Revenue Accelerators

Revenue Accelerators

By Deep TrikannadBusinessManagement
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Revenue Accelerators episodes

  • Lessons Learned in Sales: Building an ICP and Hiring the Right Reps
    Episode Notes:

    - Elitsa Zaimova is the Sales Director of Preply.
    - Preply is a language learning platform that connects tutors from around the world with learners.
    - Elitsa has been with Preply for 6 years and has been instrumental in its growth.
    - Preply started as a marketplace for language learning and later expanded into offering language learning programs for organizations.
    - Elitsa currently manages the Canadian market but previously managed the EMEA team.
    - Preply targets global organizations with multicultural teams or teams that need to communicate with customers in different languages.
    - Elitsa emphasizes the importance of building a specific Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and constantly refining it based on patterns and data.
    - She also shares the importance of hiring the right salespeople based on their personality, experience, and trustworthiness.
    - Elitsa highlights the value of having a mentor in the sales field and credits her mentor for guiding her through the process of building a sales team.
    - She ends by reminding listeners that sales can be challenging but with the right mindset, it can also be fulfilling and enjoyable. Learning from mistakes and staying positive are key to success in sales.
    24 min
  • The Art of Sales: Building Trust and Boosting Performance with Thomas Ellis of EWC Consultants
    Episode Notes:

    In this episode of Revenue Accelerators, Deep Trikannad interviews Thomas Ellis, the Chief Sales Coach of EWC Consultants. Thomas shares insights and experiences from his 35 years of sales leadership and coaching.

    - Thomas Ellis introduces himself as the Chief Sales Officer of EWC Consultants, a small business sales coaching firm that helps small businesses develop effective sales processes.

    - Deep Trikannad expresses his interest in learning more about Thomas' background and how he got into sales coaching.

    - Thomas shares that he has always had a passion for helping others become successful and developed a sales coaching business to assist small business owners who were struggling with sales.

    - Deep Trikannad asks about the transition from being a sales rep to becoming a sales coach and how that came about for Thomas.

    - Thomas explains that his passion for developing and growing people led him to start helping small companies and individuals improve their sales processes. He has been doing this for about 12 years.

    - Deep Trikannad inquires about the type of businesses Thomas focuses on and asks if there is a specific revenue target or size that he works with.

    - Thomas mentions that he primarily works with companies with 50 employees or less, and some with around 10 employees where the owner is responsible for generating revenue.

    - Deep Trikannad clarifies that the owner of these businesses acts as a player-coach, being both the head of sales and responsible for other aspects of the business.

    - Deep Trikannad asks Thomas to share a memorable lesson he learned from his experience in sales that has stuck with him throughout his career.

    - Thomas narrates a story about a potential opportunity to work with a credit union that initially asked for a proposal without providing enough information about their needs. He explains how he learned the importance of conducting thorough discovery before presenting proposals to ensure they are aligned with the client's needs.

    - Deep Trikannad asks about the status of the proposal and how Thomas went on to secure a successful deal with the credit union.

    - Thomas reveals that he did not send the initial proposal and later had the opportunity to meet two managers from the credit union at a networking event. They expressed interest in training for their sales reps, and Thomas conducted a thorough discovery session with them to develop a tailored proposal. Once approved, he began working with them, resulting in an increase in car loan sales by 15% and home equity by 4-5% within six months.

    - Deep Trikannad explores the challenge of sales reps being uncomfortable or lacking knowledge about selling new products or services and how to help them overcome this.

    - Thomas explains that sales managers can work closely with reps through ride-alongs and coaching to build their confidence and help them learn new skills. Trust and partnership between the manager and rep are crucial.

    - Deep Trikannad emphasizes the importance of building trust within the sales team and establishing a culture of support and learning.

    - Thomas agrees, stating that sales managers must show reps how to succeed through coaching, going on calls, and providing continuous support. This approach fosters confidence and helps reps improve.

    - Deep Trikannad discusses the dynamic between top performers, middle performers, and struggling performers and how to support each group effectively.

    - Thomas emphasizes the need for sales managers to partner with middle performers by understanding their goals, supporting their development, and engaging in regular coaching and ride-alongs.

