The Sales Evangelist

As a salesperson, you (hopefully) enjoy interacting with your prospects. However, a typical sales mistake is forcing the prospect to fit our communication style rather than the other way around. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by the author of The Savage Leader and founder of Group Sixty, Darren Reinke, to discuss building rapport the way the prospect wants. 

Sellers assume prospects like to communicate in the same style as the seller.

• Selling should start with the understanding that we’re all different. Establishing that early on will impact your ability to build rapport.
• Some people might like starting with a conversation; others prefer to focus on the tasks at hand. We’re all different.
• Get a sense of the customer’s style by learning what motivates and drives them.
• Listen to the prospect and pay attention to their tone and how they conduct themselves to understand how to communicate.

Three steps to learn a prospect’s communication style:

• Intention: Have a willingness to change and do something different. Question if there are better ways to build rapport as a seller and think about the potential achievements.
• Reflection: Know what kind of seller you are and use that understanding to change your communication (when necessary.)
• Action: Analyze someone’s body language, tone of speaking, and how they interact and put that change into play.

A focus on the commission can ruin the relationship. 

• If you see someone as a dollar sign, you probably won’t build rapport anytime soon.
• Ask prompts to directly understand the audience - How do you like to receive information? How do you want to communicate?
• Asking questions (and listening to the answers) will indicate how you can best communicate. Be more intentional with your questions.
• People will come back to the conversation repeatedly because they like talking to you. Less talking and more listening is the best way to build relationships.

Darren’s biggest takeaway? Don’t sell the way you like to sell; sell the way the prospect wants to be sold. Tailor your style to engage your audience. Find Darren on LinkedIn, visit his website thesavageleader.com, and find his book on Amazon.

This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you!

Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase.

Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by Closers.io.

Closers.io helps sales reps land their dream remote sales gig, where they can set their own hours, work from anywhere, and make six or even multi-6 figures per year. That sure sounds good to us!

Committed to helping sales reps make a shift, Closers.io will place you in an available sales role that will increase your commissions and help you live the life you want. Apply for free now at https://go.closers.io/TSE.

This episode is brought to you in part by Scratchpad.

Are you tired of a digital workspace cluttered with notes, folders, files, and half-filled spreadsheets? (Not that we’re speaking from personal experience.) Luckily, we’ve found the solution.

Scratchpad is the first Revenue Team Workspace specifically designed to adapt to each salesperson’s workflow, so you don’t have to change your habits. Scratchpad creates a streamlined workflow that allows everyone to be a little more productive each day without the hassle of updating a database with whatever info you can find. Get Scratchpad free at Scratchpad.com. 

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

Building rapport with prospects is the bridge that fosters trust needed to move through the sales process. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald introduces our newest season of content centered around building rapport with prospects. So what are three things that sellers get wrong with rapport-building? Find out in today’s episode.

Sellers put on their fake corporate persona.

• Just because you represent a company doesn’t mean you need to sound like their answering machine.
• Avoid fake, salesy language that isn’t your authentic self. Whether speaking to your next prospect or your close friend, you should sound the same.

Sellers aren’t interested enough in their prospects.

• Be interested, not interesting. You should want to listen to your prospect, not try to inform them about yourself (beyond what’s necessary.)
• People love talking about themselves. So allow your prospects to do that by talking about their interests, career, and company goals.

Sellers don’t create a dialogue with their prospects.

• Don’t just give the prospect your full attention; demonstrate it. In virtual meetings, it can be difficult to 
• Focus your time on what they do or don’t say rather than what your following dialogue will be.

A bonus: Use the person’s name in the conversation!

• Mentioning a prospect’s name throughout the conversation is a great way to build rapport. It shows you're trying to create a genuine and authentic connection.
• Make sure you don’t overdo it, however. It should fit the context of the conversation.

This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you!

Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase.

Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by Closers.io.

Closers.io helps sales reps land their dream remote sales gig, where they can set their own hours, work from anywhere, and make six or even multi-6 figures per year. That sure sounds good to us!

Committed to helping sales reps make a shift, Closers.io will place you in an available sales role that will increase your commissions and help you live the life you want. Apply for free now at https://go.closers.io/TSE.

This episode is brought to you in part by Scratchpad.

Are you tired of a digital workspace cluttered with notes, folders, files, and half-filled spreadsheets? (Not that we’re speaking from personal experience.) Luckily, we’ve found the solution.

