The Sales Fix Podcast

The two Steves and I discuss sales persistence, the right approach to looking for sales jobs right now, and I get a really bad charlie horse --------------------------------------------------------- Visit our promotional partners at www.originmaine.com and refract.ai/salesfix --------------------------------------------------------- Show Theme Song courtesy of Incompetech Edm Detection Mode by Kev...

Many sales people see prospecting as a huge negative. It feels awkward and intrusive and involves lots of harsh rejection and conflict. Prospecting doesn't have to be that way, and if you avoid these common mistakes, you can make prospecting an experience that isn't painful, for you or the prospect. --------------------------------------------------------- Visit our promotional partners at www.ori...

2020 caused a lot of changes, many of which are not likely to change back, but instead become permanent new realities. That said, some aspects of prospecting are fundamental and must be considered when adapting to new times. David Kreiger is the founder and president of Sales Roads, a pipeline creation service for companies seeking a simple but effective solution. He joins me on the podcast to dis...

Like anyone who teaches, I am often asked what the "one thing" is that ensures success. I have a love/hate relationship with that question, but waht Dr J, Mozart, Bill Gates, Tom Brady and many others have taught me is that there is an ingredient that influences success above all others, even if it isn't a silver bullet.  --------------------------------------------------------- Visit our pro...

Sales  tools like automated calendar links, email campaigns and lead  generation messaging services are a subject of great controversy in the  sales world. The two Steves and I discuss the ups and downs of these  tools and how to use them, as well as how to NOT use them. --------------------------------------------------------- Visit our promotional partners at www.originmaine....

Sales is a science, with a touch of art. All science is based on data, and how that data is interpreted to draw valid conclusions. I know what I know but I also like to know WHY what I know is right.  Richard Smith has a blend of technical and sales expertise and experience, and he comes on the Sales Fix Podcast to share insights from his work at Refract and to promote his new book, Problem P...

The two Steves and I kick off 2021 talking about some of worst bad beats and best lucky wins sales stories, reviewing why those things happen and how we navigated them. I also get their sales "origin" stories. Nice mellow chat to kick of 2021. --------------------------------------------------------- Visit our promotional partners at www.originmaine.com and refract.ai/salesfix --------------------...

Mark Twain had a great saying around what you think you know and what you know you know that ain't so. There are 4 very dangerous assumptions to avoid in sales, and understanding them is key to not wasting time chasing wild geese.  --------------------------------------------------------- Visit our promotional partners at www.originmaine.com and refract.ai/salesfix ---------------------------...

Ever told someone you are in sales, only to see that look of pity and sorrow on their face? Sales, and what it takes to be good at it often suffers a bad brand image, but sales professionals know that good sales people are leaders. They influence the world in a positive way, based on understanding that pushing for a decision not the same thing as pushing for a yes, and that "intent" matters. -----...

You can't sell someone something without agreeing on a few core concepts. Qualified prospects need to be in agreement on a few key premises or they are not qualified prospects and represent a huge waste of time and effort. Identify the main beliefs you need to be aligned with your prospects on, and start the conversations by making those exist. -----------------------------------------------------...

In today's world, the written word is doubly important. As more and more sales efforts rely on online connection through email or social media platforms, the unintended consequences of bad writing habits have never been higher. Corda and I invited Bryan Grobstein, sales enablement and operations professional to discuss some really bad examples of the written pitch, and identify the best practices...

It's easy to think you are selling against the competition, but your greatest competitor isn't another company. It is the fear of making a change. Your prospect live in their status quo for a reason, and most of the time you are not competing against doing something else, you are competing against doing nothing. Understanding that and knowing how to address it is a powerful tool when dealing with...

I've worked directly for Darren Schwartz and seen him create and recreate the most amazing sales culture across all levels of management that fueled the fastest growth to a billion dollar valuation in US history.  He's a master at leading and inspiring people. His ability to connect with subordinates on a personal level and leverage that connection to get people working at their best is secon...