    - Deep Trikannad highlights the impact of building trust within the team and mentions that establishing a learning culture can motivate the entire sales team.

    - Thomas concludes by encouraging sales professionals to strive to be better, unique, and desirable (BUD) in their interactions with clients. He emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement and differentiation.

    - Deep Trikannad thanks Thomas for his valuable insights and invites the audience to tune in for future episodes.
    33 min
  • Help, Don’t Sell: Mastering the Art of Genuine Discovery with Sales Coach Matt Wolach
    Deep Trikannad is joined by Matt Wolach, the B2B SaaS Sales Coach of Xsellus. Matt shares that he has been in the software industry for a long time but found a passion for sales early on. When he started a software company, he had no idea what he was doing and had to learn from various sources. Through trial and error, he was able to create a process to generate a 63% call closing rate with his team. After multiple successful exits, Matt decided to start coaching sales leaders, salespeople, and CEOs on effectively closing deals to achieve high valuations and potential exits. He also runs a software company called Torawa's, which provides an SMS marketing system to help businesses communicate with their prospects.

    In terms of his coaching company, Xsellus, Matt explains that he works with sales leaders, salespeople, and CEOs to fix sales-related problems and help them improve their sales performance. He focuses on the B2B software industry specifically. Matt mentions that he works with teams of all sizes, from solo salespeople to teams of 10-20 people. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on helping the buyer rather than just selling to them, as this approach builds trust and leads to higher close rates. Matt also discusses the value of discovery in the sales process, where salespeople need to understand the buyer's needs and pain points before they can effectively connect their product or solution to those needs. He shares a personal anecdote about a time when he failed to conduct proper discovery and ended up demonstrating a product to a prospect who wasn't even in the industry.

    To break down the initial sales wall and create a more open conversation with prospects, Matt advises salespeople to share their personal "why" and why they care about helping prospects. By doing this, they create a human connection and build trust with the prospect. This approach helps salespeople establish themselves as advisors and consultants rather than just salespeople. Matt concludes by offering a scorecard to track sales stats and benchmarks, which helps salespeople monitor their performance and identify areas for improvement.

    Overall, Matt highlights the importance of genuine discovery, a customer-centric approach, and building trust in sales to drive successful outcomes. The podcast episode gives valuable insights into Matt's sales journey and his effective sales coaching methods.
    22 min
  • From Homelessness to Sales Success: The Inspiring Journey of a Tenacious Rep
    Episode Notes:

    - Deep Trikannad introduces the guest, Brad Adams, as the Senior Master Sales Trainer of Sales Gravy.
    - Brad Adams shares a bit about himself, mentioning that he is from Georgia and works with Sales Gravy. He enjoys helping sales professionals improve their skills.
    - Brad Adams mentions that he has 4 kids and loves spending time at his Lake House on weekends.
    - Deep Trikannad asks Brad about his role as a senior sales trainer and asks him to define what that entails.
    - Brad Adams explains that Sales Gravy is engaged by companies to help improve their sales discipline. He trains teams in various sales skills, such as prospecting, objections, and negotiations.
    - Deep Trikannad asks Brad about his career path and how he got into sales training.
    - Brad Adams recounts starting off in the finance side of a company after completing a degree in finance. He later transitioned to sales within the same company. He eventually joined Sales Gravy and focused on sales training after the company built up its sales training arm.
    - Deep Trikannad mentions that Brad has been doing sales training for at least 13 years.
    - Deep Trikannad asks Brad about Sales Gravy's focus and how they engage with customers and clients.
    - Brad Adams explains that Sales Gravy engages with companies through cold calling, cold outreach, marketing, and delivering a legendary customer experience. They specialize in sales-related training and provide content for various stages of the sales process.
    - Deep Trikannad highlights the adaptability of Sales Gravy's methodology across different industries.
    - Brad Adams mentions that Sales Gravy goes the extra mile to learn about the uniqueness of each company they work with and integrate that into their training. They make sure to connect their core methodology to the specific challenges and strengths of each organization.
    - Deep Trikannad reflects on the importance of adapting best practices to each company's unique needs.
    - Brad Adams shares a story about a sales professional named John who faced challenges transitioning from a successful football career to sales. John lacked accountability and a defined process. Brad worked with him on the 5 disciplines of ultra-high performance, which helped him turn his sales career around and achieve the income he desired.
    - Brad Adams also shares a story about a sales professional named Rodney who started off homeless and managed to get back on his feet by investing in sales training and applying what he learned. Rodney's story showcases the importance of perseverance and having a system in sales.
    - Deep Trikannad acknowledges the value of discipline in sales and how it applies to all aspects of life.
    - Brad Adams mentions that he keeps in touch with both John and Rodney and provides occasional guidance.
    - Deep Trikannad expresses appreciation for Brad sharing these stories and highlights Rodney's tenacity in seeking out sales training, despite his challenging circumstances.
    - Brad Adams concludes the episode, thanking Deep Trikannad for having him and stating that they covered important stories of tenacity and resilience in sales.
    23 min
  • Unleashing Sales Success: From Sales Engineer to Sales Leader with Marni Heinz