Scratchpad is the first Revenue Team Workspace specifically designed to adapt to each salesperson’s workflow, so you don’t have to change your habits. Scratchpad creates a streamlined workflow that allows everyone to be a little more productive each day without the hassle of updating a database with whatever info you can find. Get Scratchpad free at Scratchpad.com. 

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by author, speak, and co-founder of Gap Wireless, Glenn Poulos, to discuss five ways to know your customer’s ecosystem. This conversation is based partially on Glenn’s recently published book, Never Sit in the Lobby, available now on Amazon.

Understand your key stakeholders.

• Some salespeople sell simple things, and some people sell multi-million dollar systems. Whatever the product is, know what you’re talking about. And, more importantly, learn how to explain it to others.
• Too often, salespeople are very technically proficient at explaining their solutions. However, this is potentially too descriptive for the prospect to understand your solution's clear benefits. 
• Recognize who you need to speak to, identify their level of understanding, and adjust your speech to accommodate the stakeholder.

Isolate the prospects

• Who are the people that will use and derive benefit from your solution? Those are the people you need to demonstrate to.
• Showing the benefits to the implementer drives them to further the deal beyond what might happen when speaking exclusively to management.

Punch, perfect pitch, and close:

• You might be presenting for a specific purpose, whether technical, financial or otherwise. Whatever it is, make it a good presentation.
• The ‘punch’ is an attention-grabbing opening that captures the audiences’ attention and encourages them to pay attention to the rest of the presentation.
• People get lost in details. When presenting a pitch, know which elements are essential to the prospect and which are not impactful to their bottom line.

• The close should come naturally if you’ve completed the punch and the perfect pitch. If it isn’t, you’re likely selling too early in the conversation.

Visit Glenn’s website, glennpoulos.com, to download his free worksheet, find his book, and see more great content.

This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you!

Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase.

Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by Closers.io.

Closers.io helps sales reps land their dream remote sales gig, where they can set their own hours, work from anywhere, and make six or even multi-6 figures per year. That sure sounds good to us!

Committed to helping sales reps make a shift, Closers.io will place you in an available sales role that will increase your commissions and help you live the life you want. Apply for free now at https://go.closers.io/TSE.

This episode is brought to you in part by Scratchpad.

Are you tired of a digital workspace cluttered with notes, folders, files, and half-filled spreadsheets? (Not that we’re speaking from personal experience.) Luckily, we’ve found the solution.

Scratchpad is the first Revenue Team Workspace specifically designed to adapt to each salesperson’s workflow, so you don’t have to change your habits. Scratchpad creates a streamlined workflow that allows everyone to be a little more productive each day without the hassle of updating a database with whatever info you can find. Get Scratchpad free at Scratchpad.com. 

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

No matter what level of sales you’re in, you are bound to encounter objections. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, host Donald Kelly is joined by the co-founder and former owner of Solo Stove, Spencer Jan, for an in-depth look at Spencer’s experience handling his biggest sales objection.

But first, what does Spencer consider an objection? 

• In general, Spencer sees sales objections as a lack of communication; the disconnect of not understanding the other person.
• When objections arise, it’s not that they’re rejecting you, there’s simply a gap between you and the prospect.

In 2016 Spencer and his brother decided to sell their business.

• When they went to sell, investment bankers and brokers told them their company wasn’t sellable. 
• They were surprised because the business was very profitable. However, Spencer and his brother didn’t understand their buyer.
• They realized a buyer wants to invest in a company, not necessarily run it. They aren’t looking to deal with day-to-day problems. And that was the objection they had to overcome. 

From 2016-to 2019, they transitioned to a structure someone would buy.

• They listened to feedback and knowledge and assembled a self-sustaining team to run the company beyond their departure.
• They rehearsed their pitch, had dry runs, integrated stories, and planned how to pitch their deck to investors and private equity groups.
• Spencer and his brother were prepared and knew which objections to prepare for based on their research and conversations.

In 2019, they landed a nine-figure exit.

• When you understand what people want, you can shift your mindset to account for those wants and create value.
• Be willing to set your ego aside. People will reach a level of sales competency, but every customer is different. Take time to understand what your audience wants and tailor your message to that specific person.

Spencer’s major takeaway? When things don’t work out, just keep trying. Understand your audience’s needs, and keep moving to eventually make the sale. Find Spencer on LinkedIn and YouTube for more great content.

