Joining Hosts Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson is John Barrows, the CEO of JB Sales and Author of I Want To Be In Sales When I Grow Up. John outlines what led to the current poor performance amongst sales reps and what leaders can do about it to increase performance today and in the long run. They also get into why buyers dread demos, whether marketers should control all of the messaging from sales, and how smart sellers will approach incorporating AI into their workflows.

Also, Craig tells a story about sending around a slide deck and Matt showcases the latest improvement to the production value of the show: the Clapper.

Takeaways:

• Sales success is more achievable through repeatable processes than through unreliable shortcuts.
• Encourage personalized and relevant outreach: Teach sales reps to conduct thorough research before outreach, making every interaction as relevant and personalized as possible.
• Highlight the importance of business understanding: Sales reps must develop a deeper grasp of the customer's business landscape, priorities, and challenges for more effective positioning of solutions.
• Use AI to augment human efforts in sales, especially for research and personalization, but don’t try to automate humans out of the process. Augmenting > Automating

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Matt Applauds Today’s Guest
• 02:59 - The Golden Age of Sales and Its Pitfalls
• 10:38 - The Role of Hard Work in Sales Success
• 22:56 - Fixing The Crisis in Sales
• 31:32 - Applying Design Thinking to Sales
• 36:59 - Demystifying the Dreaded Demo
• 44:29 - The Impact of Research and Preparation
• 47:24 - The Role of Experience and Empathy in Sales
• 51:37 - Addressing the Generational Shift in Sales Practices

Quote of the Show:

• “The quantity game is over” - John Barrows

Sponsor:

• Ringmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Connect with John Barrows:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ 
• Website: https://www.jbarrows.com/ 
• Sell Better Website: https://sellbetter.xyz/ 
• I Want To Be In Sales When I Grow Up: https://www.iwanttobeinsaleswhenigrowup.com/ 

Shoutouts:

• Sam Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samfjacobs/ 
• Ashley Welch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/awelch1/ 
• Naked Sales: https://a.co/d/1oJjOc2 
• Becc Holland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccholland-flipthescript/ 
• Dan Waldschmidt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielwaldschmidt/ 

Follow the Show:

• Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ 
• Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ 
• Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ 

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

Today’s episode is a real treat because we have multiple amazing guests joining Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson for a deep dive into the state of MarTech today and how to think about generative AI within the larger AI conversation. Scott Brinker & Esteban Kolsky are two of the foremost thinkers and analysts in the B2B world and are here together to volley high-value concepts and insights. Scott, Esteban, and Craig dissect the challenges and potentials of generative AI (Gen AI), the proliferation of MarTech vendors, and the critical need for democratized data in use versus data in storage.

Also, Matt shares why he thinks Mr. and Mrs. Smith has the best season finale in tv history and Craig examines his use of the word “gangster”.

Takeaways:

• Build software solutions with integration in mind. 
• Data in storage is vastly different from data in use. The value of data comes not just from collecting it but from actively applying it to solve problems and guide decisions. Make your data actionable.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Quick Recap of True Detective and What Craig Learned
• 10:07 - Introducing the Dynamic Duo: Scott Brinker & Esteban Kolsky
• 14:17 - The Trouble with Defining the Value of Marketing Properly
• 21:57 - Comparing Marketers’ Relationship to  MarTech and Marketing Agencies
• 28:54 - Barriers to Entry for SaaS Vendors Have Dropped Drastically
• 37:57 - A Surprisingly Apt Football Analogy for Thinking About AI & Vendors
• 45:27 - How Generative AI is Democratizing Access to Data
• 56:37 - Liquid Death Auctioning Off Ad Space on Ebay

Quote of the Show:

• “You need to treat integration as a first-class capability because if people can't integrate this stuff with the rest of their stack, they're not going get the value out of you.” - Scott Brinker
• “Once you understand that computers make based on one and zeros that are stored, the world is a lot simpler to go through. Then it's just go play poker.” - Esteban Kolsky

Sponsor:

• Ringmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Connect with Scott Brinker:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjbrinker/ 
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/chiefmartec 
• Chief Martec Website: https://chiefmartec.com/ 
• HubSpot Website: https://www.hubspot.com/ 
• Martech for 2024 Report: https://martechmap.typeform.com/martechfor2024

Connect with Esteban Kolsky:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/estebankolsky/ 

Shoutouts:

• Paul Greenberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pgreenbe/ 
• Mike Fauscette: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mfauscette/ 
• Brent Leary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentleary/ 
• Brian Vellmure: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianvellmure/
• Maria Pergolino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapergolino/
• Kipp Bodnar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kippbodnar/ 

Follow the Show:

• Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ 
• Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ 
• The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ 
• The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ 
• Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ 

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

Welcome back to The Transaction! In our second episode, you’ll hear from a truly classic Founder who is full of marketing ideas that are disrupting the status quo of B2B marketing. 

Mac Reddin is the Founder and El Rey de Dinos at Commsor, the company behind both Matcha and Bronto. Mac joins co-hosts Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson to save go-to-market teams from the 99% of what they do that is wrong or misguided. Mac dives into his Vibe-First Marketing approach, how a few hundred chicken wings upended event marketing, and what it takes to inundate LinkedIn without spending a dime. 