    In this episode of the Revenue Accelerators Podcast, Deep Trikannad interviews Marni Heinz, the Founder & CEO of MH Consulting & Coaching. Marni shares her background, including her 12 years at Salesforce where she started as a solution engineer and eventually moved into leadership. She also talks about her experience buying software while at Google and doing IT consulting work. 

    Marni explains that her focus now is on coaching sales performance and leadership. She helps leaders, teams, and individual contributors achieve sustainable results. 

    Deep asks Marni about her transition from sales engineer to sales. She shares that while buying software for Google, she saw the variability in the sales teams she interacted with and wanted to be on the sales side. She pursued a sales engineering role at Salesforce, with the intention of eventually moving into an account executive role. Marni discusses the challenges she faced when she made the switch and had to adjust to a new role and identity.

    Deep and Marni also discuss the importance of customer success in software sales and how it impacts growth and customer satisfaction. They talk about the role of account managers and customer success managers, and how they work together to retain and grow accounts.

    Marni shares a lesson she learned in sales, which is that customers will form opinions about you based on factors like your title, and it's important to be aware of the impression you're creating. She emphasizes the importance of building rapport and finding common ground with customers to establish trust.

    They also touch on the role of research in the sales process, with Marni noting that customers often do extensive research before even reaching out to the sales team. She highlights the importance of being prepared and coming across as a thought leader and advisor to customers.

    Finally, Marni discusses her coaching practice and the clients she works with. She helps individual contributors and sales leaders, offering one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and workshops on topics like emotional intelligence and sales skills.

    To connect with Marni and learn more about her coaching services, listeners can find her on LinkedIn and schedule a conversation.

    29 min
  • Transforming Customer Engagement: A Conversation with Yossi Abraham, CEO of Zappix
    In this episode of Revenue Accelerators, host Deep Trikannad interviews Yossi Abraham, the President and CEO of Zappix. Zappix is a provider of digital customer engagement solutions. They focus on helping companies deflect customer calls from agents to self-service options. They offer a mobile tool that allows customers to easily resolve their issues without speaking to an agent. They also provide solutions for the healthcare industry to transform the engagement between healthcare providers and patients.

    During the interview, Yossi shares the importance of listening to customers and understanding their real problems and motivations. He emphasizes the need to tailor communication and presentation style to different audiences, whether they are technical or business-focused. Yossi also highlights the importance of continuous learning and staying at the forefront of technology.