This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you!

Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase.

Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by Closers.io.

Closers.io helps sales reps land their dream remote sales gig, where they can set their own hours, work from anywhere, and make six or even multi-6 figures per year. That sure sounds good to us!

Committed to helping sales reps make a shift, Closers.io will place you in an available sales role that will increase your commissions and help you live the life you want. Apply for free now at https://go.closers.io/TSE.

This episode is brought to you in part by Scratchpad.

Are you tired of a digital workspace cluttered with notes, folders, files, and half-filled spreadsheets? (Not that we’re speaking from personal experience.) Luckily, we’ve found the solution.

Scratchpad is the first Revenue Team Workspace specifically designed to adapt to each salesperson’s workflow, so you don’t have to change your habits. Scratchpad creates a streamlined workflow that allows everyone to be a little more productive each day without the hassle of updating a database with whatever info you can find. Get Scratchpad free at Scratchpad.com. 

This episode is brought to you in part by The Sales Evangelist Sales Training. Check out some of our upcoming programs designed to simplify selling and help b2b sellers consistently hit quota each month. Learn more here at ww.thesalesevangelist.com/upcoming-training or call 1-833-713-2343 for more information.

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Also, leave us a rating and reviews on Apple Podcast.

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

Objections can strike fear into the hearts of salespeople everywhere. But what if there’s a simple formula to handle objections with confidence? In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our guest Ryann Dowdy explains how we can integrate this sales strategy into our sales methodology. 

Ryann’s feelings on objections:

• It’s about asking questions - focusing on the human to human connection and seeing the value in that connection
• We think of a “closing problem,” but the “opening problem” can be just as essential to overcome.
• Help people get what they want by using information they’ve already shared.

Overcome objections from the beginning:

• It’s a simple philosophy: Jeb Blunt’s book Sales EQ explains that we have a physiological response (like increased heart rate) when someone raises an objection. 
• When you get an objection, have a script to follow immediately after the objection to have time to collect yourself.
• For Ryann, she likes to empathize and understand more about the objection to determine where it’s coming from and how to handle it.

Asking questions indicates where to speak further:

• Strictly following a script reduces the human-to-human connection and might prevent you from understanding key information.
• A short post-objection script can be helpful, but think critically and have a loose framework ready to dial in on the prospect's specific needs.
• When asking questions, don’t let your emotions take control. Take a breath before speaking to think. Often, the prospect will start talking instead and give you more information.

Make conversations based on humanity:

• If you focus on serving that prospect, you’ll strengthen the relationship and the trust alongside it.
• It takes practice to avoid taking objections personally. Remember, you and your job are two different things - you bring value and are worthy, regardless of people saying no to a product or service.
• The first time you sit in front of a buyer might not be the right time for the buyer - it’s all about how you handle the rejection.

Ryann’s major takeaway? Ask more questions and never assume you understand a prospect’s objection. For more content from Ryann, check out her book, The 100k Sales Method, on Amazon and connect with her on LinkedIn and Instagram.

This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you!

Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase.

Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by Closers.io.

Closers.io helps sales reps land their dream remote sales gig, where they can set their own hours, work from anywhere, and make six or even multi-6 figures per year. That sure sounds good to us!

Committed to helping sales reps make a shift, Closers.io will place you in an available sales role that will increase your commissions and help you live the life you want. Apply for free now at https://go.closers.io/TSE.

This episode is brought to you in part by Scratchpad.

Are you tired of a digital workspace cluttered with notes, folders, files, and half-filled spreadsheets? (Not that we’re speaking from personal experience.) Luckily, we’ve found the solution.

Scratchpad is the first Revenue Team Workspace specifically designed to adapt to each salesperson’s workflow, so you don’t have to change your habits. Scratchpad creates a streamlined workflow that allows everyone to be a little more productive each day without the hassle of updating a database with whatever info you can find. Get Scratchpad free at Scratchpad.com. 

This episode is brought to you in part by The Sales Evangelist Sales Training. Check out some of our upcoming programs designed to simplify selling and help b2b sellers consistently hit quota each month. Learn more here at ww.thesalesevangelist.com/upcoming-training or call 1-833-713-2343 for more information.

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Also, leave us a rating and reviews on Apple Podcast.

