No BS Sales School

The cold, hard truth is that what you’re selling is not unique. In fact, there’s probably dozens of other products and services in the market that do the same exact thing. Therefore, the only way to differentiate yourself as a seller is the way you engage with your customers. 

In this episode of the No BS Sales School podcast, your host Walker McKay gives some tips on how to differentiate yourself on a sales call, and why you should never ever compete on price. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Your product won't make you stand out as a seller 
• You have to act and think different 
• Competing on price is the worst thing you can do 
• How your customer is screwing you 
• Make sure your prospect feels understood first

QUOTES

Walker on how to differentiate yourself from the competition: "The only way we differentiate ourselves is how we interact with our clients, and how they perceive us as being different. And nobody can tell we're better until they see us as being different."

Walker on why you never want to compete on price: "If your main sales strategy is selling cheap, you’re causing yourself a bunch of headaches. Because you're not making as much money, and you get the crappiest customers."

Where to find Walker:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Free training course
• www.walkermckay.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sales is a lot like hunting for food; you don’t want to depend on squirrels that take too much work but yield little meat, nor should you always aspire for elephants because you might not have the capacity to handle them alone. In this episode of the No BS Sales School podcast, Walker argues that you should go for deer: they are easier to hunt than elephants, and they yield a lot more meat than squirrels. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Think of your clients as squirrels, deer, and elephants
• Raise prices with squirrels, don't let elephants own you, and find more deer
• Ask your deer customers these 5 questions 

QUOTES

Walker on why your deer customers are your sweet spot: "Deer are the ones that are right in your sweet spot. You can handle them very well with the infrastructure that you had. Let's pretend you had somewhere in between 12 and, could be, depending on your business, a hundred of them. You'd have a hell of a nice business."

Walker on why you need to bring in more deer customers: "People are comfortable and are effective at referring you to people like themselves or smaller. So deer customers will refer you to other deer customers. Squirrels beget squirrels beget squirrels beget squirrels."

Where to find Walker:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Free training course
• www.walkermckay.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You’ve got your vision, you’ve sorted out your attitude. Now you need to define your approach. In this episode of the No BS Sales School, Walker talks about having a well-defined strategy to guide you and your sales team towards success so that no matter the situation, you have a way to get to your ideal outcome. Whether it’s closing the deal or disqualifying an unfit prospect early on so as not to waste anyone’s time, you’re still succeeding. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• The three parts of your third key to success 
• Walker's strategy for success 
• You need a well-defined system for selling 
• Define your ideal outcome and the steps to get there 
• What selling could be if we got rid of all the BS 
• Always have a strategy, process and tactics in place 

QUOTES

Walker explains his own system for selling: "One of the things I like about having a well-defined process for selling with individual steps is that you can know where you are and you're not wasting time. My system teaches people to disqualify those prospects that aren't ready for you yet or just aren't the right fit. You disqualify and win anyway."

Walker on what selling is really all about: "Selling is not convincing. Selling is not about educating [your clients]. Selling is about educating yourself about what the prospect is dealing with, what emotional compelling reason do they have, if any, to make a change. And do they have a budget for it?"

Walker on what selling could be, without all the BS: "It is fun watching people shed the armor that they walk in, the bull**** that surrounds them, and learn how to just be open and honest with other people. Be direct, be kind, not be some patsy.”

Where to find Walker:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Free training course
• www.walkermckay.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Believe that you can, and you’re already halfway there. In this episode of the No BS Sales School podcast, Walker McKay talks about working on the one thing that holds most people back: their attitude. While most people complain about external factors for their own predicament, Walker insists that we look inward and find confidence within. Tune in to listen to Walker’s tips on changing your mindset and business outlook for the better.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Maybe it's you, not the company
• Don't ask for things to get easier, get better instead 
• The problem is most likely you, but you're also the solution
• Confidence comes from within
• When things seem simple, you probably just don't understand it 
• Other people's opinion of you, good or bad, do not define you
• Own your imperfections and be don't afraid to fail
• Be a lifelong learner and be known as a giver 

QUOTES

Why the grass may not be greener on the other side, says Walker: "If the company you're working in is not getting you where you need to be, is not good, is holding you back, well then alright, sonny boy. Grab yourself by the bootstraps and go somewhere else. What you may find when you go somewhere else is, it's so funny, this place isn't perfect either." 

