===FILE=== -h29cmOg5L4 - The Cold Truth About Cold Calling Money Monday.txt
https://youtu.be/-h29cmOg5L4
The Cold Truth About Cold Calling (Money Monday)

[0:00] [Music] [0:05] this is Jeb blunt and it's money Monday [0:07] on the sales gravy podcast say make M [0:11] make make [0:15] makees [0:18] worldy me [0:21] sound all right it's Monday and this [0:23] week like every week there are only [0:24] three things you can control you can [0:26] control your actions what you choose to [0:28] do every moment of every day you can [0:31] control your reactions how do you [0:32] respond to the challenges roadblocks and [0:34] conflict that come at you and you can [0:36] choose your mindset what you choose to [0:39] believe now I choose to believe that [0:41] success in sales is paid for in advance [0:44] with prospecting with hard work with [0:47] effort with grind a few weeks back I was [0:49] delivering a fanatical prospecting boot [0:51] camp to a group of sales reps who were [0:53] all in their 20s they had been assigned [0:55] to me because their boss was tired of [0:57] listening to their excuses about why [0:59] they weren't consistently picking up the [1:01] phone and prospecting and when he [1:03] brought me in he said matter of factly [1:05] that they won't pay attention to me but [1:07] before I start firing people I'm hoping [1:09] that you can get through to them now the [1:12] Reps didn't want to be there it was a [1:14] hostile audience from the very start and [1:17] just as I kicked off the training one of [1:19] the Reps challenged me with your book [1:21] fanatical prospecting was written a long [1:23] time ago is it even relevant anymore now [1:27] his sneering words were much more of [1:29] aate statement than they were a question [1:32] you see like many reluctant Prospectors [1:35] he wanted to engage in a distracting [1:37] argument over whether or not outbound [1:39] prospecting and coal calling was old [1:40] school he wanted validation that his [1:43] avoidance of prospecting was okay and to [1:45] make the point that marketing should be [1:48] responsible for delivering hot ready to [1:50] buy leads to him on a silver platter now [1:53] sales reps of all generations for at [1:55] least the last 125 years have been eager [1:58] to make any excuse and I mean any excuse [2:01] to avoid picking up a phone or knocking [2:03] on the door and the most common excuse [2:06] has always been that synchronous [2:07] prospecting that means talking with [2:09] people is old school there were a couple [2:12] of Snickers in the back of the room an [2:14] anticipation for what I would do next [2:16] but look I've been there I've done this [2:18] I've heard it and I've got the T-shirt [2:20] to prove it so I just said what do you [2:22] think has changed since I wrote the book [2:24] The Young rep shot back in the most [2:26] condescending tone well for one thing [2:29] nobody answers the phone anymore so I [2:31] challenged him right back I said okay [2:34] let's test your hypothesis let me see [2:36] the prospecting list that you brought [2:38] with you now we always run live call [2:40] blocks in our fanatical prospecting boot [2:42] camps and we require participants to [2:44] bring a list with them he pulled the [2:46] list up on his laptop and I started [2:48] dialing it right in front of the class [2:51] instantly I had their attention they all [2:53] leaned in to watch because reality TV is [2:56] a hell of a magnet I made $111 to his [3:00] list spoke to two decision makers and I [3:02] set one appointment all within the span [3:04] of about 15 minutes as I handed the [3:07] laptop back to him I turned to the group [3:09] and said any more questions Elvis [3:12] Presley once said that the truth is like [3:14] the sun you can shut it out for a time [3:16] but it ain't going away you see the cold [3:19] truth about cold calling is that nobody [3:21] answers a phone that doesn't [3:24] ring what was true when I wrote [3:26] fanatical prospecting is still true [3:28] today if you wait for people to [3:30] interrupt you you'll starve to death if [3:32] you think your marketing team is going [3:33] to supply you with an endless stream of [3:35] qualified ready to buy prospects you are [3:38] delusional and here's another Truth for [3:40] you when it comes to prospecting you [3:42] cannot be delusional and have a full [3:44] pipeline at the same time there are [3:46] certainly sales jobs where your phone [3:48] rings and inbound chat dings with people [3:51] who are ready to buy and if you [3:53] absolutely cannot stand interrupting [3:55] people through outbound prospecting but [3:57] you like selling perhaps these roles are [3:59] for you [4:00] however if you take a sales job where [4:02] you never have to make a coal call be [4:05] prepared for a pay cut sales reps and [4:07] these types of roles typically get paid [4:09] by the hour with minimum commission [4:12] upside the most coveted highest earning [4:14] sales jobs are reserved for rain makers [4:17] who have the ability to fill their [4:19] pipeline through outbound prospecting [4:21] activity this is a prized and highly [4:24] rewarded meta skill the top rning sales [4:27] Professionals in every industry [4:29] everywhere under understand this at a [4:31] visceral level this is why they are [4:33] absolutely fanatical about prospecting [4:36] if you want to make more money if you [4:38] want to sell more if you want to be [4:40] successful and get the awards and [4:42] accolades that you feel that you deserve [4:44] then you need to get right with this [4:46] truth right now this is a binary Choice [4:50] do you want to be successful in sales or [4:53] linger in mediocrity and failure and [4:55] eventually be replaced by a robot go [4:57] look at yourself in the mirror right now [4:59] and just answer that question because [5:01] success in sales is paid for in advance [5:04] with prospecting and if you're not [5:05] willing to pay this price get out now go [5:08] do something else because life is far [5:10] too short to spend it doing something [5:12] that you hate on the other hand if the [5:14] answer is yes and you choose to embrace [5:17] success then make the commitment to be a [5:19] Relentless Unstoppable fanatical [5:22] prospector ditch your Wishbone and grow [5:24] a prospecting backbone fanatical [5:27] prospecting is the path of freedom [5:30] embracing it gives you wings it's the [5:32] difference between earning enough income [5:34] to create generational wealth or living [5:36] paycheck to paycheck for the rest of [5:38] your life living in your dream home or [5:40] paying rent for some flee bitten Place [5:42] someone else owns settling for a [5:44] lowbudget station or taking your family [5:47] on an epic dream vacation it will change [5:50] your life fanatical Prospectors are [5:53] always on all the time everywhere they [5:56] fill every available moment in their [5:57] sales day with prospecting activity they [6:00] Prospect day and night anywhere anytime [6:02] always on the hunt for the next [6:04] opportunity fanatical Prospectors are [6:06] fearless they strike up conversations [6:09] with strangers in line to get coffee and [6:10] elevators on Planes Trains and anywhere [6:13] else they can talk with people and [6:14] potentially qualify prospects they ask [6:17] people where they work what they do and [6:19] who makes decisions at their company [6:21] fanatical Prospectors get up early in [6:23] the morning and bang the phone and [6:24] during the day they knock on doors they [6:26] go to networking events conferences and [6:28] trade shows they invest in their [6:30] Professional Network and they ask for [6:32] referrals at night they engage prospects [6:35] on social media and when it's time to go [6:37] home they always make one more call you [6:41] see the pipe is life and this is why [6:44] fanatical prospecting is as relevant [6:46] today as it was the day I wrote it and [6:49] that is the cold hard truth before I [6:52] wrap up I want to say thank you to Peter [6:54] serowski who wrote this awesome [6:56] five-star review on Apple podcast he [6:59] says it's the most applicable advice [7:01] you'll ever hear Jeb keeps it real he's [7:03] not glamorizing sales or chess beating [7:05] about all the money he makes like so [7:06] many other annoying motivational [7:08] speakers it's just straight talking [7:10] advice warts and all and I really [7:12] appreciate that thanks Peter truly [7:14] appreciate you for writing that review [7:16] and look if you love this podcast if [7:18] it's giving you value do me a solid take [7:21] the three seconds yet literally three [7:23] seconds to Click Five Stars those five [7:26] star ratings move us up in the algorithm [7:28] and they help other people people find [7:30] us and if this podcast is connecting [7:33] with you viscerally do your friends and [7:35] your peers a favor click the share [7:37] button and send it to them because how [7:39] you start your Monday is how you end [7:41] your Monday and you want to start your [7:44] Monday strong I'll see you next time on [7:46] the sales gravy podcast and remember [7:48] when you're tired when you're worn out [7:50] when you can't take any more rejection [7:52] when you just want to give up and go [7:54] home always make one more [7:57] call survival of the Finish you can sink [8:00] or swim I've been broke I ain't never [8:02] going back again I need some C notes [8:04] some cheddar and a stack of ends I need [8:06] a bowl of dough I don't need no Facebook [8:08] friends I need a pack of them snaps a [8:11] handful of Fetti WPS and rubber band on [8:13] my green backs look dog don't be playing [8:15] with my paper I need every red scent [8:17] that's why I brought my little [8:20] [Music] [8:22] scraper money Mone Mone make Mone money [8:25] make Mone Mone money take money money [8:28] take moneyone

===FILE=== 6l106S-Hu8w - Why Cold Calling Will Never Die  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/6l106S-Hu8w
Why Cold Calling Will Never Die ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:03] [music] [0:07] Welcome back to the Sales Gravy podcast. [0:09] It's wisdom Wednesday where you drive [0:10] the agenda. And on this segment of the [0:12] Sales Gravy podcast, you bring your [0:14] biggest sales challenges and Jeb Blunt [0:16] delivers his best answers. And those [0:18] answers, they come straight from the [0:19] trenches because Jeb's not just teaching [0:21] sales. He's out there prospecting, [0:23] closing, and leading sales teams every [0:25] single day. Let's take our next caller. [0:28] This question is from Tara Lane. She [0:29] asks, "With email prospecting becoming [0:31] less effective for outreach, what are [0:33] the three most critical adjustments that [0:35] a sales professional must make to their [0:37] cold calling efforts? And how important [0:39] is cold calling as a skill for roles [0:41] ranging from SDRs all the way up to [0:44] sales managers? [0:44] It always will be. It always has been. [0:47] It never will not be to be able to be [0:49] comfortable getting outside your skin [0:50] and introducing yourself to someone. [0:52] Again, being genuine and being there to [0:55] help, not to pitch and sell is the hard [0:57] thing. But the easiest answer I can give [0:59] you is cold calling is never going to be [1:01] something that that goes away. It's [1:02] always going to be with email. I can't I [1:05] can't say it as perfectly as you did, [1:07] Terendo. With email efficiency, [1:08] responses going down without bound. Take [1:10] that, crumble it up, piece of paper, [1:12] thought, throw it in the mental trash [1:13] can. Like, you need to go a deeper level [1:16] on your question as well to look in the [1:18] mirror and get better at what you're [1:19] trying to make more efficient. What [1:21] about your emails are becoming less [1:23] efficient? Did people not reply to you [1:25] because you emailed them something [1:26] really personalized and that tells you [1:28] that that's not efficient? You know, did [1:30] they not reply to you after you followed [1:32] up 13 times in 5 days? Did they not [1:35] reply to you after you emailed them when [1:36] your colleagues had all called them the [1:38] same day? Those are the things that need [1:40] to be looked at. So cold calling around [1:42] that context, especially, hey Jeb, I [1:47] work at a company where frankly I wish I [1:48] could be the only person that called [1:50] you, but I I know you've gotten about [1:51] seven phone calls from my company. Could [1:53] I take 30 seconds to try and convince [1:55] you to take that one call from me and [1:57] turn it into no more calls from my [1:58] company? Those are the little things [2:00] that have to have some type of human [2:02] element and human connection. But email [2:05] doesn't go away either. Hey, I Jeb, I [2:07] sent you an email last week with this [2:09] really cool case study cuz I saw you [2:11] talked about this thing at the outbound [2:12] conference. I mean, those are the things [2:15] that you need to be able to reference, [2:16] but having a human voice is probably the [2:19] easiest way to dispel to your buyer as [2:21] well that you're not just an AI robot. [2:23] You know, hey, I sent you an email. [2:26] Surprise, it was an AI. Would I be the [2:28] worst salesperson in the world if I [2:29] didn't also try to call you? Those are [2:31] the little ways that I would start to [2:32] look at it. Terlin, in all seriousness, [2:34] jokes aside, you know, feel free to send [2:36] me or Jeb or JBJ a message on LinkedIn [2:39] via email, whatever. I want to know what [2:41] you're actually saying when you say your [2:43] email is not actually still performing [2:45] at his higher rate because we could [2:46] probably unpack that a little bit more [2:47] too. [2:48] Start thinking about today's modern [2:50] prospecting. One of the major problems [2:52] that we're facing is Tara that your [2:56] prospects are getting inundated. And the [2:58] reason they're getting inundated is [2:59] because AI and the AI engines that drive [3:03] email prospecting make it so much easier [3:05] for people to inundate them. So when [3:08] you're sending emails, if they look like [3:10] AI wrote them, they're not standing out [3:13] and you're getting either deleted or [3:16] blocked. And in these days, what's [3:18] happening with a lot of buyers is when [3:20] they see something that looks like a [3:21] robot wrote it, they just block it [3:23] because they know that a robot's going [3:25] to send another email and they're going [3:26] to be relentless. as Will said, you [3:28] know, 13 times in 13 days. What you [3:30] really gets me is that I get the same [3:32] email essentially that's crap from the [3:34] same robot three days in a row. And if I [3:36] do that, then they're not going to be [3:38] able to send me emails anymore because [3:39] I'm blocking that domain. You want to [3:41] think about what you are sending via [3:43] email and does it stand out and does it [3:46] sound like a person wrote it. And as [3:48] crazy as this sounds, everybody, AI can [3:51] write really, really well. But if you're [3:53] writing a prospecting email, you're [3:54] actually going to be so much better if [3:55] you just write it yourself. This doesn't [3:57] take a lot of work. These things aren't [3:58] very long and you got to make it about [4:00] the person. There's a framework in both [4:02] the LinkedIn edge here and fanatical [4:04] prospecting and virtual selling that I [4:06] provide you for building those messages [4:08] that connect. Try that. But if we start [4:10] looking at at email and let's just [4:11] assume that you're right like email as a [4:14] mechanism is getting uh fewer responses. [4:18] So the the response rate of the [4:19] conversion rate on email is going down. [4:21] Let's assume that's true. Then what do [4:23] you need to do? What skills do you need [4:24] to build in cold calling in order to get [4:27] through? So skill number one is the [4:29] ability to leave voice messages. And [4:32] there's voice messages you're going to [4:33] leave on the phone. And there's also [4:35] voice messages that you're going to end [4:37] up leaving on say LinkedIn. So you need [4:39] to learn how to leave an effective voice [4:41] message on LinkedIn, effective voice [4:42] message on the phone. And that's going [4:44] to be super important because in a lot [4:46] of cases, not only people are going to [4:48] hear your voice message, they're going [4:49] to read your voice message. The second [4:51] thing is sequencing. So you need to get [4:52] really good at being able to leverage a [4:55] cold call, which might turn into a voice [4:57] message, which might turn into a [4:59] reminder via email or a LinkedIn direct [5:02] mail, which also might be a email, which [5:05] could also be a text message, or could [5:07] be you landing on your prospect's social [5:10] media post and commenting on it. It [5:11] could even go into snail mail. So what [5:13] happens is if you're like sending one [5:15] email out there, you're just a drop in [5:17] the ocean. But if you leave with a phone [5:20] call and you leave a voice message, [5:22] you're a real human being. If you then [5:24] follow up with an email and you mention [5:26] the voice message that you left, you're [5:28] a real human being. And then if you do [5:30] something on LinkedIn, and I love [5:31] reminders on LinkedIn, hey, I left you a [5:34] voicemail. And if by the way, if you're [5:36] a field salesperson, you can have a [5:37] reminder. Hey, I came by your office and [5:39] I dropped something at the front desk [5:40] for you. Uh, so you can use that. But [5:42] you want to start sequencing and pulling [5:44] those messages together. You can see [5:46] right here, I've got this brand new [5:47] book, The LinkedIn Edge. In the book [5:49] itself, there's a whole process on how [5:51] to sequence those things together. But [5:53] the sequencing along with being able to [5:55] leave good messages will get you through [5:57] because I do look at voicemail messages. [5:59] When I say, "Look, if you hear my words, [6:00] I actually read them. I don't really [6:02] listen to voicemail messages so much [6:03] anymore." And I get voicemail messages [6:05] both via email and on my telephone. So, [6:08] I get those. The third thing is you're [6:09] going to have to start practicing and [6:11] getting through AI gatekeepers. So, AI [6:13] gatekeepers are really coming online [6:15] now. They're not prevalent, but they're [6:17] there. And those gatekeepers, just like [6:19] email gatekeepers, just like human [6:21] gatekeepers, there's a process for [6:23] getting through. And what you want to [6:24] start thinking about is relevance. And [6:26] Will and I have talked about relevance a [6:28] million times before, but with an AI [6:30] gatekeeper, all they're looking for is [6:31] relevance. There's going to be different [6:33] types of them. So, there's going to be [6:34] some that are going to be set up on [6:35] phone systems, Siri. So, they're just [6:38] looking for relevance. And that [6:40] relevance means that whatever comes out [6:41] of your mouth on the cold call has got [6:43] to be about your prospect or about [6:45] problems that they're facing right now. [6:48] Which means that and I'm going to give [6:49] you number four bonus. You need to know [6:51] who you're calling. You need to have [6:52] some business acumen. And you need to be [6:54] able to use words and language and [6:57] problems and challenges and issues and [6:59] aspirations and business outcomes. You [7:01] need to be able to say the things that [7:02] are important to them. And the crap [7:04] that's not getting through right now is [7:06] this gratuitous AI sophanic crap. You [7:10] know, oh Jeb, love what you're doing [7:11] over at blah blah blah. I get them a [7:14] dozen a day. Or, hey, I'm with blah blah [7:16] blah blah blah. We help companies do [7:18] blah blah blah blah blah. You just sound [7:20] like everybody else. So, you really want [7:22] to dial into the relevance of your [7:25] message. Now, the thing about this, if [7:27] we're just honest with ourselves, when [7:29] we think about high velocity cold [7:31] calling, it means that you're going to [7:33] have to take the time upfront to really [7:35] start thinking about your messaging. It [7:36] means that you need to get your list [7:38] together early, and you need to do [7:39] research on that list before you start [7:41] prospecting. Research and prospecting [7:43] are not the same thing, so don't try to [7:44] do them at the same time. It means that [7:46] you need to start grouping either your [7:48] role types or your business type or your [7:50] industry type or your problem type in [7:53] groups so that you're not jumping from [7:55] message to message to message. And you [7:57] need to get all of that dialed in like [8:00] when you pick the phone up you are on [8:02] and you're ready to go and it's game on. [8:04] Beautiful thing about telephone [8:06] prospecting is that we're not really [8:08] seeing at this point a reduction in [8:11] pickup rates. It's been about the same [8:12] for the last 30 years no matter what [8:14] people say. And kind of what Will said, [8:16] you know, you can throw that away. It's [8:18] about the same. But what we are seeing [8:20] is that buyers demand relevance and [8:24] prospects demand relevance. So if you [8:27] make a call and it's not about them, [8:29] they're not going to convert. They're [8:31] not going to return your call. They're [8:32] not going to respond to your email. None [8:34] of that's happening. You have to be [8:36] relevant. And relevance is hard because [8:38] it requires you, Will said in another [8:40] episode that, you know, sales people [8:41] love easy. This ain't easy. Like being [8:44] relevant means that you really got to [8:46] step in their shoes, leverage your [8:47] empathy, leverage your business acumen, [8:49] get your message dialed in. It's hard [8:52] freaking work and you're going to have [8:54] to go out there and be persistent and do [8:57] all the things that sales people need to [8:59] do in order to win. I'm going to leave [9:01] you with one more piece of advice. It [9:04] turns out that if you look at the stats [9:06] on prospecting follow-up, most [9:08] salespeople give up after no more than [9:11] two attempts. So when I talk about, you [9:13] know, sequencing, most sales people, [9:15] that's the majority of sales people give [9:17] up after two attempts. Almost nobody [9:19] goes past four attempts. I mean, it's a [9:20] handful of people out there. The only [9:22] people really doing it are robots. In a [9:24] world where you got to get attention, [9:26] you got to start thinking about [9:27] persistence being your friend. And we're [9:30] not talking, as Will said, 13 messages [9:33] in two days. That ain't it. But you got [9:35] to start thinking, I may be sequencing [9:37] some of these prospect touches over 90 [9:40] days, depending on the size of the [9:42] prospect, the opportunity. If I can get [9:44] out in the field, go knock on the door, [9:45] and that's really working really well [9:46] right now, send a snail mail. But you [9:48] got to think long period of time. You're [9:51] sequencing multiple touches, and you're [9:54] interweaving messages in order to get [9:56] their attention. The key here is that [9:58] you are leveraging statistical [9:59] probability across multiple touches that [10:02] you're going to hit the right tone or [10:04] the right note at the right time through [10:05] the right message and the buyer or the [10:08] prospect's going to respond. And that's [10:11] really it these days. We're entering a [10:13] point in time where being human and [10:16] being more sophisticated are [10:18] intersecting. And at that intersection [10:20] is the place where you're going to get a [10:21] higher conversion rate. [10:24] Well, I have a follow-up question to [10:25] Tara's question that Jeb just answered [10:27] that I thought we've in really well, and [10:29] it's from Cameron Fox. They say, "For [10:31] someone who is brand new to prospecting [10:33] and to using Zoom Info, what would your [10:35] top two to three tips be for learning [10:37] and implementing action steps right [10:39] away? [10:40] Top two tips. Number one, save and [10:43] subscribe to alerts on your territory. [10:46] Whether you're a Zoom Info Legacy Sales [10:48] OS customer, save and subscribe. Whether [10:51] you're a Zoom Info Copilot customer, set [10:54] up your target accounts in your [10:55] widespace territory. Uh whether you are [10:58] on our newest offerings, go to market [11:00] studio and workspace, set up playbooks [11:03] to go and find information for you and [11:06] then recommend what to talk about and [11:08] why. Um the second no-brainer thing uh [11:12] would be to figure out what point of [11:14] view is going to resonate most based on [11:16] what's going on within that business. [11:18] couple things that are typically going [11:19] to motivate willingness to change or [11:22] willingness to go and investigate [11:23] blockers [11:25] um are things that their business [11:28] actually talks about and cares about. [11:30] And so one of the best ways to do that [11:32] and and again yes if you have Zoom Info [11:35] askil if you have the Zoom Info revenue [11:37] agent for Agent Force ask it a question. [11:40] But one of the best ways to do it is to [11:42] pick up the phone and call those [11:43] stakeholders that your product actually [11:44] serves. So, if you're just getting [11:46] started, let's say you've never sold HR [11:49] payroll software before, one of the best [11:52] ways to get started in learning how to [11:53] prospect is pick up the phone. Hey, JBJ, [11:56] I saw that you logged in and updated [11:58] your recent information on your benefits [12:01] compensation. How was that for you? I'm [12:02] just really curious. I'm your account [12:03] lead. You know, I'll take five minutes [12:05] and then let you be on your way. Oh, [12:06] it's cool, but I learned this. Hey, pick [12:09] up the phone. Hey, who else should I be [12:10] talking to? I noticed that. Is Jeb [12:12] Blunt, you know, is that another person [12:14] I should talk to? Or, you know, is [12:16] Brooke someone else that I should talk [12:17] to? I noticed that they were also in the [12:19] or had the same role that you do. Oh, [12:21] yeah. Can you introduce me to Brooke? [12:23] No, I don't really want to introduce you [12:24] to Brick. I can introduce you to Larry, [12:26] though, cuz Larry's actually on my team. [12:29] Just to be clear on what I just said, [12:31] make sure you pick up the phone and talk [12:33] to the people that would benefit from [12:34] your solution before you go guns blazing [12:37] into the executive room and say, "I know [12:39] what I can do to solve that problem." [12:41] Because one of the best ways you can go [12:43] get that executive to want to talk to [12:44] you is to create some inertia and to [12:47] create some gravitational pull within [12:50] the business to bring you in. Hey, I [12:52] really had a great call the other day [12:54] with my account team, Will and and Dan. [12:56] They showed me some stuff that I had no [12:58] clue we could do, but I found 5,000 [13:01] people had visited our website from [13:03] Amazon in the last week. Man, I had no [13:07] idea that was happening. And in fact, I [13:08] was trying to talk to them about doing a [13:10] free, you know, blah blah blah, right? [13:12] And the only way you could figure that [13:14] out is by talking to the people who [13:16] could be benefiting from your offerings. [13:17] And again, I'm not just talking about [13:19] software sales. I'm talking about [13:20] anything. If you sell management [13:23] consulting, I I I met a guy who works at [13:25] Accenture. He was at another company and [13:27] Accenture recruited him because he spent [13:29] his time talking to the people at a [13:32] customer that would benefit from their [13:35] services if they won the bid. and they [13:37] helped him write the response to the [13:39] RFP. [13:41] Come on. Like that's so smart. And [13:44] that's why they hired him at hey, you [13:45] come work for us now. We want that to be [13:47] a play that we run. What a great career [13:49] opportunity for him. Right? I'm talking [13:50] about if you sell concession services [13:53] and you sell solo cups or you sell, you [13:56] know, uh, popcorn at mass quantities to [13:59] movie theaters, doesn't matter. Pick up [14:00] the phone and call. Hey, I'm reaching [14:02] out. I noticed that you're one of the, [14:04] you know, the vendors that works at [14:05] Fenway Park. You know, I can't imagine [14:07] that, you know, why the heck I'm calling [14:09] them. Just trying to get an [14:09] understanding like when we do sell you [14:11] guys these hot dogs. Is that actually [14:14] something that people care about or is [14:16] there other