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by COO of People.ai Art Harding. With twenty years of experience in the industry, he’s had plenty of practice overcoming B2B objections through digital transformations.

What is a digital transformation?

• Sure, it’s Uber and Netflix. But it is not solely a technology play; it’s reimagining the customer experience and using technology to facilitate those changes.
• Uber didn’t invent cars, apps, or driving strangers. They just combined those elements in a unique way to make something new.
• The classic go-to-market functions had relatively siloed expectations. Marketing was responsible for branding; sellers were responsible for closing deals, etc.
• Those transformations affected these elements at different rates to unlock new digital journeys.

Digital transformations start from the inside out. 

• Younger generations use the tools and data they expect from a professional (or implement themselves as they grow in their careers.)
• Enterprise sales have dramatically changed in the last few years, and that’s as a result of digital transformations.
• Different departments need to become more connected to limit objections fostered within a lack of communication.
• As technology moves into the customer journey, the person's role becomes even more valuable.

Buyers are more educated now than ever.

• Sellers need a recurring delivery of value, which means overcoming continual objections far past the initial discovery. 
• Sellers need to know how a buyer can take the product you’re selling and apply it to reach their next goal or outcome.
• Be informed on how to drive the buyer’s next steps with the product you sell.

Technology allows a focus on customer understanding.

• Frontline managers no longer need to remind sellers of internal practices but rather anticipate objections and understand solutions for buyers to progress sales.
• Technology allows you to understand (as a sales manager) if your sellers are addressing the proper objections, utilizing the correct persona, and scheduling and identifying the suitable methods that will lead to a sale.
• There’s a difference between understanding the objection and addressing the objection.
• Sales leaders should be able to validate if sellers are hitting the right personas if sellers are prioritizing the correct accounts and if there is a process to qualify unaddressed accounts. 
• If you don’t have a frontline manager program with defined competencies, your future of digital transformations will not progress easily.

Connect with Art on LinkedIn or email him at [email protected] for more great content.

This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you!

Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase.

Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by Closers.io.

Closers.io helps sales reps land their dream remote sales gig, where they can set their own hours, work from anywhere, and make six or even multi-6 figures per year. That sure sounds good to us!

Committed to helping sales reps make a shift, Closers.io will place you in an available sales role that will increase your commissions and help you live the life you want. Apply for free now at https://go.closers.io/TSE.

This episode is brought to you in part by Scratchpad.

Are you tired of a digital workspace cluttered with notes, folders, files, and half-filled spreadsheets? (Not that we’re speaking from personal experience.) Luckily, we’ve found the solution.

Scratchpad is the first Revenue Team Workspace specifically designed to adapt to each salesperson’s workflow, so you don’t have to change your habits. Scratchpad creates a streamlined workflow that allows everyone to be a little more productive each day without the hassle of updating a database with whatever info you can find. Get Scratchpad free at Scratchpad.com. 

This episode is brought to you in part by The Sales Evangelist Sales Training. Check out some of our upcoming programs designed to simplify selling and help b2b sellers consistently hit quota each month. Learn more here at ww.thesalesevangelist.com/upcoming-training or call 1-833-713-2343 for more information.

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Also, leave us a rating and reviews on Apple Podcast.

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

The pushy salesperson is still the preemptive perception many people think of when they think of salespeople, but in today’s world, that image is no longer accurate. Instead, closing a sale is best accomplished by overcoming objections by selling with a servant’s heart. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by Jim Doyle to discuss why this is so important.

What exactly is the term “selling with a servant’s heart?”

• It is being obsessed with the customer outcome. It’s more than a win-win because if it’s right for the customer, it’s right.
• A short term might not be in the seller’s best interest if it means the customer wins in the long term.
• You’re here to serve, not to sell.  This should be the default mentality of salespeople. As you embrace it, you’ll see more success with this mentality.

A servant’s heart can help overcome objections.

• One of his book chapters is, “ask a million questions.” Salespeople are taught to answer questions without focusing on uncovering the seller’s needs. Instead, an in-depth conversation is needed to understand their situation thoroughly.
• A transactional seller is likely to hear more objections than a diagnosis-based seller.
• Objections are likely tied back to a lack of information, and that lack of data results from the three-question qualification process.
• Selling is the process of taking away the buyer’s risk. As a seller, make the leap of faith as small as possible. And how you approach the sale is what reduces risk.

Mitigating risk overcomes objections and is leads to more sales.

