The Sales Evangelist

It's The Sales Evangelist 1000th episode and Stephen A. Hart from the Trailblazers.FM Podcast is conducting the interview while Donald Kelly answers the questions.

This podcast started five years ago after Donald attended sales training to try to improve his performance. He started seeing some gains, and he figured the very least he could do was tell other people what was working for him.

He realized along the way that he would get to interview great guests like Jeffrey Gitomer who would share a wealth of information and he was hooked. Donald wanted to share sales content that would help himself and others at the same time.

The greatest benefit to a podcast like this is the relationships you build. There's a camaraderie and people want to help each other. [05:50]

Perhaps it's because the medium is so new, but a lot of podcasters are connecting with each other to share experiences.

People have become like family, and many business opportunities have emerged from it.

There's a whole crew of people in the background who help create the content, and it's blessing people along the way.

After Donald jumped ship from his full-time job in 2015, this lifestyle business allowed him to travel and speak in different parts of the country, and it all stemmed from the training and consulting that has developed.

The podcast is officially five years old, which amounts to about 10,000 work hours. According to Malcolm Gladwell's theory that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert, Donald is officially an expert podcaster now.

The story started when Donald was working at a software company in Boca. His plan was that at the three-year mark, he wanted to go back to grad school for an MBA. [10:11]

The other alternative was that he would launch a startup.

TSE started as a hobby because Donald had done B2C in high school and college. Now, he transitioned to B2B, but he didn't know how to talk to people or set up business opportunities.

His company provided training and he discovered a love of teaching and an excitement about the content he had learned.

He paired his love of teaching and his desire to be the center of attention, and it was a perfect marriage. Edutainment allowed him to educate and entertain at the same time.

Jared Easley introduced Donald to the world of podcasting despite the fact that Donald knew nothing about it.

He started by listening to Seth Godin's Startup School, a podcast that featured Seth guiding 30 entrepreneurs through the process of launching a dream business. [11:46]

He was still debating startup or college, and he realized that a startup didn't have to mean developing a product. Donald didn't see how the podcast was going to make money, but he launched it as a hobby.

The platform existed six months before the podcast did, but Donald recalls that he had to get over the worry and just pull the trigger. He had to stop worrying about how it would sound and what people would say about it.

He eventually decided that he had something valuable and he needed to share it. When he got out of his own way, the money started coming in.

When Donald started producing content that benefited the people around him, people started to raise their hands and seek his help.

[Tweet "Done is better than perfect. #TakeAction"]

Donald calls episode 1 cringe-worthy. He says he was nervous and afraid throughout it. He was self-conscious about his voice, and he didn't own his personality. [15:29]

Donald also wishes he had done video much sooner. He was afraid of the comments people would make and that fear kept him from producing video.

Donald also wishes he had known that people don't know what you have to offer until they know what you have to offer. He was afraid of sounding pushy, so he was apprehensive about sharing what he knew.

Take more action. Get out of your comfort zone. Get out of your own way.

Despite the late start to the video world, TSE is getting into video now, so it's better late than never.

Donald points to the burned-ship theory that dates to sailors who were either going to burn the ships and win the battle or die on the seashore. There was no escape.

If you've burned the ship, there's no alternative, so you have to make it work. Those men are the master of their own destiny.

Although Donald could still be employable in the sales realm if necessary, he doesn't want to use that as a parachute. [19:27]

The "no's" can't hinder him. He either has to conquer or die.

He realizes that the "no's" aren't personally directed at him.

Donald's desire to provide for his family drives his passion and his motivation. He wants to make things happen so that his family never has to be in the predicament of being homeless again. [21:50]

Those dark moments such as the first lull in listenership can plague podcasters.

Although numbers are great for measuring, Donald got too focused on the numbers. He started to compare too much and he neglected his own community.

When the website was down for a prolonged period in 2016, he started to feel tremendous stress. For 1-2 months there was no new content.

He worried about losing listeners and the huge setback that might come. He wasn't sure he would be able to continue because there were so many technical problems.

You can't succeed in a silo. Name any company and you can almost guarantee that they had help from some outside forces. [29:17]

The term entrepreneur is deceptive because there's really no single person who creates a business. Donald avoided asking for help because he was embarrassed and he thought he was supposed to know how to solve the problem.

Advice and discussion help people share their burdens and to recognize that they can benefit from other people's input.

People who succeed do so because they partnered with others for good. There are people who are willing to partner strategically to make things work. [31:57]

All of his guests who have had success did so because they found synergy in the people they worked with.

Look at Henry Ford and the number of companies that spawned from his invention. Tire companies, radio companies, and other companies developed because of it.

You can't be a lone wolf and you must be willing to admit that other people might be able to do things better than you can.

TSE is writing for HubSpot now and has been mentioned in Entrepreneur and Inc. Magazine because Donald was willing to reach out.

Don't be afraid to sell yourself. People in post-recording conversations advised Donald that he was charging too little.

Customers aren't paying for one hour of guidance or coaching. They are paying for 15 years of experience. [35:23]

Be aware of your worth. If you undervalue yourself, no one will willingly pay you more. Ask for more than you're comfortable asking for.

Always push yourself for bigger and better things.

Once you push outside of your comfort zone, you'll evolve. You'll find yourself doing things that once scared you.

Preparation helps us avoid the emotional rollercoaster of sales. October Donald should be helping December Donald. Salespeople must plan much further out than they can comfortably do. [38:50]

If you know you need 5 deals, you should put 7 or 8 in your pipeline. Never ease up off the gas. Have a systematic approach.

When Donald coaches people, he helps them see beyond the now. He helps them develop a system that prevents lulls.

Donald remembers wanting to be included on a list of top sales podcasts. [44:01]

He refers to the power of "coopertition," where people become allies.

As a track athlete, he learned that when you're turning back to see where other people are, you aren't aerodynamic anymore. You lose your focus and you slow down.

Instead of looking to see where other people are, look toward the finish line. Compete against your own yesterday instead of competing against others.

The Sales Podcast Network will continue to grow and offer a community of salespeople who will encourage one another. [50:57]

If TSE ever gets boring, maybe the day would come when it would be "sunset."

TSE will continue to grow. The goal on sponsorship side will eventually separate so that the training organization will separate from the media company side.

TSE will seek to double its revenue, and ultimately the platform will be bigger than just a podcast.

TSE has been a huge influence in the podcasting space by encouraging those people who are in the community.

Connect with Stephen A. Hart and check out his  Trailblazer.FM Podcast.

This episode is brought to you in part by prospect.io, a powerful sales automation platform that allows you to build highly personalized, cold email campaigns. To learn more, go to prospect.io/tse. It will help you with your outbound to expand your outreach. It allows you to set it and forget it. Your prospecting will never ever be the same.

Previously known as TSE Hustler's League, our TSE Certified Sales Program offers modules that you can engage on your own schedule as well as opportunities to engage with other sellers in other industries.

This episode is brought to you in part by mailtag.io, a Chrome browser extension for Gmail that allows you to track and schedule your emails. It's super easy, it's helpful, and I recommend that you try it out.

You'll receive real-time alerts anyone opens an email or clicks a link.

I hope you enjoyed the show today as much as I did. If so, please consider leaving us a rating on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or wherever you consume this content and share it with someone else who might benefit from our message. It helps others find our message and improves our visibility.

If you haven't already done so, subscribe to the podcast so you won't miss a single episode, and share with your friends!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

Your morning routine has the power to start the day off right, which makes it crucial for you to make sure yours is effective.

Whether you’re listening to music, educating yourself with podcasts, exercising, or engaging in spiritual activity, you’ll find that you accomplish more when you engage in a regular routine.

Scientific research suggests that our brains work best in late morning. If we lay in bed scrolling through social media, we’re missing crucial time in our day. [04:29]

We should take advantage of that time to engage in productive activity.

CLICK TO TWEET

Instead of starting your day focused on the negatives in the day, take charge of your perspective. Because you know what will happen in the first hour of the day, you’re in charge of your day. [05:23]

By acting instead of being acted upon, you’re taking charge.

If you get an email from your boss who suddenly wants a report by noon, you may find yourself stressed and short-tempered. On the other hand, when you’re in control, you’ll respond better and be less likely to get stressed out.

You won’t do anything in your day until you’re ready to do it.

There’s no limit to the ways you can take control of your morning.

Besides reading, journaling, and exercising, you can also work on a side hustle. When I was still working for a software company, I did my podcasting in the morning. [06:23]

It was something I enjoyed, so I didn’t mind doing the work.

Now that podcasting is my work, I use my mornings to write my book.

I’ve discovered that by taking control of my morning, I find clarity on things I’ve been thinking about and answers to problems I’ve been trying to solve.

Test the idea for a week. Begin by adding tasks to your calendar. [08:43]

If you’re planning to exercise or read, write those activities on your daily calendar. Then, find an accountability partner who will follow up with you.

Ask your mentors and others to follow up with you.

At the end of the week, you can measure your results to see how effective they are. If a week isn’t long enough, test it for a month.

This episode is brought to you in part by Maximizer CRM, personalized CRM that gives you the confidence to improve your business and increase profits. To get a demonstration of maximizer, go to the sales evangelists.com/maximizer.

Click on the link to get a free demo of what Maximizer CRM can do for you. It integrates your marketing campaign as well as your CRM, and it works whether you’re a small organization or a large one.

This episode is brought to you in part by mailtag.io, a Chrome browser extension for Gmail that allows you to track and schedule your emails. It’s super easy, it’s helpful, and I recommend that you try it out.

They are offering a 14-day free trial, and half off your subscription when you use the code Donald at checkout.

This episode is brought to you in part by prospect.io, a powerful sales automation platform that allows you to build highly personalized, cold email campaigns. To learn more, go to prospect.io/tse. It will help you with your outbound to expand your outreach. It allows you to set it and forget it. Your prospecting will never ever be the same.

Previously known as TSE Hustler’s League, our TSE Certified Sales Program offers modules that you can engage on your own schedule as well as opportunities to engage with other sellers in other industries.

I hope you enjoyed the show today as much as I did. If so, please consider leaving us a rating on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or wherever you consume this content and share it with someone else who might benefit from our message. It helps others find our message and improves our visibility.

If you haven’t already done so, subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss a single episode, and share with your friends!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

Failures can be crippling if we allow them to be, but when we have the proper guidance, we can learn how to turn failure into success. Airica Kraehmer of Gracious Care Recovery shares her own story here and reminds us that we can turn our weaknesses into our strengths.

Airica’s story doesn’t directly involve sales, but it does involve difficulty and mental toughness.

She started working as a model in the fashion industry and she had a dream to succeed there. She realized that the fashion industry demands that you be your own product and that you bring your A-game all the time. She called it cut-throat.

As a result, there’s room for exploitation. Airica found herself the victim of human trafficking because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

She wrote down her story, and when she finished her book, she looked for outlets that would help her share it. She figured telling her story would help her move beyond the struggle.

She became an international best-selling author, and it taught her that she could rise above the low points in life.

After she moved to Florida, Airica realized that the state was number two in the country in terms of human trafficking, tied with Houston. After the upcoming Super Bowl, Florida is projected to move into the number one spot due to the large influx of people.

Hearing stories of other victims made her realize that she was part of something bigger. She realized that the process would repeat if she didn’t do something to help.

She reminded herself that there were as many good people in the world as there were bad people.

Nobody wanted to talk about trafficking, so she kept encountering closed doors. She compares it to cold calling for sellers. [07:23]

Though people cared about it, they didn’t feel like they could speak out about it.

She kept knocking on doors, and eventually, she found Gracious Care Recovery. There were survivors there who recognized the need for people to speak out.

Her message to sellers, then, is to keep knocking on doors. Despite the fact that she was addressing an impossibly hard topic, she found people who would engage.

Get in the other person’s mindset. We each have different experiences, and we’re each traveling a different journey. That means we each have different ideas.

That can be a powerful tool as long as we remember that the effort isn’t all about us. It’s about who we can help and who we can serve.

Keep in mind that the prospect isn’t rejecting you. It simply isn’t the right time for your prospect.

If you’re a sales manager who is motivating a team to overcome rejection, teach your team members to practice persistence.

Be persistent, but be kind. Be willing to invest the time to build trust.

Sales is a numbers game to some degree, and you have to keep reaching out in order to achieve results. Especially now that we find ourselves at the beginning of a new year, you have to keep knocking in order to hit your targets.

Airica compares her personal experience to bankruptcy. It was the ultimate low. She had nothing left. And she knew it would take years to recover.

She learned that you have to leave behind the things that don’t serve you well and that you shouldn’t focus too much on the why. It’s ok, for example, to ask why something happened, but refuse to stay focused on it.

Instead, look to the future and ask yourself what you can do to address what happened.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Who am I serving?
• What is my purpose?
• What’s my goal?

Once you’ve identified those things, align your morals and values with your goals.

Tackle one goal at a time. Small goals will accumulate quickly and result in large accomplishments.

You can connect with Airica at [email protected] and grab a copy of her book, Models Stop Traffic: How to Dodge Enslavement in Pursuit of Your Dream to Become the Next Top Model.

This episode is brought to you in part by prospect.io, a powerful sales automation platform that allows you to build highly personalized, cold email campaigns. To learn more, go to prospect.io/tse. It will help you with your outbound to expand your outreach. It allows you to set it and forget it. Your prospecting will never ever be the same.

Previously known as TSE Hustler’s League, our TSE Certified Sales Program offers modules that you can engage on your own schedule as well as opportunities to engage with other sellers in other industries.

This episode is brought to you in part by mailtag.io, a Chrome browser extension for Gmail that allows you to track and schedule your emails. It’s super easy, it’s helpful, and I recommend that you try it out.

You’ll receive real-time alerts anyone opens an email or clicks a link.

I hope you enjoyed the show today as much as I did. If so, please consider leaving us a rating on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or wherever you consume this content and share it with someone else who might benefit from our message. It helps others find our message and improves our visibility.

If you haven’t already done so, subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss a single episode, and share with your friends!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

Where there is no vision the people perish, and that’s especially true in sales. Because we aren’t constructing physical structures like houses or sidewalks, the game of sales is largely mental, and it requires a visionary mindset.

The book Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, now available as a free download,  addresses the importance of vision and what can happen when you don’t have an eye on the future.

Vision demands that we look beyond the work that we’re doing today. It demands that we look into the future, perhaps to the end of the quarter or the end of the year. In some cases, we’ll look to the end of five or 10 years.

Without vision, you won’t progress and you won’t grow.

We may imagine the worst-case scenario, and then we find ourselves in a loop, playing it over and over in our heads.

Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps shared his strategy of playing a “tape” of a perfect race in his head. His coach encouraged him to imagine how it would feel to win, the accomplishment he’d experience, and then think about that over and over.

Michael had a positive loop playing in his head, so even when he found himself making bad decisions, he was able to get back on track quickly. He had a tenacious drive to succeed.

I worked with a guy once who always saw life through a negative lens. He could turn the very best outcomes into negative scenarios.

If he won the lottery, he’d likely complain about driving to Tallahassee to claim his prize, or about the fact that he had to pay taxes on his winnings.

You may work with people like this.

Avoid getting pulled into their negative mindset. When you spend large amounts of time around these people, you may allow their negativity to creep into your thinking.

Emerson said that whatever we persist in doing becomes easier.

I refer to this quote all the time because it’s true that our mindset affects our outcome. If you are focused on negativity, you’ll more readily see negative outcomes.

If you focus on the fact that you’re going to set an appointment, you’re going to capitalize on an opportunity. You’re going to reach your commission and create power to accomplish those things.

When I spent too much time around my negative coworker, I spent less time on the phone and less time doing email outreach.

When I changed my focus to positive things, prospects were more willing to listen to me because I was the catalyst. I still had negative experiences, of course, but there were fewer of them.

When I was a young seller, I didn’t speak up to my negative coworker because I didn’t want to cause a rift between us.

If I could go back, I would push back against the negative thinking. I would share positive thoughts and read encouraging books. I would either seek to change my coworker’s attitude or repel him because he knew I wasn’t going to listen.

Be honest about the fact that you’re trying to focus on positive things.

When you achieve your daily goals, what will it feel like? What will you say to convince those people to close?

Practice seeing how that will look.

Take charge of your life. Read encouraging books. Refuse to let other people affect your personal vision.

You’re listening to this podcast, and that’s a great start.

Take charge of your future.

For the team at The Sales Evangelist, 2018 was our best year ever. My 2019 vision is to double the numbers we had in 2018 and c continue to increase our customers and grow our podcast.

I had a vision last year of writing for Hubspot and we’re doing that. I envisioned being mentioned by Inc. magazine, and TSE was just mentioned as one of the top podcasts to fuel company growth.

My vision helped me connect with the right people so that I found positive opportunities.

Create positive vision for yourself.

This episode is brought to you in part by Maximizer CRM, personalized CRM that gives you the confidence to improve your business and increase profits. To get a demonstration of maximizer, go to the sales evangelists.com/maximizer.

Click on the link to get a free demo of what Maximizer CRM can do for you. It integrates your marketing campaign as well as your CRM, and it works whether you’re a small organization or a large one.

This episode is brought to you in part by mailtag.io, a Chrome browser extension for Gmail that allows you to track and schedule your emails. It’s super easy, it’s helpful, and I recommend that you try it out.

They are offering a 14-day free trial, and half off your subscription when you use the code Donald at checkout.

This episode is brought to you in part by prospect.io, a powerful sales automation platform that allows you to build highly personalized, cold email campaigns. To learn more, go to prospect.io/tse. It will help you with your outbound to expand your outreach. It allows you to set it and forget it. Your prospecting will never ever be the same.

Previously known as TSE Hustler’s League, our TSE Certified Sales Program offers modules that you can engage on your own schedule as well as opportunities to engage with other sellers in other industries.

I hope you enjoyed the show today as much as I did. If so, please consider leaving us a rating on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or wherever you consume this content and share it with someone else who might benefit from our message. It helps others find our message and improves our visibility.

If you haven’t already done so, subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss a single episode, and share with your friends!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

Behind the scenes at The Sales Evangelist, we're working to increase organic engagement and interact with our audience, and we've discovered a powerful way to develop new leads through Instagram.

According to Jaeden Schafer, Instagram typically accounts for about 10 percent more organic engagement than Facebook, so it's a great place to gain a new audience and develop new leads.

[Tweet "Every business, whether it's B2B or B2C, can benefit from Instagram as long as they know how to use it. #Prospecting"]

When Instagram initially launched, its goal was to share nice looking pictures. If you're following that original idea, your company will likely benefit from it. [02:16]

But what if you're a refrigeration repair company? How do you post compelling pictures of refrigerators? Posting photos of refrigerators all day won't really prompt much growth.

So if, for example, you own a refrigeration company in Miami, post pictures of the area you serve with information about the services you provide. Target people who are the customer persona you're trying to attract.

It basically just needs to be pretty.

Many people will offer the same tips for setting up an Instagram account:

• Choose good photos
• Find out what your customers want

Then they expect people to just show up.

If the engagement doesn't happen, they just let the page die, which is the worst possible thing you can do on social media. Since social media is about social proof, outdated accounts are worthless. [05:13]

When people want to buy something online, they often check online to make sure that the social media accounts are updated. If they aren't, they might assume you'll be unresponsive.

Plan to post at least once a week if you want to appear actively engaged. If you're trying to grow, you should post every day.

If you find yourself thinking that you don't have the team or the resources to post every single day, remember that there are tools available to help you.

Later.com is a scheduling tool that will let you schedule 30 posts for free. You can schedule a new post every day that will keep you active and growing.

Though Instagram is a great place to find new leads, sellers will also want to move those leads from interested to purchasing.

Avoid letting your account just sit. Instead, use your account to find new leads. You can do that with targeted Instagram ads or automation. Better yet, use your account to like and comment on people's posts that are in your target audience. [07:53]

Consider the food truck business that launched an Instagram page and then shared images of the food it would serve. On launch day, the owners went to its main competitors' page and they liked and followed 1,000 of their followers. They repeated that activity every two days for a different food truck.

It grabbed attention because those people would see the business name on their phone as someone who liked their photos and followed their accounts.

It's a phenomenal strategy, especially for companies that are just starting.

For B2B companies, it's important to understand how the transition will look after you follow new prospects on Instagram. How do you move them to your website or prompt them to download something?

When a user sees that you liked some of his photos and followed him, then he'll likely click on your account name to check out your Instagram account. Your account bio will act a little like a splash page or a sales pitch. [10:34]

Make sure your bio includes your website, and make sure it really clearly outlines what you do and what your call-to-action is. Direct them to your website or your podcast.

For sales reps who might be wondering what kind of content to post, let's use an example of The Sales Evangelist to talk about what that might look like.

For a service-based business, people tend to limit their thinking about the kind of images to post. Choose high-quality images that look really good. [11:53]

If you don't have a high-quality camera, it's ok.

Start with websites that offer free, copyright-free images, like unsplash.com. Type in your keyword and find hundreds of high-quality photos related to your niche. High-quality photos will make your account look very professional.

Include your own "flavor" that meshes with the way you pitch, but make sure that the people who follow your account feel like they are getting some kind of value out of it.

Some organizations use inspirational quotes or even tips such as how to care for your a/c unit. Choose information that will give something back to your audience. [13:45]

You can use entire blog posts as an Instagram caption.

In short, be there, post information your customers want, and do it consistently.

Videos have a much higher likelihood of going viral. Jaeden reports that an account he manages might get 400-700 likes, while a video on the same account might get 1,000-14,000 views. [15:31]

As a result, videos are a really good way to grow your business because videos are more engaging.

Also, though, if the video includes you talking and sharing information, it builds a relationship with your customers because they get to experience your personality in a way that they wouldn't in a photo. It creates trust.

Many people go to Instagram just for the stories. If you can create a story that captures people's attention, it's a huge new piece of real estate.

When you have a new promotion or a new post, consider using your story to encourage followers to check out your new post. You can promote a podcast, a sale, a deal, or whatever you want people to know.

Once you have 10,000 followers on Instagram, you can put links in your story so people can just swipe up on the story to access your links. [17:44] That's when stories become super powerful because it's a free ad that you can push to everyone who follows you.

Hashtags can be incredibly beneficial or they can be useless, depending on how you use them. Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per photo, and users should take advantage of all 30 of them to be super specific about the content in the photo.

The platform's artificial intelligence scans photos to see what are in them, and if you use a big list of random hashtags, your photo won't perform well. The value of hashtags is that if someone clicks on one, they go to a hashtag page that shows all the images that used that hashtag.

For smaller businesses, use longer hashtags that have fewer people using them, ideally 20,000 to 100,000 uses. [20:04] Be super specific in your hashtags and use those that fit the size of your business.

Jaeden had great success with a luxury travel company. He set up unique accounts for different geographic locations: one for Maldives resorts, Bora Bora resorts, Greek resorts, and so on.

Each bio directed users back to the main page.

He said it was an easy way to tap into a saturated market that is often expensive to advertise in. [22:00] Within a month, they were getting about 20 percent of their traffic from Instagram.

If you don't have time to go and follow 1,000 users on a single day, consider using tools like Ninjagram or Jarvee to automate your Instagram efforts. You put your account into it and then select your competitors, and the tool does the work for you.

Connect with Jaeden at Fiund.com with any questions you may have or to get additional advice or tips.

This episode is brought to you in part by prospect.io, a powerful sales automation platform that allows you to build highly personalized, cold email campaigns. To learn more, go to prospect.io/tse. It will help you with your outbound to expand your outreach. It allows you to set it and forget it. Your prospecting will never ever be the same.

Previously known as TSE Hustler's League, our TSE Certified Sales Program offers modules that you can engage on your own schedule as well as opportunities to engage with other sellers in other industries.

This episode is brought to you in part by mailtag.io, a Chrome browser extension for Gmail that allows you to track and schedule your emails. It's super easy, it's helpful, and I recommend that you try it out.

You'll receive real-time alerts anyone opens an email or clicks a link.

I hope you enjoyed the show today as much as I did. If so, please consider leaving us a rating on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or wherever you consume this content and share it with someone else who might benefit from our message. It helps others find our message and improves our visibility.

If you haven't already done so, subscribe to the podcast so you won't miss a single episode, and share with your friends!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

Strategic planning isn’t only for entrepreneurs: Shane Spiers says sales reps must know where they are headed and what the team’s common purpose is.

Strategic planning helps sales reps work better as part of a team and achieve more.

Originally from New Zealand, Shane now calls the UK home. It is where his career has grown to what it is today. His record is dominated by leading and scaling 7, 8 and 9-figure rapid growth companies, mostly in real estate, construction, and service-based businesses.

Shane created Summit Leader to help 7-figure entrepreneurs scale with an 8-figure growth model. His focus is helping businesses scale from entrepreneurial to managed growth. [00:29]

Approximately 96% of businesses earn less than $1 million in revenue. Of the 4% that make it past a million, only 10% make it to $10 million.

With only .4% of businesses reaching the $10 million mark, Shane hopes to have an impact by producing more 8-figure businesses. [01:20]

As a business moves from entrepreneurial to managed growth, the management, leadership, and logistical challenges become quite different.

The startup ways of working can hinder a business rather than advance it.

Shane has been down the path many times before. He understands the importance of including sales reps in the process of strategic planning to grow a company.

Whether you are a business owner, team leader, or part of a team, it is important to understand what the company stands for and what it believes in.

It is important to know the common goal and your purpose in achieving it.

A team without priorities, or with different views, cannot work well together. [02:23]

Before you can plan where you will be in the long term, you must make decisions about who you are and what you stand for. Decide how you will differentiate yourself from the competition. In the sales world, particularly, be very clear about who comprises your target market.

Know who your ideal customers are, where they are, and what is important to them.

It starts with upfront thinking.

Know where you want to go and make a plan to get there.

Establish your guiding principles first. Build your core. When businesses fail to clearly define their values, it trickles down into the sales force. [03:35]

Think about your core as the provider of stability, power, and control that will support growth. Without a strong core, you risk instability from cultural challenges, loss of focus, disengagement, and a lack of heart.

An organization or team that is weak will struggle.

The core values are what you will do – and won’t do – to get what you want. They are the timeless, fundamental principles that define a company’s culture.

It is the first step in strategic planning because it sets your purpose. It is the root of your business.

Once you are clear about the Why of your company, you can work on the How. Where do you want to be in two, three or even ten years? What you do want to achieve? [05:50]

No matter how large or small your role, you are contributing to the larger story.

Consider the time when President Kennedy visited NASA and struck up a conversation with one of the janitors. When asked what he was doing, the janitor replied that he was helping to put a man on the moon. And he certainly was.

CLICK TO TWEET

[08:26]

Strategy follows when you direct your attention and decisions to how you will differentiate yourself from the competition.

Shane believes that decisions about how to best plan and strategize come easier to companies that establish their core principles first.

It is easier to make a decision when you know what you stand for. [09:41]

One common problem among fast-growing organizations is that they simply have too many priorities. In an attempt to cover all their bases, they lose focus.

A long list of objectives combined with a scarcity of time, energy, and resources results in mediocre accomplishments. There is a failure to accomplish what matters most.

If everything is important then nothing is.

Growth and scaling are about taking one significant step at a time, checking the data and adjusting accordingly. [10:40]

Once your core is established and you are clear about your long-term focus, it is time to prioritize. Break the ten-year plan out into a three-year plan, into a one-year plan, a 90-day plan, etc.

Create routine, focus, and discipline. Don’t become overwhelmed by the monumental task of the long-term goal. Set bite-sized goals instead.

Focus on the 3-5 things that will move you forward as a team. Get into the habit of celebrating success every 90 days.

To build and maintain momentum, plan for more meetings or a daily check-in. Discuss administrative and tactical issues, provide updates, and take advantage of unforeseen opportunities. Review progress on a weekly basis.

Use the collective brainpower of your teams to tackle issues before they become problems.

Routines can set you free. Revolve your business around 90-day goals and life becomes more manageable. Take the time to do it properly. [12:41]

When the fundamental beliefs of your company are clear, they will drive your company forward.

The right people will be attracted to your teams.

You can reach Shane and check out his many free resources at www.summitleader.com. He also hosts a live webinar every month at www.summitwebinar.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by mailtag.io, a Chrome browser extension for Gmail that allows you to track and schedule your emails. It’s super easy, it’s helpful, and I recommend that you try it out.

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Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS