Hiring a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is a big commitment—especially for growing companies that may not have the budget for a full-time executive. That's where fractional CMOs come in.

A fractional CMO provides high-level marketing leadership without the full-time price tag. But how do you find the right fit for your business?

Andrew Dod, an experienced SaaS marketing leader and fractional CMO, shares what companies should consider before making this hire.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

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Connect With:

• Andrew Dod: LinkedIn // qmarq

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly: Website // Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // YouTube

A messy pipeline doesn't just frustrate your sales leader—it kills deals. When sellers don't have a clear picture of where each opportunity stands, they waste time chasing the wrong prospects, struggle to forecast accurately, and ultimately lose revenue.

So why isn't pipeline hygiene every team's top priority? Because it takes time, discipline, and a little help from our friends at 30 Minutes to President's Club.

In this episode of Closing Time, Insightly SVP Geoff Coutts welcomes Nick Cegelski, Founder of 30mpc, to share actionable strategies to manage your sales pipeline like a president's club seller. Nick provides practical (daily) tips to help your sales org stay on top of pipeline hygiene—and win more deals because of it.

Download your copy of the Insightly x 30mpc guide: https://www.insightly.com/30mpc/

Watch the episode on YouTube.

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Connect With:

• Nick Cegelski: LinkedIn // 30 Minutes to President's Club

• Geoff Coutts: LinkedIn

• Insightly: Website // Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // YouTube

Hiring your first marketing agency? Get prepared now.

In this episode of Closing Time, we break down everything you need to know before making the leap—like when it's the right time to bring on outside help, how to choose between full-service or boutique agencies, and the key questions you should ask during the selection process.

What's the tipping point for outsourcing? How can you ensure the agency's communication style aligns with your team? And most importantly, how will you measure their impact?

Get all the answers (and more) with expert advice from Brianna Doe, founder of Verbatim and host of the Stop the Scroll podcast.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

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Connect With:

• Brianna Doe: LinkedIn // Verbatim agency

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly: Website // Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // YouTube

Discounting in B2B sales is one of the quickest ways to erode trust and credibility—so why does it happen so often?

In this episode of Closing Time, John Barrows, CEO of JB Sales Training and author of I Want to Be in Sales When I Grow Up, breaks down why proactive discounts often do more harm than good, how they devalue your offering, and why they signal to buyers that your pricing isn't credible.

John also shares actionable strategies for keeping deals moving without relying on discounts, from leveraging creativity and flexibility to building value during discovery. Plus, he unpacks how to handle the infamous "procurement wildcard" and what every rep needs to know about their company's pricing strategy to close deals confidently.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

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Connect With:

• John Barrows: Instagram // LinkedIn // John's Sales Training & Resources

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly: Website // Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // YouTube

Still waving a whiteboard in desperation on your sales videos? Or kicking off with a screen share in your intro? Let's leave those habits in 2024.

Chris Bogue, sales coach and author of The Complete Guide to Selling on Video, believes video is a goldmine for storytelling and connection—if done right. In this episode of Closing Time, Chris shares actionable tips for mastering video prospecting in 2025 using lessons from his side hustle: improv comedy.

Learn how to take what you're given, present your point of view with confidence, and use your prospect's values and goals to create videos that don't just stand out—they convert.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

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Connect With:

• Chris Bogue: LinkedIn // Download the The Complete Guide to Selling on Video

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly: Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // YouTube

Pricing a SaaS offering is probably the hardest issue most leadership teams will tackle. In this episode of Closing Time, we sit down with Bill Wilson, founder and CEO of Pace Pricing, a B2B SaaS pricing consultancy.

Bill brings his expertise to unpack the complexities of SaaS pricing, from determining who within an organization should own pricing decisions to common mistakes companies make—and how to avoid them. Bill also dives into actionable strategies for creating a pricing page that resonates with your audience, builds trust, and drives conversions.

Plus, he explores how to leverage a freemium model to fuel product-led growth, including the critical role of delivering value quickly and efficiently.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

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Connect With:

• Bill Wilson: LinkedIn // Pace Pricing website // Pricing page scorecard

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly: Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // YouTube

No matter your industry, media isn't optional—it's essential to your go-to-market strategy. Think launching a B2B podcast is enough to check the media box? Think again.

In this episode of Closing Time, Ben Shapiro, founder of I Hear Everything, explains why businesses need to think bigger. Discover how to use media as a strategic channel—just like email or events—and learn how to repurpose a single piece of content across multiple platforms to drive ROI and real value. Don't miss these actionable insights for leveling up your marketing game.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Want expert advice delivered monthly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Closing Time newsletter to never miss an episode: https://bit.ly/3C5aZUw

Connect With:

• Ben Shapiro: LinkedIn // I Hear Everything // MarTech Podcast

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly: Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // YouTube

Few decisions shape your business quite like choosing a CRM. That's why you need a solid CRM buying guide to steer you clear of the pitfalls.

Meet Jason Kramer, Founder and CEO of Cultivize, a CRM consultancy. In this episode of Closing Time, Jason shares the must-ask questions to ensure your CRM fits your needs today—and scales with you tomorrow. Plus, he reveals why a top-down commitment is the secret to avoiding common implementation traps and driving lasting success.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Want expert advice delivered monthly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Closing Time newsletter to never miss an episode: https://bit.ly/3C5aZUw

Connect With:

• Jason Kramer: LinkedIn // Cultivize Website

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly: Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // YouTube

Is fractional sales leadership right for you? In this episode of Closing Time, LinkedIn Top Voice and fractional sales leader Louie Bernstein shares what it takes to succeed in this unique role.

Louie covers the essentials, from finding clients to setting contract terms and pricing engagements. Plus, he dives into the highs and challenges of the job to help you decide if it's the best next step for your career.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Want expert advice delivered monthly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Closing Time newsletter to never miss an episode: https://bit.ly/3C5aZUw

Connect With:

• Louie Bernstein: LinkedIn

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly: Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // YouTube

With so many sales frameworks to choose from, it's easy to get lost in the rules and lose sight of what makes each approach effective.

We met Sales Coach Jeff Bajorek in a recent episode of Closing Time, where he walked us through the highs and lows of various sales methodologies like the MEDDICC sales methodology, Miller-Heiman strategic selling, Sandler sales methodology, and the Challenger sales method.

Jeff is back to help you tailor these methods to fit your unique selling style, navigate leadership decisions on methodology adoption, and know when to break the mold for better results. He'll also share some common threads and discuss his trademarked Sell Like You™ and Rethink How You Sell™ approaches.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Want expert advice delivered monthly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Closing Time newsletter to never miss an episode: https://bit.ly/3C5aZUw

Connect With:

• Jeff Bajorek: LinkedIn

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly: Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // YouTube