• Especially in the corporate setting, the decision needs to help both the company and the specific buyer.
• Help the buyer feel comfortable and aware of the process to reduce their likelihood of objections.

Teach, not sell.

• As a seller, explain how and why your solution will work for the buyer rather than simply explaining why they should buy it.
• Focus on being a solution provider, which means entering a meeting being clear on your intentions, questions, and process.

Jim’s final takeaway? Everything you give is given to you in return. So, focus on making a difference in the world for positivity to come back to you. Connect with Jim on LinkedIn and find Jim’s book “Selling with a Servant Heart” on Amazon. 

This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you!

Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase.

Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by Closers.io.

Closers.io helps sales reps land their dream remote sales gig, where they can set their own hours, work from anywhere, and make six or even multi-6 figures per year. That sure sounds good to us!

Committed to helping sales reps make a shift, Closers.io will place you in an available sales role that will increase your commissions and help you live the life you want. Apply for free now at https://go.closers.io/TSE.

This episode is brought to you in part by Scratchpad.

Are you tired of a digital workspace cluttered with notes, folders, files, and half-filled spreadsheets? (Not that we’re speaking from personal experience.) Luckily, we’ve found the solution.

Scratchpad is the first Revenue Team Workspace specifically designed to adapt to each salesperson’s workflow, so you don’t have to change your habits. Scratchpad creates a streamlined workflow that allows everyone to be a little more productive each day without the hassle of updating a database with whatever info you can find. Get Scratchpad free at Scratchpad.com. 

This episode is brought to you in part by The Sales Evangelist Sales Training. Check out some of our upcoming programs designed to simplify selling and help b2b sellers consistently hit quota each month. Learn more here at ww.thesalesevangelist.com/upcoming-training or call 1-833-713-2343 for more information.

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Also, leave us a rating and reviews on Apple Podcast.

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

When most people think of objections, they think of what stops a deal from progressing. Today’s episode launches the next series on The Sales Evangelist covering the ins and outs of objections. How can you be well-equipped to handle objections with confidence and knowledge? Listen in to find out! 

What is an objection?

• Many salespeople associate an objection with a worst-case scenario, but that’s not always the case. Instead, an objection can be anything that prevents a deal from moving forward, either permanently or just a few days.
• Objections tie back to the buyer not having enough information to move forward. When prospecting, come up with something so valuable they want to move forward.
• Remember, there are limitless reasons people might not want to move forward. 

Identify the objections before they become issues.

• As an industry expert, you can likely know the top issues a prospect might have before purchasing.
• If you know the objections, address them before the prospect has an issue! It streamlines the process and exemplifies your ability to tackle problems quickly.

Ask questions

• When prospects give you concerns, ask practical questions that address the underlying issue.
• One of Donald’s trainers told him to be authentic. Discovering the underlying issue puts you in a better position to address the problem and move forward.

Build trust with your prospect.

• It’s not always about who you know; it's about who trusts you.
• Being a genuine and authentic person will make people more willing to trust you.

Don’t give up right away.

• Your job as a seller is to provide as much value as possible. How can you do that if you give up right away?
• Go deep and discover what is holding the prospect back to see what else you can do to help it move forward.

Recognize that not every person will be a good fit.

• In Donald’s book, Sell It Like a Mango, he addresses this concept. 
• Just because someone isn’t a fit now doesn’t mean they won’t be a fit in the future.

This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you! Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase.

Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by The Sales Evangelist Sales Training. Check out some of our upcoming programs designed to simplify selling and help b2b sellers consistently hit quota each month. Learn more here at ww.thesalesevangelist.com/upcoming-training or call 1-833-713-2343 for more information.

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Also, leave us a rating and reviews on Apple Podcast.

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill. 

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by Chief Revenue Officer for Service Express, Bill Golder, to learn his strategy to build pipelines and close deals. 

Many sellers struggle with building a pipeline.

• A fully built-out pipeline is never a done deal, meaning you constantly have to adapt to determine what works the best.
• There are always new problems to address, and the best companies continuously innovate to meet those needs.

What are effective pipeline strategies?

• They focus on understanding the dynamic between early-stage and late-stage pipelines.
• Many sellers think about a pipeline too holistically, but segmenting the idea of the “pipeline” into different timelines can result in more opportunities.
• To create an accurate forecast, you have to understand how many early-stage prospects will result in a late-stage pipeline.
• The dynamics between an early and a late-stage conversion might look entirely different.

