Sales Gravy: Jeb Blount

A few weeks back, I was delivering a Fanatical Prospecting Bootcamp to a group of sales reps – all in their 20s. 

They had been assigned to me because their boss was tired of listening to their excuses about why they weren’t consistently picking up the phone and prospecting. 

When he brought me in, he said matter of factly: “They won’t pay any attention to me, but before I start firing people, I’m hoping you can get through to them.”

The reps didn’t want to be there. It was a hostile audience from the start. 

Just as I kicked off the training, one of the reps challenged me with, “Your book Fanatical Prospecting was written a long time ago. Is it even relevant anymore?” His sneering words were more of a statement than a question. 

Like many reluctant prospectors, he wanted to engage in a distracting argument over whether or not outbound telephone prospecting (a.k.a cold calling) was old school. He wanted validation that his avoidance of prospecting was OK. And to make the point that marketing should be responsible for delivering hot, ready-to-buy leads on a silver platter.

Sales reps of all generations — for at least the past 125 years — have been eager to make any excuse — and I mean any excuse — to avoid picking up a phone or knocking on a door. The most common excuse always has been that synchronous prospecting (a.k.a talking with people) is old school. 

There were a couple of snickers from the back of the room in anticipation for what I would do next. But I’d been to this rodeo many times before. 

 “What do you think has changed since I wrote the book?” I asked calmly. 

The young rep shot back condescendingly. “Well, for one thing, nobody answers the phone anymore.”

So I challenged him right back. “Ok, let’s test your hypothesis. Let me see the prospecting list that you brought with you.” (We run live call blocks in our Fanatical Prospecting Boot Camps and require participants to bring a list with them to class.) 

I waited patiently as he pulled the list up on his laptop. Then, I began dialing his prospects, right in front of the class. Instantly I had their attention. They all leaned in to watch. Reality TV is a hell of a magnet. 

I made 11 dials to his list, spoke to two decision makers and set one appointment—all within a span of about 15 minutes. As I handed him back his laptop, I turned to the group and asked, “Any more questions?” 

Elvis Presley said, “The truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.” The reason telephone prospecting wasn’t working for the petulant sales rep who challenged me was that he wasn’t doing it. 

The cold truth about cold calling is that nobody answers a phone that doesn’t ring. 

What was true when I wrote Fanatical Prospecting is still true today: 

Here’s another truth for you: When it comes to prospecting, you cannot be delusional and have a full pipeline at the same time.  

There are certainly sales jobs where your phone rings and inbound chat dings with people who are ready to buy. If you cannot stand interrupting people through outbound prospecting, but you like selling, perhaps those are for you. 

However, if you take a sales job where you never have to make a cold call, be prepared for a paycut.* Sales reps in these types of roles typically get paid by the hour with minimum commission upside.

*[Also be aware that some people, including Victor Antonio, are projecting that many of these jobs will be taken over by AI in the future.]

The most coveted, highest-earning sales jobs are reserved for rainmakers. Those who have the ability to fill their pipeline through outbound prospecting and cold calling activity. This is a prized and highly rewarded meta-skill in today’s noisy marketplace.

The top-earning sales professionals in every industry, everywhere, understand this at a visceral level. This is why they are absolutely fanatical about prospecting. 

If you want to make more money, be successful in your sales career or business, earn the income and get the awards you feel you deserve, then you need to get right with this truth right now.

This is a binary choice: Do you want to be successful in sales OR linger in mediocrity, failure and eventually be replaced by a robot? Go look yourself in the mirror right now and answer that question. 

Success in sales is paid for in advance with prospecting. If you are not willing to pay this price, get out now. Go do something else. Life is far too short to spend it doing something you hate. 

On the other hand, if the answer is yes and you choose to embrace success, then make the commitment to be a relentless, unstoppable, fanatical prospector. Ditch your wishbone; grow a prospecting backbone. 

Fanatical Prospecting is the path to freedom. Embracing it gives you wings. It is the difference between earning enough income to create generational wealth or living paycheck to paycheck for the rest of your life, living in your dream home or paying rent for some flea-bitten place someone else owns, settling for a low budget staycation or taking your family on an epic dream vacation. It will change your life. 

Fanatical prospectors are always on, all the time, everywhere. They fill every available moment in their sales day with prospecting activity. They prospect day and night, anywhere and anytime. And they are always on the hunt for the next opportunity. 

Fanatical Prospectors are fearless. They strike up conversations with strangers in line to get coffee, in elevators, on planes, trains, and anywhere they can talk with people and qualify potential prospects. They ask people where they work, what they do, and who makes decisions at their company. 

Fanatical Prospectors get up early in the morning and bang the phone. During the day, they knock on doors. They go to networking events, conferences, and tradeshows. They invest in their professional network and ask for referrals. At night they engage prospects on social media. And when it’s time to go home, they always make one more call. 

The pipe is life and this is why Fanatical Prospecting is as relevant today as it was the day I wrote it. That’s the cold hard truth.

Download Jeb’s FREE Fanatical Prospecting Book Club and Study Guide. This 31-page guide includes summaries, discussion prompts, individual reflections, and exercises. Get it Here
Find out more on the Fanatical Prospecting Live Curriculum HERE

Is your website truly working as hard as your sales team? In today’s competitive digital landscape, your website isn’t just an online brochure—it can be one of your best salespeople. Podcaster and influencer Sam Dunning joins The Sales Gravy Podcast to discuss the Caveman Grunt Website Test, why effective SEO strategies are never a one-and-done exercise, and how to build and how to maximize website performance for consistent sales growth.