Jenny Foss is an accomplished recruiter and career coach. I've known her for almost 20 years and she's my go to expert for all matters relating to interviewing, job hunting, resume writing and the best way to use Linkedin. Jenny has built her business on helping people maximize their job searching efforts and coaching people in a direct, effective way. She's a true professional who gets to the poi...

Producer Steve and I handle questions submitted through the website and  social media. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Parler to submit questions. We kick off with a discussion around common ways Sales people mess with in their interactions with prospects and clients. Visit our promotional partners at www.originmaine.com and refract.ai/salesfix ========================================= Show...

Brian and I met over 20 years ago. We've worked together, sold together, been business partners and friends. I highly respect his mind and his way of thinking, and doubly so on the subject of sales. We discuss a few key topics on the concept of sales, but especially noteworthy are his thoughts around the "why that's important to you" aspect of customer centric sales. When we take care of customers...

Human Behavioral Science tells us that people are far more willing to accept new information when they perceive it as part of their agenda, vs part of the agenda of the person conveying the information. That's a fancy way of saying that we all prefer to ask for something, instead of having it pushed on us. The great sales guru Jeffrey Gitomer coined the phrase "People love to buy, but hate to be s...

Thor Shaffer is the owner of the BJJ Academy I attend and one of my mentors. In the years I have been studying with him I've seen some compelling parallels between core Jiu Jitsu principles and proper sales science and mindset. Thor holds black belts in multiple martial arts, and has won many tournaments. in 2018, he was ranked #1 in the US and #4 in the world by the UAEJJF. He's been competing fo...

What does a Chinese girl falling off her horse have to do with the fall of the Roman empire? A lot. The same chaos theory applies to your prospecting.  You often will not feel like prospecting is working until you look at it in hindsight. Activity breeds results and Chaos theory math proves it. Episode brought to you by Originmaine.com  If you're looking to get great nutrition, I highly...

Jenny Floros has many years of experience working in sales and leading sales teams to excellence. She's currently the Regional Vice President of sales at Groupon, INC. in Chicago, IL. and was also a VP of Marketing at Ticketmaster for 10 years. I've personally worked with Jenny and am in awe of her ability to run teams and build incredible loyalty from the people who work for her. I personally kno...

Trust is an essential element of winning sales. Trust wobbles come from many places, but for sales people, the logical or data based trust wobbles are the most common for sales people. I cover the four pillars of creating logical trust with prospective clients. I refer to Prof Frances Frei's work at Harvard University. Check out her Ted Talk on the subjects. https://bit.ly/2OQ6u4j Episode brought...

I interview Dillon Knight Kalkhurst, author and speaker and expert on generational communication styles and gaps. For the first time in human history, there are 5 generations in the workplace, leading to many misunderstandings and mistakes in management and in sales. We discuss these patterns and the awareness needed to navigate them both for customers and co workers. Dillon's Books: "GENERATION E...

Sales people tend to focus on features and benefits, showing clients what they stand to GAIN by buying. Sadly, most clients make buying decisions and all decisions in fact on avoiding pain.  Episode brought to you by Originmaine.com  Check out their selection  of amazing workout wear, casual wear and shoes. All made in America with  the actual fabric also made in America from A...

The road of "sometime" leads to the town of "nowhere" in the state of "Not gonna happen". Every interaction with a prospect should end with setting a specific next step.  Episode brought to you by Originmaine.com  Check out their selection of amazing workout wear, casual wear and shoes. All made in America with the actual fabric also made in America from American grown cotton. Support Am...

The two Steves and I handle questions submitted through the website and social media. Top question is the validity of opening up conversations with "How are you?" or something similar. Visit our promotional partners at www.originmaine.com/nutrition and www.refract.ai Show Theme Song courtesy of Incompetech Edm Detection Mode by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4987-edm-det...