In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to best-selling sales author and corporate sales trainer Tony Parinello about chronic mistakes sellers make. This includes prospecting too low in an organization, ineffective messaging, not speaking the right language, and more. Tune in to discover why you really only want to sell to VITO (Very Important Top Officer), the questions you need to ask, and how you should act in front of them to gain their trust and ultimately, the deal. 

Additional Resources:

• Connect with Tony  on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sellingtovito/
• Check out Tony’s best-selling book, Selling To VITO (The Very Important Top Officer): https://www.amazon.com/Selling-VITO-Very-Important-Officer/dp/1580622240
• VIsit Tony’s website: https://vitocorporatesalestraining.com/
• Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast

HIGHLIGHTS

• Why do you want to sell to VITO?
• Sellers need to let it go or move it forward
• What to ask and what not to ask a VITO 
• Don't start a meeting with a personal ice-breaker 
• Speak in the right language: VITO's language 
• Don't be afraid to set personal expectations and a timeframe 
• How people sell matters just as much as what they sell 
• Question stuff that you hear, take notes, be interested not interesting 
• Tony's rules for presenting to a VITO: say it in 3 slides

QUOTES

Why salespeople waste their time talking to people with no real decision-making power, says Tony: "Most sales leadership is based on activity. Get more appointments. Get more presentations. Get more demos. Put more quotes out there. Salespeople naturally, like many of us, they take the path of least resistance."

Why you should only talk about benefits and advantages to a VITO: "You're gonna be sent to the person you sound the most like. Facts, features and functions: you drop one of them, one silly acronym or product name or number or buzzword, you're done. "

Tony on earning the right to sell: You sell yourself first, then you sell your company. And guess why: VITOs don't really care who you work for until they understand what you can do for them. "

Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064

Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. 
 

This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. 
 

Connect with Us: 

• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Force Management