Walker's advice for getting rid of your excuses: "If your words are 'I can't do it, they won't call me back. These people are stupid. Nobody's gonna pay this price.' See that's a bullshit excuse. You haven't figured out how to do it. And the more that you can use those words 'I haven't figured out how to,' the freer you will become. Because you recognize once again, [that] you're the problem. That's the good news. The bad news is you're the solution and you've got to change."

Walker on why confident and successful people aren't afraid of s little competition: "Those of us who are successful, that are confident, we realize there's an infinite amount of success. We lift people up so they can have it too."

Where to find Walker:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Free training course
• www.walkermckay.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Success in sales does not fall from the sky nor does it grow on trees; you need to work hard and work right. But first, you need to know why you want to succeed. In this episode of the No BS Sales School podcast, our host Walker McKay invites us to refine our vision and goals for the future by going beyond the numbers and using that to propel us forward into doing the hard work and perfecting the necessary skills. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Don't watch the speedometer, just push the gas pedal
• Now is not the time to screw off! 
• Start with your goals and vision
• How do you make your goals and vision happen?
• Find your ideal prospect
• Plan the things you need to do to make your vision happen 
• Network with a plan and a purpose 
• Ask for more referrals 

QUOTES

Walker on having a vision and goals to inspire you: "You've got to have something that equally inspires you. What is it that 12 months from now, or the end of '23 would inspire you to go do the hard stuff? And it's not just the number, it's what that allows you to do as you focus on that. So think about your vision for yourself and then the goals that you have to have to reach that vision." 

Walker's advice for finding the ideal customer: "You don't want everybody as a customer. You want to find those prospects that are right in your sweet spot. They're profitable. There are lots of them out there. You can handle them well within your current skill set, and within the way your company is set up. They're big enough that there's enough juice in there. Enough money in those prospects that you can have a really nice business and not have to work 90 hours a week."

Walker on why you should be asking for more referrals: "It's the easiest way to get business. How often are you asking your clients for introductions to the people you need to know? You can do it face-to-face, you can do it on LinkedIn. Social media. All these places where you can find out where other people are connected to. Do not miss this. This is the gold of sales."

Where to find Walker:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Free training course
• www.walkermckay.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The unfortunate truth is that your prospects, even those that reached out to you first and seemed to be very enthusiastic, are taking advantage of you. It doesn’t mean that they’re bad people, it’s just the way they were taught to buy by countless generations of bad sellers and their slimy tactics. It’s time we sellers correct this situation. 

In this episode of the No BS Sales School podcast, Walker talks about the buyer’s process, how it was designed to overly favor the customer, and why nobody wins in the end — not even the buyer who screwed you over.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Stop selling the old way! 
• Most people reaching out won't buy from you 
• Explaining the buyer's 4-step process
• Don't let yourself be used as leverage in a bidding war 

QUOTES

Walker on why the old way of selling doesn't work anymore: "Something crazy like 92% of the people that reached out to a B2B organization for information about a product bought nothing in 2019. That's a lot of freaking giving information for free."

Walker on the outcome of the buyer's process: "Who wins in this situation? Certainly not you. How about the incumbent that maybe kept the deal but had to cut all the margin out of it? I don't think so, [they] just corrupted the marketplace. How about the buyer, your prospect? Did he win? Probably not, because he didn't get what he thought he was getting because nobody can deliver that at that low price."

Where to find Walker:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Free training course
• www.walkermckay.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Get rid of the 'About Us' section in your slide deck. Nobody cares about your company history, and the whole point of selling is not about you anyway. In this episode of the No BS Sales School, our host Walker McKay turns the sales process upside down with this one piece of advice: don’t educate your customer before you see a signed check. Ask questions, tell them stories of a similar situation and a snapshot of what you did then. But don’t tell them what you plan to do with the present problem, because that’s just free consulting. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Stop trying to educate your prospects 
• Remember what your actual job as a seller is
• Figure out if they have pain that they want you to fix it
• Wait for a signed check before giving a proposal 
• Don't educate before you've sold

QUOTES

Walker's reaction to the 'About Us' section in your slide deck: "Why is the first slide in your slide deck, 'Information About Us'? When you're in a sales call, if you're doing it right, it's never about you."