    Overall, the interview provides insights into Zappix's solutions and Yossi's experience in sales and leadership.
    30 min
  • Unveiling the Sales Secrets: Lessons Learned and Tactics for Success with Jay Breen from Agiliti Health - Revenue Accelerators Podcast Episode
    - Deep Trikannad introduces Jay Breen, Sales Director of Agiliti Health as the guest for the podcast episode.
    - Jay explains that he has been in sales since 1997 and was drawn to the podcast because he found the unique perspectives of other salespeople interesting.
    - Deep focuses on sharing anecdotes and lessons learned in sales, regardless of where someone is in their sales journey.
    - Jay shares an anecdote about transitioning from wanting to be a teacher to getting into sales at Sprint Wireless. He talks about his passion for selling and his early experiences in the industry.
    - Deep relates to Jay's story and shares his own experience as an engineer transitioning to sales and the challenges he faced.
    - Jay talks about his current role at Agiliti Health, explaining that they provide medical equipment rentals to hospitals and manage their equipment needs.
    - Deep asks Jay about a hard lesson or anecdote from his career, and Jay shares a story about a presentation he gave at Fidelity, where he had to think on his feet and change his approach based on the audience's reaction.
    - Deep shares his own anecdote about a pitch meeting he had early in his sales career and the importance of being able to read the room and adjust your presentation accordingly.
    - Jay shares another recent experience where he had to quickly dig himself out of a situation where the customers didn't know who he was or why he was there.
    - Jay emphasizes the importance of understanding the goals of both the customer and the salesperson in order to come to a mutually beneficial agreement.
    - Deep thanks Jay for his time and concludes the podcast episode.
    28 min
  • Mindset Trumps Technique: Unleashing Sales Success with Bryan McDonald of onPurpose Growth
    In this episode of the Revenue Accelerators Podcast, host Deep Trikannad interviews Bryan McDonald, Partner at onPurpose Growth, a revenue growth coaching and consulting firm. Bryan shares his experience in sales over his 24 year career, emphasizing the importance of learning from mentors, training, and continuous improvement.

    Bryan explains that onPurpose Growth helps ambitious entrepreneurs achieve their revenue goals and discusses how the company focuses on strategy, processes, and identifying bottlenecks in sales. They work with both entrepreneurs individually and companies ranging from professional services to manufacturing.

    Deep and Bryan discuss the different types of clients they work with, including entrepreneurs, C-level executives, and professionals looking to transition from corporate America to entrepreneurship. They emphasize the importance of helping clients develop sales skills, particularly if sales is not their natural strength.

    Bryan shares two success stories from his coaching experience. One client, an outsourced CFO, was able to generate $100,000 in down payments and $15,000 in monthly recurring revenue within 90 days. Another client, a CFO, significantly increased his proposal conversion rate from 10% to 70-80% in just a few months.

    Deep asks Bryan about his approach to ensuring clients maximize their sales and revenue trajectories. Bryan explains that he focuses on understanding clients' goals and shortcomings and tailoring a solution that supports them. He also emphasizes the importance of accountability, helping clients create their own structure for holding themselves accountable.

    Bryan shares a personal anecdote about a challenging sales situation that taught him the importance of telling clients the hard truth with integrity. He explains that aligning his actions and words and demonstrating care for clients helped him build trust and long-term relationships.

    Deep and Bryan discuss the challenges of helping clients find accountability for themselves, particularly when they struggle with procrastination or resistance. Bryan highlights the importance of managing change and habit formation, using techniques such as breaking tasks into smaller chunks and gradually increasing their size.

    In closing, Bryan shares a powerful message about the importance of mindset in sales. He emphasizes that mindset trumps technique and advises focusing on mindset before attempting to change actions or techniques.

    Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into sales, coaching, and accountability, highlighting the importance of mindset and continuous improvement.
    21 min
  • From Sales to Teachers in the Philippines: A Journey of Reinvention and Channel Sales Success
    In this episode of the Revenue Accelerators podcast, Deep Trikannad interviews Carin Moore, the Sales Director of Compendium. Carin gives an overview of her role at Compendium, a gift company that focuses on providing inspirational gifts for major life events. She manages the Channel sales aspect of the business, which involves working with large retailers and independent mom and pop shops.

    Carin reveals that she has worked for Compendium on three separate occasions, with a total of 10-11 years of experience. She first started working for the company part-time in 2008, but moved to the Philippines with her husband and three kids due to the real estate market crash. They lived there for a year, with Carin working as a teacher. After returning to the US, Carin continued her career at Compendium in various roles, eventually becoming the Sales Director.

    Deep Trikannad asks Carin about her experience in sales, particularly in the wholesale and channel sales side. Carin explains that she has always enjoyed the partnership aspect of sales, where she can strategically work with companies to create winning solutions. In her current role, she sees herself more as a sales coach, supporting a team of 100 remote salespeople across the US and Canada. Her goal is to help them be successful in selling Compendium products and adding value to their buyers.

