Ian Altman interviews Susan Thomas, CEO of Tenfold, an integrated communications firm specializing in deep tech B2B clients. Susan discusses common mistakes in integrated communications, such as focusing on budget over results, choosing vendors based on brand size rather than expertise, and negotiating by the hour or retainer. She emphasizes the importance of measuring results, including media response and web traffic, and the need for clients to be ready with assets and a dedicated team. Susan highlights Tenfold's unique guarantee of results and the importance of investing in expertise for better outcomes.

Ian Altman discusses with Luis Derechin the challenges and pitfalls of building offshore teams, highlighting the seven common mistakes that lead to failure in 73% of projects. Derechin's book, "The Offshore Team Deathtrap," offers a framework to avoid these mistakes, emphasizing rigorous talent selection, expert onboarding, managed support, optimized team performance, transparent cost plus pricing, and enhanced scalability. Derechin shares a success story of a software company that improved its offshore team management by implementing these principles, leading to a 95% success rate. Altman and Derechin agree that offshore teams can be a strategic advantage if managed correctly.

Rod Neuenschwander discusses his new book, "From Crisis to Clarity," which details his journey after John Ruhlin's passing. Rod explains the four-part framework he developed: a clear purpose statement, a go-forward operating plan, a financial plan, and a team plan, all fitting on one page. This framework helped Giftology navigate the loss of 70% of its revenue and John's leadership. Rod emphasizes the importance of leading oneself, facing reality, and simplifying strategies. He highlights the company's commitment to excellence in handling relationships and the impact of personalized gifts, which often lead to increased business and referrals.

Ian Altman and Neen James discuss Neen's latest book, "Exceptional Experiences," which explores creating luxury-level experiences in sales to build deeper client relationships and grow revenue. Neen identifies four luxury mindsets: Reluctant and Removed (28%), Pro Prioritizer (22%), Confident and Content (28%), and Luxury Lover (22%). She outlines the Experience Elevation Model with five luxury levers: Entice, Invite, Excite, Delight, and Ignite. Neen emphasizes the importance of personalization, customization, and anticipation in sales to create exceptional client experiences, ultimately driving revenue and client loyalty.

Discover Your Luxury Mindset Self-Assessment

Ian Altman discusses common mistakes in long-term sales engagements, emphasizing that sellers often focus on price concessions rather than mutual benefits. He highlights that longer engagements can attract more stable, permanent talent, benefiting both parties. Altman suggests presenting long-term deals as mutually beneficial, incorporating flexibility with rolling termination clauses. He shares a client success story where 90% of short-term clients eventually extended engagements. Altman advises sellers to align with clients' interests, reduce administrative burdens, and lock in pricing to ensure better outcomes and less hassle.

• Relying on outdated systems and methodologies.
• Not utilizing available real-time information from customers.
• Falling back on old procedures instead of embracing new technologies.
• Not implementing systems that provide real-time information to customers.

• Using technology like AI to save time and learn from others' experiences.
• Providing real-time information to customers, similar to Uber and Amazon.
• Implementing AI systems to help customers get answers faster.
• Using AI to tailor content to customer needs and improve information over time.

Ian Altman discusses common mistakes in long-term sales engagements, emphasizing that sellers often focus on price concessions rather than mutual benefits. He highlights that longer engagements can attract more stable, permanent talent, benefiting both parties. Altman suggests presenting long-term deals as mutually beneficial, incorporating flexibility with rolling termination clauses. He shares a client success story where 90% of short-term clients eventually extended engagements. Altman advises sellers to align with clients' interests, reduce administrative burdens, and lock in pricing to ensure better outcomes and less hassle.

• Offering price discounts for longer-term deals.
• Assuming that only the seller benefits from long-term agreements.
• Not recognizing that long-term agreements can be mutually beneficial.
• Proposing something that isn't in the client's best interest.

• Consider how the long-term engagement benefits the client.
• Incorporate flexibility into long-term agreements, such as rolling termination clauses.
• Lock in rates for longer periods to provide stability and avoid frequent renegotiations.
• Discuss how to measure success together with the client.
• Share data on how longer-term engagements have benefited other clients.
• Focus on why longer-term agreements are beneficial to the customer, not just the seller.
• Build in comfort for the customer to address their concerns about longer-term commitments.

Mike Greene, CEO of Air Control Products (ACP), discussed the company's growth from $12 million to nearly $100 million in sales. ACP, an HVAC manufacturer's rep, focuses on commercial projects and emphasizes project management and customer relationships. Greene credits his team's curiosity and continuous learning, along with the implementation of Same Side Selling principles. He highlighted the importance of maintaining strong manufacturer relationships and having a well-stocked inventory to ensure timely delivery. Greene also shared his vision for the future, including building a sustainable company for his son and continuing to improve employee engagement and customer satisfaction.

• Always work on your foundation and continue building it
• Hire good people and ensure everyone in the company is working in the same direction
• Keep open communications and make it a desirable workplace
• Take care of your people and always do the right thing
• Build trust and dedicate yourself to your employees

Ian Altman discusses the common oversights in channel sales teams, emphasizing that top performers excel in sales skills rather than product knowledge. He suggests that product launches should focus on market demand, problem-solving, and customer needs rather than just features. Altman recommends gathering feedback on sales challenges, preparing responses to objections like price, and using role-play scenarios to enhance sales techniques. He also stresses the importance of ongoing education and connectivity through platforms like Zoom or Google Meet to reinforce learning and maintain team engagement.

• Spending too much time talking about features and benefits of new products
• Focusing solely on product knowledge instead of sales skills
• Not explaining the demand in the marketplace that prompted the creation of new products
• What can the company do to reduce friction and make it easier to do business with compared to other brands?

• Focus on solving client problems rather than extensive product knowledge
• Have product managers explain why the product was introduced and what problem it solves
• Discuss how new products make customers' lives better and reduce risks
• Solicit information from attendees about where deals are getting stuck
• Create role-play scenarios to model great conversations and outreach techniques
• Ensure attendees leave with actionable plans and set up mechanisms for ongoing engagement

Ian Altman discusses the biggest blind spot in sales meetings: lack of preparation. He emphasizes the importance of setting realistic goals aligned with the client's needs rather than unrealistic expectations. Altman advises salespeople to identify what clients need to believe to achieve their goals and to prepare for different meeting scenarios (the good, the bad, and the ugly). Role-playing these scenarios with different team members helps salespeople practice and improve their ability to handle various outcomes effectively. He concludes that thorough planning and realistic expectations lead to better client meeting outcomes.

• Not having any planning whatsoever for the meeting.
• Having unrealistic expectations for the meeting outcome.
• Not thinking through the logistics of the meeting from the client's perspective.
• Coming to a meeting with no expectations.

• Set realistic expectations for the meeting that focus on solving the client's needs.
• Determine what the client needs to believe for the desired outcome to happen.
• Prepare questions to ask the client to confirm if they believe what you need them to believe.
• Plan for three possible scenarios: good, bad, and ugly.
• Role-play each scenario with a team (salesperson, customer, and observer).

Ian Altman discusses strategies for expanding existing accounts without appearing pushy. He criticizes common sales tactics like offering capabilities briefings, which customers often find unappealing. Altman introduces the concept of the "client vision pyramid," which categorizes client needs into effective, enhanced, and engaged levels. He advises salespeople to highlight unique services they offer to their best clients and to take responsibility for not discussing these before. This approach can lead to more effective sales, larger deal sizes, and stronger client relationships. Altman also mentions research indicating that many clients believe their current vendor can provide additional services but are unaware of them.

• Ian Altman introduces the topic of expanding existing accounts without pushing, a common challenge faced by many organizations.
• He criticizes typical sales approaches that sound pushy and unappealing to customers, such as offering briefings on new capabilities or produc
• Ian emphasizes the need for a better approach that piques the customer's interest by highlighting unique value propositions.
• He introduces the concept of "Access displacement disorder," where salespeople mistakenly believe the world revolves around them.

• Ian Altman suggests framing the conversation around the client's problems and how the salesperson's additional services can solve them.
• He recommends not fishing for business but rather offering to discuss additional services if they are relevant to the client's needs.
• Ian highlights the importance of showing up as someone who solves problems, not just someone trying to sell.
• He shares research indicating that many clients believe their existing vendor can deliver additional services but are unaware of them.