stuff? Those are the things [14:17] that will start to help you stick out. [14:19] And Zoom Info, if you haven't connected [14:21] the dots already, because sometimes that [14:22] can get a little too inferential, helps [14:24] you go find those people that typically [14:26] aren't in an org chart or aren't the [14:28] buyer and aren't the person that you [14:30] could go find on the internet. you know, [14:32] the find the people that are actually [14:33] the folks that are doing the hard work. [14:35] You'll find them in our in our software. [14:37] You pick up the phone, you call them at [14:38] their cell phone. They might be like, [14:39] "Why are you calling me? I'm not the [14:41] decision maker." But that's a great way [14:42] to get the ice broken and start talking. [14:44] So again, number one, save and [14:46] subscribe. Figure out what's going on in [14:48] your territory, whatever version of Zoom [14:50] Info that you're on. Sales OS, save and [14:52] subscribe, copilot, target accounts, and [14:54] whitespace. Go to market workspace. Set [14:56] up a playbook that can just do it all [14:58] for you. Frankly, it's super fun. But [14:59] number two, talk to those individuals [15:01] that benefit from your thing. So for me, [15:03] STRs, account managers, sales reps, [15:06] customer success folks, marketing [15:08] analysts, field marketers, content [15:10] generators, like those are all the folks [15:12] that know what actually is going on [15:14] versus like the war room vision that was [15:16] planned in December for the fiscal year [15:18] 26. Great question, Cameron. I you know [15:21] one of the things I heard you say there [15:22] that I think is so crucial and there's [15:24] not a lot of people talking about it [15:26] will and that is business acumen and [15:28] it's how do you get business acumen you [15:30] know you hear executives talking about [15:31] but you think well it takes years to get [15:33] business acumen it's funny that what you [15:35] said was the best way to learn about an [15:36] industry and what's important to people [15:38] is call people and ask them about their [15:40] industry and what's important to them [15:41] it's like a paradox of the basics right [15:43] something that's so obvious that nobody [15:45] can see it [15:45] we've all had those meetings Jeb right [15:47] where we go in we got this great pitch [15:49] deck and we were all buttoned up and [15:51] ironed and ready to go. And we come in, [15:52] we say, "We know everything about where [15:53] your company's headed. We read the 10Ks. [15:55] We did this." And the execs are like, [15:57] "Yeah, all right. Well, guess you kind [15:59] of know everything about us. We'll call [16:01] you if we're interested." You know, [16:02] meanwhile, it's like, "Hey, Jeb, I've [16:05] been talking to this guys of info. Our [16:06] entire team spent 45 minutes on the [16:08] phone the other day. We all found a [16:10] hundred new leads that we could call." [16:11] This is I'm not trying to, you know, [16:13] self-plug our company, but we just did [16:14] this the other day, and I stole that [16:16] from a rep on my team who does it with [16:17] her accounts. You know, that's that's [16:19] the fun way to make sales fun, too, is [16:21] like when you forget that you're [16:23] actually benefiting your end customer. [16:25] You're not just like selling a vision or [16:26] getting somebody to buy stuff and, you [16:28] know, get a commission check. You're [16:30] really helping people. And hopefully, [16:31] you're in a role where you are. And [16:32] again, I would challenge anybody in [16:35] sales. That's your job when you're [16:37] getting started. Because if you're kind [16:39] of like, oh, I'm going through training [16:40] and onboarding and I don't really [16:42] believe in what we're selling. Like, you [16:44] know, maybe it works, but like I don't [16:45] know. These guys have all been here [16:47] forever. they're a bunch of losers. [16:48] Like, you have to genuinely believe that [16:50] you solve a problem for somebody because [16:52] when you show up and you talk to those [16:54] people, you want to be able to be there [16:56] to serve and be able to talk about it [16:57] and be able to ask how it's helping. Is [16:59] it not or it usually looks like this? [17:01] What's going on? Um, that was a downfall [17:04] for me at, you know, when I first [17:06] started in staffing is I was like, "Oh, [17:07] these guys are all crazy. This is how [17:09] they do it. I'll figure out a better [17:10] way." And spoiler alert, didn't work. I [17:13] had to go figure out like, no, this is [17:15] actually something that serves an end [17:18] user or a benefactor. Hiring managers [17:21] were my buyers. No, it is actually [17:23] really helpful to not have to call five [17:24] different agencies and interview 25 [17:26] people for a role that they only need to [17:27] interview three for. And so instead of [17:29] me just trying to dance around that, be [17:31] like, "Hey, Jeb, I know this is wild. [17:33] Give me the chance to send you three [17:34] people before you call anyone else. And [17:36] if I don't fill the role for you, that's [17:38] on me. But I will have given you three [17:40] really good people that weren't worth [17:41] your took me a while to actually [17:43] believe. But I had a good mentor to be [17:46] able to say, don't make that mistake. [17:47] Don't wait 3 years to look in the mirror [17:49] and realize you never did the easiest [17:50] thing, the AAMS razor piece, right? Y um [17:53] and if you have Zoom Info, you know, you [17:55] have a direct cell phone or you have a [17:57] direct number, you have an email address [17:58] for that person that none of your [18:00] competition are calling. I promise you [18:01] they're not. They're just not doing it [18:03] because they don't have the time or the [18:05] resources or frankly they probably [18:07] aren't thinking about that either. I [18:08] think everybody knows I talk about you [18:10] all the time but we use Zoom info at [18:11] Sales Gravy. We don't get paid to say [18:13] this. We actually pay you for the [18:15] privilege of having a conversation with [18:16] you which is crazy. We love it. It's [18:18] like our secret weapon because we can go [18:20] in and find things about people and we [18:22] can see what they're doing on our [18:23] website. We can see intent signals. I [18:25] get alerts every day because it's just [18:27] building my list for me as I go. I mean, [18:29] I'm the same. I'm cross industry, so I [18:31] have to be an expert in a lot of [18:32] industries and business patterns are [18:35] about the same. But I was in a an [18:37] alignment call today with a brand new [18:39] client of mine. And what was weird was [18:41] we're having a conversation with them [18:43] and at the end they're like, "You [18:44] totally understand us." Last week I was [18:46] with a business that is adjacent to [18:48] their industry but in their supply [18:49] chain. And I learned all this language [18:52] from having multiple alignment calls [18:54] with them. And I just pull that into the [18:55] next conversation and suddenly I'm in [18:57] their inroup because I'm speaking their [18:59] language. And this is the advice I give [19:01] to young people all the time. Like what [19:02] do I say? I go call them up. They'll [19:04] teach you. Like you go make a 100 calls [19:06] and talk to people. You're going to get [19:07] off those calls and you're going to know [19:09] what not to say and you're going to [19:10] learn a lot about what to say, but [19:11] you're going to start seeing the [19:12] patterns emerging in a world where when [19:14] something's wrong with us like, you [19:16] know, medical health. I think it was [19:18] Microsoft that just ran a study on on AI [19:21] that the number one question people are [19:23] asking AI that has been pretty steady as [19:25] a health problems. We go see Dr. Chat [19:28] GBT, Dr. Copilot or Dr. Gemini or Dr. [19:31] Grock because we ask for information. [19:32] The same thing with these prospects. The [19:34] prospects are saying if I've got a [19:35] problem, I'm probably going to go ask [19:36] AI. But if you have great business [19:39] acumen, you have the ability to [19:41] interpret what it is that they're [19:42] learning. And as a new person, a new [19:45] SDR, being able to use language that [19:48] lets them know that you are that [19:50] interpreter, that's when they start [19:52] bringing you in and they respond to you. [19:54] And Zoom Info just can accelerate or [19:57] compress the learning curve for that [19:59] because of all the information that's [20:01] there. [20:02] I'll say too, I mean, you and I have the [20:04] benefit, the three of us have the [20:05] benefit of we uh serve and sell to [20:08] executives and mostly sellers, right? Go [20:10] to market teams, marketing, sales teams, [20:12] right? So, you and I do these webinars [20:14] all the time. We do podcasts together. [20:16] Like, we get the well, I'm a financial [20:17] adviser or I'm in commercial real estate [20:20] or, you know, I sell the doctors. Like, [20:22] you know, I I can't talk to salespeople [20:24] like you guys. I would push back on [20:26] that, too. I don't I don't You could [20:27] tell me I'm crazy, but like if you sell [20:29] HR services, like you want to learn [20:32] about the company that you're trying to [20:34] break into, great people to call are the [20:36] sales reps. I mean, think about what [20:37] we're sitting on these calls talking [20:38] about. like they're trying all day to go [20:40] tell somebody how great their offerings [20:41] are. They'll talk to you like, "Hey, I'm [20:44] trying to reach the HR team or I'm [20:45] trying to reach the IT team." I've had a [20:47] couple people. Very few. I could [20:49] literally probably count on two hands in [20:51] 20 years almost of doing this. Like, how [20:53] many people have done this? But anytime [20:55] someone calls, hey, I don't even I I [20:57] can't remember what the guy's name was. [21:00] Um, but he sells it's not It might be [21:02] DNS. It's something in the IT realm that [21:05] I know nothing about, but he called me. [21:06] He's like, "Hey, man. I know you're in [21:08] sales. I've been trying to get a hold of [21:10] Joseph for like nine months. Is there [21:12] any way I'm like, "Dude, heck yeah. I'll [21:14] go help you out. We just drove in [21:16] together right next to each other in the [21:17] garage. I'll make an intro. What do you [21:19] want me to say to him?" Right? But like [21:22] those are sometimes little tiny wins and [21:24] things that stick out. Now, you can't be [21:25] cheesy and authentic and mean and grabby [21:27] and you have to still do all the stuff [21:28] that we talk about on these on these [21:30] kind of Ask Jeb podcast is like you [21:32] human, you know? Hey, I'm not just [21:34] trying to ask you for something. And I [21:35] know this is weird, but I'm having a [21:36] heck of a time getting through to [21:37] Joseph. I sure he gets a 100 phone [21:39] calls. Like, if you were me, how would [21:42] you stick out to him? Well, I just saw [21:43] him this morning and he was talking to [21:44] me about how much he loves his Porsche [21:46] 911. And if he's ever took a call from a [21:49] sales rep, he would probably want to [21:50] talk about that. Like, he literally told [21:52] me that this. Okay, those are the little [21:54] things. Again, Zoom Info. Otherwise, [21:56] just being being the, you know, the [21:58] willing person to do something that most [22:00] sales people are too busy to go do, [22:03] right? having kind of a mastery of, hey, [22:05] I'm going to go control that today. I'm [22:07] going to go say, hey, I'll have AI [22:08] summarize all my stuff, but I'm going to [22:10] go make sure I make some meaningful [22:12] touches. I'm not going to call every one [22:13] of my accounts, but some meaningful [22:15] touches that just figure out how to be a [22:17] human. And the fun part is is all of a [22:19] sudden you don't realize you're doing it [22:20] anymore because it just happens so [22:21] naturally. You know, I think of a the [22:23] same person on my team, Karen. You know, [22:25] you just hear on the phone all day. It's [22:27] that we miss it because we are all in [22:29] the same room all the time, Jeb and JBJ. [22:31] You know when you would hear that call [22:32] and your colleague's on the phone and it [22:35] sounds like they're talking to a family [22:36] member and then they get off and you're [22:38] like they were talking to a client. Like [22:41] I just know that that conversation was [22:43] going so well. They were just talking to [22:44] a client. It's like they had this level [22:46] of familiarity where they were just [22:47] being themselves. That's what you're [22:49] trying to do. You're trying to when [22:50] you're new to something, you get to [22:52] benefit from not being the expert and [22:54] you get to benefit from saying, "I have [22:55] no clue what I'm doing." You just [22:57] literally need to go figure out how to [22:58] talk to these people. And that's where [23:00] again, you know, we've had some good uh [23:02] questions prior to these, you know, how [23:05] email outbound efficiencies going down [23:07] or like I have 50 accounts. How do I [23:08] make sense? Like, have you tried to pick [23:11] up the phone and call an end user or [23:12] call someone who benefits from what your [23:14] company does every single day and ask [23:16] them how they're doing? Right? Those are [23:18] those are some of the things that I love [23:19] talking about with you guys because I [23:20] know that you have that conversation [23:22] with a room full of salespeople that [23:24] want you to come in and help them. [23:26] That's the ultimate lay layer of trust [23:27] that you guys have to bring. So, you [23:29] know, that's what we try to drive for as [23:30] well. And that's why we think you guys [23:32] are such a good partner. [23:33] Love it. There you have it, JBJ. The uh [23:36] advice of the day from the great Will [23:39] Fertini. Pick up the damn phone. [23:42] If you've got a question for the show [23:43] and you want to be on the SalesGravy [23:44] podcast, go to salesgravy.com/ask. [23:48] That's salesgravy.comask [23:50] and one of our producers will reach out [23:52] to you to schedule your time with Jeb. [23:54] You want to use data to build the [23:57] shortest path to a meeting. And you [23:59] probably want to have some form of a [24:01] sequence over 30 to 60 to 90 days that [24:04] interweaves multiple channels of [24:06] prospecting so that it gives you the [24:07] best odds at gaining those meetings. And [24:11] then when you've got one, you want to [24:13] make sure that you don't oversell on the [24:15] cold call. That little bit of interest [24:17] isn't an invitation to pitch. And [24:20] remember, when it's the end of the day [24:22] and you're tired and you just want to go [24:25] home, always pick up the phone and make [24:27] one more call. This has been Jeb Blunt [24:29] Jr. and we'll catch you next time on the [24:31] Sales Griffy podcast. [24:36] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [24:38] watched this video. Make sure that you [24:40] click [music] like and subscribe so that [24:41] you never miss one of our amazing sales [24:43] training

===FILE=== 8KeF3Xt7p1E - Jeb Blount on Building Consistent Prospecting Habits  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/8KeF3Xt7p1E
Jeb Blount on Building Consistent Prospecting Habits ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:00] All [0:00] [Music] [0:06] right, it's a wisdom Wednesday where you [0:08] drive the agenda and on this segment of [0:09] the sales ready podcast, you bring the [0:12] biggest sales challenges and Jeb Blunt [0:14] delivers his best answers. And those [0:16] answers, they come straight from the [0:18] trenches because Jeb's not just teaching [0:20] sales, he's out there prospecting, [0:22] closing, and leading sales teams every [0:24] single day. Before we jump in, here's a [0:26] quick update. On June 10th and 11th, we [0:29] have a fanatical prospecting boot camp [0:30] in Buckhead Atlanta that's going to be [0:32] covering overcoming call reluctance, [0:34] overcoming prospecting objections more [0:36] efficiently, and adding more deals to [0:38] the pipeline so you and your small sales [0:40] team can win more in 2025. If you [0:42] haven't, go to [0:44] salesgravy.com/live to go ahead and sign [0:46] up. It's June 10th and 11th in Buckhead [0:48] Atlanta. Those tickets are going fast. [0:50] This is salesgravy live. Go to [0:53] salesgravy.comlive. All right, let's [0:55] take another caller. Next up is John [0:57] Bueller from Jacksonville, Florida. Hey [0:59] Je, this is John Beller. I'm a business [1:01] broker in Jacksonville, Florida. Really [1:04] enjoy your content and believe in it a [1:06] lot. Um, my question is is how do you [1:09] maintain the consistency and the [1:12] intensity with the prospecting? I find [1:14] myself when I do these sprints to get [1:17] momentum um, but be able to keep that [1:19] momentum going for long sustained [1:21] periods of time. So, do you have any [1:23] tips or tricks for your listeners to [1:25] help keep them on track for long-term [1:27] success? Well, John, this is a great [1:29] question. It's a question that a lot of [1:31] people grapple with, but it's not just [1:32] prospecting. It's like, okay, so I'm [1:34] pretty good at maintaining my diet for a [1:37] while and then I lose my motivation. Or, [1:39] I'm really good at eating well for a [1:42] while, but I lose my motivation. Or, I'm [1:44] really good at working out for a while, [1:46] but then I lose my motivation. And if [1:48] you think about it really anything that [1:50] we do that is difficult or hard, it's [1:53] easy to lose our motivation. So the [1:56] first thing we have to think about is [1:57] how do we turn prospecting or any of [2:00] these things that are difficult into a [2:02] habit? We want to begin there. How do we [2:04] make it into something that we wake up [2:06] every single day and it's just part of [2:08] who we do? A good resource for that, by [2:10] the way, is James Clear's Atomic Habits. [2:12] It's a fantastic book. Highly recommend. [2:15] And there's some really good lessons [2:16] that you can learn there about creating [2:19] great habits in your life with all of [2:21] the things that are difficult to do with [2:23] prospecting in particular. A couple of [2:24] things that you want to think about. [2:26] Number one, your question about [2:27] maintaining your motivation is why so [2:29] many salespeople are hanging out at the [2:31] Feast or Famine amusement park riding on [2:33] the desperation roller coaster. You lose [2:35] your motivation until suddenly you have [2:37] an empty pipeline and your boss is [2:39] screaming at you and your income is [2:41] suffering and suddenly you find your [2:43] motivation again and you start [2:44] prospecting like crazy and so you have [2:46] this up and down and up and down and [2:48] it's incredibly stressful. It fills you [2:51] with anxiety and for a lot of sales [2:53] people they get so far down sometimes [2:55] that there's no way that they can pull [2:57] themselves out of that hole. So they end [2:59] up moving to another company because [3:01] they lose their job and that's something [3:02] you want to avoid. Also understanding [3:04] that when you are on the desperation [3:06] roller coaster, when you get desperate [3:08] because you have an empty pipeline [3:09] because you weren't prospecting, [3:11] suddenly you get really bad at all the [3:13] other parts of selling. You get pushy [3:14] and pitchy. You come off as desperate, [3:16] insecure. People want to buy from you. [3:18] You start focusing on what you need [3:20] versus what your prospect needs. Your [3:22] discovery questions get more shallow. [3:24] You skip steps in the sales process. And [3:26] essentially, you become a discounter [3:29] because that's the only thing that you [3:31] have. you no longer negotiate, your [3:33] closing skills deteriorate, you just [3:35] fail on all levels. So, one of the [3:38] things that you really have to pay [3:39] attention to is the penalty for you when [3:42] you lose your motivation for [3:44] prospecting. When I'm in that situation, [3:46] and I mean, let's be clear, nobody [3:47] really likes to prospect. That's the one [3:49] thing that I keep in my head. I know [3:50] that when I have a full pipeline that I [3:52] sell better. I know when I have a full [3:54] pipeline that I can sell like I don't [3:56] have to sell. I know when I have a full [3:57] pipeline, I have less stress and I have [4:00] more confidence. So, whenever I'm in a [4:03] situation where I'm thinking, I'm going [4:04] to stop prospecting for a day, I [4:06] remember what the penalty is for not [4:08] prospecting. And by picturing that pain, [4:11] it gives me the motivation to keep [4:13] prospecting. You also have to [4:14] internalize the 30-day rule is something [4:16] I talk about a lot, which is the [4:18] prospecting that you do in any given [4:19] 30-day period has a tendency to pay off [4:21] for the next 90 days. So, if you take a [4:24] day off, it's going to hurt you. you [4:25] take a week off, it's going to bite you [4:27] really bad. You take a month off and you [4:28] are going to tank your pipeline. So, one [4:31] of the things that keeps me motivated [4:32] when I'm prospecting is knowing that I [4:34] cannot afford to take a day off because [4:36] of the impact down the road. Because [4:38] typically when you prospect today, you [4:40] don't sell something today, you sell [4:42] something later. So, you have to [4:44] visualize again what would happen to you [4:46] if you quit prospecting. But more [4:48] importantly, when you think about [4:49] prospecting, something that is hard to [4:51] do, that you don't want to do, that is a [4:52] pain to do, one of the things that you [4:54] really want to think about is what is it [4:57] that's driving you? Like why are you [4:59] doing this? So in fanatical prospecting, [5:02] one of the lessons I give you is that [5:03] the only thing that really matters when [5:05] it comes to prospecting is how bad do [5:07] you want it? But that how bad do you [5:08] want it question is not about how bad do [5:10] you want to prospect because nobody [5:11] really wants to prospect. It's what do [5:13] you want in your life that prospecting [5:15] is going to give you? In other words, [5:16] what are your goals? My good friend [5:18] Victor Antonio calls this the big pull. [5:20] Like what is pulling you forward? So [5:22] when you wake up in the morning and [5:23] you're staring at that phone and you're [5:25] thinking to yourself like, I just can't [5:27] do this today, what you start thinking [5:29] about instead is that thing that you [5:31] want that's on the other side. What's [5:33] that thing that is pulling you? Because [5:35] when you focus on that, you'll find the [5:37] motivation to prospect. Because anything [5:39] that you want out of sales from a [5:41] success standpoint is paid for in [5:43] advance with prospecting. So, what I [5:45] would suggest to you first is make sure [5:47] that you are clear with the pain or the [5:50] penalty that comes from skipping a day [5:53] of prospecting. If you're clear with [5:54] that and you can picture that in your [5:55] head, it can help you focus on doing the [5:57] thing that you need to do today to avoid [5:59] that pain in the future. But at the same [6:01] time, think about what's pulling you [6:03] forward like what is it that you want? [6:05] You prospect so that you can sell things [6:06] so that you get a big paycheck. What are [6:08] you going to do with that paycheck? How [6:10] is that paycheck going to help you [6:11] achieve your goals in your life? and [6:12] focus on that and use that visualization [6:15] of that thing that's pulling you [6:17] forward, that big pull, that goal to [6:19] help you get over the hump on a day when [6:21] you're looking at the phone and you just [6:23] don't want to make the call. If you've [6:25] got a question for the show, go to [6:28] salesgravy.com/ask and submit the form. [6:30] One of our producers will reach out to [6:32] you directly to schedule your session on [6:34] the Ask Jeb podcast. Now, let's button [6:36] this up with a final thought. John's [6:38] question hits on a truth that hunts even [6:41] the most seasoned sales pros. It's easy [6:43] to go hard in short bursts, but it's [6:45] just as easy to fall off. That's the [6:47] trap of the desperation roller coaster [6:49] because prospecting in short sprints [6:51] creates a short-term buzz. But it's the [6:53] reps who build consistency into their [6:55] identity that wins long term. So, here's [6:59] the real challenge. Can you develop the [7:01] discipline to prospect when you don't [7:03] feel like it? Because the hard days [7:04] matter most. When you feel resistance, [7:07] that's not the signal to stop. It's the [7:09] signal to lean in. The salespeople who [7:12] win are the ones who sell when it's [7:13] inconvenient, when it's uncomfortable, [7:16] and when no one is watching. So [7:18] remember, prospecting is rent, and it's [7:20] due every single day. Your income, your [7:24] confidence, and your future pipeline are [7:26] all paid for in advance with consistent [7:28] daily activity. So the next time you [7:30] feel like skipping your call block, [7:32] stop. Picture the pain of an empty [7:34] pipeline. and then do the work anyway. [7:36] And when you're tired, when you've given [7:38] everything you've got, and when you're [7:39] tempted to call it a day, make one more [7:42] call. This is Jeb Blunt Jr., and we'll [7:44] see you next time on the Sales Grave [7:49] podcast. Hey, I'm doing a happy dance [7:51] because you watched this video. Make [7:53] sure that you click like and subscribe [7:54] so that you never miss one of our [7:56] amazing sales training

===FILE=== 931HEdqpLTw - How to Stop Prospects from Ghosting You  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/931HEdqpLTw