If your site isn’t converting visitors into customers, it’s time to rethink your approach. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to apply Dunning’s key strategies to turn your website into a dynamic, lead-generating sales machine.

Sure, the introduction of AI optimization has some professionals running to figure out the algorithm for getting high rankings from AI platforms like ChatGPT or even Google’s AI overviews. But as far as we know, for Google – which still dominates the landscape – the same effective SEO strategies make for high rankings on AI overviews. 

That means overall you still need to focus on Google’s EEAT format: Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust.

If you decide that SEO is worth your time then the best place to start is coming up with what your potential customers will be searching for to solve their problem.

Consider:

Does your website pass the Caveman Grunt Test? The premise is simple: If a caveman visited your website, would it be immediately clear what problem you solve and how you solve it? Keep your messaging straightforward—avoid jargon and unnecessary complexity.

Tip: Focus on the “We do X that solves Y” formula for a clear value proposition. Too many businesses miss out on potential conversions by overcomplicating their website copy. Simple, direct language can drastically improve your conversion rates.

The most successful websites address specific pain points right away. Your landing pages should immediately highlight the problem your customer faces and present your solution in a simple, jargon-free manner.

Here’s what to include:

Why this works: Customers are most likely to convert when they feel you understand their challenges and have effective solutions. Ensure that your landing pages and home page are designed to address these pain points quickly

Once you’ve optimized your website for clarity and customer pain points, it’s time to extend your reach. Podcasting is a powerful tool for building your brand, establishing authority, and generating inbound leads.

By hosting or guesting on podcasts, you can:

Tip: Focus on building relationships with other podcasters. Once you’ve established your authority, use your podcast to actively engage with prospects and customers.

Sam Dunning’s approach to business is all about experimentation. He believes that successful business ideas come from testing what you love and seeing if it can generate revenue.

Here’s how to apply it:

This experimentation mindset allows you to innovate and explore new ways to engage your audience. Whether it’s social media, cold calling, or podcasting, focus on the activities that align with your business goals.

Many businesses make the mistake of thinking SEO is a one-time task that ends once you’ve uploaded a plugin or added keywords to your site. In reality, SEO is a continuous process that requires regular updates and attention.

Here’s what you need to do:

Tip: SEO is a long-term investment. It’s not enough to optimize once and forget about it—consistently work to improve your search engine visibility.

In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, there’s no shortcut to success. To build a high-converting website, focus on:

With the right approach, your website can become one of your best salespeople, driving leads and growth. Remember, building a successful website is a long-term strategy that requires patience, experimentation, and consistent improvement.

Jeb Blount’s bestselling book Fanatical Prospecting: The Ultimate Guide to Opening Sales Conversations and Filling the Pipeline by Leveraging Social Selling, Telephone, Email, Text, and Cold Calling. is a practical, eye-opening guide that clearly explains the why and how behind the most important activity in sales and business development―prospecting. Download our free Fanatical Prospecting Book Club Guide HERE.

Zack in Defiance, Ohio, faces a unique challenge that might sound specific at first but is more common than you think: he can only close a deal if his customer closes a deal of their own first.

In other words, they must “sell” a project to their own clients before Zack’s solution can come into play. This scenario appears in industries like construction, engineering, software licensing, and more. The conversation with Zack revealed practical strategies you can use to overcome these hurdles and keep your own pipeline healthy.

Welcome to another Ask Jeb segment on the Sales Gravy Podcast! I’m Jeb Blount—bestselling author of Fanatical Prospecting, Objections, Sales EQ, and INKED. In each of these special episodes, we shine a spotlight on your questions, challenges, and roadblocks—offering real-world advice from sales pros who are in the trenches every single day.

Whether your customer has to bid on government contracts, secure large client projects, or get internal buy-in from multiple stakeholders, their success dictates your sale. While it’s easy to be frustrated by this extra layer, it’s crucial to acknowledge a few realities:

— Your Customer’s Motivation: They’re laser-focused on winning their own deal. Your product or service is secondary—important, but not top of mind until they’re assured of a win.

— Lead Time: Deals can stretch out because you’re waiting on an entire chain of approvals or external decisions.

— Competition: If your customers finally land the big deal, they might still shop around to find the best supplier, leaving you in a second round of competition.

Understanding these pressures helps you empathize with your buyer. It also positions you to offer support in ways that make them want to stick with you—rather than jumping to a competitor at the eleventh hour.

It’s tempting to keep nudging your buyers with hard-closing tactics, but that rarely works when they haven’t secured their own contract. Instead, pivot to a mindset of partnership:

One of the biggest pitfalls in this scenario is turning into a “quote factory” who does piles of work for prospects who never buy. While it’s true you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, you also waste valuable hours if you keep shooting at targets that never pan out.

— Track Buying History
Look at your records: are there customers or accounts for which you consistently provide proposals and never see a sale? Identify these patterns.

— Have Candid Conversations
Let them know your time and expertise aren’t free. You’re happy to help, but if they continually choose other suppliers or undercut your prices, you need to reevaluate the partnership. Sometimes, a direct discussion is enough to shift their approach and earn you real business. If not, you can focus on more promising leads.

— Prioritize Strategic Deals
If you’re caught up producing endless quotes for “long-shot” clients, you’ll lack bandwidth to develop deeper relationships where you can add real value. By focusing your time on viable buyers who have a history of awarding you the deal—or who show strong potential—you improve your overall win probability.

