit a short application here:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/guest-submission/

Outcome-Based Selling sounds powerful - but most sales transformation efforts stall because organizations still think like product companies. In this episode, we unpack what it really takes to shift from product selling to true customer centricity and enterprise sales strategy.

In this episode of the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Michael Oren, SVP Americas Sales at Dematic, to explore the uncomfortable truth behind outcome-based selling and sales transformation inside enterprise environments.

This is not theory. It’s lived experience - from Xerox to Dematic - across real organizations, real customers, and real accountability.

🔗 Explore more insights: https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

00:00 – Outcome-Based Selling vs product mindset

04:15 – The “solution selling” illusion in B2B sales

09:30 – Enterprise sales strategy: where execution breaks

15:40 – Sales accountability in long implementation cycles

21:10 – Leading sales transformation without chaos

27:00 – Consistency, courage & patience in sales leadership

You’ll learn:

- Why many “consultative selling” models still operate with a product mindset

- What sales leadership must change to drive true customer centricity

- How sales accountability shifts in multi-year enterprise sales strategy

- Why value-based selling requires operating model change - not just new language

💡 Key Takeaways

- If your solution story collapses without your product at the center, you’re not selling solutions

- Sales transformation fails in the “messy middle” - not at kickoff

- Outcome-based selling requires courage to change metrics, roles, and funding

- Enterprise sales strategy must optimize around customer outcomes - not product features

- Leadership consistency, courage, and patience determine whether transformation sticks

About Guest

Michael Oren is SVP Americas Sales at Dematic, a global leader in warehouse automation. Formerly EVP of Global Services at Xerox, he has led large-scale commercial reinvention - from product selling to services-led, outcome-based models. Michael specializes in sales transformation, enterprise sales strategy, and aligning sales culture to customer outcomes.

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeloren/

If this episode sparked new thinking, share it with your team.

🎧 Subscribe for weekly insights on modern B2B selling, leadership, and performance.

🔗 Explore more at https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

🎙️ Want to Be a Guest on B2B Sales Trends?

We feature senior B2B sales leaders, commercial executives, and operators shaping modern go-to-market strategy.

If that’s you - or someone you recommend - submit a short application here:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/guest-submission/

Cross-functional teams in B2B sales decide whether complex deals move forward or fall apart. In this episode, we explore how high-performing sales teams, stakeholder collaboration, and shared accountability shape modern B2B sales strategy at scale.

In this episode, host Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Bassem Salameh, Head of Network North Europe at Ericsson, to unpack what truly drives performance in complex B2B environments. Together, they explore why alignment between sales, technical, and delivery teams is no longer optional - and how leaders can build high-performing sales teams that move as one.

🔗 Explore more insights: https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

00:00 – Why sales never really “ends” in complex B2B

04:30 – How miscommunication kills B2B sales deals

09:00 – The cross-functional triangle: sales, technical, delivery

14:40 – Building stakeholder collaboration at scale

20:00 – Leadership, accountability, and shared KPIs

31:50 – The future of B2B sales and AI’s role

You’ll learn how to:

- Align cross-functional teams across the entire B2B sales lifecycle

- Prevent miscommunication that quietly derails enterprise deals

- Build stakeholder collaboration without slowing execution

- Create sales accountability without silos or blame

💡 Key Takeaways

- Cross-functional alignment matters more than product or price in complex B2B sales

- Miscommunication - internally and externally - is the biggest hidden deal risk

- High-performing sales teams rotate leadership based on deal stage, not hierarchy

- Sales accountability improves when teams share outcomes, not just targets

- Confidence in B2B selling comes from preparation, listening, and inclusion

About Guest

Bassem Salameh is Head of Network North Europe at Ericsson, where he leads large-scale technical, sales, and delivery organizations in complex enterprise environments. Known for his techno-commercial leadership approach, Bassem helps organizations align cross-functional teams to deliver sustainable B2B sales performance at scale.

Connect with Bassem on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bassem-salameh-4311894/

If this episode sparked new thinking, share it with your team.

🎧 Subscribe for weekly insights on modern B2B selling, leadership, and performance.

🔗 Explore more at https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

Build trust for sales through relationship selling - not rigid process.

In this episode of B2B Sales Trends, Blanca Galletero explains why trust, transparency, and leadership authenticity are the real growth levers in modern B2B sales and channel partnerships.

The future of B2B selling isn’t about tighter control or more dashboards - it’s about relationship selling at scale. In this episode, host Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Blanca Galletero, VP EMEA Channels at SentinelOne, to unpack how trust is built, lost, and rebuilt across complex partner ecosystems.

Together, they explore how sales leaders can move beyond old-school tactics, use soft skills in sales as a competitive advantage, and increase results by offering real value and transparency - even in high-pressure moments.

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

🔗 Explore more insights: https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Why build trust for sales before pipeline and process

03:40 – Relationship selling vs. sales process: what actually scales

07:25 – Transparency + predictability: the trust formula for sales leaders

11:10 – Channel partnerships, credibility, and leadership authenticity

16:55 – Repairing trust when deals break down

20:45 – AI in B2B sales: why trust still beats automation

You’ll learn:

- How to build trust for sales without overpromising

- Why relationship selling outperforms process-heavy sales models

- How leadership authenticity drives long-term partner success

- Where AI supports selling - and where it can’t replace human trust

💡 Key Takeaways

- Trust is not a KPI - it’s a daily leadership decision

- Relationship selling scales when predictability replaces perfection

- Transparency only works when it’s practiced, not presented

- Strong channel partnerships are built on honesty, not opportunism

- AI can scale process, but trust scales relationships

About the Guest

Blanca Galletero is VP EMEA Channels at SentinelOne, leading go-to-market and partner ecosystems across Europe. With 20+ years of experience across companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, and SentinelOne, she’s known for building high-trust relationships through leadership authenticity, value-based selling, and transparency.

Connect with Blanca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blanca-galletero/

If this episode sparked new thinking, share it with your team.

🎧 Subscribe for weekly insights on modern selling, leadership, and performance.

🔗 Explore more at https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

A modern sales enablement strategy is no longer about quarterly training or feature decks. In fast-moving AI markets, credibility is fragile, buyers are overwhelmed, and sales teams need real-time learning to stay relevant. In this episode of the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, we explore how enablement, go-to-market strategy, and outcome-based selling must evolve when markets change weekly.

In this episode, Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Phil Manez, VP of Go-To-Market Execution at VAST Data, to unpack how modern sales teams can stay credible when products, markets, and customer expectations evolve faster than ever. Drawing from real examples in AI-driven environments, Phil shares how enablement, messaging discipline, and execution come together to support confidence in selling.

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

🔗 Explore more insights: https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

Timestamps:

00:00 – Why credibility is fragile in AI-driven B2B sales

03:30 – Sales enablement strategy in fast-moving markets

06:10 – Go-to-market strategy: precision over coverage

09:45 – Turning reps into outcome-based sellers

14:10 – Continuous enablement vs. one-off sales training

18:20 – What elite sellers must unlearn in the AI era

You’ll learn:

– Why traditional sales enablement strategies fall apart in AI markets

– How go-to-market execution creates focus instead of noise

– What outcome-based selling actually looks like in complex deals

– How continuous enablement keeps teams relevant and credible

💡 Key Takeaways

- Sales enablement strategy must be continuous, not event-based

- Credibility is the true currency in AI-driven B2B selling

- Go-to-market strategy works best when it prioritizes precision over volume

- Outcome-based selling reframes deals away from features and toward value

- Leaders must model learning to keep teams relevant as markets accelerate

About the Guest

Phil Manez is VP of Go-To-Market Execution at VAST Data, where he operates at the intersection of product, engineering, marketing, and sales enablement. Known for building enablement systems that keep pace with rapidly evolving AI markets, Phil helps sales teams stay credible, focused, and outcome-driven in complex B2B environments.

Connect with Phil Manez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philmanez/

If this episode sparked new thinking, share it with your team.

🎧 Subscribe for weekly insights on modern selling, leadership, and performance.

🔗 Explore more at https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

📘 Download the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

B2B sales leaders lose deals not in the RFP-but long before it arrives.

In this episode, we unpack why RFPs fail in B2B sales, how sales leadership must rethink RFP strategy, and what outcome-based selling looks like in complex enterprise sales environments.

RFPs trigger pressure, speed, and reaction - but that instinct is exactly what kills win rates. Host Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Patrick Oestreich, a senior commercial leader preparing to assume a CEO role, to break down how elite B2B sales teams approach RFPs with discipline, clarity, and leadership judgment.

This episode is a masterclass in B2B sales strategy, qualification, and modern sales leadership - especially for teams operating in procurement-driven, enterprise environments.

🔗 Explore more insights: https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Why RFPs fail in B2B sales

03:45 – RFPs are the end of the sales cycle

08:30 – Outcome-based selling vs reactive RFPs

14:10 – Enterprise sales strategy: shaping deals early

20:25 – When sales leadership should walk away from RFPs

27:40 – Coaching teams to increase RFP win rates

You’ll learn how to:

- Stop wasting time on unwinnable RFPs

- Shift from reactive selling to outcome-based selling

- Build a healthier B2B sales pipeline with higher win rates

- Lead sales teams with intention - not pressure

💡 Key Takeaways

- RFPs are not the start of the sale - they are the final checkpoint.

- High-performing B2B sales teams shape opportunities months before procurement gets involved.

- Inflated pipelines don’t drive results - disciplined qualification does.

- Sales leadership must reward impact, not activity.

- Walking away from the wrong RFP is a strategic advantage, not a failure.

About the Guest

Patrick Oestreich is a senior commercial leader with decades of experience in RFP-driven, highly competitive enterprise environments. Most recently, he served as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and Executive Board Member at Hellmann Worldwide Logistics and is preparing to assume a CEO role at a mid-sized, family-owned business.

Known for combining strategic clarity with human leadership, Patrick helps organizations rethink how they sell, qualify, and lead in complex B2B environments.

🔗 Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-oestreich-54b2ab56/

If this episode challenged how you think about RFPs, share it with your sales leadership team.

🎧 Subscribe to the B2B Sales Trends Podcast for weekly insights on modern selling, leadership, and performance.

🔗 Explore more at https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

📘 Get the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

Increasing sales performance and confidence in selling doesn’t come from more pressure - it comes from better leadership design. In this special 100th episode of the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, Harry breaks down the systems, structures, and leadership shifts shaping sales trends 2026, and why modern B2B sales strategy must move beyond urgency and intensity.

This solo milestone episode marks 100 episodes of pattern recognition across sales leaders, first-line managers, and go-to-market teams. Harry Kendlbacher distills the first three insights from the 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report - explaining why pressure no longer works, how leadership design drives consistency, and what buyers truly respond to today.

🔗 Explore more insights: https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

👉Download the report here: https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

Timestamps:

00:00 – Why increasing sales performance feels harder today

02:18 – Sales trends 2026 and what they reveal about modern selling

04:40 – Predictability vs pressure in B2B sales strategy

06:55 – Sales manager coaching as the real performance lever

08:20 – Confidence in selling and the consultative sales approach

09:30 – Final reflections + the future of sales leadership

You’ll learn:

– Why pressure-based sales training is breaking performance

– How predictability increases confidence in selling

– The growing impact of sales manager coaching

– What modern buyers expect from consultative sales conversations

💡 Key Takeaways

- Increasing sales performance today depends more on systems than effort

- Predictable environments outperform pressure-driven sales cultures

- First-line sales managers are the true drivers of behavior change

- Confidence in selling comes from clarity, not urgency

- Sales trends 2026 reward consistency over intensity

About the Episode

This is a solo 100th episode special hosted by Harry Kendlbacher, founder of Global Performance Group and host of the B2B Sales Trends Podcast. Drawing from hundreds of conversations with sales leaders worldwide, Harry shares the foundational shifts redefining performance, leadership, and trust in modern B2B sales.

If this episode sparked new thinking, share it with your team.

🎧 Subscribe for weekly insights on modern selling, leadership, and performance.

📘 Download the full 26 Sales Trends for 2026 report:

👉 https://globalperformancegroup.com/26-sales-trends/

🔗 Explore more at https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

Sales technique today is about impact, not activity. In this Best Of episode, we break down high performance in sales, sales enablement best practices, and buyer psychology - including how AI in sales enablement is reshaping modern B2B selling.

On the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, host Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Brian North, Sr. Vice President of Strategic Brand Partnerships at Hearst, to unpack why most sales strategies fail in execution - and what separates teams that sustain high performance. This is a conversation from our archive we’re resurfacing because its insights on sales techniques, sales enablement, and AI in sales enablement are more relevant than ever.

🔗 Explore more insights: https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/

You’ll learn:

- Why sales strategies fail in execution - and how to fix it

- How elite sellers move from product pitching to problem solving

- What buyer psychology reveals about modern purchase decisions

- How sales enablement best practices drive consistent execution

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – What High Performance in Sales Really Means Today

04:35 – Why Sales Strategy Breaks Down in Execution

09:05 – Measuring Impact vs Activity in B2B Sales

11:15 – From Product Pushing to Problem Solving Sales Technique

13:30 – Buyer Psychology and Modern Purchase Decisions

24:20 – AI in Sales Enablement and the Future of Selling

💡 Key Takeaways

- High performance in sales comes from impact, not volume

- Sales techniques must align with how buyers actually make decisions

- Sales enablement best practices fail without coaching and reinforcement

- Buyer psychology explains why activity alone doesn’t move deals

- AI in sales enablement amplifies skill — it doesn’t replace judgment

About the Guest

Brian North is Senior Vice President of Strategic Brand Partnerships at Hearst, where he focuses on performance, innovation, and consultative selling across a complex, fast-moving media landscape. With over 25 years of experience, Brian helps organizations translate data, audience insights, and buyer psychology into sales techniques that drive real business outcomes.

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-n-85b2682/

If this episode sparked new thinking, share it with a sales leader or enablement partner focused on execution - not just strategy.

🎧 Subscribe for weekly insights on modern B2B selling, leadership, and performance.

🔗 Explore more at https://www.globalperformancegroup.com/