Bill’s guide to implementing new pipeline strategies:

• If salespeople are reluctant to implement or don’t see the value in a new pipeline process, a data-driven approach to identify issues (and how a new strategy can solve them) will be a great tactic.
• Understand the indicators that actually lead to a conversion versus the feeling of a conversion.

Common pipeline building mistakes:

• There’s too much assumption - we assume something is important to them when it might not be.
• Sellers inherently think their product is essential, but the prospect might have other priorities or issues that make our solution much less important at the moment.
• Issues aren’t because we’ve lost; deals keep getting pushed. And that’s primarily rooted in the failure to understand a prospect’s priorities.
• Understand your late-stage prospects' attributes and identify what measures attract them to purchase.

Sales leaders have an integral role to play.

• Everyone has a unique pipeline with unique problems they might need help solving.
• As a sales manager, be well-versed in each seller’s pipeline so you can root coaching and development based on their metrics to lead to more actionable results.
• There’s a danger to generalize and preach the same message to the whole team. Instead, identify what activities best process the seller’s personal goals.

Bill’s final takeaway? Find the balance of quality and quantity in building a pipeline and know the right types of prospects you should identify. Reach out to Bill at [email protected] or connect with him on LinkedIn for more great content. 

This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you!

Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase.

Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to! 

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

We've learned multiple perspectives in our series over forecasting that help create a more accurate and beneficial forecast. But how can you take your efforts to the next level? In this episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by the Director of Enterprise Sales at Envoy, Sarah Lash, to discuss proper forecasting techniques from both a selling and management perspective. 

There are significant forecasting issues:

• Some people rely too much on the map and aren’t listening to what’s happening in the business.
• On the flip, some people listen too much to intuition without diving deep enough.
• From a management perspective, sales reps might provide you with a shadow pipeline (data entered into an incorrect pipeline), forcing you to identify those issues.
• There is also the problem of the intraquarter revenue - opportunities that open and close in the same quarter. How should we factor those into forecasting?
• Whether you’re a rep or a manager, lack of communication will distinguish the most accurate forecasting.

Don’t just focus on the data; focus on the right data:

• The “I need X amount of pipeline to get to this number” mentality has positive and negative effects.
• Similarly, a purely cause and effect mentality does not do justice to the nuances of selling.
• Instead of waiting for a prospect to say a specific phrase to indicate the likelihood of purchase, integrate information beyond your personal experiences with the selling process.

Have a mutual action plan:

• Creating an example that establishes a “good’ reference point is essential for sellers to understand what actions result in the most buy-ins.
• When creating a mutual action plan, start backward. For example, what is the timeline the prospect would like something to be implemented? 
• Then, ask what steps need to be taken before that date to reach the end result?
• Remember, it’s not just evaluating pricing but determining if there are technical, legal, or security issues that need solving. 
• Create a calendar based on these milestones, and as a seller, you can use this to gain information.
• Finally, determine what could go wrong and establish how to address those.

Forecasting involves a balance of data and intuition: 

• It’s a combination of 50/50, but it’s never so explicitly balanced. The beauty is the combination of the two, in whatever capacity each deal necessitates.
• To practice intuition with her team, Sarah conducts a large-deal review call with her organization each week to hear sellers talk about deals to learn and grow with one another.
• When interacting with a prospect, set expectations from the beginning. For example, ask someone if you can ask multiple questions.
• Disarm the prospect as much as possible. You want to understand why milestones, behaviors, and expectations are the way they are.

Sarah’s final takeaway for sellers? Be confident you know your craft because confidence is your ability to be the partner your customer needs. To find more content and information from Sarah, connect with her on LinkedIn or visit Envoy’s website to learn more about what they do.

This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

The Great Resignation has become the Great Reshuffle, meaning it can be difficult for sales professionals like you to find leads and close deals. Luckily, Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is here for you!

Sales Navigator from LinkedIn is the only tool that uses real-time alerts and up-to-date insights to help you know when prospects are ready to buy. And, with over 30 advanced filters, sales professionals can quickly find genuine leads with the intent to purchase.

Gain the advantage of accurate, quality lead generation data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You can get a 60-day free trial of Sales Navigator at www.LinkedIn.com/TSE. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio.

Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real.

But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey.

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to! 

Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial.

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS