Thinking like a strategist when selling to corporate deals will get you to the closing table. The order taking days are gone! Donald chats today with Douglas Cole who is a sales leader at LinkedIn, an advisor with start-up accelerators in North America, and a part-time university lecturer at The Rotman School of Management and The Schulich Executive Education Centre in Toronto. Author of The Sales MBA.

Dominant Themes in the Sales Process

• Sales Strategist - the company's competitive position and its market facing position.
• Change Agent – the organizational dynamics, happening within the company, at any given time.
• Decision Architect – interpersonal (human psychology) and how that affects your interactions with that prospect.

Strategist:

• Precise understanding of where this company competes and how do they win.
• Being able to make the connection between your product and how it benefits your prospect.
• Research is critical to be able to have these conversations.

Change Agent:

• Being able to find the catalyst to create transformation.
• Where is the energy in this organization?
• How can you feed the energy with your product or service?

Decision Architect:

• Behavioral economics play a large part in closing the sale.
• Limited by the attention of the buyer.
• Obtain the commitment of the buyer.
• Motivate the buyer to act or move forward with your product.
• Use of influence levers (scarcity, social proof, etc.)

Change your mindset:

• How do you per sieve yourself?
• Are you likeable, are your trustworthy?
• Think of yourself as a Sales Strategist, Change Agent and Decision Architect.

“Selling is a thinking game.”– Douglas Cole

• Connect with Douglas on LinkedIn or www.TheSalesMBA.ca 

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Credits

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Audio is provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are 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