How to Stop Prospects from Ghosting You ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:00] [Music] [0:06] It's Wisdom Wednesday, where you drive [0:08] the agenda. In this segment of the Sales [0:10] Gravy podcast, where listeners bring Jeb [0:12] their biggest questions and he gives his [0:14] best answers. These answers come [0:17] straight from the trenches because just [0:18] like you, Jeb is out there prospecting, [0:21] selling, closing deals, and leading his [0:23] sales team every single day. Now, before [0:25] we get started, some fantastic news. The [0:27] date and location for the next outbound [0:29] conference will be announced very soon. [0:31] Outbound is the biggest baddest [0:33] conference in sales. And if you haven't [0:35] been, this is the one to add to your [0:36] bucket list. Tickets are extremely [0:38] limited and it sells out every single [0:41] time. Right now, you can get on the [0:42] waiting list and be first in line for [0:44] early bird ticket discounts at [0:46] outboundconference.com. Again, that's [0:49] outboundconference.com. All right, let's [0:51] take the next caller. Next up on the [0:53] show is Brian Kempky. Jeb, there's a uh [0:56] percentage of people that I work with [0:58] that uh you go through the process, meet [1:01] with them, uh you know, you go through a [1:04] proposal, they seem like they're [1:05] interested, and then they go off into [1:07] the witness protection program. I [1:10] understand there's going you're going to [1:11] have a percentage of that, but can you [1:13] make some suggestions or things to look [1:16] for to avoid that? I want to get out of [1:19] that game if I can. Maybe it's not the [1:21] case, but maybe just maybe some input. [1:24] Okay. So, where where in your process do [1:27] they typically like you find that they [1:29] go into witness protection or they they [1:30] start ghosting you? Well, a after they [1:34] get your information. Okay. After they [1:35] get your information. Okay, great. So, [1:37] let's let's think about this for a [1:39] second. When you give them your [1:41] information, what are you giving them? [1:42] What am I giving them? Like [1:45] specifications, pricing, the things that [1:48] are important to them. I'm giving them [1:49] my time. [1:51] I'm I'm not following. Okay, I'm going [1:53] to show you. I I get that. So, what is [1:56] this [1:58] $100 bill? $100 bill. Okay, what would [2:01] you do for $100? I mean, if we were [2:04] together and I said, "Hey, Brian, um, [2:06] man, I'd love some McDonald's." Tell you [2:09] what, um, there's one down there in the [2:10] corner. I'll give you $100. Go get me a [2:12] Big Mac. You keep the change. I honestly [2:14] wouldn't be interested. How about How [2:16] about $200? [2:18] Okay. Maybe. Okay. Maybe. Well, I mean, [2:20] I got a whole pocket full of $100 bills. [2:22] So, tell me what your number is. [2:25] $500. Okay. $500. You'll go down the [2:27] corner, get me a Big Mac, you keep the [2:28] change, right? Okay. Why would you do [2:31] that? You feel like you're there's an [2:33] exchange and you're getting value. [2:34] You're getting value, right? So, the [2:37] thing is is that in a sales [2:39] conversation, right, that information [2:41] that you're giving them has value. it. [2:44] Giving it to them is just the same as [2:46] giving them a $100 bill or a five or [2:48] $500. You gave them value. And once you [2:51] give them value and they have all the [2:54] value, they have no more reason to talk [2:56] to you. You gave away all your value. [2:58] And we call that leverage. So what [3:01] happens is when you give away your [3:02] leverage for free, you typically lose [3:04] all your power. So let me let me walk [3:06] you backwards. Okay? I just wanted to [3:08] make that illustration for you because [3:09] what happens is if you give your prices, [3:11] that's why you should never email a [3:12] proposal. you email a proposal, you're [3:14] dead in the water because now now they [3:16] have everything they wanted. The reason [3:17] that they hung around so long is that [3:19] they were waiting for you to give you [3:20] all their information. Like if you take [3:21] them through one step of the sales [3:22] process, the next step of the sales [3:24] process, and then you give them a [3:25] proposal, they got no more reason to [3:27] meet with you. Okay? Right? So think [3:29] about it like this. When you're in a [3:31] sales conversation, the party that has [3:33] the most power is typically your [3:35] prospect, the stakeholders. And the [3:37] reason is is that power is derived from [3:39] alternatives. They have more [3:41] alternatives than you do. So, what I [3:43] mean by that is if you're like if if [3:44] there was a hurricane in Miami and all [3:46] the power's out and you're the only guy [3:47] selling ice, you have all the power cuz [3:49] there's no other options. But in most [3:51] cases in the commercial world, you've [3:53] got competitors out there and they've [3:54] always had the option just to do nothing [3:56] because they have more options than you [3:58] do. They have more power. The only way [4:00] that you're able to level the playing [4:02] field is through leverage. It's through [4:04] something that you have that they want [4:06] because it is of value to them. think [4:09] you're not willing to go down to the [4:10] corner and get me a a a Big Mac for [4:13] $100, but you'll do it for five, right? [4:15] As soon as I've got that leverage, you [4:17] have all kinds of options. You can do [4:18] everything with your time, but at 500 [4:20] bucks, you'll do what I want you to do. [4:22] So, in other words, I'm able to get you, [4:23] the person that has more power in this [4:26] conversation to dance to my tune because [4:29] I've got something that you want and [4:31] you're willing to do something for me to [4:33] get it. Does that make sense? Yeah. [4:35] Okay. So, if we look at it that way, [4:37] right? Number one is they've got more [4:38] power than you do, which is why they [4:40] ghost you and you chase them. The only [4:42] way to get them to change the way that [4:44] they're behaving is that you have [4:46] something that they want more and that [4:48] is information. The one thing that gets [4:50] people to buy from you, right, is that [4:52] they're motivated to buy from you and [4:54] they feel like they don't have any other [4:56] options. What we're doing with the [4:57] leverage is we're forcing them to walk [5:00] through our sales process. Like your [5:02] process should be built around [5:04] neutralizing any perceived options that [5:06] they have and building a relationship [5:08] with them so that they trust you and [5:10] they want to do business with you. If [5:11] the buyer has all the options, right? If [5:13] they feel like they have the power, why [5:14] would they do any of that? They just go, [5:16] "Hey, Brian, give me your proposal." And [5:18] then you get the proposal and they [5:19] disappear. And you go, "Well, I want to [5:21] meet with you." They go, "No, you can't [5:22] meet with me until you get the [5:23] proposal." And you give them a proposal [5:24] and they disappear. Think about RFPs. [5:26] You get an RFP. RFP comes in. They ask [5:28] for all this information. You You fill [5:30] out the information. You send it to [5:31] them. and never hear from them again. [5:32] So, if I get an RFP, I go, "Nope, I'm [5:35] not filling all that information out. [5:36] Not until you meet with me." And if they [5:37] want bad enough, they'll meet with me. [5:39] And if they meet with me, then I can [5:40] start changing the shape of things. What [5:42] I'm able to do at that moment is say, [5:44] "Okay, we need to meet for a first-time [5:46] appointment. Then I need to meet [5:48] multiple stakeholders. Then I need to do [5:50] deeper discovery along the way." You're [5:52] building relationship with people. Like, [5:53] there's human things happening here. and [5:55] you're asking them questions and you're [5:58] you're helping them think and you're [6:00] building a business case. And so what [6:02] you want to do is that when you when you [6:04] give a proposal, you want that proposal [6:06] to be a closing meeting. You want it to [6:08] be a meeting where you're getting a yes [6:10] or no. Now, in super complex deals and [6:13] enterprise deals, you're rarely going to [6:14] be in a situation where you're going to [6:16] hammer down and close the deal in the [6:17] final moments and they are going to walk [6:19] away, right? Essentially, what you want [6:20] to do is use your leverage to bend them [6:23] to your process that allows you to build [6:26] a business case that forces them to make [6:30] a decision to do business with you [6:32] because they can't see a better option [6:34] out there. And as long as you're giving [6:35] your leverage away for free, they're [6:37] going to keep walking away. As long as [6:39] you give it away without them building [6:40] relationship, they're going to keep [6:41] walking away. Now, if you use your [6:43] leverage to bend their will back to your [6:45] sales process, which means, by the way, [6:47] that you have to have the fortitude to [6:49] walk away from people who aren't willing [6:50] to do that. Like, if you if you go, this [6:52] is how we're going to do this, and they [6:53] go, no, you got to be able to walk away. [6:54] Go back to fanatical prospecting boot [6:56] camp. The entire reason why you were in [6:57] fanatical prospecting boot camp is so [6:59] that you can fill up your pipeline so [7:01] that you have lots of options. So that [7:02] if one party's not going to play, you [7:05] can leave them because you got 10 other [7:06] that are waiting there because you went [7:07] out and got them, right? But when [7:09] they're willing to play then, and this [7:11] is important, as you start going through [7:13] the process, what you're looking for is [7:15] engagement. So, as you start asking [7:17] questions, are they leaning in? Are they [7:19] willing to put in the effort? And if [7:20] they are, then you keep moving forward. [7:22] And if they're not, then you have to [7:24] realize, I'm just going to go put a lot [7:25] of work in. I'm going to do a proposal, [7:26] and they're never going to they're never [7:28] going to call me back. They're never [7:29] going to work with me. And we all do [7:30] that. Look, I did that this this fall in [7:32] in November. I spent 12 hours putting [7:34] together a proposal that I knew in the [7:35] back of my mind I had no probability of [7:37] closing cuz I didn't do all the things [7:39] I'm telling you to do and I gave it away [7:40] for free and they sure enough [7:41] disappeared. And I knew that like I know [7:43] it but I got to go learn that lesson [7:44] about once or twice a year in order for [7:46] things to work out for me. As you're [7:48] looking at the people that are ghosting [7:49] you, they're probably patterns and signs [7:51] other than you giving your leverage away [7:53] for free that they were never into this [7:54] anyway. They weren't really working with [7:57] you. But if they are and then you step [7:59] them off through all the steps in your [8:01] sales process, it allows you to take [8:03] advantage of something called the [8:04] investment effect. And we all get this, [8:06] right? So things that human beings have [8:08] to put effort into, we value more. So [8:10] every step that they take in your sales [8:12] process with you, the more they value [8:14] getting to an outcome. Even by the way, [8:16] if that outcome isn't the outcome you [8:18] want, they'll at least not ghost you. [8:20] Like they feel an obligation to say, [8:22] "Hey, this isn't going to work for us [8:24] right now, but we really appreciate [8:25] taking time with you and then you can [8:26] learn from it. But it all comes back to [8:28] that one thing, right? 500 bucks will [8:30] get you to get me a Big Mac, right? What [8:32] are they willing to do for your [8:34] information and hold the line at that. [8:35] Don't give your leverage away for free. [8:37] I like that. Thank you. I'm going to [8:38] wrap this up in a moment with some final [8:40] thoughts. But first, if you have a [8:41] question for the show, head over to [8:44] salesgravy.com/ask. That's [8:47] salesgravy.com/ask. One of our producers [8:48] will reach out to you and get you [8:50] scheduled to join Jeb on a future [8:52] episode. When prospects vanish after [8:54] you've delivered your proposal, it's [8:55] rarely about your price. It's about your [8:57] leverage. If you hand over your value [8:59] too soon without earning reciprocal [9:01] investment from the buyer, you lose your [9:03] power in the deal. And just like Jeb [9:04] said in this episode, if someone's [9:06] willing to grab a Big Mac for $500, it's [9:09] because the value motivates the [9:11] behavior. Your information, your time, [9:13] your expertise, and proposal has real [9:15] value. Protect it. Force engagement by [9:18] walking your prospects through your [9:19] sales process step by step. And don't [9:21] hesitate to walk away from those who [9:23] won't match your effort. That's why your [9:25] pipeline matters. It gives you options [9:27] so that you're not beholden to the one [9:29] who ghosts you. Hold the line. Make them [9:32] earn it. And when you're down on your [9:34] final call block, tired, frustrated, [9:37] ready to call it a day, remember this. [9:39] Push through. Push through the [9:40] resistance. Hold the line and make one [9:43] more call. This is Jeff Blunt Jr. and [9:45] I'll see you next time on the Sales [9:46] Gravy Podcast. [9:50] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [9:53] watched this video. Make sure that you [9:54] click like and subscribe so that you [9:56] never miss one of our amazing sales [9:58] training

===FILE=== 9UmgG25bmDI - How to Cold Call Busy People and Actually Get the Meeting  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/9UmgG25bmDI
How to Cold Call Busy People and Actually Get the Meeting ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:03] [music] [0:06] Cindy. [0:07] Hey Jeb, how are you? [0:09] I'm doing good. How you doing? [0:11] I'm great. [0:12] Awesome. So nice to meet you. You too. [0:15] Wow. [0:16] I've been gosh, 10, 15 years. I don't [0:19] even know how long I've been reading [0:21] your books and taking Sales Gravy [0:23] courses. This is cool. [0:25] Well, you're you are so awesome. Well, [0:27] thank you first of all for taking [0:28] courses on Sales Gravy and really thank [0:30] you for reading my books. I appreciate [0:31] it. It's cool to meet you, too. Thank [0:33] you. [0:34] So, from Oakland, California, what is [0:36] happening in Oakland, California right [0:37] now? Uh well, you know, we are I think [0:41] we are through with the deluge of rain [0:43] we received, which is great because as [0:46] you know, California has not had a lot [0:48] of rain in recent years. [0:50] And spring seems to be on its way. So, [0:53] I'm keeping that spring frame of mind [0:56] into my sales environment. [0:58] Well, what's what's it like selling out [1:00] in the Bay Area cuz it's I mean, the [1:02] Oakland, San Francisco, [1:04] all the traffic, it's very dense and [1:07] with people. That's an interesting [1:09] question you asked because yeah, it's [1:11] it's a very large area. It's very dense. [1:14] There's a lot of traffic. Um it can be a [1:17] challenge just depending on the [1:18] industry. Um and you know, my my sales [1:23] territory is actually Silicon Valley. [1:25] So, I've got about anywhere from an hour [1:28] to an hour and a half drive going and [1:30] coming if I want to go see my customers [1:32] and prospects. So, [1:34] time management, I would say, [1:37] is a huge thing for me, for sure. [1:39] Perfect. So, tell me about your [1:40] question. [1:42] Yeah, well, you know, I I've been in [1:44] sales for almost 20 years, advertising [1:46] sales, media sales, and I think I've [1:49] maybe been a little bit spoiled up until [1:52] now because I have not had to do a lot [1:54] of cold calling. I had a large territory [1:57] with a lots of accounts and you know, [2:00] prospected, but now I'm in a new [2:03] industry, home improvement industry. [2:06] Um and I have to go out and find all of [2:09] my own accounts. So, prospecting and [2:12] cold calling is my life. [2:15] And I'm I'm calling folks in the [2:17] construction industry and the other [2:19] thing that's different is I'm used to [2:21] talking to people who sit behind desks [2:23] most of the day. [2:24] That is not the case now. Most of the [2:26] people I talk to do not have a marketing [2:29] department. They are the marketing [2:30] department and they might be on a roof [2:32] when I call them. [2:34] So, I'm trying to set appointments, but [2:37] I find that it's difficult to [2:42] to have that kind of a conversation when [2:44] I'm calling these prospects just because [2:46] of the environment they're in. So, and I [2:48] and I think that that translates into my [2:51] voice sounding a little different, a [2:53] little desperate, and I'm just [2:55] struggling a little bit to to set [2:57] meetings. Okay, I got you. So, when you [3:00] ask for a meeting, what do people say to [3:01] you? Um they say, [3:04] "Oh, is this advertising?" [3:06] And I say, "Yeah, we do sales and [3:08] marketing." "How much does it cost?" [3:10] They want to just jump right to the [3:12] price. Um or they, you know, "I'm busy, [3:15] call me later." Or I'll I'll call you [3:17] later or send me an email. Um just, you [3:21] know, [3:22] Sure. any brush-off you can imagine. [3:24] Okay, I got you. So, it doesn't sound [3:26] like the the struggle is that you're [3:28] having a hard time getting meetings with [3:30] them. The struggle is that you're having [3:31] a hard time um getting past some of the [3:34] objections that these [3:36] probably you're talking to a lot of [3:37] owners and business, you know, they're [3:38] running the business, they're throwing [3:40] at you because they're super busy in [3:41] their day, then it makes you feel [3:43] nervous, and then it shows it shows up [3:45] in your voice, and because of the type [3:47] of personalities you're dealing with, [3:49] they just steamroll right over you. [3:51] That's 100% correct. [3:53] Okay, perfect. So, one thing you want to [3:55] think about is that emotions are [3:57] contagious. [3:58] So, what I mean by that is that, you [4:00] know, human beings are really, really [4:01] good at picking up on the vibrations of [4:03] other human beings. So, if you come [4:04] across feeling like you're a little [4:06] insecure or you're like you're trying to [4:09] move faster because you don't want to be [4:10] too pushy or you know, they're probably [4:12] on a roof right now and you're you're [4:13] doing that. As soon as you come off that [4:15] way, it kind of opens up the door for [4:17] just human nature to take over and they [4:19] they they say things like, "How much [4:20] does it cost?" Whatever cuz they're just [4:22] trying to get stuff done, right? [4:24] So, let's we'll start there. The next [4:26] question I have for you is when are you [4:28] contacting these these these business [4:30] owners? Like when when are you typically [4:32] cold calling them? [4:34] Well, I do it all day long. I I So, you [4:38] know, it's typically an 8:00 to 4:00 [4:40] kind of schedule for me. Um and I I've [4:43] noticed that the earlier I start and the [4:46] later I call, Yes. work best for those [4:49] guys. And you know, I have a a colleague [4:52] in another state who says, [4:55] "I get the most meetings by calling them [4:56] at 7:00 a.m." Yes. And my eyes got [5:00] really wide when she said that because [5:01] to me that seems extremely early because [5:04] again, I'm used to like a 9:00 to 5:00 [5:06] kind of work environment. So, I should [5:08] probably start calling in those kinds of [5:11] hours. [5:11] That's exactly what I was going to [5:12] recommend. Uh so, I want to back up [5:15] before we go down that road. One of the [5:17] things I want you to think about is a [5:18] word called projecting. So, what's [5:21] happening right now is that you are [5:23] projecting your feelings onto these [5:27] other people. So, you're you're down on [5:29] the ground and you're projecting how you [5:31] feel onto the dude that's on the roof [5:33] fixing a roof for his client, right? And [5:35] and that's what's that what that's [5:37] creating for you is that you're making a [5:38] decision for these individuals based on [5:42] your basic your value set. But it's [5:44] really about you getting the meeting. [5:46] I was in Orange County with a group of [5:48] reps just like you who are calling into [5:50] home services businesses. [5:52] And we were having the exact same [5:53] conversation. I think we had like 30 [5:54] people and we were doing a Fanatical [5:56] Prospecting Bootcamp with them. [5:58] And they were like, "You know, I have a [5:59] hard time to get these objections, blah [6:01] blah blah." And I said, "All right, [6:02] here's what we're going to do. We're [6:03] going to meet here tomorrow morning at [6:04] 6:30 and we're going to do a phone [6:06] block." And I got like boo, like no, you [6:09] know, cuz you're I was taking getting [6:11] into their drinking time. Everybody's [6:12] got to get up early. I said, "No, you're [6:14] going to be here at 6:30. We're going to [6:16] be making these calls." So, they came in [6:17] at 6:30. We did a couple of role plays [6:20] to get started and we started making [6:21] calls. And they were stunned. And what [6:23] they were stunned at is that A, the [6:25] people that owned the business were [6:27] answering the phone. And the reason they [6:28] were answering the phone is if they had [6:30] an office, there was nobody in the [6:31] office to answer the phone for them. If [6:33] they had an answering service, there was [6:34] nobody there to answer the phone for [6:35] them. And they're business owners and [6:37] they understand that when the phone is [6:38] ringing, that's money. So, they're going [6:40] to pick the phone up. And we got more [6:42] appointments and more conversations set [6:44] between 6:30 and 8:00 than they were [6:46] getting between 8:00 and 10:00. It was [6:49] just all it was just easy. And the [6:51] people that they were talking to were [6:52] much in a much different space. Mhm. You [6:56] you you call somebody on their cell [6:57] phone and they're on a roof, of course [7:00] they're going to go, "How much does it [7:00] cost?" cuz they're just trying to make a [7:01] decision about whether or not it makes [7:03] any sense to be with you. So, I would I [7:05] would move your your call time up. [7:09] And and I would test how how early you [7:11] can go. Like try 6:30 in the morning. If [7:13] you get yelled at, that's fine. You [7:14] know, you can always call again and [7:15] apologize. But I would try to go as [7:17] early as possible, but I would I would [7:19] start calling home services around 7:00. [7:21] And and then go to 8:00. How many [7:24] appointments do you need to set a day? [7:28] Um one would be great. [7:30] Okay. [7:31] So, so [7:31] Yeah. So, what I would what I would [7:33] suggest is if you want if if you really [7:35] want to blow out your numbers, get on a [7:37] habit of two a day. So, my goal is to [7:39] set two good first-time appointments a [7:41] day. [7:42] And and if if you if you can start with [7:44] one, great. Okay, so, between 6:30 and [7:48] 8:00, let's say you start dialing and [7:50] let's just say you go 6:30 to 9:00 and [7:52] then you have another phone block at [7:53] 4:00 in the afternoon. The problem with [7:55] 4:00 in the afternoon is you will get [7:56] them, but they're tired. They're worn [7:58] out, you know, their their day's been [8:00] tough on them. So, you're going to get a [8:01] few more objections. But but if you if [8:04] you start in the morning and you go to [8:06] seven, you know, 8:00 or so and you say [8:08] between 6:30 or 7:00 and 8:00, I'm going [8:10] to make 25 outbound dials, Mhm. I feel [8:13] confident that you could set two [8:16] appointments. Now, [8:17] you do have one thing going against you. [8:19] You're selling advertising. So, you're [8:20] you're in the ad space and that is the [8:22] hardest thing to sell, period, end of [8:24] story. I know everybody out there is [8:26] listening and going, "My industry is [8:27] really hard. You don't understand, Jeb." [8:29] Let me tell you something. Selling [8:30] advertising is freaking hard. And it's [8:33] hard because [8:34] there's so many different places that [8:36] people can go. The individuals that you [8:38] are talking to, there's an entire [8:40] industry that is set up to talk to those [8:42] folks and they're getting inundated by [8:44] everybody who wants to sell them [8:45] advertising. Although, it's a really, [8:47] really good industry to be in, home [8:49] services, because it's one industry that [8:51] AI is not going to take over cuz AI [8:53] right now cannot go up on a roof and fix [8:55] a roof. It can't fix windows. It can't [8:57] fix HVAC. It can't put gutters in. It [8:59] can't do any of those things. So, you've [9:01] got an audience that is strong. But it's [9:04] hard. Okay, so, let's start there. Now, [9:07] the thing about the objections that [9:08] you're getting, like somebody says, "How [9:09] much does it cost?" Um how do you handle [9:12] that objection? [9:14] I usually say, "Well, it depends. You [9:16] know, that's why I'd like to sit down [9:17] and meet with you because we've got a [9:18] wide range of products and offerings." [9:21] Okay, I would I would say something [9:23] rather than say depends. Um just that [9:26] word it's kind of a it's one of those [9:28] words that it feels like you're arguing [9:29] with them, right? [9:30] Right. When when they say when they say, [9:32] "How much does it cost?" you can say, [9:35] "That's a very good question and it's [9:36] one that I expected you to answer or [9:38] expected you to ask." And that's exactly [9:41] why I want to get together with you in [9:43] an appointment when it's convenient so [9:45] that I can learn a little bit more about [9:46] your business, understand your goals, [9:49] and then I can tailor a package that [9:51] will help you achieve those goals. How [9:53] about we get together on Thursday? [9:57] What's the best time for you? Or how [9:59] about I how about I bring lunch to [10:01] wherever you're going to be on Thursday. [10:03] You you you you bring pizza. And by the [10:06] way, I was out with a rep who was doing [10:07] this. He he bought pizza and we went and [10:10] sat on the back of a guy's work truck [10:13] and had a business meeting and you know [10:15] on the on a job site eating pizza. And [10:18] we ended up getting a deal done right [10:19] there. So, you know, so you think you [10:22] think that's So if someone says that you [10:23] go, that's exactly what I expected you [10:25] to ask. And that's why I want to get [10:26] together because what I want to do is [10:29] learn a little bit more about you and [10:30] your business, understand what your [10:31] business goals are and then we can [10:33] tailor a package that's going to be [10:35] right for you. How about we get [10:36] together? Like if you want How about we [10:38] get together? I'll bring How about we [10:40] get to get together for lunch on on [10:41] Thursday? I'll bring pizza wherever you [10:43] are. [10:45] I love that. It's great. [10:47] if people say they're busy, [10:48] you say, um that's exactly why I called [10:51] because in your business, I knew you [10:53] were going to be busy. And all I'm [10:54] looking for is a time that's more [10:56] convenient for you. [10:57] Mhm. [10:59] How about and then offer another time? [11:01] How about I bring breakfast? How about I [11:03] bring lunch? Cuz with these guys, right? [11:05] They're they're working. They're these I [11:07] mean, they're all they're out. And [11:09] they're tough, but [11:11] they like a free lunch. They like [11:13] coffee, you know? [11:14] They sure do. So, I I would look at I [11:17] would look at it that way and think the [11:19] objection isn't so much to having a [11:20] meeting with you. The objection is, I'm [11:22] really really busy. I'm typically [11:25] they're overwhelmed in the moment. Like [11:26] when someone says I'm busy, they're [11:28] overwhelmed right now. I'm busy right [11:29] now. I'm in the middle of doing [11:30] something right now. They're not [11:31] thinking about next Thursday. They're [11:33] just thinking about right now. And all [11:34] you got to do is say, I figured you'd be [11:35] busy. I mean, in your business, why [11:37] wouldn't you be? [11:38] That's why I called. I want to find [11:39] another time that's more convenient for [11:41] you. Look, I just want to understand [11:43] your business a little bit better so we [11:44] can tailor a package. Is this you know, [11:46] when someone says, is this advertising? [11:48] What do you say? I say uh I say yes. [11:52] Okay. That's what you say. You go [11:54] but don't [11:55] say yeah, it's advertising, you know, [11:58] marketing, but it's advertising. [12:00] if you say all of those things like [12:02] advertising and marketing, um [12:04] you say you would you would say, yes, it [12:07] is. [12:08] But it's a little bit different than [12:09] what you have typically experienced. [12:13] We've got new strategies [12:16] for home services companies that are [12:18] resulting in You got any stats? [12:21] Mhm. What Give me a good stat. Give me a [12:23] juicy stat. [12:25] Yeah, I mean, [12:26] 25% higher profit jobs are are being [12:30] booked by using our services, yeah. [12:33] Perfect. So, absolutely, but it's not [12:35] what you've experienced in the past. [12:38] We're doing something that's new and [12:39] innovative that is helping our clients [12:42] increase the profitability on the jobs [12:44] that they book by 25% or more. And all I [12:48] want to do is grab a little bit of your [12:49] time to walk you through exactly how [12:51] we're making that happen so that you can [12:53] see it for yourself and make a decision [12:56] if it's right for you. How about we get [12:57] together Thursday at 2:00? Sounds good [12:59] to me. [13:00] [laughter] [13:00] But you see how we're doing that? So, [13:02] Absolutely. Cuz when someone ask you [13:04] that and then you're deer in the [13:05] headlights, then they don't trust you. [13:07] But if you just go, yep, that's exactly [13:09] right, but this and then throw a stat [13:10] out. And that's what what a lot of home [13:12] home services companies, especially in [13:14] your state where you've got insurance [13:16] problems and they're fixing insurance [13:18] problems, [13:20] um you know, they're getting hammered [13:21] because the insurance companies are [13:22] sucking all of the profit out of their [13:23] jobs. So, if you go in there and talk [13:26] about how we can get you more retail [13:27] jobs, less insurance jobs, we can get [13:30] you those retail jobs at a higher profit [13:32] margin, you're going to have people that [13:34] are going to pay attention to you. [13:36] Mhm. Yeah. Wow, that's great. Very good. [13:39] Awesome. Well, I hope I answered your [13:41] question. [13:42] You absolutely did. Thank you, Jeb. I [13:44] appreciate it very much. [13:46] for reading my books. Thanks for [13:47] listening to the podcast. Thanks for [13:48] coming on with me. Have a fantastic day [13:51] and uh I'm glad the the rain is over. [13:57] Thank you so much for watching this [13:59] video. Please make sure to click [music] [14:00] like and subscribe so you never miss a [14:02] single video. And if you want more sales [14:04] training content, go to [14:05] learn.salesgravy.com.