    Carin shares a painful lesson she learned in a previous role, where she shared behind-the-scenes drama with a buyer that ended up hurting their sales. She realizes now that she should have confidently communicated the plan without involving the buyer in the internal conflict. From this experience, she emphasizes the importance of being upfront and negotiating with customers while maintaining relationships and trust.

    Regarding her role in assisting sales reps, Carin explains that she primarily focuses on training. She introduced a quarterly call and 15-minute touchpoints, where she imparts best practices and highlights product videos that tell stories to engage the sales reps. Carin emphasizes the scalability and relevancy of the training, which not only benefits Compendium but also helps sales reps improve their overall effectiveness in selling multiple lines.

    Deep Trikannad and Carin discuss the challenges of the channel sales motion and the need to build trust and maintain relationships with partners. Carin shares her approach to mitigating conflicts and maintaining transparency without exposing the inner workings of the channel to customers.

    In conclusion, Carin shares a sales technique she acquired during her consulting role called the "5-minute meeting." She found success in approaching busy individuals with the concept of a short meeting, which often led to longer conversations and captured their interest. While she doesn't need to use this technique in her current role, she believes it is still effective for closing deals.

    The episode wraps up with Deep Trikannad thanking Carin for sharing her insights and experiences.
    22 min
  • Crushing Sales Goals: Insights from Jessica Perri, Sales Director at Numerator
    Episode Notes:

    In this episode of Revenue Accelerators, Deep Trikannad interviews Jessica Perri, the Sales Director at Numerator. Jessica shares insights into her role as a sales director, focusing on emerging and mid-market brands. She explains that her main responsibility is to bring in new brands that are not currently working with Numerator.

    Jessica categorizes her role as that of a hunter, as she is focused on acquiring new logos and expanding Numerator's client base. She mentions that her sales process is complex and involves multiple team members, including solutions consultants, pre-sales engineers, business development reps, and sales operations engineers. While the salesperson is primarily responsible for closing deals, there is a team of 3 to 4 people available to help bring the deal to completion.

    Deep compares Jessica's role to that of a quarterback in American football, as she is responsible for strategizing and bringing the right people into conversations and meetings. Jessica agrees with this analogy and emphasizes the importance of having a strong strategy and involving multiple people to win deals.

    They discuss Numerator's target market, which primarily consists of business-to-business clients. However, Jessica highlights the importance of remembering that even when selling to businesses, individuals make the buying decisions, and it's essential to understand their needs and preferences.

    When asked about her personal success playbook, Jessica mentions that she is driven by metrics and defines success as doing something she feels good about. She focuses on driving decisions rather than simply closing deals. She also emphasizes the importance of effective communication.

    Deep asks Jessica about a significant lesson she has learned throughout her sales career. Jessica shares that deals are not closed during scheduled calls or meetings alone but rather through the details and extra touchpoints. She emphasizes the importance of picking up the phone, having unscheduled interactions, and showing genuine care for prospects.

    Reflecting on her career path, Jessica explains that she initially resisted going into sales due to people always suggesting it to her. However, her experience in recruiting, which involved selling candidates to clients, made her realize that she enjoyed the client management aspect. Eventually, her manager encouraged her to transition into sales, and she found success and fulfillment in the role.

    When discussing her initial experiences in sales, Jessica mentions that her first cold call resulted in a closed deal. However, she admits that not all opportunities closed during her first year, and she learned the importance of asking more questions and being more informed during interactions.

    Jessica follows the Sandler sales model, which emphasizes knowing the desired outcome before starting a meeting and setting clear next steps. She acknowledges that the sales process at Numerator involves various stages, but the details and nuances make it more complex.

    In closing, Jessica encourages listeners to be themselves, put themselves in the client's shoes, and focus on helping others feel good about their work. She emphasizes the importance of transparency and genuine care in sales interactions.
    26 min

About Revenue Accelerators

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to the ”Revenue Accelerators” podcast, your one-stop destination for the secrets, strategies, and stories of successful sales influencers across the globe. Hosted by 19-year Sales Veteran with leadership experience in Strategic, Enterprise, and Telecom Sales, Deep Trikannad. In each episode, we delve deep into the minds of the world’s top-performing sales leaders and business people.