Even if you’re not strictly dealing with a bid environment, many of us rely on champions who must pitch our solutions to higher-ups. They effectively “resell” what we offer inside their organization. To help them succeed:

Remember, you don’t control whether your customers win their own deals, but you do control your approach to the relationship. If you focus on becoming indispensable, customers will fight to include you when it’s time to deliver.

— Stay Price-Competitive, But Don’t Race to the Bottom
If your margin is too high, your customer might choose someone else. However, if you’re always the lowest-priced vendor, you risk becoming a commodity. Earn business through value and trust.

— Provide Critical Insights
If you can highlight cost savings, faster implementation, or greater efficiency—particularly in ways your competitors haven’t—your customer has a stronger pitch to their client or internal stakeholders.

— Expand Your Network
Speak with multiple stakeholders. If one contact disappears or the champion moves on, having other relationships in the organization can keep your deal alive.

Even if you’re not technically waiting for your customer to sell something first, you often are relying on someone to champion your cause internally. In both cases, the takeaway is the same: support your customer, become a trusted advisor, and make sure they see you as vital to their success.

If you do, when they finally land that contract or secure that budget approval, you’ll be the first person they call. That means less time fighting for scraps and more time closing real, profitable deals.

If you’ve got a question, a snag, or a pressing issue in your sales life, I want to hear about it! Head over to salesgravy.com/ask, fill out the quick form, and one of our amazing producers will reach out to schedule you for an upcoming Ask Jeb episode.

In the meantime, remember: when you’re tired, when you’re frustrated, when you’ve had enough—always make one more call. It could be the one that changes everything.

On this first Monday of the second month of the year, it’s time for a gut check. First we need to check where we are against our new year goals. Next we need to take stock of our first month sales performance and make adjustments.

We’re just a little more than 30 days away from our new year intentions, resolutions, and goals. A month ago, we set out into the new year with hope and ambition that this year would be our best ever and that we’d make positive lasting changes in our lives. 

You’ll remember that discipline is sacrificing what you want now for what you want most. But as time goes by and sticking with new habits gets more challenging, it’s easy to forget what motivated us to make the changes in the first place. It’s easy to let down our guard and go back to our comfort zone.

The farther away we get from our intentions, the more likely it is that we allow our discipline to slip and get off track. It’s just human nature. 

Let’s say you kicked off the new year determined to have your best sales year ever, and you knew that meant filling your pipeline daily by getting Fanatical about Prospecting. But upon reflection, you realize that days have passed since you picked up the phone, knocked on a door, or talked with customers. 

You’ve been making excuses to avoid the very activities that move you closer to your goals.

I’ll admit that it happened to me just this past week. This month has been non-stop travel — 12 flights, 10 cities, 8 keynotes, 5 full days delivering training to sales teams. Toward the end of the week I got tired, made excuses, and let my exercise and nutrition routine slide. 

This was something I promised myself I wouldn’t do when the year started. I know that if I don’t stop right now and recommit to my goals, then there is a good chance that I’ll continue down this negative path — because it’s easy.

This is exactly why NOW is a good time for a gut check and a look in the mirror. Pause and carve out time today, to revisit your goals, resolutions, and intentions. 

Sit down and think about what you decided to achieve back in early January. Visualize what it was that motivated you. Picture what you want most and where you want to be at the end of this year. 

Go back and re-listen to the Money Monday episodes on building a personal business plan, reflection vs. regret, and why personal goals are essential for sales discipline.

Then recommit to your goals. Remember the feelings you had when you set them, and make an intentional decision to get back on track.

Next, step back and evaluate your first month’s sales performance. As you do, you’ll likely find one of three scenarios:

If You Crushed it, and you’re on the top of the ranking report fantastic, congratulations!

But be very careful not to let off the gas. It’s likely you worked very hard last month to achieve these results. There will be the temptation to take a breather. 

Trust me, if you do, this complacency will come back to bite you. 

Now is the time to recommit to doing the activity that fueled your success last month so you don’t end up with a lackluster February and a disastrous March.

In other words, you’ve set the foundation for a huge year, take advantage of what you have accomplished and keep the pedal to the metal!

If you had an average or just OK month — maybe you hit quota, maybe you came close, but you know you’ve got more in the tank — then it’s time for some honest self-reflection.

Ask yourself:

Maybe you needed to prospect harder. Perhaps you could have pushed a little more to get some of your pipeline opportunities to close. It could have been that your pipeline wasn’t big enough from the start, and you ended up scrambling to make your numbers; but, otherwise you did everything right. 

It’s okay, you haven’t hurt yourself. You are still in a good position to have a great year. But you’ll need to identify your performance gaps and plan to overcome them in February. 

This is a good time to sit down with your coach or mentor, breakdown your performance, and get guidance on where you can make tweaks and get better. 

If you don’t have a coach and you want to talk with someone go to https://salesgravy.com/coach to get help. 

If you bombed, if your month was downright awful, then you’re going to need to move fast to make adjustments. 

Getting behind the eight ball at the beginning of the year is no fun. You don’t want to chase your tail for the rest of the year. 

The key is taking positive action now. Rather than dwelling on the negatives — which is super easy to do — pull your head up and start breaking down what happened. 