Also, Craig complains about New York City winter weather and Matt divulges his European shoe size.

Takeaways:

• Marketers shouldn’t judge an idea solely based on how measurable it is. 
• The bar for a campaign working and being seen as creative and new is incredibly low in B2B. Come up with an idea that actually breaks through the noise of sameness from your competitors and then stick to it. 
• Build strong relations with your customers, prospects, and audience by creating something they want to be a part of.
• When Founders are active on social and leading from the front, it allows people to connect closer with them and the company, making the marketing team’s (and everyone else’s) jobs much easier.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Craig Complains about the Cold
• 01:48 - Introducing Special Guest Mac Reddin!
• 04:03 - What GTM Teams are Doing Wrong & Vibe-First Marketing
• 09:05 - The Chicken Wing Example of a Vibe-First Marketing Approach
• 16:39 - How Commsor’s Booth Compares to Traditional Event Marketing
• 20:40 - Mac’s B2C Sources of Inspiration 
• 24:49 - How to Create an Influencer Campaign to Conquer LinkedIn
• 31:29 - The Impact of Consistently Building Strong Relationships In Your Market 
• 34:46 - How B2B Marketers Should Think About Video Content
• 38:22 - Founders That are Active on Social Media are a Secret Weapon
• 43:46 - Being Intentional and Consistent with LinkedIn are Key

Quote of the Show:

• “When I think about marketing ideas and when our team thinks about them, we tend to think from a vibe-first mentality. We think more from the perspective of how are people going to feel about this?” - Mac Reddin

Sponsor:

• Ringmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Connect with Mac:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mac-reddin/ 
• Commsor Website: https://www.commsor.com/ 
• Matcha.so Website: https://matcha.so/ 
• Bronto Website: https://www.bronto.co/ 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Commsor/featured 

Shoutouts:

• Sam Guertin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-guertin/ 
• MSCHF: https://mschf.com/ 
• Most viewed videos on YouTube: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most-viewed_YouTube_videos 

Follow the Show:

• Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ 
• Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ 
• The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ 
• The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ 
• Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ 

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

Welcome to the first full episode of The Transaction! We’re kicking things off right with an amazing guest who is known for her time as President and COO of Gong, and as Executive Vice President, Sales at Tableau. Kelly Breslin Wright is now the Founder of Culture Driven Sales and an Adjunct professor at the University of Washington. 

Kelly joins Host Craig Rosenberg for a fantastic conversation about the shift from traditional sales methods towards a 'Culture Driven Sales' approach, how a company’s mission and values are crucial for internal alignment, and how companies can actually be data-driven in their decision-making processes.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Welcome to the Show & Recapping Matt’s California Road Trip
• 07:54 - Introducing Special Guest Kelly Wright
• 11:36 - Most Company Leaders are NOT Aligned
• 24:34 - People, People, People: The Core of Successful Companies
• 33:32 - Simplifying Business: The Power of Keeping It Simple
• 34:27 - The Impact of Culture on Sales and Customer Relationships
• 35:54 - Navigating the Challenges of High Performers with Poor Cultural Fit
• 39:16 - Embracing Data-Driven Strategies in Go-to-Market Teams
• 49:39 - The Basis of Culture Driven Sales

Quote of the Show:

• “Culture Driven Sales is about emotionally connecting with other human beings so that  you can understand what their need is and they're more likely to buy because you're actually speaking on a more emotional level than on a transactional, tactical level.” - Kelly Wright

Sponsor:

• Ringmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Connect with Kelly Wright:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellybreslinwright/ 
• Culture Driven Sales Website: https://culturedrivensales.com/ 
• University of Washington Foster School of Business Website: https://foster.uw.edu/faculty-research/directory/kelly-wright/ 

Shoutouts:

• Barbareño: https://www.barbareno.com/ 
• Sam Guertin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-guertin/ 
• Casey Cheshire: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycheshire/ 
• Lena Waters: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenawaters/ 
• Dannie Herzberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannieherzberg/ 
• Olivia Nottebohm: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-nottebohm-7095b0/ 
• Panel Mentioned by Craig: https://afterparty.gong.io/public/76/%23Celebrate-70ab8437/296a7c22 

Words Coined This Episode: 

•   Unactionable - Craig Rosenberg

Follow the Show:

• Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ 
• Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ 
• The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ 
• The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ 
• Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ 

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

Welcome to The Transaction! 

This is just a taste of what you can expect from the first four episodes of the show. 

First Episode drops 3/14

Learn more at https://thetransactionpod.com/

Follow The Show!

Social Media:

~LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/

~Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/

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Podcast Players:

~YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1

~Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309

~Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz

~iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-transaction-156497699/ 

~Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-transaction/PC:1001085545 

~Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7a7bea5d-f365-4744-bdad-230e1b11b49e/the-transaction 

~Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ssrir2v3 

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#podcasttrailer #officialtrailer #newpodcast #techpodcast #businessideas

Welcome to The Transaction.

From ABM to PLG, from MEDDIC to MEDDPICC, the world of business is constantly evolving. We’ll cover the who, what, where, when, why and most importantly how you get… The Transaction.

Hosted by Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson.

Presented by Ringmaster Conversational Marketing, the go-to branded podcast team. To discover how your company can leverage B2B podcasts to deliver outsized ROI, visit ringmaster.com.