Walker on finding your prospect's pain: "Instead of telling people how great you are and how you're gonna fix their problem, all they need to understand and say out loud is that they have pain. Pain is your leverage for everything regarding sales."

How to sell without giving out free consulting: "All they need to know is they trust you to fix the problem. They're gonna trust you because they know you understand them, because you asked questions and listened. And then you've told stories about how you fixed, or that you fixed this kind of problem in the past. You can give generalizations but you don't need to go into specifics."

Where to find Walker:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Free training course
• www.walkermckay.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Even the most positive prospects, the type that come running to you and say that they are ready to buy are not always qualified to actually buy from you. Maybe they’re not the real decision-makers, they don’t have the purchasing power, or maybe they’re just shopping around. In this episode of the No BS Sales School, Walker talks about always slowing your prospect down and assuming that there’s a problem that needs to be discovered, even when it looks like a done deal. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Even the people that come running to you aren't always qualified 
• People don't know how to buy from you 
• Always assume that there's a problem 
• Your job as a seller is to take people to a second-level thinking
• Every sales transaction requires mutual trust 
• Again: be kind, not nice 
• Without pain, it's all about price 

QUOTES

Walker's reminder about customers: "My contention is always that people don't know how to buy from you, even if they buy stuff all the time. They don't know how to buy from you. They've been trained by crappy salespeople who've been calling on them all along, all these years." 

Walker on ensuring that your buyer has a compelling personal pain point they want to solve:  "Without pain, everything is about price. Without a personal compelling reason where they need to make a change, it's just about price. And maybe that's your business model, to win the price game. It's never been mine.”

Where to find Walker:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Free training course
• www.walkermckay.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many sellers feel squeamish at the prospect of getting rejected, so much so that they’re willing to waste precious time and effort delaying the inevitable. For Walker, it’s always better to get the rejection sooner than later, saving both the seller and the prospect time and effort.

In this episode of the No BS Sales School podcast, Walker talks about making your intentions known, not being afraid to ask for a decision, and shortening your sales cycle. After all, some will, some won’t. Who cares, who’s next? 

HIGHLIGHTS

• It should not take more than 3 to 4 sales calls to sell anything 
• Not all decisions should be slept on when you're a seller
• Don't be afraid to ask for a check and get the deal moving 
• If you're not sure about it, let's call it a no
• Just ask for what you want 

QUOTES

Walker on why sellers should be quick decision makers: "If you got to do a ton of research, if you've got to look up all the options, and you got to go to the internet and go to five different places and get information from all these different people, that may make you a very astute buyer. But I want to think about what that costs you. What's your time worth?"

Walker on the need for shortening your sales cycle: "The longer your sales cycle is, the more drop off you're gonna have. The more people that are just not gonna show up again. Because you make it too hard. You're the one that's forcing four or five meetings."

Walker on why it's better to get rejected early: "If somebody's going to tell you no, that you're not the right fit, that they don't trust you, you're not doing it right -- wouldn't you want to hear that during the first meeting, or the end of the first meeting, or maybe the second meeting if you have to do that, than the end of the sixth?"

Where to find Walker:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Free training course
• www.walkermckay.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As inflation drives prices up, sellers are hearing the objection “your price is too high” more and more. Given this reality, sellers might find it difficult to meet their quota. Thankfully, this isn’t Walker’s first rodeo. In this episode of the No BS Sales School podcast, our host Walker McKay offers several ways to overcome this objection, and why it’s almost always never just about the price. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Your price is NOT too high
• Use guts and humor to take control of the conversation
• Quick ways to counteract the most common objections
• Cheap customers are not good customers anyway
• It begins with asking questions, not telling
• It's never just about price

QUOTES

Walker on the perils of serving cheap customers: "Somebody who only wants to buy cheapest price is going to be your shittiest customer. If you serve the lowest-price people, what they're telling you is they don't give a s*** about you, they don't care about your company, they're not loyal, and they're gonna be a giant pain in your butt, guaranteed."

Walker's advice on what to say when your customer says your price is too high: "It begins with asking questions, not telling. If you find yourself going, 'Well, we've got better service, better quality, blah blah blah,' you're losing the game. They don't hear that s***."

Where to find Walker:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Free training course
• www.walkermckay.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.