Did you have an empty pipeline, so you had nothing to close? That happens to a lot of salespeople in the first month of the year. Go back and listen to the How to Fix an Empty Pipeline Now Money Monday episode from a few weeks ago. Use that lesson to help you fix the problem. 

Were there closable pipeline opportunities that simply pushed into this month? Make sure you’re on top of them so they don’t vanish for good. But also make sure you have the pipe to cover this month so you’re not solely depending on last month’s leftovers.

Is it possible that you might have been skipping steps in the sales process? This will often happen when you are in a desperate and stressed emotional state. This is a big clue that it is time to get back to the basics and fundamentals of selling— and get disciplined about following a proven sales process.

This may be a very good time to take some courses on Sales Gravy University and read (or listen) to books like Sales EQ that can help you dial in your sales process.

We all slip. We all make mistakes. Discipline can waver, especially once the initial excitement of a new year fades. But you have the power to step back into your resolutions and do the daily work required to achieve your goals.

Whether you crushed it, coasted, or crashed, the key to getting February off to a strong start is to recommit.

Make the decision — say it out loud: “I’m going to be better in February than I was in January.”

Need help setting winning Sales Goals? Check out our FREE Goal Planning Guide

Insights into embracing conflict, staying mindful, battling internal doubt, and communicating effectively from motivational speaker and co-founder of The Constance Group Brian Parsley.

Sales is an inherently conflict-laden profession. You’re asking people for time and resources, you’re persuading them to make decisions, and you’re often balancing multiple interests—your client’s, your company’s, and your own. The tension stems from:

— Negotiations with buyers who might have competing priorities.

— Internal pressures from bosses or teammates who expect certain results.

— Personal conflicts within yourself — especially if you’re unsure of your own capabilities.

Conflict can be broken down into three categories:

The“me vs. me” conflict might be the most insidious, because it can sabotage your motivation, self-esteem, and willingness to accept feedback. 

Many sales professionals fail because they lose the internal battle with themselves in “me-me” conflict. They know they should spend an extra hour prospecting, turn off the TV a little earlier for a fresh start the next morning, or follow up diligently with new leads. Yet, fear of failure or simple inertia holds them back.

Letting small tasks slip—like hitting the snooze button or blowing off a follow-up call—quickly turns into a domino effect:

The ultimate tool  to combat negative self-talk and “me-me” conflict is awareness. Here’s a simple yet powerful strategy: do something uncomfortable on purpose, like making a difficult prospecting call. By choosing the harder path in small, manageable increments, you train your brain to seek out the dopamine rush of achieving a win. Each small success can become addictive—in the best way—helping you build the self-confidence to tackle bigger challenges.

Practical Tip:When you notice you’re about to avoid something important—like a call block—stop and say, “This is hard, but I’m doing it anyway.” That small statement of intent can be enough to reset your mindset for action.

In sales, negative self-talk is especially damaging because of the constant rejection and fast-paced environment. One bad day can lead to a downward spiral:

— One lost deal leads to “I’m not good enough.”

— One tough call leads to “They’ll never buy from me.”

— One missed quota leads to “I’m going to fail.”

Bottom line: Self-talk matters. The real measure of your success in sales often lies between your ears. If you speak kindly and honestly to yourself, and allow for vulnerability, you’ll have a far easier time letting go of fears and focusing on solutions.

While internal conflict can sabotage sales careers from within, “me-you” conflict is equally prevalent—whether it’s with a boss, a coworker, or a spouse. Some communication styles are naturally more direct, while others are more cautious and relationship-oriented. In many organizations, leaders and reps clash simply because they have different default modes of interacting.

Conflict resolution is at the heart of building a positive organizational culture. If you want your team to thrive, you need to encourage open communication and teach employees how to handle tension productively. This is especially critical in sales, where reps face an onslaught of customer objections and internal performance pressures.

Practical Strategies for Leaders:

— Positive-Framing Technique: Start a tough conversation by reinforcing your respect for the other person. Then address the specific issue or behavior that needs to change, and end by reaffirming the person’s value.

— Seek Feedback: After giving instructions in a meeting, ask, “What did you hear me say?” This clarifies misunderstandings and reduces errors down the line.

— Hire and Reward Coaching: A coaching culture within sales teams can defuse conflict before it escalates. If your people know they’ll receive—and are expected to give—constructive feedback, “me-you” conflict becomes less personal and more about mutual growth.

Ultimately, conflict is unavoidable in sales. The real question is whether you’ll allow it to derail your goals, or use it as a chance to deepen relationships, refine your technique, and grow as a professional. With the right tools, training, and mindset, you can turn every disagreement or challenge into a stepping stone toward higher performance and success.

Learn more about how to avoid “you-me” conflicts over email by reading our blog “How Email Can Sabotage Our Work Relationships” by Rick Kirschner, author of “How to Click with People.”

If you’ve been banging your head against the wall trying to get your team (or yourself!) to prospect consistently, these tips are for you.

In this episode, I answer a question from Paul in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., who’s building and leading a remote sales team in the logistics industry and needs to find a way to get his salespeople to prospect consistently .

Then I tackle a follow-up question from a sales leader at one of our live events on how to keep his salespeople motivated to prospect every day.

Paul leads a medium-sized logistics company with reps spread out in California, Utah, and El Salvador. He’s already done a great job by running a book club around my book, Fanatical Prospecting, but he needed practical tips for ensuring his team actually implements daily call blocks. Here’s the advice I shared:

As a leader, you need to talk about prospecting every single day. Yes, you’ll feel like a broken record, but that repetition is crucial for setting expectations.

If your team was all in one building, you’d simply gather them on the sales floor and power through. Remotely, you can replicate this by scheduling a set time (e.g., 8:00 a.m. PT) and getting everyone on a video call.

You can’t stand next to them physically, but you can still see them, and they can see you. It’s social pressure and moral support rolled into one.

Instead of asking for hours of uninterrupted calling, break it into short bursts—10, 15, or 20-minute sprints. Let them pause to catch their breath, then go again. Keep a virtual whiteboard and track dials, contacts, and appointments in real time. Make it fun and competitive.

Reps might moan about being “micromanaged,” but if you keep it fun and energetic, they’ll often appreciate the structure. Focus on results, not just the dials.

We also addressed a question from a leader who was attending one of our Sales Gravy Live events. Their team struggles to maintain high call numbers consistently. They might hit 100 dials a day for three days, then crash back down. The sales leader asked: “How do we keep our reps pumped for prospecting?”

Nobody Truly “Loves” Prospecting: Prospecting is hard, and most of us won’t naturally get excited about it. But we do get excited about closing deals, landing appointments, and hitting our numbers.

You Must Be a Teflon Sales Leader: Stay relentlessly focused on prospecting, day in and day out. The moment you relax your standards, the team will follow suit. If you don’t treat prospecting as a top priority, neither will they. Be like teflon: no excuses stick.

Lead by Example
Get out on the “floor” (or on the Zoom call) and make calls with them. Don’t hide in your office. When they see you doing the work, they’ll know you mean business.

Use the Power of HIPS
Those high-intensity sprints work just as well here. Run “power hours” with quick breaks in between and track your team’s progress publicly.

Let’s face it: prospecting is often the least-liked activity in sales. It’s easy to push aside because it involves repeated rejection, logistical juggling, and tight discipline. Yet it’s the lifeblood of any thriving pipeline—no prospecting, no leads, no deals, no revenue.

And if you have a remote team, like Paul does, you’re dealing with additional hurdles: time zones, limited supervision, and diminished peer pressure. It’s all too easy for your reps to skip their “call block” if you’re not right there to keep them accountable.

As a sales leader, you can’t just “fix” prospecting once and forget about it. The moment you move on, your team will start slacking. You have to show up, be present, keep the energy up, and run those call blocks every day.

There’s no shortcut, but with the right structure, accountability, and mindset, you’ll maintain a full pipeline and keep hitting those targets—even if your team is spread across the globe.

Want to Be on the Show? If you’ve got a burning question about prospecting, sales leadership, or closing deals, I want to hear from you! Head over to salesgravy.com/ask, fill out the form, and one of our awesome producers will reach out to schedule you on a future episode of Ask Jeb.

As humans, we naturally fear rejection and do everything possible to avoid it. We’re social creatures at our core, and being rejected feels like we’re being shunned, banished, or kicked out of the group. In fact, the two biggest human fears are rejection and death—and as strange as this may sound, in our hearts we fear rejection more than we fear death.

This, by the way, is a huge problem in sales because, as a sales professional, it’s your job to go out into the world, find rejection, and bring it home. And even though objections are not really rejection, it can still feel that way.

It’s the fear of rejection that makes selling so difficult for most people—and why most people will never do your job. Sales is such a lucrative career choice simply because it’s a rejection-dense job. Companies are willing to pay big bucks to rainmakers who can control their emotions, face rejection head-on, and find a way to win.

The good news is that if you fear rejection and want to avoid it at all costs, the easiest way to do so is to never ask for anything. Of course, if you don’t ask, you won’t get.

You might steer clear of the pain of rejection for a while, but sooner or later it’ll catch up with you when you find yourself unable to provide for your family, missing your mortgage payment, or stuck in a dead-end job. These things, I’ve found, hurt far worse over the long run than rejection.

There’s a verse in the Christian Bible, Matthew 7:7, that goes, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Now, I recognize that Jesus isn’t talking about sales in this verse, but he could be.

You’ll often hear it expressed as, “Ask and you shall receive.” If you think about that for a moment, you’ll notice that asking comes before receiving. In other words, asking is the beginning of receiving. If you want something, you have to ask first.

Far too often, we become rain barrels. We sit and wait. We hesitate and hope. We wish our prospect or customer would do the job for us, but they don’t—because it doesn’t work that way.

If you want to sell more and earn more, you need to ditch your wishbone and grow a backbone. It’s up to you to ask. Asking is the beginning of receiving, so you won’t get the appointment, the next step, the information, access to the decision-maker, or a buying commitment unless you ask.

And the truth is, on the other side of asking, there’s always the potential for objections and rejection. There’s always the chance you won’t get what you asked for. That’s just how asking works.

This is why the hardest part of asking is learning how to shut up afterward. You need to allow space for silence to do its work and for objections or questions to be put on the table. It’s hard to shut up when you’ve put it all out there and left yourself vulnerable to rejection. That awkward moment after you ask can feel like an eternity as you brace for a “no.”

To protect yourself from hearing a rejection, you might start talking, and talking, and talking—deluding yourself into believing that as long as you keep talking, your prospect can’t reject you.

The problem is, in that moment of emotional weakness, you come across as insecure and untrustworthy. You introduce objections that didn’t previously exist. You start blabbing on and on about features and benefits, terms and conditions, your dog, or what you had for lunch—until your stakeholder, who was ready to say yes, gets talked into saying no by you.

Your insecurity in that moment of vulnerability invited rejection.

Here’s the most important rule of asking: After you ask, you must shut up. Despite the alarm bells going off in your adrenaline-soaked mind—despite your pounding heart, sweaty palms, and fear—you have to bite your tongue, sit on your hands, mute the phone, do whatever it takes to remain silent and allow your prospect to answer.

Sometimes they say yes. Sometimes you get a flat no. Most often, though, you’ll get a maybe, which usually shows up as an objection, a question, or a negotiation. And right there is your opportunity to turn maybe into yes, because objections are not rejection.

Objections are signs of confusion, concern, the sorting out of options, risk aversion, cognitive overload, and the fear of change. Objections are a natural part of the human decision-making process. They show that your prospect is still engaged and simply needs your help to make a tough decision.

Questions are also not rejection. People often ask legitimate, but difficult, questions they need answered before they feel comfortable moving forward. Confidently and calmly answer their questions, and you’ll get the yes you’re seeking.

Negotiation is not rejection either. Negotiation is a clear indication that your prospect is engaged and ready to buy. The door is open to a yes—you just need to collaborate with your stakeholder to gain consensus on a mutually beneficial deal.

If you want to become a better closer and negotiator in these situations, check out my book, Inked: The Ultimate Guide to Powerful Closing and Sales Negotiation Tactics that Unlock YES and Seal the Deal.

Inked is a comprehensive guide that will teach you exactly how to improve your win rate. You can get it in hardcover or listen to the audio version on Audible or Spotify.

To be a rainmaker in sales—and in life—you must put on your courage boots, walk out into the world, and face rejection head-on. Rather than running from it, you have to go through, over, under, or around it—whatever it takes to get to a yes.

What makes rainmakers unstoppable is their willingness to run headlong into rejection again and again, enduring it with the unwavering belief that they will find a way to win. Embrace the ask, shut up to let silence do its work, respond to objections with confidence, and you’ll discover just how powerful you really are.

Sales Leadership is a continuous journey of self-awareness, connection, and growth. By cultivating courage, emotional intelligence, and authenticity, leaders can navigate challenges effectively and inspire their teams to reach new heights. Through active listening, thoughtful decision-making, and a focus on personal and collective improvement, leaders create environments where individuals and teams can thrive.

In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Keith Lubner is joined by Markus Neukom to delve into the key traits and practices of  effective sales leaders, including self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and authenticity.

– Courage in Leadership: Effective sales leaders need the courage to act on their potential without fear of success or failure. This courage often differentiates genuine leadership from insecure or arrogant behaviors.

– Emotional Intelligence Development: Emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness. Leaders must understand themselves before they can effectively lead or enhance team dynamics.

– Leadership as a Learned Skill: Leadership is not an innate talent but an art form that requires intentional development and refinement.

– The Importance of Listening: Listening, including using all senses, is a critical skill for sales leaders. It fosters understanding, prevents assumptions, and enables effective conflict resolution.

– Slowing Down for Effectiveness: Leaders benefit from slowing down to observe and connect with others, which ultimately leads to faster and more accurate outcomes.

– The Shift Toward Authenticity: Modern sales leadership demands authenticity, as younger generations of employees and clients value genuine and transparent leadership styles.

– Reframing Imposter Syndrome as a Sign of Growth: Imposter syndrome is a signal that you’re pursuing something meaningful, despite lingering self-doubt. Recognizing it as a sign of growth can help leaders and professionals push forward with confidence and authenticity.

– Challenges for Women in Leadership: Women face unique challenges, including workplace toxicity and imposter syndrome. Encouraging authenticity rather than adopting stereotypical traits is crucial for their success.

– Intuition vs. Gut Feeling: Leaders are encouraged to trust their intuition, which transcends learned gut feelings and is often a more reliable guide in decision-making.

– Conflict Resolution Through Coaching: Executive coaching plays a vital role in resolving workplace conflicts by emphasizing observation, asking questions, and active listening.

– Self-Care Practices for Leaders: Practices like meditation and structured routines can help leaders manage stress, prevent burnout, and achieve a higher level of personal and professional effectiveness.

Sales Leadership thrives on self-awareness, connection, and a commitment to growth. These principles shape how leaders inspire their teams, handle challenges, and foster an environment of trust and collaboration. By focusing on key qualities like courage, emotional intelligence, and authenticity, leaders can create positive and lasting impacts in their organizations.

Courage is essential for effective leadership. It allows leaders to take risks, embrace uncertainty, and act decisively. Leaders must have the bravery to act decisively and embrace their potential without fear of success or failure. Overcoming these fears requires bravery to step out of comfort zones and pursue opportunities for growth. Courage also plays a role in admitting when help is needed or answers are unclear, which fosters an environment of honesty and collaboration.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is a crucial skill for understanding and managing emotions, both in oneself and in others. The foundation of EQ is self-awareness—knowing personal strengths, weaknesses, and triggers. Leaders who prioritize self-awareness are better equipped to navigate relationships and team dynamics.

EQ also involves empathy and active listening. Leaders who genuinely seek to understand their team members’ perspectives can create stronger connections and build trust. Slowing down, observing, and asking thoughtful questions are critical steps in enhancing EQ. In fast-paced environments, pausing to assess situations and people carefully can lead to more informed and effective decision-making.

Listening is a cornerstone of great leadership. It requires full attention, a willingness to ask open-ended questions, and the ability to avoid assumptions. Active listening goes beyond hearing words; it involves paying attention to tone, body language, and the emotional context of conversations. Leaders who listen well can uncover valuable insights, prevent misunderstandings, and demonstrate respect for their teams.

Authenticity is increasingly valued in leadership. Employees and clients alike seek leaders who are transparent, genuine, and aligned with their values. Being authentic means staying true to personal principles while encouraging others to do the same. Vulnerability is a critical component of authenticity, as it allows leaders to admit mistakes, express doubts, and show their human side. This openness fosters a culture of trust and psychological safety.

Women in Sales Leadership often face unique challenges, including workplace bias and higher rates of imposter syndrome. Despite their accomplishments, many women doubt their abilities and feel pressure to conform to traditional leadership styles. Encouraging authenticity and confidence in their unique strengths can empower women to excel in leadership roles. Increasing the representation of women in leadership positions also helps amplify diverse perspectives, creating a more inclusive and effective workplace.

Effective conflict resolution is an important skill for leaders. Leaders can navigate workplace conflicts by observing situations, asking thoughtful questions, and listening carefully to all parties involved. Emotional intelligence plays a key role in effectively understanding different perspectives and finding common ground. Executive coaching can help leaders develop these skills, enabling them to address conflicts constructively and foster harmony within their teams.

Decision-making often involves balancing data-driven insights with intuition. While gut feelings are shaped by past experiences, intuition goes deeper and reflects an understanding that is not easily quantified. Leaders who trust their intuition can navigate uncertain situations and make sound decisions even when the path forward is unclear. Recognizing the distinction between intuition and gut feelings can help leaders refine their decision-making processes.

Leadership can be demanding, and self-care is essential for maintaining resilience. Structured routines, such as meditation or mindfulness practices, can help leaders stay focused and manage stress. Taking time for self-reflection and personal growth allows leaders to recharge and approach challenges with renewed energy and clarity.

Leaders who prioritize trust, empathy, and growth create a solid foundation for long-term success. Encouraging collaboration, valuing diverse perspectives, and fostering open communication strengthen team dynamics. Celebrating achievements and acknowledging hard work also reinforce a culture of positivity and perseverance.

Jeb Blount’s bestselling book Sales EQ: How Ultra High Performers Leverage Sales-Specific Emotional Intelligence to Close the Complex Deal helps guide salespeople through the many hurdles that many struggle with in building authentic relationships with prospects. Download our free Sales EQ Book Club Guide HERE.

Ron wants to know how to get CEOs to actually answer his cold calls (or at least respond). He runs a recruiting firm and finds that his cold calls to top executives often go unanswered, and it’s driving him nuts. He wants to know if there’s a better way to break through all the noise—or if he just needs to buckle down and make more calls.

On this Ask Jeb podcast episode I give Ron specific strategies for connecting with hard-to-reach prospects like CEOs.

Let’s face it: sales is tough, and it’s not getting any easier. With an explosion of AI-driven messages and automated outreach, our prospects—especially C-suite executives—are tuning out more than ever. We call this phenomenon the “great ignore.”

If you don’t stand out from the torrent of spam, you will get lost in the shuffle.

Ron’s question—“Do I just need to make more calls, or is there some next-best method?”—is a dilemma many of us face. The short answer?

It’s both. You do need volume, but you also have to differentiate. If you’re just another voice in the crowd, you’ll be ignored, no matter how many dials you make.

A key point I shared with Ron is the power of multi-threading. That means calling multiple people in the organization—not just the CEO. While the CEO might be the ultimate decision-maker, other stakeholders, like the COO or HR director, might be easier to reach. These people can also give you valuable intel on hiring needs, budget constraints, or timing.

This top-down, bottom-up approach helps you gather context, build rapport, and earn the right to talk to the CEO by proving you’re not just randomly dialing.

Ron admitted he’s not always sure whether to leave voicemails. Most of us have left hundreds of voicemails and gotten very few callbacks, so it’s tempting to skip them. But here’s the thing: in today’s world, voicemail transcripts often end up in a prospect’s email inbox or text messages.

Even if they don’t call back immediately, they’re hearing your name and your pitch. Over time, that repetition can pay off—especially if you combine voicemails with other forms of outreach.

The real magic is in creating a multichannel sequence over 30 to 60 days. It’s not just “call once and cross your fingers.” Instead, plan multiple touches that tie together:

Be creative. Use each step to reinforce the last, rather than just repeating the same “Hey, it’s me again!” message. Tell a story or highlight different benefits at each step. Show them you’re genuinely interested in their business—not just cold-calling from a script.

Sometimes the CEO won’t respond because there’s no immediate need for your product or service. For Ron, if they’re not hiring, they won’t care about a recruiter. That’s okay—it doesn’t mean you should vanish.

Remember, timing is everything. The moment they do need your service, you want to be top of mind.

When you discover a hot lead—someone is hiring, or they are launching a new division—compress your timeline:

With a clear business driver, you can (and should) dial up your frequency. If you’re genuinely offering a solution to a pressing problem, they want to hear from you.

-Don’t Rely on a Single Contact: Multi-threading is your friend.

-Always Leave a Voicemail: It’s a free shot to get your message in their ear or inbox.

-Build Thoughtful Sequences: Each touch should reference the last, giving your outreach momentum.

-Match Frequency to Need: Slow drip for “lukewarm,” heavy pursuit for “red hot.”

-Stay the Course: You won’t always see immediate ROI, but consistency wins over time.

If you’re wrestling with a tough sales or leadership challenge, I want to hear about it. Head to salesgravy.com/ask, fill out the form, and my producers will reach out to schedule you on an upcoming episode. It’s your chance to get real-world advice from someone who’s in the trenches every day.

Here’s an important question: Are you coachable? 

Now, before you jump to answer that, I want you to pause and really think about what being coachable or coachability really means.

“Coachability” is essential for top performance in sales – and for that matter ANY endeavor. It simply describes how receptive you are to feedback and guidance; AND, how willingly and effectively you apply coaching to improve your performance. 

Coachability is an open mindset—being flexible, adaptable, the willingness to learn and consider different perspectives, and inviting criticism and critique—without getting defensive. 

It’s about keeping yourself from slipping into the “I already know it all” or “There’s nothing new here” trap or deciding flatly that you don’t need help because you’re just that good. 

True coachability begins with a belief that you can improve and a deep seated desire to grow. This belief opens the door to being more receptive to feedback and coaching. 

It also requires self-awareness. It’s about recognizing and being honest about your strengths, weaknesses and areas where you can improve. It is the vulnerability and the courage to look in the mirror at your imperfections. 

Where there is self-awareness there is the opportunity for transformation—even, by the way, when you already feel that you are at the top of your game.

The truth though is, most of us, at one point or another, are not coachable. We get stuck in our own heads, resist change, and bristle at feedback—especially when it challenges what we believe about ourselves. 

But here’s the kicker: coachability is the hallmark of ultra-high performers. Look at any elite athlete, and you’ll find a coach nearby. Many of them have an entire team of coaches.

I’m a huge golf fan. Golf, for me, is more than a sport; it’s a metaphor for sales and life. It’s hard, humbling, and mastering it is an infinite game. 

The best golfers in the world spend a ton of money on coaches. They’ll have a swing coach, a putting coach, and even a mental coach to keep their head in the game. Why? Because coaches can see what they cannot. 

When I’m working with my own golf coach it sometimes hurts to have him stand there and critique my swing – especially when I think what I’m doing is right. But when I swallow my pride, take it in, and apply it, I see results. I get better, I score lower, and I have more fun.

Sales is no different. It’s tough, it’s competitive, and it seems impossible to ever reach “perfection.” A sales great coach exposes your blind spots. They can help you see what you’re doing right (and need to do more of) and what you’re doing wrong (and need to correct). 

The challenge is, so many salespeople resist the feedback. They sit in training sessions or roleplays with their arms crossed, telling themselves that they don’t need this. 

Veterans, in particular, get stuck in their ways, acting like they’ve got nothing left to learn. But I also see the opposite problem with rookies or young reps who can’t handle any criticism without interpreting it as a personal attack. Both groups end up shutting down, pushing their coaches away and missing an opportunity to grow.

The fact is, coaches are investing time in you because they care about you and want to see you succeed. That doesn’t mean they won’t be tough on you, but it does mean they have your best interests at heart.

Early in my career, I was blessed with a fantastic sales coach named Bob Blackwell. He pushed me hard—probably harder than anyone ever had—and at first, it rubbed me the wrong way. I’d go home, complain to my wife about how he was criticizing me. I was convinced that he was intentionally picking on me. 

One day I was complaining about Bob to my dad—who knew a little something about life. He said, “Maybe you should pay attention to Bob. Sounds to me like he’s been pretty successful. Perhaps he sees potential in you and wants you to win.” 

My dad’s advice hit me like a ton of bricks: Bob’s coaching wasn’t an insult; it was a gift. He was showing me what I couldn’t see, and once I opened my mind to that, my career and income soared. The impact of his coaching helped make me who I am today. 

So, back to my original question: Are you coachable? 

The magic happens when you stay open. 

Coachability isn’t something you either have or don’t have. It’s a skill that can be developed and improved over time. By consciously practicing the key components of coachability – like actively seeking feedback and being open to new ideas you can and will become more coachable. With coachability comes improved performance, increased win rates, and a higher income. When you are coachable, you will sell more. 

The greatest thing? When you’re coachable, you attract coaches. People love to coach someone who’s receptive, engaged, and willing to apply what they’re learning. 

Coaches want to see you progress. They want to see you lean in, make adjustments, and when you fail, try again. As you do that more and more, you’ll attract mentors and coaches into your life who are eager to help you succeed because they’ll see that you’re worth investing in.

If you don’t currently have a coach—or a leader who is willing to invest in you – there are still ways to get the support you need. If you feel like you need someone in your corner check out Sales Gravy coaching options at SalesGravy.com/coach

Our programs are not for everyone, but it might be the perfect next step for you to check out if you’re serious about leveling up your game. 

But whether you work with us or not, the takeaway is this: Seek out coaching. Don’t wait for it to come to you. 

Remember, a coach’s job is to push you beyond your comfort zone, to point out what you can’t see, to help you connect the dots between your potential and the reality of where you currently stand. 

Don’t hide in the back row of the training room with your arms folded and your mind closed. Embrace it—especially if it feels uncomfortable. That discomfort is a sign you’re being challenged and pushed to grow.

That’s not always easy. You might feel exposed when someone points out your weaknesses, but that’s the only way to transform them into strengths. No matter how many deals you’ve closed or how many years you’ve been in the game, there’s always a next level—if you’re open to it.

Download our FREE guide and learn the 10 things you need to know to Find The Right Coach for You