===FILE=== BYkhCxHZpvE - How to Fix an Empty Sales Pipeline NOW Money Monday.txt
https://youtu.be/BYkhCxHZpvE
How to Fix an Empty Sales Pipeline NOW (Money Monday)

[0:00] [Music] [0:05] this is Jeb blunt and it's money Monday [0:07] on the sales gravy podcast say make M [0:11] make make [0:18] Makey me [0:21] sound all right all right it's Monday [0:24] and the brutal truth is that how you [0:25] start your week is usually how you end [0:28] your week and that's what money mondy is [0:29] all about is helping you get focused [0:31] energized and start your sales week [0:33] strong we just finished the very first [0:36] full week of the new year and I'm [0:38] already hearing soop stories from [0:39] leaders and individuals everywhere who [0:42] are waking up to the cold heart truth [0:43] that they are staring down the barrel of [0:45] a thin or empty pipeline if you're in [0:48] the situation and don't have enough pipe [0:50] to cover your number either for this [0:52] month or for the first quarter then you [0:54] need to take action now to close that [0:56] Gap because getting behind your number [0:58] at the beginning of the year means means [1:00] loads of stress and chasing your tail [1:02] for the rest of the quarter or the [1:04] entire year if you get too far behind [1:07] now stepping back for a moment the [1:08] reason your pipeline is empty today can [1:10] usually be traced back to your sales [1:12] activity in November and December some [1:15] teams get tunnel vision in the fourth [1:16] quarter they focus on closing deals and [1:18] finishing the year strong but fail to [1:20] balance that with prospecting activity [1:22] for the future other folks just get [1:24] distracted by the holidays and let the [1:26] final weeks of the Year slip by without [1:29] doing enough proc preting to fill up the [1:31] pipe with opportunities that will cover [1:33] January and in other cases the pipeline [1:36] opportunities that you were counting on [1:37] for this month and you know the ones I'm [1:39] talking about the ones that pushed off [1:41] their decisions until after the holidays [1:43] well they've suddenly gone silent and [1:45] they're ghosting you you're finding out [1:47] the hard way that it is very very [1:49] difficult to reignite and reinvigorate [1:52] those deals once you've allowed this [1:53] much time to pass look I'm not going to [1:55] sugarcoat this because the truth is the [1:57] truth no matter what it is that got you [2:00] to this point you need to get the work [2:02] right now to turn it around so the [2:04] question is how do you do it well one of [2:07] the biggest pitfalls I see when [2:09] pipelines are empty is it sales people [2:10] get overwhelmed and paralyzed they don't [2:13] know where to begin or what to do so [2:15] they waste time worrying and getting [2:17] organized they plan to plan to plan to [2:19] prospect but they don't actually get any [2:21] prospecting done there's an old saying [2:24] that goes when you're in a hole stop [2:26] digging and likewise the very first rule [2:29] of an empty pipeline is when you have [2:31] one start prospecting that's it there's [2:34] really no magic to it it's kind of a [2:36] blinding flash of Common Sense therefore [2:39] step one is to block one to two hours at [2:42] the start of your day before you do [2:43] anything else specifically for [2:45] prospecting close your email and Company [2:47] chat put devices on do not disturb and [2:50] place a singular focus on picking up the [2:52] phone and calling potential customers [2:55] you also want to put those morning [2:56] blocks on your calendar as an immovable [2:58] meeting know what excuses no last minute [3:01] changes nobody puts a meeting on top of [3:03] it and you keep the time sacred for [3:05] outbound [3:06] prospecting why first thing in the [3:08] morning well because that's when you're [3:10] fresh your prospects are fresh and [3:12] neither of you have gotten buried in [3:14] your day yet and the truth is if you put [3:17] off prospecting until the afternoon your [3:19] willpower will be depleted and you're [3:21] more likely not to do it now next you [3:25] need to focus on the right kind of [3:27] prospecting this is not the time for we [3:29] slow Meandering approach in which you [3:31] cultivate long-term opportunities on [3:33] LinkedIn and through networking while [3:36] building the future through slow [3:37] prospecting activities is important [3:40] right now you need to move fast you need [3:42] to Target engage interrupt and convert [3:44] prospects that can move into your [3:46] pipeline is viable opportunities right [3:49] now by interrupt I mean dialing the [3:51] phone knocking on doors sending [3:53] personalized emails text messages video [3:55] messages and direct messages send smoke [3:58] signals whatever it takes to get [4:00] attention and engageing conversations [4:02] with high potential and high probability [4:04] prospects and when I say Target I mean [4:07] not random randomness is the enemy of [4:10] effectiveness at this moment in time [4:13] spray and prey will not turn your [4:14] pipeline around you need a rifle rather [4:17] than a shotgun approach the key is [4:20] building a good targeted list because [4:22] the better your list the better your [4:24] prospecting outcomes and whenever I'm in [4:26] a situation like this I Look to five [4:28] sources for build building a targeted [4:30] prospecting list and doing it fast start [4:33] with inbound leads take a look at the [4:36] inbound leads that came in over the last [4:37] quarter or maybe the last 6 months these [4:40] are folks who have already expressed [4:41] some level of interest in what you offer [4:44] maybe they downloaded a white paper or [4:46] attended a webinar or even reached out [4:48] directly now they might have ghosted you [4:50] or gone quiet around the holidays or [4:52] perhaps you were so busy that you didn't [4:54] follow up as aggressively as you should [4:56] have regardless inbound leads are an [4:59] easy list to build and there's a good [5:01] chance that you can reactivate some of [5:03] these leads now that we're in a New Year [5:06] the next source for your prospecting [5:07] list are closed loss deals you want to [5:10] take a look at all the pipeline [5:12] opportunities that were lost over the [5:14] past year pull your own out of the CRM [5:17] plus those of any reps that have left [5:19] your company now you may need to ask [5:22] your sales leader for permission to do [5:24] this but you want to ask because it's [5:26] surprising how much gold you can find in [5:28] deals that other people have lost it's [5:31] also amazing how many of those prospects [5:33] didn't end up choosing any solution at [5:35] all and they're still living with the [5:37] same old problems but because it's a [5:39] brand new year they may be open to [5:42] exploring [5:43] Solutions the third source for building [5:46] your prospecting list are inactive [5:48] customers these are people who bought [5:49] from you or your company in the past but [5:51] haven't purchased in a while they're [5:53] already familiar with your brand product [5:55] software or service and they're easy to [5:58] talk with the convers ation may be as [6:00] simple as calling and asking when are [6:02] you going to make your next purchase or [6:04] what's new on your end since we last [6:05] worked together because there's already [6:07] relationship it's not really a cold call [6:10] it's more like a warm [6:12] reintroduction the fourth source for [6:14] your prospecting list are active [6:16] customers you want to Target existing [6:19] customers where there may be an [6:20] expansion or cross cell opportunity this [6:23] is a list you'll want to build [6:24] thoughtfully so that you target the [6:26] right high potential accounts but [6:28] because you're already doing business [6:30] with these people the conversations are [6:32] easy to initiate just call say happy New [6:35] Year ask about their upcoming plans and [6:37] learn about potential needs that you can [6:39] fill right now and the final source for [6:42] your list are prospects with a q1 buying [6:45] window to find these prospects just go [6:47] into your CRM and Run a search for [6:49] prospects that meet your ICP and have an [6:52] identified q1 buying window this buying [6:55] window may be a contract expiring with [6:57] your competitor a seasonal swing demand [7:00] equipment coming off lease or they told [7:02] you on past prospecting calls that they [7:04] would be making changes or decisions in [7:06] the first quarter you may also want to [7:09] look at industry verticals that are [7:10] doing really well right now and are [7:12] flush with budget any and all of these [7:15] sources will help you build a robust [7:17] prospecting list that you can use right [7:20] now but when you're in a hole like this [7:22] digging out can be both overwhelming and [7:25] tedious you're going to be doing a lot [7:27] of work and it won't always feel like [7:28] you're getting anywhere [7:30] and this can be demotivating and make [7:32] you want to quit therefore to stay on [7:34] track set micro goals like a certain [7:37] number of calls or touches conversations [7:40] or qualifying information that you want [7:42] to achieve every day now track your [7:44] results religiously and celebrate even [7:47] the smallest wins for example if you get [7:49] a bad number celebrate the fact that you [7:51] now know not to call that number at the [7:54] same time use your micro goals to hold [7:56] yourself accountable if your goal is to [7:59] make 25 calls don't let yourself off the [8:01] hook at 20 this level of discipline and [8:05] celebrating small wins helps keep your [8:07] momentum going the 30-day rule states [8:10] that the prospecting you do in any given [8:12] 30-day period will pay off over the next [8:15] 90 days this is about having faith that [8:18] the prospecting that you're doing right [8:19] now will pay dividends in the weeks and [8:21] months to come you won't see Miracles [8:24] overnight but if you stay consistent you [8:26] will get the results that you're looking [8:28] for now before moving on I want you to [8:31] stop and remember how this feels lock [8:33] this Stress and Anxiety into your [8:35] emotional memory then make a commitment [8:38] not to allow this to happen to you again [8:40] next year because it's completely [8:43] avoidable later this year as we move [8:45] into the fourth quarter remember that [8:47] you must keep prospecting even while [8:49] you're trying to close deals and I'll be [8:51] here later this year to remind you of [8:53] this but let's be honest this is going [8:55] to stick a lot better if you internalize [8:57] the pain right now while it's fresh [9:00] so here's your homework and action steps [9:02] for this week first stop digging if your [9:06] pipeline is empty don't waste time [9:07] worrying accept the reality and get to [9:10] work fixing it second block time for [9:13] prospecting schedule and keep sacr 1 to [9:16] two hours each morning for focused [9:17] prospecting when your energy is at its [9:21] highest next build targeted list start [9:24] with inbound leads close lost deals [9:27] inactive customers active customers and [9:29] high probability prospects that are in a [9:32] q1 buying window then set micro goals [9:35] and embrace the 30-day rule focus on [9:38] these small daily goals and have faith [9:40] that the hard work you put in now will [9:42] pay off in the future even if at times [9:44] it feels like you're spinning your [9:45] wheels and finally remember the pain go [9:49] look in the mirror take time and think [9:51] about it and promise yourself that you [9:53] won't fall into the same trap at the end [9:55] of this year as we come to the end of [9:58] this money money episode I'm going to [10:00] leave you with this Embrace and make [10:03] prospecting a daily discipline because [10:05] the number one reason for failure in C [10:07] is an empty Pipeline and the number one [10:09] reason you will have an empty pipeline [10:12] in the future is that you failed the [10:14] prospect every day every day every day [10:17] prospecting is a daily discipline it's [10:19] not something you do when you feel like [10:21] it or only when your pipeline is on life [10:23] support it's like working out you don't [10:25] go to the gym once get in shape and then [10:27] you're done you have to keep going keep [10:29] working at it and keep putting in the [10:31] Reps now before I sign off I want to [10:33] give a quick shout out to Zach mofield [10:35] who wrote a five-star review for us on [10:37] the Apple podcast app he says that [10:39] listening to sales gravy is like having [10:41] a personal sales coach in your pocket [10:43] thank you Zach you are awesome I really [10:45] appreciate it if you like this podcast [10:48] if you're getting value from it then [10:50] please do me a favor just go to your [10:52] podcast app and give the sales gy [10:54] podcast a five-star rating it literally [10:57] takes less than 3 seconds to do this on [10:59] apps like Spotify and apple and your [11:01] small effort makes a massive impact on [11:04] moving us up in search which helps other [11:06] sales pros and leaders Discover it I'll [11:08] be truly grateful if you'll just take a [11:10] second now and help us out with your own [11:12] five-star rating or review this is Jeb [11:14] blot and I'll see you next time on the [11:16] sales gravy podcast and remember when [11:18] it's time to go home always make one [11:21] more [11:22] call survival of the Finish you can sink [11:25] or swim I've been broke I ain't never [11:27] going back again I need some C notes [11:29] some cheddar and a stack of ends I need [11:31] a bowl of dough I don't need no Facebook [11:34] friends I need a pack of them snaps a [11:36] handful of FY WPS and rubber band on my [11:38] green bags look dog don't be playing [11:41] with my paper I need every red scent [11:43] that's why I brought my little scraper [11:45] Mone make Mone Mone Mone take Mone Mone [11:48] take Mone make Mone Mone make Mone Mone [11:52] take Mone

===FILE=== CpLKml_FpKs - How Top Sales Reps Manage Emotions and Stay Consistent on Every Call  Ask Jeb Bl.txt
https://youtu.be/CpLKml_FpKs
How Top Sales Reps Manage Emotions and Stay Consistent on Every Call ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:00] [Music] [0:06] This is the Sales Gravy podcast and it's [0:08] wisdom Wednesday where you drive the [0:10] agenda because on this segment of the [0:12] Sales Gravy podcast, you bring the [0:14] biggest sales challenges and Jeb Blunt [0:16] delivers the best answers. And those [0:18] answers, they come straight from the [0:20] trenches because Jeb's not only teaching [0:22] sales, he's out there prospecting, [0:24] closing, and leading sales teams every [0:26] single day. Before we jump in, here's a [0:28] quick update. The Outbound Conference, [0:30] the biggest, baddest sales conference on [0:32] the planet, is getting ready to announce [0:34] its new dates and location. Tickets [0:36] always sell out fast. So, if you want [0:38] early access to discounted seats, head [0:40] over to outboundconference.com. [0:41] That's outboundconference.com, [0:44] and get on the waiting list right now. [0:46] Up next is Kurt O'Donnell and the entire [0:48] sales team from Joyland Roofing based in [0:51] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. All [0:53] right, next up on the show is Kurt [0:55] O'Donnell and the entire sales team from [0:58] Joy Land Roofing. And I think you guys [1:00] are in like Lancaster County, [1:02] Pennsylvania. Yes, sir. Yes, we are. [1:05] Awesome. So, tell me what y'all got [1:07] going on. So, we are a roofing an [1:10] exterior company. Roofing, siding, [1:12] windows, and doors. Uh, a year ago, we [1:15] purchased a window and door company. So, [1:17] we've been integrating that over and [1:20] yeah, just growing our sales and just [1:24] looking into the future. And we meet [1:25] about twice a week and the rest of the [1:27] week we're just out there. We do a lot [1:30] of um leads by marketing. So, like our [1:33] leads come in through our marketing. So, [1:35] we're not door knockers, but we're [1:37] following up on warm leads that come [1:38] through. Very good. So, it says in my [1:41] briefing document that you guys are [1:44] doing about 10 million in revenue today. [1:46] Congratulations. That's a that's that's [1:48] amazing. But you are looking to get to [1:51] 100 million in 10 years. So you got to [1:53] grow like double next year and then you [1:55] got to you got to add 10 more million. [1:58] So um so so what what's your what are [2:00] your biggest challenges in in scaling up [2:02] that big? [2:04] I mean as far as a company goes, our [2:07] biggest challenges really are just like [2:09] building the processes that we can then [2:11] just reproduce ourselves, right? Um, as [2:15] a sales team, I think really just [2:18] growing ourselves individually and as a [2:21] team and kind of establishing who we are [2:23] as a team so that we can then, you know, [2:25] the same same kind of idea, disciple and [2:28] produce more of us. I like it. So, we're [2:30] some of these guys are doing $2 million [2:33] in revenue sales a year um depending on [2:37] what department they're in. Um, which is [2:39] is pretty decent in this industry. Yeah. [2:42] I mean, that's that's huge. you're doing [2:43] 2 million a year as a sales rep. That's [2:45] uh that's cranking. I spent a lot of [2:47] time working in your space here recently [2:50] working on a project called the one call [2:52] close. We're going to be rolling a [2:53] training program out here shortly, but [2:55] primarily looking at it in the home [2:58] services space. It's a great place to be [3:00] right now because of a lot of the [3:02] disintermediation that's happening [3:03] through AI. your world is is getting [3:07] bigger and the there's there's in the [3:11] neighborhood of around two million [3:12] people that are selling a lot of them [3:14] are sold entrepreneurs who are out doing [3:17] different things in home services but [3:19] it's a big space and super competitive. [3:22] So to be able to as a sales rep be [3:23] crushing out, you know, 2 million and [3:25] good for you to be able to provide those [3:27] type of leads, but at some point if you [3:29] start thinking about scaling up to 100 [3:30] million, your need for revenue may [3:32] outpace your marketing efforts. And so [3:34] as a sales organization, at some point [3:36] you're going to have to think about how [3:38] are you going to augment the inbound [3:41] leads that you're you're generating [3:42] through marketing with more of an [3:44] outbound presence. And some of that's [3:47] probably going to come from as you [3:50] continue to do work in your community [3:52] and build out a customer base is making [3:54] sure that you're putting your arms [3:55] around that customer base and [3:57] recognizing that a customer who gets a [3:59] roof from you today will be a door and [4:01] window customer tomorrow and at some [4:03] point if you expand in like installation [4:05] or things like that that are all [4:06] adjacent to what you're doing. It's [4:08] learning how to prospect back into those [4:11] inactive customers. So it's a form of [4:13] prospecting. They're just people that [4:15] already know you. But as a sales team, [4:17] not just waiting for them to wake up and [4:19] come to you and say, "Oh, we're ready to [4:21] do business with you." Again, it's you [4:23] staying top of mind with those people. [4:25] At this point, like the sales team [4:27] doesn't do that prospecting. We have [4:30] in-house coordinators that are reaching [4:32] out and email campaigns that are [4:34] reaching out to people just keeping them [4:35] aware of new services that we provide. [4:38] And once that lead, once somebody sparks [4:40] interest, then it goes on to the rep. [4:42] That's how it's working right now. The [4:44] big question that we wanted to ask was [4:46] the it's a little bit of like an [4:47] introspective question as a rep in the [4:51] field rec we're kind of recognizing more [4:55] and more the more we do this how just [4:57] what's going on in our lives what's [4:59] going on in like from one call to the [5:02] next just the the EQ side of it not just [5:06] being able to read our customer but [5:09] learning we need to actually learn how [5:10] to read ourselves better and like and [5:14] just be consistent, emotionally [5:16] consistent, even when everything else is [5:18] kind of can heave around us. How do I [5:21] show up at the door and you know be that [5:24] consultant that is there to provide a [5:26] solution and listen and ask questions [5:29] but not just kind of be desperate [5:32] because I've had a few bad calls and [5:34] then switch into a pitch mode or things [5:37] like that. Yeah. So, I think for us, [5:39] we're like, man, like we really need to [5:41] be aware of this. What are some some [5:43] thoughts from you on like how how do we [5:47] kind of get that into our daily rhythm [5:48] where we're tracking that and we kind of [5:50] know where we are? Yeah. Sort of like [5:51] you got to be the Scotty Sheffler of [5:53] roofing, right? That that calm, cool, [5:57] everything is cruising forward. So the [6:00] first thing when I think about what you [6:01] do that I always have to remind myself [6:04] of. So this is this is a a internal [6:06] reminder is that maybe I went on, you [6:10] know, five jobs where I did estimates [6:12] today and I'm stringing all those [6:15] together in my mind, but the last house [6:19] that I go to, the last homeowner that I [6:21] have a conversation with, I'm the only [6:23] conversation with my company they had [6:25] that day. and they don't know all the [6:29] other stuff that happened. That's it's a [6:31] reminder for me to compartmentalize each [6:33] of those conversations individually for [6:35] each customer because the one thing that [6:38] we can't lose sight of is that your [6:41] customer, even though they're buying a [6:42] roof or they're buying doors or buying [6:44] windows for their home, that home, by [6:46] the way, is their biggest asset, the [6:47] most valuable thing in their life, it's [6:48] the thing they care about the most, [6:50] where they spend the most time. For [6:52] them, it's really emotional and they [6:54] they have a lot of fears of things that [6:56] could go wrong and their emotional [6:59] experience with you as they're going [7:00] through their own decision journey. Do I [7:03] want to do business with you? The way [7:04] that they feel is more predictive of [7:06] outcome than any other variable. So, in [7:08] other words, the way they feel about [7:10] you. So, people buy you. So, think about [7:12] that. So if you start thinking about how [7:13] do I form and develop a higher level of [7:16] emotional intelligence so that I'm [7:17] bringing my best self into every single [7:19] conversation. I begin with recognizing [7:22] that for that particular person it was [7:25] the only conversation they had with me [7:26] that day. I'm not thinking about the [7:28] other ones all all the other ones and [7:29] then understanding that how they feel [7:31] about me right how they how I show up is [7:34] more important than anything else [7:35] because they're going to buy me first [7:36] and then they're going to buy a roof. [7:38] and they're going to buy me because they [7:40] feel like I care about them, that I [7:41] listen to them, that I understand them, [7:44] that I feel safe and secure, and that [7:45] they can trust me. And that's the one [7:48] thing they want to believe is that when [7:49] when they give you money or they give [7:51] you the go-ahad, they can trust that [7:53] you're going to do it right and that [7:55] they're going to be taken care of. And [7:56] that doesn't happen if you show up [7:57] desperate or you show up in a different [8:00] mood or you're bringing the things that [8:01] are happening at home into those [8:02] meetings. So, if you can [8:04] compartmentalize that, that works. And [8:05] if you understand the value of those [8:08] conversations, that makes it easier for [8:10] you to show up as your very best self. [8:12] Now, the hard thing is that we're human [8:13] beings. So, I use Scotty Sheffller as a [8:16] as an analogy, but I played on a [8:19] tournament yesterday with my son. I was [8:20] actually doing really really well, and [8:22] I'm not a great golfer. I'm a 20 [8:23] handicapper, but I was doing well. I was [8:25] I was like, you know, paring holes. [8:28] Like, I I thought I'm going to maybe [8:30] shoot the best score I've ever shot on [8:32] this golf course. And then I got to a [8:34] par three and I just blew up. Like I hit [8:37] the ball in the water and then I hit the [8:38] ball in the water again. And then from [8:40] the penalty area I skullled the ball [8:42] across the green into a sand trap and [8:44] then which I had to hit downhill into [8:46] the you know toward the water again. And [8:49] it was just like a disaster. How do you [8:51] reset from that? Like how do you bounce [8:53] back from that? And and the the thing [8:56] that I had to go back to was my routine. [8:59] If there's one thing that's allowed me [9:00] to improve my my golf skills, it is [9:03] that. So, to give you an example, I [9:05] ended up shooting a 94 yesterday. Last [9:08] year on the same course, I shot 105. So, [9:10] 11, you know, strokes off my game. But [9:13] if I hadn't had the reset, I would have [9:15] probably shot 110. I was seriously going [9:17] downhill. All of that's in your head. [9:19] You start talking to yourself. You start [9:21] saying things to yourself. The way that [9:23] I've learned how to reset is I go back [9:26] to my routine. You get off your routine. [9:28] you hit one in the water. So, what do [9:29] you do? You step up to the to the the [9:31] tee and you just hit another one as fast [9:33] as you can versus going back to your [9:35] practice stroke. So, I went back to [9:37] that. I got back on the on the green. [9:38] When I finally got the ball on the [9:39] green, I marked my ball. I went through [9:41] the entire process, went to the next [9:43] hole, started over again. That's it. [9:46] Like, you got to go think what is my [9:48] routine when I get there? How do I greet [9:50] them? How do I connect with them? How do [9:53] I bring them into my evaluation? How do [9:56] I ask them the right questions? What's [9:58] each step of my sales process to get to [10:01] an end where I'm asking them to do [10:02] business with me? I've got to go through [10:04] that process. So, you another way of [10:07] looking at it is you start building [10:08] process goals versus outcome goals. If [10:11] you think about this in your head, [10:12] you'll know what I'm talking about. If [10:13] you go to the front door and your [10:15] outcome goal is close the deal and you [10:17] just lost two roofs to to a competitor, [10:20] you skip all over all of that and you [10:22] just start going right to do you want to [10:24] buy from me? not thinking about the [10:26] process. But if you have process goals, [10:28] you say, "I'm going to start at the door [10:29] and then I'm going to do this and this [10:30] and this and this and this and I'm going [10:32] to trust the process." And sometimes the [10:34] putt's going to go in and sometimes the [10:36] putt's not going to go in. But I ran the [10:38] process every time. And I'm giving [10:40] myself the highest probability of [10:42] getting that desired outcome, which is [10:45] they sign on the dotted dotted line and [10:47] we've got a new customer. And that's the [10:49] only way that I know how to do that. [10:51] Now, in between, what I would recommend [10:53] is as you go from call to call to call, [10:57] what's coming out of the speakers in [10:59] your truck? Like, what are you listening [11:01] to? Because if you're driving around [11:03] listening to, you know, say the news, [11:05] all you're hearing is crap. If you're [11:07] listening to sports radio, your mind's [11:09] not in the right place. But if you're [11:10] listening to the sales gravy podcast, [11:12] gratuitous, right? you know, you're like [11:16] you're filling yourself up with good [11:17] things or you're listening to an audio [11:19] book or you're listening to something [11:20] inspirational. It doesn't have to be [11:21] sales, but you're listening to something [11:23] that's good for you. That again helps [11:25] you reset so you stay in the game, [11:28] right? And you keep your mind on the [11:30] right things. And by the way, if like [11:31] you just walk out and let's say you just [11:33] had a really bad call and you feel [11:35] discouraged or you just messed up or you [11:38] didn't write make a good connection or [11:39] you just feel like everything was wrong, [11:42] call each other. like pick up the phone [11:44] and call a peer and say, "I just had a, [11:46] you know, a bad call." And pick each [11:48] other up and say, "Look, you got this. [11:50] It's okay." And then finally, I want you [11:53] to think about what you're saying to [11:54] yourself. I go back to uh golf. I was [11:58] playing on my home course. I went out [12:01] and I triple bogey the first hole and [12:04] then I tripled the second hole and then [12:07] I quadruple bogeied the third hole. Now, [12:09] if you play golf, you're walking off the [12:11] third hole and the things that are going [12:13] through your head is, "I just can't hit [12:15] that club. I'm such an idiot. I don't [12:17] even play golf. Why am I doing this? Why [12:18] do I even play this game? I just took [12:20] some lessons. This is really stupid. [12:21] This is a dumb game." That's what's [12:24] going through your head. And I know [12:25] you've been there. I see you smiling [12:26] because you've been on that you've been [12:27] on that role. And you're like, you know, [12:29] this is I'm never going to be this [12:31] again. Just give me a beer. Just I'm [12:32] just going to sit in the cart. Pick it [12:34] up. Whatever. I'm walking off that third [12:36] hole and those are the things that are [12:38] going through my head. And I teach this [12:41] for a living, right? So, I started [12:42] talking to myself and going, "Look, if [12:43] you keep talking like this, you're gonna [12:45] fail." And I started changing what I was [12:47] saying to myself. You know what? You [12:49] could hit the ball just great. You hit [12:50] that club all the time. You're fantastic [12:52] at it. You're getting better every [12:54] single day. Just slow down a little bit. [12:56] Just go back to the process. I go to the [12:59] very next hole and I hit a par. Like, I [13:01] hit a screaming drive down the fairway. [13:03] I'm on the greener regulation and I'm in [13:07] the hole. And for a 20 handicapper, a [13:09] par is like hitting a eagle for most, [13:11] you know, most people. [13:14] All of it was just a change in selft [13:15] talk. All of it was what am I saying to [13:18] myself? None of that's easy. Like I mean [13:20] it's not easy when you're out there [13:21] alone and it's not easy when you're [13:23] walking in people's houses. It's not [13:24] easy when people are beating you up on [13:25] price. It's not easy when you know [13:27] you've got some competitors out there [13:29] that do not have the same integrity that [13:31] you have and don't have the same values [13:33] you have and they're, you know, they're [13:35] slinging shingles at, you know, at [13:37] really cheap rates and you're trying to [13:39] go in and do a quality job and you know [13:41] that it costs more to do a quality job [13:42] and have like the systems and processes [13:45] that you need to do that and you're [13:46] fighting against all those things. It's [13:48] really easy to get into your own head [13:50] and it's hard to get out. So, none of [13:53] what I said is easy, but those are the [13:55] things that I would do. Focus on the [13:57] process. Compartmentalize. Recognize [14:00] that you're the only conversation [14:02] they're having that day with your [14:03] company. Think about the fact that [14:06] they're buying you. So, that [14:07] relationship really matters. Like their [14:09] experience with you really matters and [14:11] it has to be pristine. Think about the [14:13] process. How do you run the process, not [14:15] the outcome? And then learn how to [14:18] control your selft talk so that when you [14:20] do start spiraling downward, you can [14:22] catch yourself. Make sure that you're [14:23] listening to great stuff in your truck [14:25] while you're going around town so that [14:26] you're picking yourself up and building [14:28] yourself up. If all of that fails, phone [14:30] a friend. Like get somebody on the phone [14:32] that can lift you up and help you get [14:34] out of that that that spiral that you [14:36] get into. Like I really liked what you [14:38] said about like they're the only person [14:40] that is talking to my company today and [14:43] I'm the only person they're talking to. [14:44] And the idea too of just like what's my [14:47] routine because [14:49] the tendency is definitely to shift like [14:52] I once we try to control anything [14:54] usually I don't get the outcome that I'm [14:55] looking for. That's true. If you try to [14:57] control it you're not going to get the [14:58] outcome you're looking for. If you trust [14:59] the process and trust yourself you're [15:02] typically going to get the outcome [15:03] you're looking for. And if you don't you [15:04] can walk away and at least say you know [15:06] I did everything right and I didn't win [15:08] that one. That's okay. Pick yourself up. [15:10] I just just pat yourself on the back for [15:12] running the process. If you've got a [15:14] question for the show, go to [15:15] salesgravy.comask. [15:17] That's salesgravy.comask [15:19] and submit the form. One of our [15:21] producers will reach out to you and [15:22] schedule your session with Jeb. Now, [15:24] let's button this up with some final [15:26] thoughts. Kurt and his team at Joyland [15:28] Roofing expose something that separates [15:29] elite salespeople from everyone else. [15:31] The ability to manage their internal [15:33] state between calls. Here's what most [15:35] sales professionals don't understand. [15:37] Your emotional consistency is more [15:39] predictive of your success than your [15:41] product knowledge, your pricing [15:42] strategy, or even your closing [15:44] technique. Think about this. You could [15:46] be the most skilled technician in home [15:48] services. But if you walk into a [15:50] customer's home carrying the frustration [15:51] from your last three calls, you've [15:53] already lost the sale before you even [15:55] open your mouth. Your prospect doesn't [15:57] know about those other calls. For them, [16:00] you're the only conversation they're [16:01] having with your company that day. [16:03] Here's the brutal reality that Curt's [16:05] question revealed. Most salespeople are [16:08] sabotaging themselves with outcome [16:10] focused thinking instead of process [16:12] focused execution. When you're desperate [16:14] to close because you just lost two deals [16:16] to your competitors, you skip the [16:18] fundamentals. You rush through [16:20] discovery. You pitch instead of listen. [16:22] You try to control the outcome instead [16:24] of trusting your process. Elite sales [16:26] professionals understand what Scotty [16:28] Sheffller understands on the golf [16:29] course. It's all about the routine. the [16:32] same pre-shot routine, the same mental [16:34] approach, the same trust in the [16:35] fundamentals regardless of what happened [16:37] on the previous hole. In sales, that [16:39] means the same greeting, the same [16:41] discovery process, the same consultative [16:43] approach every single time. Here's what [16:46] really matters. Your customers are [16:48] making the biggest purchase of their [16:50] lives. Their home is their most valuable [16:52] asset, and they're trusting you with it. [16:54] They're not buying your roof or your [16:56] windows. They're buying you. They're [16:58] buying the feeling of safety, security, [17:00] and trust that you create in that [17:02] moment. So, the next time you're driving [17:05] between calls, ask yourself, "What's [17:07] coming through my speakers? Am I filling [17:09] my mind with negativity from the news, [17:12] or am I feeding myself something that [17:13] builds me up?" Because your mental diet [17:15] between calls determines your emotional [17:17] state at the next door. And remember, [17:20] you can't control whether customers say [17:21] yes, but you can control whether you [17:24] show up as your best self. Process goals [17:26] beat outcome goals every single time. [17:29] This is Jeb Blood Jr. and we'll catch [17:30] you next time on the Sales Gravy [17:32] podcast. [17:36] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [17:38] watched this video. Make sure that you [17:40] click like and subscribe so that you [17:42] never miss one of our amazing sales [17:44] training

===FILE=== EXHhjPLnZKE - How to Use LinkedIn to Fill Your Pipeline and Close More Deals  The Sales Gravy .txt
https://youtu.be/EXHhjPLnZKE
How to Use LinkedIn to Fill Your Pipeline and Close More Deals ｜ The Sales Gravy Podcast

[0:00] Nooks is the first agent workspace for [0:02] sales, a unified platform where AI [0:04] agents and human sales reps work [0:06] together in real time. Instead of [0:08] getting buried in manual tasks, you work [0:10] alongside AI that prospects, [0:12] prioritizes, and drafts outreach for [0:15] you. When it comes to outbound, stop [0:17] managing sequences and start selling [0:19] with Nooks. Visit nooks.ai today. That's [0:22] n o o k s dot a i. [0:30] All right, welcome back to another [0:32] episode of the Sales Gravy podcast. On [0:35] this episode, we have two of my favorite [0:37] people in the world. The first is Dr. [0:39] Lorenzo Bizzi, who is the award-winning [0:42] business of business strategy from Cal [0:45] State Fullerton. And then over here to [0:47] my left is the great, the wonderful, the [0:50] awesome Bryn Tillman, who is the CEO and [0:53] founder of Social Sales Link, and also [0:56] known as the LinkedIn Whisper, and is [0:58] also my co-author on our brand new book, [1:01] The LinkedIn Edge. And we've got Dr. [1:04] Bizzi on because we we've been together [1:05] before, and our last podcast just came [1:07] out, people love it. But I mean, you're [1:09] an amazing man. You've got so many great [1:11] ideas around sales and strategy. We just [1:14] thought we would spend some time talking [1:15] about LinkedIn, [1:16] and maybe even how your students are [1:18] using LinkedIn, how you're teaching [1:19] LinkedIn, and talk a little bit about [1:22] the LinkedIn Edge. I think you've read [1:23] the book, or hopefully you have, so we [1:25] can we can all have a good conversation [1:27] about it. And just kind of dive into how [1:30] a business platform like LinkedIn, that [1:32] Bryn says and and talks about all the [1:34] time, is the largest self-updating [1:36] database of business professionals [1:38] anywhere, has become a core part of our [1:41] lives as sales people. So, Dr. Bizzi, [1:43] welcome to the show. [1:45] Thank you very much, Jab. It is a [1:47] pleasure to be back here with you. I did [1:50] read the book, and I found it fantastic. [1:53] There's one message in particular that I [1:55] think resonates, and can resonate very [1:58] much with the audience. [1:59] And it's the idea that LinkedIn [2:03] does not just make prospecting more [2:05] effective, [2:07] but it makes it easier. Now, that's an [2:09] extremely important point, and I'd like [2:11] to elaborate on this and hear what you [2:14] what you have to say about it. But, the [2:16] fact that research shows that before [2:18] making a cold call, [2:21] heart rate, perspiration, blood pressure [2:25] increase. People feel very anxious. Now, [2:29] what I like about LinkedIn is that [2:31] because of in-mail messaging, better uh [2:35] qualification, better research that [2:37] makes you feel more comfortable, [2:39] prospecting is not just more effective, [2:43] but it's becoming less effortful. It's [2:45] becoming easier. So, it's encouraging [2:47] people to do something that historically [2:50] is [2:51] people hate. Am I right? I think you're [2:53] exactly right. I think that [2:56] the one thing that especially for people [2:57] who are reluctant with prospecting, it [3:00] gives you the comfort of hey, I I know [3:03] them a little bit or I've got more [3:05] information about them or it's really [3:07] easy to do some research. And a number [3:09] of the AI prompts that are in the book [3:11] allow you to gather up some personal [3:13] information about them that you're able [3:14] to use to just better relate to them. [3:17] And one of the the the frameworks in the [3:21] book, the hook relate framework, [3:24] allows you to hook them with something [3:27] that's that's that tells you that you [3:29] you know, you've got some information [3:30] about them and then relate to them in [3:33] their particular situation. And by the [3:35] way, they're telling you what their [3:36] situation is cuz they're posting crap [3:37] about it all day all day long. Yes, [3:39] absolutely. And and what I think is is [3:42] great that you also mention in the book [3:44] is the idea of these warm touch points [3:48] that allow you to simplify the cold [3:51] call. This idea that you can [3:54] add them before, you can like a post, [3:58] you can comment on a post, you can [3:59] reshare a post. That when you make a [4:01] cold call, it's easier to establish a [4:04] conversation and it becomes less likely [4:07] that you get rejected. Or even if you [4:09] get rejected, that's not going to be a [4:11] painful rejection cuz another element [4:14] that the research shows is that it's not [4:17] really the rejection rate that hurts, [4:20] but how badly people are rejected. When [4:22] people when people insult you, that [4:24] feels really bad and I feel LinkedIn [4:27] with these beautiful warm contact points [4:30] allow you to lubricate the relationship [4:33] at a social lubricant that facilitates [4:35] the conversation. It's the We talk about [4:39] building familiarity. But Bryn, last [4:42] week, like I get a [4:44] an email from the head of sales of a [4:47] large Fortune 100 company. [4:49] He sent it to JBJ and said, "Tell Tell [4:52] your dad this." But he bought the [4:54] LinkedIn Edge for all his sales people. [4:56] And the reason he bought it, he said [4:58] this, is because he said, "It's the [5:00] first LinkedIn book that leads with a [5:03] phone-first focus. And I could I felt [5:06] comfortable giving it to my sales people [5:07] because that's what we teach. Pick up [5:09] the phone and have conversations with [5:10] people." So, walk us through how like [5:13] LinkedIn Navigator or LinkedIn Premium [5:16] or the work that you do on LinkedIn [5:19] allows BDRs, SDRs who are primarily [5:23] prospecting by phone to leverage the [5:26] phone better as they interrupt, engage, [5:30] and convert into pipeline opportunities. [5:32] There's so many ways to use Sales [5:34] Navigator, but from a BDR SDR [5:36] perspective, a lot of this is how do we [5:39] identify pathways in or what we have in [5:43] common or are there conversation [5:46] starters that we can use based on [5:48] content they've shared or they've [5:50] engaged on? [5:52] Sales Navigator allows us to see if they [5:54] had a recent job change or if [5:57] something's actually happening inside of [5:59] the organization. So, when we're [6:01] reaching out, it's not starting with let [6:04] me tell you how I can sell you, but it's [6:06] let me tell you a little bit about what [6:07] I found about you and why I think this [6:10] conversation would matter. [6:12] And so, that's a big difference. It may [6:15] take a few more minutes in that pre-call [6:18] planning mode, but it transforms the [6:21] conversation and people feel like you [6:23] took the time to learn about them. Maybe [6:26] it's even mentioning that we have some [6:28] shared connections. [6:30] It's just warmer and makes that new cold [6:34] approach easier [6:37] to relate to and to connect with. I [6:40] think that we have to all square this [6:41] with the fact that [6:43] there are many, many sales teams out [6:45] there that are doing high-velocity [6:46] prospecting. And, you know, taking 10 [6:49] minutes in between a call to do research [6:51] is just not going to work because they [6:54] have massive databases, they have a huge [6:57] um pressure from their organization to [6:59] create pipe. And so, they've got to very [7:02] quickly like be able to create messaging [7:05] on the fly. I mean, the average phone [7:07] call's 30 seconds long. Like, we're not [7:09] having long conversations. You [7:10] interrupted someone in the middle of [7:12] their day, they probably weren't happy [7:14] about it, and you've got to very quickly [7:16] say something that is going to either [7:17] get them to give you an objection [7:20] or convert them immediately into a [7:22] pipeline opportunity. So, [7:25] you know, Dr. Busy, you've got a point, [7:26] right? A lot of people are afraid of [7:28] that. Like, it causes amazing stress and [7:30] angst to do that. And Bryn's got a point [7:32] in that [7:34] the more information that we have, the [7:35] more we able to relate to them, step [7:37] into their shoes, see things in [7:38] perspective, that makes the conversation [7:41] warmer, but the modern sales [7:44] organization, the modern CRO, the head [7:46] of sales, they don't necessarily always [7:49] have the luxury of allowing their sales [7:51] people to have that kumbaya moment. So, [7:54] how do we thread the needle in between [7:57] those two things using a tool like [7:59] LinkedIn and combining LinkedIn like [8:01] with tools like ZoomInfo that allow us [8:03] to expand our our you know, our [8:05] knowledge base of how to contact people, [8:07] those type of things. How are we able to [8:10] to square that in those situations where [8:12] people just don't have the luxury of [8:15] moving slow? Let me put this in the [8:17] context of if you're in an organization [8:19] and your pipe is empty, it's like trying [8:22] to walk around the world and not have [8:24] enough oxygen. Like like that's how it [8:25] feels. So, I'm just curious like what's [8:27] the what's the balance point for modern [8:30] sales professionals? Well, I think your [8:33] book discusses an issue that I think is [8:36] fundamental. And the fact that you need [8:38] to have both fast prospecting and slow [8:42] prospecting. Now, you Jeff, you [8:44] mentioned that important point, the idea [8:45] that when the pipe is empty, that's when [8:48] people spend time going on LinkedIn, [8:51] connecting, developing content. And that [8:54] is a mistake because at the same time, [8:57] you have to do the fast prospecting, the [8:59] outreach where by the way, I think [9:02] you're also mentioning an extremely [9:03] important point, which is AI can [9:06] enormously assist the ability of making [9:09] cold calls so that you can find [9:11] immediate and very efficiently content [9:13] that can push the conversation. But you [9:16] need to have both at the same time [9:17] because they reinforce each other. So, [9:20] it's essential to have the slow [9:21] prospecting, creating content, using [9:24] LinkedIn with the potential inbound [9:26] calls. [9:27] And at the same time, this is where the [9:29] balance is, having both of them because [9:31] they reinforce each other. And it's a [9:33] very, very powerful concept, the idea [9:37] that you need both at the same time to [9:39] do fast prospecting where AI can support [9:42] your LinkedIn content and can support [9:44] your ability to have conversation and [9:47] slow prospecting which you build [9:49] credibility that is going to increase [9:52] your conversion rate then when you have [9:54] conversations. Yeah, and I think Brendan [9:56] the [9:58] Dr. Busy makes [9:59] brilliant point there. Is it it's when [10:02] sales organizations learn to be able to [10:04] row [10:06] both ways at the same time. Like it's [10:07] the intersection of the fast and slow [10:10] where you can explode your earning [10:12] potential because you're you're playing [10:14] the short game. I got to breathe today [10:17] while looking at the long game. I've got [10:18] to weave my way into opportunities. We [10:22] spend time in the book talking about [10:23] multi-threading, looking at [10:24] stakeholders, understanding job changes. [10:27] And when I look at fast prospecting, [10:30] which is basically you got to interrupt [10:31] somebody, you got to get them engaged [10:33] quick and you got to convert them into a [10:34] pipeline opportunity. [10:36] We're setting meetings. [10:37] You think about the things that LinkedIn [10:39] can do for you which I think are [10:40] powerful. One is it can help you build [10:42] better lists because when you're doing [10:44] prospecting fast, like the better your [10:45] list, the better your outcome. So, [10:47] Brendan talks about all the searches [10:48] that you can do to create list. [10:50] Understanding who you want to call and [10:52] and by the way, not just like your your [10:54] ICP [10:56] overall but your ICP today because your [10:58] ICP in the fourth quarter, for example, [11:00] when we're talking right now is [11:01] different than maybe your ICP in the [11:03] first quarter. An ICP is your ideal [11:05] customer profile. LinkedIn is brilliant [11:08] for helping you dial into that and by [11:10] the way, keep it going. And then when I [11:12] think about like the cold calling piece [11:14] specifically around moving fast, I think [11:17] about using LinkedIn touches to support [11:20] a fast prospecting sequence. So, [11:23] LinkedIn is a nuanced space and Brendan [11:25] will be the first to tell you like you [11:26] can you can there's a bad behavior and [11:27] you can get yourself in trouble fast. [11:29] But if you think like I call Brendan and [11:31] I leave you a voicemail message. [11:33] And then I send you a LinkedIn direct [11:36] message, and I say, "Hey, I left you a [11:38] voicemail message." If I use that once [11:40] in my sequence, it's not overbearing. I [11:42] didn't do anything dumb. I already have [11:44] a connection with you, so I can leave [11:46] you that, and that would remind you to [11:48] go back and listen to the voicemail [11:50] message. And when I pair that with an [11:51] email, or if I'm an field salesperson, a [11:54] door swing, or even snail mail, I'm able [11:57] to pull all that together. If I go to [11:59] your profile, and I put up just a [12:00] profile touch, or I go like one of your [12:03] post, and I'm running that through a [12:05] fast sequence, I'm leveraging the power [12:07] of LinkedIn to build that familiarity uh [12:10] that you were talking about, Dr. Busy, [12:13] with long game strategies, but it allows [12:16] me to get prospects to engage. The thing [12:20] is is that the the slow prospecting [12:22] techniques, right, the relationship [12:24] building techniques, they don't [12:25] translate very well into fast [12:27] prospecting, because that's when people [12:29] make stupid mistakes [12:31] dumb connection requests. The connecting [12:33] pitch. Well, so the connecting pitch is [12:35] an attempt at fast prospecting that [12:37] fails. I love what you said, and I want [12:40] to flip it and say in the voicemail, [12:43] tell them that you're going to be [12:44] reaching out and connecting with them on [12:46] LinkedIn. Right? So I'm leaving you a [12:48] voicemail, and then, you know, I'm also [12:50] going to connect with you on LinkedIn. [12:52] Now, if your profile is positioned [12:55] correctly, that's your landing page. [12:57] Your profile should be built to convert. [13:01] Your profile should be that that page [13:04] that when they get there, they're like, [13:06] "Oh, this is interesting. Oh, I want [13:09] more of that." So that I am more likely [13:12] to want to return that call, or accept [13:14] that connection request. And so maybe I [13:16] don't return the call, but I accept the [13:18] connection request. That's a trigger to [13:20] call back. [13:21] Right? Like fast. Don't wait. They liked [13:25] it enough, right? There are a lot of [13:28] ways to leverage the two together that [13:30] warm it up. And I really believe that [13:33] when you leave that message saying, you [13:36] know, I'm checking you out on LinkedIn, [13:38] they get to really get to know you at [13:40] their at their time frame. So, yes, we [13:43] interrupted, but once it's a voicemail, [13:46] it's now their time frame. It just is, [13:48] right? And so, when they have time to [13:50] listen to that voicemail, now they have [13:52] time to kind of vet you a little bit. [13:54] And if you've got a lot of engagement [13:56] and maybe you're connected to a lot of [13:58] people they know, all of a sudden you [14:00] become more credible pretty quickly. And [14:02] I believe that if you do that [14:04] consistently, [14:06] your returned call rates are going to go [14:08] up significantly. [14:09] Very good. [14:11] So, if we take a look at um LinkedIn [14:13] from a slow prospecting standpoint, Dr. [14:16] Busy, one of the things that heads of [14:18] sales tell me, CROs tell me, [14:20] uh [14:21] vice presidents of sales leaders tell me [14:23] that is that they don't want their sales [14:24] people on LinkedIn. [14:25] And they don't want them there because [14:27] they fear A, they're going to use it as [14:29] an excuse not to do their outbound [14:31] prospecting. So, they use it as a way to [14:34] um [14:35] to avoid actually talking with people, [14:38] but more importantly, they just think [14:39] it's a waste of time. Like they spend [14:41] all day long on LinkedIn and don't get [14:42] anything done. And you know, admittedly, [14:45] I've seen my own sales people do the [14:46] same thing. They'll waste all their time [14:47] on LinkedIn and they won't actually [14:49] accomplish anything. [14:50] But LinkedIn's tough. Like I mean, it it [14:53] can steal a lot of your time if you [14:55] don't have your day arranged or your [14:57] blocks for LinkedIn arranged the right [14:58] way. And I'm just curious from your [15:01] standpoint as a professor working with [15:02] students. I know you're you're talking [15:04] about LinkedIn in the classroom. [15:06] How do you teach your students how to [15:08] leverage all these different types of [15:11] technology, including AI, in a way that [15:14] allows them to still do the fundamental [15:16] basics of selling, which means that we [15:18] have to go actually and have [15:18] conversations with people without [15:21] allowing it to completely and utterly [15:23] consume them. [15:24] Yeah, so you mentioned an important [15:27] issue, Jeb, the fact that on one side, [15:30] LinkedIn to many seems to be a waste of [15:33] time because they don't do it right. [15:36] There is a powerful concept you [15:37] discussed in your book. You talk about [15:40] lions, purists, and strategic [15:43] networkers. [15:44] And the majority of people LinkedIn tend [15:47] to be purists, meaning that they're [15:48] people that basically interact with [15:51] their friends on LinkedIn. They don't [15:53] post regularly. They like to see what [15:55] other people are posting, and they post [15:58] once in a while because they got 200 [16:00] likes. You have to switch from being a [16:03] purist or even a lion that sends [16:07] a message to everyone and tries to get [16:09] everyone [16:10] to a strategic networker. And a [16:12] strategic networker is a completely [16:14] different mindset in which you not only [16:16] have to reach out to prospect or [16:19] clients, but also, as you say, the [16:21] suppliers, the distributors, the [16:23] influencers, so that the perception of [16:26] your network prominence increases. You [16:29] mentioned another important point [16:31] though, which is it is hard work. It is [16:34] hard work because it takes time. You [16:36] see, what people like is that they want [16:38] immediate validation. With outbound [16:40] calls, I get immediate results. Building [16:43] credibility and authority takes time, [16:47] and the outcomes are [16:50] might be in a year, 2 years, multiple [16:53] years, but we still have to do it [16:56] because another important concept you [16:58] mentioned is [17:00] you learn through LinkedIn how to map [17:02] the stakeholders and to really [17:04] understand who influences the decisions [17:08] and who doesn't. So, LinkedIn is just an [17:11] incredibly powerful tool for all of [17:13] those reasons, and it makes everything [17:15] much, much faster and stronger. [17:19] So, Bryn, [17:20] building on what Dr. Busy said, [17:22] we think about the time investment. We [17:24] did this book launch, and I was on [17:26] LinkedIn almost 24 hours a day. I almost [17:27] didn't sleep. And I replied to every [17:29] comment. I you know, I had to think [17:31] about thoughtful things to say to [17:32] people. I was searching any time of [17:34] mention, reposting those things, [17:35] building things. By the end of the week, [17:37] I'm my brain is exhausted. I'm tired of [17:40] it, and I don't want to do I don't want [17:41] to touch it again. Mhm. So, I didn't [17:44] like for the whole weekend. I felt bad [17:45] about it cuz I've got a book we're [17:46] launching, and we're you know, we're [17:47] working on things. So, I got back on it [17:49] again, but I would I would imagine that [17:51] for you know, a sales person who would [17:53] go read the LinkedIn engine, they would [17:55] jump in the middle of it. They would go [17:56] throw all their energy into it, and then [17:58] they get burned out. So, what's your [18:00] best advice for people to be able to I [18:03] don't know, put a governor on that a [18:04] little bit so that they can be [18:06] consistent, but not like I I don't know [18:09] if this makes sense. Like like have it [18:10] just completely burn you out. [18:12] So, I think it needs to get integrated [18:14] into your daily activity. There are [18:16] definitely time blockings for some [18:20] engagement in content. But generally, [18:23] most of what I recommend or we recommend [18:26] is to kind of integrate into your day. [18:29] You know, I talk about when I first got [18:30] an email in 1992, I sat in my manager's [18:33] office saying, "Where do you think I'm [18:34] going to fit this into my day? I'm [18:36] really busy out there selling. How am I [18:38] going to use this email thing?" Well, we [18:40] can't even imagine life without email. [18:43] So, that's how I've become with Sales [18:44] Navigator and LinkedIn, where it is just [18:48] integrated, right? Like I'm if I'm [18:50] dialing, I've got the profile pulled up [18:53] at the same time. I know now how [18:56] important it is to look at [18:59] opportunities right from their profile [19:02] as I'm having conversations. I am never [19:06] ever in any kind of uh online [19:10] conversation without LinkedIn being part [19:13] of that. Am I if I'm emailing them, I [19:15] want to see who do we have in common? [19:17] What do we have in common? So although [19:19] we're slowing down our outreach some, in [19:22] many cases and not for the SDRs and [19:24] BDRs, but for the strategic account [19:27] managers a little bit slower can speed [19:29] up the outcome. Well, there's no doubt [19:31] about that. I I I think for the complex [19:34] seller, for the strategic seller, for [19:36] enterprise account executives, LinkedIn [19:38] is a powerhouse. So when we move from [19:40] fast to slow, we start moving into that [19:43] range where for those particular sales [19:45] professionals, there is a finite number [19:48] of opportunities that they have in their [19:50] system. So I ran to an enterprise [19:52] account executive last week. We're just [19:54] having a conversation. I just asked him [19:55] how many you know, how many total [19:56] accounts do you have? And their entire [19:58] universe was 80 accounts. Now, inside [20:01] those 80 accounts, there were 20 or 30 [20:03] people in each of those accounts that [20:05] they needed to know because these are [20:06] really large corporations. And that's [20:09] where slow prospecting really begins to [20:11] pay off. But again, we go back to this [20:13] pace, right? You could spend all your [20:15] day there and do nothing else. And for [20:17] me, like it's about it's about blocking [20:21] specific time for specific activities [20:24] and doing that every single day because [20:25] when you start getting into, you know, [20:28] showing up in the stream and building [20:30] familiarity and [20:32] mapping out and connecting with all the [20:33] stakeholders and [20:35] you know, building thought leadership [20:37] and your expertise, [20:38] that does take time and effort. So for [20:41] me, it's like how do you like block the [20:44] calendar in a way that you can do your [20:46] LinkedIn and then you can move on from [20:48] your LinkedIn task. And that may be a [20:50] little bit different than like [20:51] integrating LinkedIn into your daily [20:52] world, like just doing the tasks. [20:54] Well, so so some of the tasks, for [20:56] example, [20:58] um I know I have a scheduled call with a [21:00] client. We did a great job. It might be [21:04] you know, just you know, tell me what [21:05] else you need or it might be even an [21:07] opportunity to cross sell them on [21:09] something. But I am 100% of the time [21:11] going to be connected to them on [21:13] LinkedIn and I will have searched their [21:15] connections. So if the time is right, I [21:17] can say, "You know, Jeb, I'm so glad [21:19] we've been able to do X, Y, and Z for [21:21] you and it's so successful. You're [21:22] connected to 19 people I'd love to get [21:25] in front of. Do you have 5 minutes where [21:26] I can quickly run through those names [21:27] with you and get your thoughts?" [21:29] Right? And so, yeah, that's a little bit [21:32] slower, but that's in my day. I look at [21:34] my calendar, how many people am I [21:35] talking to that I'm not on a prospecting [21:38] call with? [21:39] Cuz I won't do this to a prospector, but [21:41] I'll do this with another vendor, a [21:43] networking partner. If someone's selling [21:46] me, I will connect with them and pull up [21:48] a list of people they know that I want [21:50] to know, cuz I'm just going to run those [21:52] names by them, you know, just at at a [21:55] curiosity. We have a lot of people in [21:56] common and there are a few people you [21:58] know that I'm trying to get in front of. [21:59] I convert every single one of those, as [22:02] best I can, [22:04] to referrals or permission to name drop. [22:07] So while it might be, you know, how do I [22:09] integrate that daily? I love the thought [22:11] leadership part. That is not the [22:13] outbound stuff that is is converting [22:16] that I'm doing every day. Those are the [22:17] block times, right? Content and [22:19] engagement, those are the block times. [22:21] But the way I integrate it into my day [22:23] is I make sure that every conversation [22:26] that I am having, I know all about them, [22:29] who our shared connections are, and [22:32] ultimately who they know that I want to [22:34] meet because that's where the gold is. [22:37] Yeah, so there's also another [22:38] interesting point that you discussed, [22:40] which is the better than nothing. Yeah, [22:42] BTN, right? Exactly. And this is [22:45] interesting. So it's important to [22:47] integrate it in your daily activities, [22:49] even if you do just a little bit, [22:52] because it creates a habit. Huh? So it [22:54] goes in the science of habit formation [22:57] and the idea that our motivation doesn't [22:59] come before our action, but is [23:01] reinforced. So, the action actually [23:03] triggers more motivation. This is why [23:05] it's essential to integrate it in the [23:07] daily activities, not only because well, [23:10] you need to reach your goals and you [23:12] have your metrics, but because by doing [23:14] so, you're constantly reinforcing the [23:17] motivation of going through LinkedIn and [23:19] all the activities become more organic [23:22] and I will also say more pleasant. The [23:25] BTN framework, I love better than [23:26] nothing. So, because what we're talking [23:28] about is from a prospecting standpoint. [23:31] Okay, so, you know, we're building [23:33] funnel, we're building outcomes. [23:35] It's everyday you do a little bit and [23:37] over time that cumulative impact begins [23:39] to to show up. Well, your network gets [23:41] bigger, your network gets more dialed [23:43] in, your communication gets better, your [23:47] you're showing up in the right places [23:49] and what from my standpoint, when I [23:51] start looking at LinkedIn, [23:53] my LinkedIn block is early in the [23:55] morning. Typically, I get up like this [23:57] morning, I got up in the dark and I went [23:59] upstairs and I spent about 45 minutes [24:02] doing all my LinkedIn work and I haven't [24:03] looked at LinkedIn since then. So, it's [24:06] like you got a time block, you do a [24:07] little bit every single day and the [24:09] better than nothing routine, it's a [24:11] built on a James Clear's Atomic Habits, [24:14] but there's never going to be a zero [24:16] day, right? Every single day, I'm going [24:18] to do something on LinkedIn that allows [24:21] me to advance my world, even building a [24:23] profile. Like you want to build out your [24:25] profile so it's a lead generation [24:26] machine, it takes a lot of time and [24:29] we've got some cool frameworks in the [24:30] book that allow you to very quickly [24:33] build out messaging for your your [24:35] profile, but [24:37] I went and rebuilt my entire profile. It [24:39] took about 10 hours of work to do that, [24:42] but I didn't do it in a one 10-hour [24:44] stretch. I just set up a little bit of [24:45] block my my my LinkedIn block was [24:47] everyday, I'm going to do a little bit [24:49] more of things. I still got a few things [24:50] to do, but that that time blocking [24:53] allows you to work LinkedIn into all the [24:55] other things that you have to do. And [24:57] that's my point for [24:59] heads of sales and sales leaders is that [25:02] LinkedIn can become a complete and utter [25:04] waste of time for your sales people [25:07] if they don't have a plan when they're [25:09] walking into LinkedIn. [25:11] And that's different than like having [25:13] LinkedIn up as say a CRM or like [25:15] ZoomInfo for us is up and up all day [25:16] long. Um or HubSpot's open up for all [25:19] day long and we're and you're you're [25:21] using those tools fluidly. I like what [25:24] Bryn said, it's more in line with your [25:26] entire sales methodology and sales [25:28] motion versus there are particular tasks [25:32] you got to do on LinkedIn just like [25:33] there are particular tasks when you're [25:34] doing CRM. phone calls, right? Or I got [25:37] to build a list every single day. So, I [25:38] think the BTN thing, I'm glad that [25:40] connects with you. I I I I dig that. [25:43] Cumulative impact. Dollar cost [25:45] averaging. [25:47] So, you've got [25:49] uh students now Dr. Dr. Busy and Bryn, [25:52] you're working like for example, you can [25:53] do a lot of work with bankers. Mhm. [25:56] Dr. Busy, you were talking about the [25:57] purest versus versus the strategic [25:59] versus the the lion. I know this has got [26:02] to be true for your students and I know [26:04] of probably for bankers who are just [26:05] like first using LinkedIn. I know when I [26:07] first started using LinkedIn, Lori [26:09] Richardson by the way is my very first [26:10] LinkedIn connection. Um [26:12] so, um but it was easy when someone [26:15] wanted to connect with me to just take [26:18] everybody. Like people would connect [26:19] with me, it was flattering. [26:21] And even now I kind of feel bad when I [26:23] don't connect with people and I just [26:25] delete them off. So, I don't do that. [26:28] I actually will reply to them almost [26:30] always and say thanks for the connection [26:32] request. Typically, I only connect with [26:33] people I know. May I ask how you found [26:34] me? Cuz you never know. And I would love [26:37] to do that except for I'm getting 4,000 [26:39] connection requests a day. And and the [26:42] you know, the ability to do that. But [26:43] people feel bad. Like they feel like [26:45] they're putting someone off to say no to [26:47] them or even to ask that question. How [26:49] do you get the discipline [26:52] to [26:53] accept the right people. And I'm talking [26:55] about the emotional discipline to say [26:58] I'm not building my network so that it's [27:00] really large. Mhm. That's so true. [27:02] it so that it's the right network. And [27:03] I'd love to hear from both you on that. [27:05] And Brian, why don't you go first? [27:06] So, the lion is the LinkedIn open [27:08] networker. It was actually a thing. [27:09] People actually at one point had it on [27:11] their profiles, right? And so, the [27:13] LinkedIn open networker was like, I will [27:15] connect with everyone in the world. By [27:17] the way, you max out at 30,000 [27:19] connections, no matter what. So, it's [27:22] not going to happen. And I know 30,000 [27:24] seems like a lot. But, now we've got [27:27] this It's really like going to a [27:28] conference and walking around and just [27:30] collecting business cards without having [27:32] any conversations. It's the yellow [27:34] pages. It's absolutely pointless to do [27:37] that, for sure. The purest is like, I go [27:40] to a networking meeting and I walk in a [27:42] room and I make a beeline for my [27:44] colleague that I sit next to every day [27:46] at work, and we talk the whole time. I [27:48] never get to meet the new people, right? [27:50] So, the networking is when I look at [27:53] this profile that just asked me to [27:55] connect, and I say, "If I were in a [27:57] conference with them, would I want to [27:59] have a conversation with them?" That's [28:01] like an easy yes, right? If I'd want to [28:03] have a conversation, I'm going to [28:05] accept, and I'm going to start a [28:06] conversation with, "Thanks for [28:08] connecting. May I ask how you found me?" [28:10] Right? I That's where I'm going to start [28:11] the conversation. They They asked me to [28:13] connect. I want to know. And that will [28:16] typically start, "Oh, I saw your [28:17] content." Or, "I read your book." Or, [28:20] "You know, Jeb liked something and I [28:22] found you." Right? There's so many [28:23] reasons to start those conversations. [28:26] And ultimately, when you've decided they [28:29] are someone I'd want a conversation [28:30] with, and I say, "Yes." [28:33] You've just got to start the [28:34] conversation. A connect and forget is [28:36] just as bad as no connection at all, [28:40] really, generally. The other thing I I [28:43] will say is um what I think is really [28:47] vital is if you look at someone, so I [28:50] perfect banker client ignored all these [28:54] connections of people he didn't know. [28:55] There was someone in Spain that [28:57] connected with him with no note. He's [28:59] like, I work in Philadelphia. I have no [29:01] use for anyone in Spain. [29:03] Well, when we sent that note, sorry for [29:06] the delay, it had been 6 months, um, but [29:08] sorry for the delay, just saw your [29:10] connection. Um, may I ask how you found [29:13] me? And her reaction was, "Oh, we were [29:16] setting up our US headquarters in the [29:19] Philadelphia Navy Yard and we were [29:20] looking for a local bank, but we got [29:22] covered. Thank you." [29:24] So, the point is you don't know. [29:26] And that's why I accept the people I'd [29:28] have a conversation with. I send a note [29:30] to everyone else and no one's getting [29:32] the kind of connection request you're [29:33] getting. So, [29:35] you're Jeb, right? Like, you're you you [29:37] know, you're going to get that. But, [29:39] across-the-board sales people aren't. [29:41] Yes. And so, it is manageable to most of [29:45] the time to have that reply. And you can [29:48] reply and forget. If they never respond, [29:50] fine. If they respond with something you [29:51] don't like, ignore. [29:53] But, I always like to put it out there [29:55] just in case. [29:56] Got you. [29:57] How about you, Dr. Bizzy? What's your [29:58] what's your, um, philosophy in who you [30:02] let into your network? And I ask that [30:03] question because I think most of the [30:04] time we're talking about like sales [30:06] people like, "How do I get people to [30:07] accept my connection requests?" But, we [30:09] never really talk about, okay, they're [30:10] incoming. [30:12] Who do you take? [30:14] So, I have done some, uh, research on [30:17] social network structures and I think I [30:19] have a nice answer for this. [30:22] As you mentioned, the typical mistake of [30:25] people is to believe that the more [30:28] connections I have, the better it is. [30:31] It is not the number of connections that [30:34] matters, it is the position in the [30:37] network structure. [30:39] And this is what you have to consider [30:41] every time you choose whether you want [30:43] to accept someone or not. Three issues [30:46] are essential here. One is [30:49] how many connections does that person [30:51] actually have and how prominent is that [30:54] person in the network? Being connected [30:57] to individuals who are prominent in the [30:59] network increases the perceived [31:02] prominence that you have. [31:04] A second important point is the concept [31:07] of bridging. You can be a bridge to [31:10] someone or someone could be a bridge [31:12] through for you. So by reaching out to [31:15] these individuals, you can tap into a [31:17] network that you probably do not know. [31:20] And this is where value could come to. [31:23] And a third important concept is the [31:25] concept of network closure, which is [31:28] somehow similar to the concept you [31:30] mentioned of social proximity. [31:33] How many contacts do we have in common? [31:35] Now this is extremely important because [31:38] the more contacts you have in common, [31:41] the more credible you are perceived and [31:44] the more trusted you are likely to be. [31:47] So it is important to always understand [31:49] what value can this person bring if I [31:52] add them to my network and how can it [31:54] reinforce not the total number of [31:57] contacts that I have, but the position [32:00] that I have in the social structure, [32:02] which ultimately determines my influence [32:05] and my prominence. [32:07] I love that and I think that um to both [32:09] of your points, [32:10] the people that are in your network, [32:12] when someone's looking at you, like a [32:13] customer's looking at you, if they see [32:15] other customers like them in that [32:16] network, it's part of your personal [32:18] brand. If they see vendors or people [32:21] that are in their space or their [32:22] industry, it's part of their brand. It [32:25] also determines what information you [32:27] see. Like if you when you're in the [32:28] stream and there's industry information [32:31] coming at you, if you have people that [32:33] are related to what you do in in network [32:35] and you're following them or connected [32:37] to them, you're more likely to see that [32:39] information, which allows you to repost, [32:41] and re-share, and curate content. [32:44] One of the the things that um I want to [32:46] shift to is mistakes that you see on [32:48] LinkedIn. [32:49] And in the book, there's I've we put [32:53] several um examples of people sending [32:55] really bad communication on LinkedIn. [32:58] But there's a couple of things that I'm [32:59] struggling with, and I I want to hear [33:01] from both you on this. Like if Number [33:02] one is [33:04] people spelling my name wrong when they [33:07] send me a message on LinkedIn. I mean, [33:10] your profile's right there. How can [33:11] someone get your name wrong? And two, [33:13] like not knowing anything about them. I [33:16] mean, I get it on a like a purely cold [33:18] email, I get it on like a purely cold [33:19] cold call. Like you call somebody up, [33:22] and I do that all day long. We pull a [33:24] list, I don't know anything about you. [33:25] I'm just calling setting appointment. I [33:26] don't honestly don't need to know [33:27] anything about you unless you set the [33:28] appointment. That's how I work on cold [33:29] calls. [33:30] But I mean, when you're sending an [33:32] InMail or an LIDM, whether it's like [33:35] written or or could be a video or voice, [33:38] I'm looking at you, Bren, but explain to [33:40] me the malpractice of [33:42] malpractice [33:43] How is it possible that if you're on the [33:46] freaking platform, you could send [33:48] something that is so generic that it [33:51] would look like you didn't even look at [33:53] their profile? [33:54] So, I'm going to say there's one answer. [33:55] They hired a VA [33:57] that English is their second language, [34:01] and they're just having them send out [34:02] mass messages. [34:03] Okay. [34:04] If they're using AI or automation, then [34:07] your name is going to be spelled right. [34:08] I mean, that's really it. They're [34:10] looking to do this at scale, and they've [34:12] decided to hire a VA to do it. That's [34:14] really what's happening. Dr. Busy, you [34:16] got anything on this? I'm like I'm I [34:19] mean, I'm blown away. Like it's you're [34:21] on LinkedIn. Like the entire point And [34:24] and Bren made this the very first time [34:26] we started talking about this book. It [34:27] is the largest self-updating database in [34:30] the world. How is it possible that [34:32] you're communicating with someone and [34:35] your communication comes across as if [34:37] you know nothing about them? Well, I [34:39] think the main reason is because people [34:42] really do not understand how important [34:44] it is. [34:45] You write in the book something very [34:48] relevant, the idea that people accept [34:51] your connection request for their [34:53] reasons and not yours. Well, most of the [34:57] times you think about your reasons. And [35:00] you have to invest time understanding [35:02] what their reasons are, but the good [35:04] news is that LinkedIn allows you this [35:07] opportunity. You can literally see [35:10] changes that happen in their job or the [35:13] part that we discussed the changes in [35:15] the job is so relevant. It's such an [35:17] easy way to establish a connection. And [35:20] the people don't do it. And it's [35:23] becoming more and more important to do [35:25] it. Why? Because [35:27] uh LinkedIn is getting overwhelming for [35:30] many individuals. And to stand out, you [35:32] need to build a differentiation. And [35:34] that differentiation can only be [35:36] achieved if your message is personal. [35:40] And if you spend effort truly [35:42] understanding what triggers them and [35:45] what is likely to create conducive [35:47] conversation. [35:48] I love that. And they're telling you, [35:50] right? I mean, they're on the stream. [35:51] They're writing things. They're posting [35:52] things. We have the segment on the [35:54] podcast called Ask Jeb. And this guy guy [35:56] showed up yesterday asked me a question. [35:58] And I I had just seen him on LinkedIn. [36:01] And he had been following and liking [36:03] things that I've been posting. And as [36:04] soon as I got on the phone with him, I I [36:05] feel like he's my best friend. Like I [36:07] love this guy. You know, so it [36:09] Cuz he made you matter. Yeah, he made me [36:11] matter. And and it was just like I I [36:13] recognized this face. [36:15] And I think that's the thing when I [36:16] think about prospecting and pipeline [36:18] building and when we we think about [36:21] interrupting and engaging people, even [36:23] if slow or fast, [36:25] LinkedIn gives us the ability to build [36:28] familiarity. Like almost like a movie [36:30] star, right? I see your face over and [36:32] over and over again. Human beings were [36:34] were wired to see faces and recognize [36:37] them. When we go back to having a little [36:39] bit of time on LinkedIn every single [36:41] day, it's that that process. [36:43] But that requires strategy. Like it's [36:46] not just like random acts of LinkedIn. [36:48] Like you got to be thinking about like [36:50] have I targeted someone [36:53] and I'm showing up every day. We use [36:55] these this concept of five S's, but [36:57] showing up is one of the S's. That's the [36:59] key, isn't it? I mean Well, it's a big [37:01] piece of it, right? And I think it's [37:03] absolutely vital that we're building a [37:07] network not always about who we know, [37:11] but that they know us, right? So, as we [37:14] build that network, engaging on their [37:17] content matters to them. And then so we [37:21] now matter. If we start just sharing, [37:24] "Hey, this is how I can help you or I'd [37:26] love to share how we've helped a company [37:28] like you do this." And you haven't [37:30] earned the right yet, they're getting [37:32] hit every day with 75 of these messages [37:35] that are pitching them. But if it starts [37:38] with I'm liking your stuff and engaging [37:40] on your stuff, [37:42] then when I share my stuff, you care. [37:45] And I think that's a big piece of this [37:47] and not enough people do that. And you [37:50] know, we have in the book, we talk about [37:51] the 10:1 ratio. You've got to engage 10 [37:54] times more than you post. For every one [37:56] post, you've got to have engaged with 10 [37:58] other people. Not only does it help the [38:00] algorithm and people see your stuff, but [38:04] all of the sudden like you matter in [38:06] their world. I had one of my friends [38:08] shared the book. She's like, "Jeb [38:10] engaged on my content." Like it was a [38:13] famous person engaging. I'm like, "Yeah, [38:15] like I know you." Like, "Yeah, of [38:16] course." But it was so meaningful. [38:19] Like famous Jeb and I've read nine of [38:22] his books, and you know, at at work [38:25] there's, you know, [38:26] Fanatical Prospecting is on every desk, [38:29] and now he engaged on my content. Like, [38:31] you could have sent her 50,000 [38:34] pitches, and none of that would have [38:36] mattered nearly as much as you took the [38:37] time to engage on the content she [38:40] shared. So, when we do that as sales [38:42] people, now may you not be quite at [38:44] scale or at that level, but you know, [38:47] people are sharing content, they're [38:48] getting three likes. If you're number [38:50] four, you matter. If you're the first [38:53] comment, you matter more than any pitch [38:57] you can ever give them. Love that. [39:00] So, Dr. Bizzy, [39:01] you know, I really want to like step [39:02] into your student shoes, these young [39:04] minds that you're teaching. When you [39:05] think about them and building out their [39:07] LinkedIn platform and this concept of [39:10] familiarity. So, familiarity is just [39:12] prospecting lubricant. It is it is [39:14] social lubricant. Even seeing someone's [39:17] faces, um if you're getting out of [39:20] school, you're in college, cuz there's a [39:21] lot of there's a lot of students who are [39:23] in sales programs and business programs [39:25] who watch our podcast, what's your [39:27] advice to them for starting now to to [39:32] create that persona, that personal [39:35] brand, so that people recognize them and [39:38] and pull them in versus them always [39:40] having to push their way through the [39:42] door. [39:42] Let's talk about the concept of [39:45] familiarity because it's very [39:47] fascinating. I explained the reason why [39:50] it matters, and for me, the major [39:53] mistake that people make is that they do [39:57] not understand the true reasons why [39:59] continuous exposure yields benefits. [40:03] They understand the rational reason. [40:06] They understand that well, if I bring my [40:09] message multiple times, people are more [40:12] likely to understand that message. [40:15] Good. That is the rational reason. But [40:17] is there There is a way more powerful [40:20] reason, which is a subconscious reason, [40:23] that makes familiarity strong. You see, [40:26] in evolutionary psychology, we say that [40:29] um in the ancient times, if you would [40:31] see someone multiple times and that [40:34] person does not attack you, that means [40:37] that person is not a threat. So, our [40:40] brain has learned to process exposure [40:43] and familiarity as a sign of safety. And [40:47] safety is connected with trust. So, by [40:51] simply constantly exposing yourself, [40:55] you're not just making your comments or [40:58] your messages easier, but familiarity is [41:01] linked to safety. Safety is linked with [41:04] comfort, and comfort is linked with [41:07] trust. And this allows possibility over [41:10] time with consistent exposure to gain a [41:14] trust that would otherwise be impossible [41:16] to get. That's beautiful. It's [41:19] it's the in-group selection. So, if you [41:22] speak the same language, if you're [41:23] familiar with me, it's um safety. It's [41:26] um it's getting people and people get [41:28] past the status quo bias. It's lowering [41:30] risk. It's what we talked about last [41:32] time, Dr. Bizzy. It's It's passing [41:34] through the five decisions. Do I like [41:36] you? Do you listen to me? Do you make me [41:37] feel important? Do you get me and my [41:38] problems? And do I trust and believe [41:41] you? And familiarity, like it makes all [41:44] of that move so much faster. That was [41:47] just the most beautiful point. All [41:48] right, I'm going to get you guys to [41:49] think about something before we wrap up, [41:51] okay? So, we're just going to do a [41:53] little bit of a round, but we're going [41:54] to do a couple of our favorite LinkedIn [41:58] features. Like so so like little Easter [42:00] eggs. And I'll go first to give y'all [42:02] time to think, cuz I know I sprung it on [42:03] you a little bit, so you're you're your [42:05] fight or flight might be kicking in, but [42:07] one of my favorite features on LinkedIn [42:10] is the ability to put a video [42:13] on your job profile. So, you can go into [42:17] your like the resume part of of LinkedIn [42:19] and you've got your role. My role is CEO [42:22] Sales Gravy. It's I've changed it to [42:24] customer-centric CEO Sales Gravy. I love [42:27] that. So, but you can go in and open it [42:30] up and then I'm able to put videos of me [42:34] on my profile or I can put documents on [42:37] that profile. And what I love about that [42:39] as a sales professional is that I can [42:42] have a profile like my job CEO where it [42:45] just says what I do or I can have my job [42:48] CEO where it demonstrates that in that [42:51] role I I gained experience and I was [42:53] able to help other people solve problems [42:56] and that I'm uniquely qualified to [42:58] solve. But that ability to put [43:00] multimedia in on like any job post like [43:04] even like the LinkedIn Edge book like I [43:06] put my my role in as a author at Wiley [43:09] and then I put the video that we made [43:10] for the LinkedIn Edge on that on that [43:12] job profile. So, I beef up what looks [43:14] like a resume and I turn it into a sales [43:17] sheet. I love that. My favorite feature [43:20] hands-down, the reason I started [43:22] teaching LinkedIn in the first place, is [43:24] the ability to search and filter your [43:26] connections' connections. [43:27] There is no other tool in the entire [43:30] world that comes close to that. You [43:32] know, when I started in sales, all I [43:34] wanted to do was jump over the desk of [43:37] my client and pull out his Rolodex so I [43:39] can review it. Well, we can do that [43:41] digitally, right? And my business is [43:44] where it is today and my clients are [43:46] where they are today. Really, all the [43:48] other stuff matters but not nearly as [43:51] much [43:52] as that social proximity piece. Who can [43:55] introduce me to the people I want to [43:57] meet? I can enter into those [43:59] conversations with a high level of [44:01] credibility and you know, for me that's [44:04] the most powerful way to prospect. [44:06] Love that. Dr. Bizzy. Well, my favorite [44:08] feature is going to be what you just [44:09] mentioned. Before I didn't even know it [44:11] existed and I haven't used it, but [44:12] that's the first thing I'm going to do [44:14] today after. The possibility of using [44:16] multimedia in a video to uh present [44:19] yourself, that that seems to be [44:21] fantastic to me. And we were talking [44:23] about the feature section. In the [44:24] feature section, which a lot of people [44:26] don't use, like you can feature a post [44:28] or what have you, but I put lead gen [44:30] content in there. So, I'll put a [44:33] magnet I got a download and then people [44:35] will download it and they they they fill [44:37] out a form and we get their information. [44:39] Featured is wonderful. And by the way, [44:42] services, you can do the same thing. So, [44:44] all your services, every one of your [44:45] services, so all the things that you're [44:47] good at, not only does that that that [44:49] lift you up in search and we should [44:51] never forget that LinkedIn is just one [44:53] big giant search engine. So, the more [44:55] services you have, that creates search, [44:57] but each of those services that you do, [44:59] you can put a multimedia element to [45:02] that. Each of the things that you're [45:03] expert at, you can put them multimedia [45:05] element to that. And it's amazing that [45:07] LinkedIn allows you to do that. Like if [45:08] you just think about like it truly is [45:12] building your own web page on your [45:14] profile. I I love that. [45:16] why I call it the landing page. That's [45:17] your landing page. Another cool feature [45:19] that I like is the ability to go into [45:22] the search bar and I can't explain I'd [45:24] have to show you how to do this, but you [45:25] can actually get a QR code of your [45:27] profile. So, when I'm at a conference [45:29] and we want to connect, I just pull my [45:31] LinkedIn QR code and sometimes we'll [45:33] just print them on the back of a badge. [45:34] Yep. And then people hit that and then [45:36] they they connect. All right, give me [45:38] another one. So, I love that. I'm going [45:39] to play on that. I love if you're at a [45:41] conference and you are used to having [45:44] tables of paper that people throw in a [45:46] bag and then throw away and never read. [45:48] Put those PDFs in a smart link, which is [45:51] part of Sales Navigator. Print out the [45:54] QR code, create a QR code for the smart [45:56] link, print it out, and have people scan [45:58] that QR code. All the content is there. [46:01] You now see who has it. So, you've [46:03] collected all of those leads and you can [46:06] see how many times have they looked at [46:07] it. [46:08] You can create incredible follow-up [46:10] around that. And if your CRM is [46:13] connected to Sales Navigator, you can [46:14] just add them right in as lead [46:16] opportunities. And so, I absolutely love [46:19] Smart Links used in conferences. [46:21] Love that. Dr. Bizy, got another one? [46:23] Yeah, well, I usually post links to my [46:26] articles on LinkedIn and I think that is [46:29] very powerful. The idea we mentioned [46:31] that you have to create value for the [46:33] network around you. So, access to [46:35] resources, [46:37] uh white papers, whatever you can. This [46:39] is great cuz they feel that you're not [46:42] just try to sell something, but you're [46:44] providing active value through the [46:46] content that you share. So, I post a lot [46:49] of links to my articles with the [46:50] Financial Times, the Harvard Business [46:52] Review. That also signals that you have [46:54] some sort of credibility while at the [46:56] same time providing value to them. I [46:58] think it's great. [46:59] And those are things you can put both in [47:00] your feature section and in your [47:02] services section. One of the things that [47:04] I love, and you use this often, is if [47:08] you're sending a LinkedIn DM. So, [47:09] there's LinkedIn direct messages and [47:11] there's InMail. But, let's say I posted [47:13] a video and LinkedIn is really leaning [47:15] hard in the video, and I take that post [47:18] and I share that post with Bryn, that [47:20] video plays in the direct message the [47:24] post on LinkedIn natively. Yes. It's [47:27] really cool how that works. The little [47:29] paper airplane at the bottom of every [47:31] post from a human being. It may not be [47:33] available in company pages all the time. [47:35] But, if the if you've posted that video, [47:37] you can actually send it to 10 people [47:39] blind copied at a time. [47:42] The same thing with a poll. You can send [47:44] a poll and they can vote on it right [47:46] inside of their DM. It's amazing. You [47:48] think about this thing, you think, "I [47:49] can't believe LinkedIn lets us do those [47:51] kind of things." So, I mean, it's a that [47:53] that process of being able to shoot a [47:55] video and send it to someone and have it [47:58] play right there is powerful. [48:00] Dr. Bizy, one more. [48:02] Well, what I what I use it a lot and I [48:05] like to see is to explore the network [48:07] connection of who is who. This is not [48:09] specifically a feature, but you can see [48:11] who's connected with and that gives a [48:13] possibility to understand the position [48:16] of everyone in the network. And I like [48:17] always to see not just my connections, [48:19] but who their connections are so that I [48:21] can tap into different networks and [48:23] that's powerful. And along with that, [48:26] we go into really good detail in the [48:28] book is setting up alerts so that you [48:31] get alerts when people change a job, you [48:33] get alerts when people post things, you [48:34] get alerts when things things change or [48:37] things happen so that you don't have to [48:39] remember everything that's happening in [48:41] their world. That's super powerful for [48:43] busy sales people because again, we go [48:46] back to fast and slow prospecting. [48:48] If you're fast prospecting and you've [48:50] got a list of people that you've got [48:52] qualified, you're probably connected [48:53] with them on LinkedIn and you're [48:55] probably running a slow sequence against [48:57] them playing long game. But if suddenly [48:59] one of them gets promoted or changes a [49:01] job, now, and this goes back to your [49:03] point earlier, now I've got a point [49:06] where I'm calling them up, not [49:07] necessarily as a prospecting call, but [49:08] I'm calling them up as a human call to [49:10] say, "Hey Dr. Bizy, congratulations on [49:12] that amazing promotion you got." You [49:14] know, our promotion or the the going to [49:16] the conference or what have you. That [49:18] that alert system, ooh, super super [49:21] super powerful. I'm going to give you my [49:23] last one and then we'll end with Brian. [49:25] One of my favorites is, again, [49:28] difference between InMail and LinkedIn [49:30] direct messaging. And we won't go deep [49:33] into it, but there's entire sections on [49:35] here on the differences in the two. [49:37] But it's one of the most unused tools [49:40] that you can that are in LinkedIn DM. [49:42] You got to be connected with someone [49:43] first degree and it's voice messaging. [49:46] The the LinkedIn direct messaging app [49:48] allows you to leave a voice message. So, [49:51] these days voicemail is all kinds of [49:53] places. You can leave voice messages on [49:55] WhatsApp if you wanted to, but you're [49:56] able to leave a voice message. [49:59] It's amazing because people listen to [50:01] voice messages, and the reason that they [50:03] do is because they're curious. Because [50:05] if you get the DM, the direct message, [50:07] and there's just a recording in there, [50:09] you're going to push the button. [50:10] There's FOMO. Yeah, I know. So, that's [50:12] one of my great features. Bren, last [50:14] word on the features. [50:15] Also, before I give my last one, also [50:17] you can also send a direct video message [50:19] to someone as well, and I love that. And [50:21] there's we've tested there's over a 90% [50:24] response rate on that video message. So, [50:26] I absolutely love that. So, the last [50:28] feature I'm going to talk about that I [50:31] absolutely love, and this is something [50:33] that very few people do, is you can [50:35] filter by followers of. [50:39] So, I did this, and Mark Hunter knows I [50:42] did this, but I went into all of my [50:44] first-degree connections that met my ICP [50:47] that followed Mark Hunter. [50:49] And I did a podcast with him, but you [50:51] can do this for lots of other things. [50:54] And I went to every single one of them, [50:56] and I sent a link to all my first-degree [50:58] connections. Hey, I see you follow Mark [51:01] Hunter. I was blessed to be on his [51:03] podcast. If you're interested, and they [51:05] were all permission-based. If you're [51:06] interested, let me know, I'll send a [51:08] link. I got about 150 responses of yes, [51:11] send the link. I ended up on seven phone [51:14] calls after that, and two closes. So, I [51:17] leveraged an influencer. By the way, you [51:21] don't have to be connected to them. So, [51:22] maybe I I not connected to Mark, or [51:27] maybe I go out and I say, I want to see [51:28] all the people that follow Mel Robbins, [51:32] or you know, whatever, right? And I can [51:34] send content about that influencer to my [51:38] ICP that follows them. [51:40] And that is a huge Now, that's slow [51:42] prospecting. [51:43] Oh, it is. [51:44] own [51:45] just like 120,000 followers. He's He's [51:48] going to Well, that's why I used him. [51:49] That's right. Right? But But But Mel Mel [51:52] Robbins has [51:53] about to the first degree connections of [51:55] yours. [51:55] My first degree connections. [51:57] that's good. That follow that [51:58] influencer. Now, I find a great piece of [52:01] content and say, "Hey, I know you're a [52:03] follower. Came across this. Let me know [52:05] if you're interested." The reason I [52:06] don't send it is I "Let me know if [52:09] you're interested." They have to say [52:10] yes. There's FOMO. [52:11] They don't get it if I If I send it, [52:13] they can always come back to it. If I [52:14] don't send it, there's FOMO. But it also [52:16] starts the conversation even if yes, [52:19] we've got two ways going. [52:21] And by the way, as the fanatical [52:22] prospector, I'm I like I totally dig [52:24] this. What I would do is I would get [52:27] that same list. I would run it to get [52:28] ZoomInfo. I'd get all their cell phone [52:30] numbers and I'd just call them. [52:31] Same thing. So [52:32] Yeah, well, better. Really even better. [52:34] Or in conjunction, but the concept, the [52:37] strategy is so powerful cuz there is no [52:40] other way to find out who their [52:41] influencers are. [52:42] bad. That's awesome. All right. Okay, [52:45] Dr. Bizzy, I'm going to give you the [52:46] final words. We're going to walk around [52:47] the horn here and we're going to close [52:48] this thing up. Um your final thoughts on [52:51] the LinkedIn Edge and um and and how [52:54] people should be transforming their [52:56] relationship with LinkedIn. [52:58] So my final thoughts on LinkedIn Edge is [53:01] that the time is now. This is not just a [53:05] great book because of the content, but [53:07] it's a great book because of the time. I [53:09] believe there is a strong ROI in [53:12] investing on LinkedIn for sales, but I [53:15] don't know if the window of opportunity [53:17] would always be open as much. Cuz as [53:20] more people will understand the value of [53:22] LinkedIn for sales, it will become more [53:24] crowded, and getting attention will [53:27] become more and more difficult. So the [53:29] time to get educated and to understand [53:31] the potentials of this tool is now. And [53:35] so that's why I strongly recommend [53:37] everyone to get and and buy the book as [53:39] soon as possible because the window of [53:42] opportunity is open, but it will become [53:44] less and less open the more people will [53:46] understand the potential of this [53:48] powerful tool. [53:50] Beautiful. All right, Brandy, you want [53:52] to wrap us up? [53:53] Yeah, so um if you're in sales, which [53:56] you are if you're listening, and you [53:58] want to use LinkedIn, which you do if [54:00] you're listening, make sure you don't do [54:02] this in random acts of LinkedIn. You've [54:04] got to have a plan because there are [54:06] black holes and rabbit holes everywhere. [54:09] And you know, you kind of dive in and [54:11] go, "This is really cool. There's a lot [54:13] of cool rabbit holes you can go down [54:15] that don't convert." So, it is so [54:18] important that you have a playbook, that [54:20] you know exactly what you're doing. Um [54:23] we actually have a course that's coming [54:25] up on Sales Gravy that will kind of put [54:28] out like what is my Sales Navigator time [54:31] management [54:32] you know, what am I doing on a daily [54:34] basis? If you don't do this, you will [54:37] end up saying, "That was a waste of [54:39] time." And your boss is going to say, [54:40] "That's a waste of time." So, you've got [54:43] to have a plan. Do random acts of [54:45] social, random acts of LinkedIn is going [54:48] to get you random results, and sales [54:50] does not work with random. And to tie [54:53] into that, there's Brandy's book, The [54:55] LinkedIn Edge. In part two, [54:57] uh all of part two is about building [54:59] that plan, getting your strategy [55:01] together, leveraging your time the right [55:02] way, building LinkedIn into your daily [55:05] cadence so that you have time for [55:08] all the things that LinkedIn can give [55:09] you, and you're able to do all the other [55:12] things you have to do in sales to close [55:13] business close business, keep your [55:15] income strong, and keep your boss happy. [55:17] Thank you, Dr. Busy, for joining us. [55:18] Thank you, Brandy Tillman. This is a [55:20] game-changer book. This is a pure [55:22] prospecting book. This book will When I [55:25] say transform your relationship with [55:26] LinkedIn, it will transform your [55:28] relationship with LinkedIn, and it will [55:30] meet you where you are as a sales [55:31] professional. What I love most about [55:33] this is you can literally open it up and [55:35] and go to any chapter, and you can start [55:37] there. You can go through and go [55:39] non-linear. You can only focus on the [55:41] things that are important to you and no [55:43] matter how you go about prospecting, [55:45] there's something for you in this book. [55:47] There are how-tos. There are amazing new [55:50] frameworks like the PIPPA framework and [55:52] the FIRE framework for building [55:53] messaging and each of those has got [55:56] dialed in AI prompts attached to them. [55:58] So, not only are you are are you able to [56:01] to leverage the framework, but you're [56:02] also able to tap into whatever AI you're [56:04] using right now to make LinkedIn work [56:08] better for you so that you have more [56:10] time to sell more. [56:11] Go pick up this book. It is a number one [56:14] best seller. It is crushing the charts. [56:16] The reviews are starting to come in. [56:19] People love this book. If you're a fan [56:21] of Fanatical Prospecting, I guarantee [56:23] you're going to love this book cuz it [56:23] plugs right in. I've been excited about [56:26] this book. I've told everybody that I [56:27] know that this is [56:29] one of the best books that we've ever [56:31] produced. Uh this book will change your [56:33] life. Go get the LinkedIn Edge and this [56:35] is Jeb Blount and I'll see you next time [56:37] on the Sales Gravy podcast. [56:40] The Sales Gravy podcast is sponsored by [56:42] Nooks. Nooks is the first agent [56:44] workspace for sales. A unified platform [56:47] where AI agents and human sales reps [56:49] work together in real time. Instead of [56:51] getting buried in manual tasks, you work [56:53] alongside AI that prospects, [56:55] prioritizes, and drafts outreach for [56:57] you. When it comes to outbound, stop [57:00] managing sequences and start selling [57:02] with Nooks. Visit nooks.ai today. That's [57:05] nooks.ai. [57:12] I'm Jeb Blount, best-selling author of [57:13] Fanatical Prospecting, Sales EQ, [57:15] Objections, Ink, and my brand new book [57:17] The LinkedIn Edge. You know, companies [57:19] and people from all over the world come [57:21] to me to get answers to their toughest [57:24] sales and growth questions. And that's [57:26] why I created Ask Jeb. It's a segment on [57:28] the Sales Gravy podcast where you can [57:30] come and ask me anything. If you want to [57:32] get on the show, just go to [57:34] salesgravy.com/ask. [57:36] That's salesgravy.com/ask. [57:39] One of our great producers will get you [57:41] on and you can ask me anything about [57:43] sales. [57:48] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [57:50] watched this video. Make sure that you [57:52] click like and subscribe so that you [57:53] never miss one of our amazing sales [57:55] training videos.

===FILE=== EppsCQnYWu0 - How to Use the Ledge Technique for Sales Objection Handling  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/EppsCQnYWu0
How to Use the Ledge Technique for Sales Objection Handling ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:03] [music] [0:07] Welcome back to the Sales Gravy podcast. [0:09] I'm Jeb Blunt Jr. and this is Ask Jeb, [0:11] where you ask your toughest sales [0:13] questions. And Jeb Blunt, he gives his [0:15] best answers. And those answers, they [0:17] come straight from the trenches because [0:19] Jeb's not just teaching sales. He's out [0:21] there prospecting, closing, and leading [0:22] sales teams every single day. So, let's [0:24] take that next caller. All right. Hey, [0:26] next up on the show is Rick Vaness from [0:29] one of my favorite places, Albuquerque, [0:31] New Mexico. That's where my wife is [0:32] from. Tell me what's going on in your [0:34] world, Rick. [0:34] Hi, Jee. Thanks for having me. Uh, I [0:37] co-founded a company that works in [0:40] healthc care claim filings. Uh, we [0:43] primarily focus in the older claims. So, [0:46] where providers would have difficulty [0:48] getting payment, we try and help them. [0:51] uh but our goal is to augment their [0:54] operations, not replace. And there's a [0:58] polarizing view of replacement in the [1:00] healthcare industry with the term [1:01] outsourcing. And so the majority of [1:03] people that have outsourced are either [1:06] trying to get out of it or had a bad [1:08] experience and don't want anything to do [1:09] with it. So when I do a cold call, when [1:12] I try to introduce myself, I'm [1:14] immediately stereotyped within five [1:17] seconds into that. And so I'm kind of [1:19] curious on your thoughts on how do I do [1:22] better job at trying to convey what we [1:25] do by communicating augmentation, not [1:28] replacement. [1:30] So I'm reading some notes that I got [1:33] about your business. You're calling up [1:35] and they're immediately think that [1:36] you're an outsourced billing company. [1:38] And what you're really doing, if I get [1:40] this right, is there's claims that sit [1:43] out for too long. So you build the [1:45] claim, but you're not getting paid for [1:46] it. You've got a system and a process [1:48] that helps a practice go in and collect [1:51] that money that's sitting out there that [1:54] they otherwise might not get to because [1:57] their billing function just bills but it [1:59] doesn't actually know how to go out and [2:01] pull that money in from the insurance [2:02] company. Did I get that right? [2:03] Yeah. [2:04] Okay. So, you call up, you're doing a [2:06] cold call and they're immediately, hey, [2:08] we already got billing. We don't need [2:09] that. Okay. So, start me off with for [2:11] the cold call. Who are you calling [2:13] specifically? [2:14] Usually like a billing director or [2:15] manager. Okay. So, start off with the [2:18] the first of all, you're calling a [2:20] billing director. The billing director [2:22] antennas are already up because [2:23] outsourcing billing means that they lose [2:25] their job. Immediately, you got that [2:27] going on. So, they're already listening [2:29] for what they want to hear is we don't [2:31] do that, we're good. So, that human [2:33] being is interested in not having you [2:36] there. Is there a reason why you have to [2:38] talk to that person versus someone else [2:40] that's more interested in what you do? [2:42] That's a good question. I mean, the [2:43] decision maker would be the CFO, but [2:45] getting a hold of that person or getting [2:48] an availability with an executive is a [2:50] little bit trickier. I tend to gravitate [2:53] more towards the manager director [2:54] because at least I do get my 15 seconds. [2:57] Uh um so I mean that's a good question I [3:00] should try to unravel of someone else. [3:02] like feel like if I go to the lower, you [3:04] know, not to demean or diminish, but [3:06] like to go to the lower tier actual [3:07] claim adjuster, they're not a decision [3:10] maker and and you know, they're not [3:12] going to help me much in terms of going [3:14] up the chain. [3:16] What they can do though is they can give [3:18] you information. So, if you go lower in [3:20] the organization, let's say to a claims [3:22] adjuster, that person doesn't care what [3:24] you're selling or how you're selling it. [3:25] But if you went to them and said, "Hey, [3:27] I've got a couple of questions for you. [3:29] Can I grab a few minutes?" They might [3:30] they'll probably say, "Yeah." And you [3:32] said, "How much money do you have [3:34] sitting out there that is over 45 days [3:37] old with the insurance companies that [3:39] you're struggling to collect?" And if [3:41] they said, you know, let's just say that [3:43] was a significant number. We got, you [3:45] know, $5 million in claims that are [3:47] sitting out there 45 days. I mean, all [3:49] you got to do is just do the present [3:51] value of money on that and you can go [3:52] like, this is what you're losing because [3:54] that's profit that you don't have in the [3:55] practice or in the organization. that [3:58] gives you a story to bring to the CFO. [4:01] The insight that you're giving the CFO [4:03] isn't industry insight. It's insight in [4:05] their organization. So you go to them, [4:08] you're probably going to end up leaving [4:09] a voicemail or you're going to connect [4:10] with them on LinkedIn or you're going [4:13] to, you know, send them a direct [4:14] message, send them an email, but at [4:16] least you're able to connect with them [4:17] on something that they may or may not [4:19] know is happening in their business [4:21] because they may not be aware of the [4:23] fact that they've got $5 million in [4:25] receivables that are sitting there over [4:27] 45 days that are collectible. So they're [4:31] going to care about that, right? Because [4:32] the CFO cares about the profit and loss [4:34] statement. the director of billing only [4:37] cares about their job and their their [4:39] their whole world is protect my job from [4:43] being disintermediated and also if we [4:45] think about in the age of AI a lot of [4:47] white collar workers right now are like [4:49] really on edge because they're like [4:50] waiting for the shoe to drop and you [4:52] know the CFO comes in and goes hey we [4:54] got a robot that's going to take your [4:55] job in billing you know they're all [4:57] waiting for that so that would be one [4:59] way to shift that what I would recommend [5:02] is don't stop calling the director ctor [5:05] or the managers. I mean, if you can get [5:06] a meeting with them, get a meeting with [5:08] them. But unless ultimately they can [5:10] make the decision, which they might be [5:13] able to, they might not be able to. If [5:14] they can, that's great. Try a bottom up, [5:18] top down approach, right? So, call the, [5:20] you know, call the claims adjusters and [5:22] just have conversations with them. [5:23] That's just basic early discovery. Find [5:26] the stories that are inside that [5:27] organization. We call them narrators. [5:29] Find people who will narrate for you [5:30] what's happening in the organization. [5:33] And then you can use that information [5:35] both with director of billing and with [5:37] the CFO. But I would take all those [5:40] routes because you're not going to step [5:41] on anybody's toes either way. If you can [5:43] get to the top and they push you down, [5:44] great. Now you've got the CFO said we [5:46] should talk. If you can get to the [5:48] bottom and you can get information, you [5:49] can go to the director of billing and [5:50] say, "Listen, I hear what you're saying. [5:52] What I found out is you guys have $5 [5:54] million in receivables that are sitting [5:55] out there. I'm like another set of hands [5:58] that can help you get that. It's a way [5:59] of changing the conversation." Now, when [6:02] you get the director billing, say on the [6:04] phone, like you you picked up the phone, [6:06] you called them, they answered the [6:07] phone, or you send an email to them, [6:10] either way, or you send a LinkedIn [6:11] direct message to them. What is your [6:14] message? What's your pitch that you tell [6:16] them they should meet with you? [6:17] The reason I tell them is we can help [6:20] you. We are an assisting firm and we can [6:23] do it at low risk. So um or zero risk [6:27] usually what we'll we'll pitch of the [6:29] idea of you don't have to pay us until [6:31] you collect or an extra set of hands [6:34] without the FP or the increase in [6:37] operational cost unless we collect for [6:40] you. The pitch is usually we have you [6:42] know automation that you kind of [6:43] mentioned robots or manual expertise but [6:47] it's a way to elevate to enhance what [6:49] you do. [6:50] That's how I overcome an objection. Hey [6:52] we already got a billing department. I [6:53] go, "That's perfect." Because almost [6:56] everybody I work with already has a [6:58] billing department. What we operate as [7:00] is a source that complements what you're [7:03] already doing to help you get money [7:06] that's much harder for you to pull back [7:07] in because it conflicts with today's [7:10] billing. So, that's a way of handling an [7:13] objection. And again, I want to be clear [7:15] for the audience who is listening and to [7:17] you, we're just talking about this. [7:19] messaging isn't perfect and there's no [7:22] right or wrong, no black or white, but [7:24] what I would do is just step into [7:26] anybody's shoes, like the building [7:28] clerk's shoes or the CFO's shoes. As [7:30] soon as you say, "No risk to you. It [7:32] doesn't cost you any money until we [7:34] collect that antenna comes up." They're [7:36] like, "Well, does that sound too good to [7:38] be true?" Or, "That sounds really [7:40] cheesy." You know, is that really a [7:42] selling point for me? And are you [7:44] creating objections by using that [7:46] language [7:48] versus focusing on what the problem is? [7:50] Because that would be something that I [7:51] would want to have a conversation with [7:53] when I'm negotiating with them on [7:55] signing an agreement, not really as a [7:58] walk through the door pitch. Because the [8:00] pitch is I can help you increase your [8:04] profit, right? I can help you increase [8:07] your top line. I can help you reduce [8:10] losses by focusing on the part of the [8:14] billing practice that often gets ignored [8:18] because it's really hard. And on [8:20] average, we're able to through the [8:23] systems that we have in place pull in a [8:27] minimum of 80% of that money and get it [8:29] in 40% faster than most of the billing [8:33] organizations do. And this isn't a hit [8:36] on billing organizations. the billing [8:38] department is focused on billing, right? [8:41] They bill now, but they're not normally [8:44] a collections department. They're [8:45] they're they're not very good at that. [8:47] So, that's what we focus on. So, if I [8:49] was talking to a director of billing, I [8:52] might say something like this. I might [8:53] say, "Hey, Rick, you know, I talk to [8:55] directors of billing and practices all [8:58] over the country." And one of the themes [9:01] that I hear over and over and over again [9:03] is that they're so consumed with getting [9:06] billing out today that some of the [9:08] claims that they have with the insurance [9:10] companies just sit and sit and sit. And [9:12] the thing about the insurance companies, [9:14] they're happy to make it sit. They want [9:15] to make it hard for you. And so we [9:18] partner with directors of billing to [9:21] help them go get that money and we make [9:23] it a lot easier without interrupting [9:26] what they're currently doing. and I'd [9:29] like to schedule a few minutes with you [9:31] to learn a little bit more about what's [9:33] happening in your invoices that are 45 [9:36] days out that are sitting with the [9:37] insurance companies to see whether or [9:39] not what we do would even be a fit for [9:41] you. How about Thursday at 2? Does that [9:43] make sense? So, all I'm trying to do is [9:44] get them to come to the table to get [9:46] past the reflex response. We already do [9:49] that. But if I can have some statistics [9:51] or I can have some numbers or if I can [9:54] have some way of showing them the [9:56] problem, it's easier to get them to [9:58] meet. Then like if I'm in a first-time [10:01] meeting with them and they go, "Well, [10:03] how much is this going to cost me?" And [10:04] you say, "Here's the good news." The way [10:07] that this works is we only get paid for [10:09] performance. So if we don't perform for [10:12] you, there's no cost for you whatsoever. [10:14] and if we do perform for you, this is [10:16] our fee rather than having that upfront [10:19] which can create a little bit of that [10:22] sounds kind of weird. [10:23] Yeah, that's really resonating with me. [10:24] I think you're right. I think [10:25] gravitating right to the price, you're [10:27] right, creates skepticism. So to [10:30] continue to hone in on the problem and [10:31] get more information on the problem, I [10:33] think is that's a really good education [10:35] for me. I appreciate it, Deb. [10:36] The final thing is when you do get push [10:38] back, right? So you get push back, we [10:39] already do this. The way that I would [10:41] handle that is we call this LDA but [10:43] ledge disrupt and ask right so you need [10:45] a ledge statement the ledge statement is [10:47] just something to get your brain to sort [10:49] of settle down in the moment and it's [10:51] just something that you say wrote so [10:53] when the person says I'm sure like you [10:54] know we're happy with what we already [10:55] have but usually they go we already do [10:57] billing like we don't do outsourcing if [10:59] they say that you go that's perfect [11:02] because none of my customers do [11:04] outsourcing they all have internal [11:06] billing departments and what we act as [11:09] is an extra set to hand. What we do is [11:11] complement what they're already doing by [11:14] picking up the really hard things like [11:16] collecting on insurance claims that have [11:18] been sitting for 45 to 90 days and [11:21] getting them paid faster. And look, I [11:24] don't know if we're even the right fit [11:26] for you, but wouldn't it at least make [11:29] sense for us to take a few minutes, let [11:31] me learn a little bit about what you've [11:33] got sitting. I can walk you through our [11:35] system and then you and I can make a [11:37] decision from there whether or not it [11:38] makes sense for us to keep talking. If [11:40] you notice what I'm doing, I'm just [11:41] lowering the tension. I'm not getting in [11:43] a fight with them. I'm agreeing with [11:44] them. You know, we already do billing. [11:46] Perfect. All of my customers do their [11:49] own billing. Perfect. I don't work with [11:51] outsource billing. I only work with [11:53] customers that are currently doing their [11:54] building. That's awesome. That's exactly [11:57] what I expected you to say because [11:59] everybody I talk to says they don't [12:01] outsource. And that's why we should be [12:04] talking to each other because what we do [12:07] is this. It's just learning how to deal [12:10] with that language. Understanding that [12:11] when you call the director of billing, [12:13] their number one job is protect my job. [12:15] When you call the CFO, their number one [12:17] concern is, is this worth my time having [12:19] a conversation with you? And if you call [12:21] somebody lower in the organization, the [12:23] best thing that they can do for you is [12:25] narrate what the problems are so that [12:27] you can use that to hone your message [12:29] for the two other constituencies. You [12:31] make it sound really easy, my friend. [12:33] [laughter] [12:35] Well, you know, sometimes when you're, [12:37] you know, when you're not in the middle [12:38] of the trees, right, and you're standing [12:40] on the other side, it's a lot easier to [12:41] work on those messages. You know, I'm [12:43] I'm sure that if we were sitting there [12:44] talking about one of my problems, and we [12:46] would be having the same conversation, [12:47] I'm like, how do I get people to to pay [12:48] attention to me? But I think the message [12:50] for you and for everybody else is when [12:52] you're like running into problems with [12:54] getting through to people where I always [12:56] start with is let me step back and sit [12:57] and stand in their shoes and look at the [12:59] world through their lens and their [13:00] perspective and to think about what [13:03] would resonate with me or what would [13:05] cause me to pay attention versus [13:08] thinking about it from my own point of [13:10] view. And that's easier to do, you know, [13:13] when you're not in the middle of the [13:14] battle like you are, especially when [13:17] it's your business, your baby, and [13:19] you're trying to make the thing go. I [13:20] know exactly what that is. I, you know, [13:22] built this business, started this [13:23] business 20 years ago, and I fought [13:25] those same battles. So, I I I totally [13:27] get it. [13:28] You too narrow-minded, too, you know, [13:30] too immediately judgmental. Like, [13:33] everyone in the organization can help [13:35] play a role in me scoring that deal. So, [13:36] I, you know, thanks for bringing light [13:38] to that. You're in Albuquerque, New [13:39] Mexico, which from I'm in Georgia, [13:41] that's considered the West Coast. And [13:43] you might not know this, but this would [13:45] be a great opportunity maybe for you and [13:47] your partners to come to the Outbound [13:49] Conference, which will be in Las Vegas [13:52] at the Red Rock, which is an awesome [13:54] resort in November 2026. You can go to [13:56] outboundconference.com, [13:59] grab your ticket. This year, we're [14:01] running a full leadership conference, [14:02] and we've got two days, and this is the [14:04] theme of the conference this year, Rick. [14:06] It's breaking through buyer resistance [14:08] and some of the top speakers and sales [14:10] trainers will be there. Plus, the [14:12] beautiful thing about Outbound is that [14:13] we've got plenty of time for networking. [14:15] So, it's a great opportunity like to [14:17] network and mastermind with, you know, [14:19] top salespeople from all over the world. [14:22] If you want to go grab your ticket, I [14:23] would suggest it for everybody who's [14:24] listening, go to outboundconference.com. [14:27] Love to see you there. Shake hands. [14:28] There'll be more opportunities to ask me [14:29] questions like this. [14:30] Yeah, I appreciate it. Resistance is my [14:32] biggest thing right now, so attending [14:33] that would be pretty fatable for me. [14:36] Awesome. Very good. Rick, thank you so [14:38] much for joining us on the Sales Gravby [14:39] Podcast. One of the most common [14:42] malpractices sales people make when they [14:44] are prospecting, especially when they're [14:46] in a space that's heavily commoditized, [14:48] is that they argue with prospects. Look, [14:51] what Rick is asking is what most sales [14:53] people have gone through at some point [14:54] in their life. They call a prospect and [14:57] then they get the answer that we already [14:59] have the service that you're selling. [15:00] The easiest way to turn around this [15:02] objection is to agree with them instead [15:04] of arguing. The best thing to do with [15:07] directors in this case is agree first. [15:09] Everyone we help already has internal [15:11] billing and then pivot to the gap that [15:13] you fill. Age claims that conflict with [15:16] today's workload and lead with a problem [15:18] and save the pricing mechanics for [15:20] later. Remember this when you're going [15:22] through your prospecting calls. And [15:23] remember, when you're tired and you're [15:25] ready to go home at the end of the day, [15:28] always make one more call. We'll catch [15:29] you next time on the Sales Gravy [15:31] podcast. [15:35] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [15:38] watched this video. Make sure that you [15:39] click like and subscribe [music] so that [15:41] you never miss one of our amazing sales [15:43] training

===FILE=== FAtqw8PTw6Y - Sales Storytelling That Actually Works How to Read the Room  Win Every Pitch  Sa.txt
https://youtu.be/FAtqw8PTw6Y
Sales Storytelling That Actually Works： How to Read the Room & Win Every Pitch ｜ Sales Gravy Podcast

[0:00] Nooks is the first agent workspace for [0:02] sales, a unified platform where AI [0:04] agents and human sales reps work [0:06] together in real time. Instead of [0:08] getting buried in manual tasks, you work [0:10] alongside AI that prospects, [0:12] prioritizes, and drafts outreach for [0:15] you. When it comes to outbound, stop [0:17] managing sequences and start selling [0:19] with Nooks. Visit nooks.ai today. That's [0:22] nooks.ai. [0:31] Welcome back to the Sales Gravy podcast. [0:33] I'm Jeb Blount Jr. And today we have the [0:36] pitch guy back in the studio, the author [0:39] of Pitch. You can see the book behind [0:41] him if you're watching us on YouTube, [0:42] Mr. Danny Fontaine, one of my favorite [0:45] interviews of 2025. Told some incredible [0:48] stories, a great marketing story. You [0:50] have to go back and listen to it because [0:52] it just rocked my world. And I wanted to [0:55] have Danny come back because the mindset [0:58] that he has around building stories, [0:59] what he thinks about, and how he goes [1:01] about his process really, really will [1:04] help sales professionals dive into a [1:06] better emotional connection when they're [1:08] actually in the presence of their [1:11] buyers, rather than doing the dog and [1:13] pony show and telling people about their [1:15] company and then going through the [1:16] PowerPoint slides. So, I really look [1:18] forward to this conversation. But Danny, [1:20] thank you so much for being here. [1:21] Welcome back to the Sales Gravy podcast, [1:24] and I can't wait to talk about something [1:25] in just a moment that I I hope that you [1:27] have a good story behind. But Danny, [1:29] thank you for being here. [1:31] Oh, it's lovely to be back. Thanks for [1:32] having me. It was a we had a lot of fun [1:34] last time, didn't we? And he's gotten a [1:36] wonderful accent, doesn't he? So, it [1:38] just makes the listening experience even [1:39] better. Like I was emailing with you [1:42] prior to this you know, conversation and [1:44] getting you here. And I appreciate your [1:46] time. But in your in your email, I I [1:48] don't think you knew this, but you have [1:49] this wonderful picture of you standing [1:52] with long hair with kind of like a Chris [1:54] Stapleton hat in a blue in a [1:58] you know, rustic blue acoustic guitar. [2:01] Oh. [2:02] What What the hell? [2:04] What is that? [2:05] I didn't realize it. So, that's my like [2:07] my personal Google account picture for [2:09] some reason. I'd no idea people were [2:10] seeing that. So, that's quite funny. [2:11] But, um [2:13] I was in a band and the band [2:16] is called Danny Fontaine and The Horns [2:18] of Fury. And we haven't been around for [2:21] about 10 years now, but we were eight [2:23] people. We made orchestral death ska, [2:26] kind of prog rock meets Queen meets The [2:28] Beach Boys meets Reel Big Fish. That [2:31] That kind of thing. And um the first [2:34] thing we did as a band before we did any [2:36] gigs at all was um go and take some band [2:38] photos. And And we decided to go and [2:40] stand in a field and I dressed as a [2:42] cowboy with a hat that I'd actually got [2:45] from Austin, Texas at South by Southwest [2:47] 2004, my pride and joy. [2:50] And uh I was a weird juxtaposition of uh [2:54] an English bloke from up north and [2:57] wearing a cowboy outfit. We have the [2:59] saying down the South that country is [3:01] countrywide and I think the country is [3:03] international-wide. That's awesome. [3:06] What did you So, you had a acoustic [3:07] guitar in the band, but you ska [3:10] and you Queen and big band and fish and [3:13] eight people in a band, but what was [3:15] your What was your role in that? Like [3:17] were you the you rhythm guitar? Were you [3:19] soloing everything? Were you sort of [3:21] just the funky guy, you know, dance [3:23] around the background? Like what [3:24] What was your What was your role in the [3:25] in the eight-person band? [3:26] the front man. I was the uh [3:29] the lead singer and and the guitarist. [3:31] And um [3:33] we played hundreds and hundreds of gigs, [3:36] usually on like a Monday or Tuesday [3:38] night to a pub with less people in it [3:41] than there were us on stage. And [3:45] but we had so much fun and we toured and [3:47] we did all sorts of things. And my dream [3:49] was always always to be a rock star. [3:52] That was it. Number one. But then, you [3:55] know, same old story. I have lots of [3:56] these stories that go on to say, [3:59] "But then you get married and have kids [4:00] and you need to make some money and and [4:03] there you go." Well, I I I appreciate [4:06] your journey. I I also wanted to be a [4:07] rock star. I was a I I played two shows [4:10] in my life in college to a group of [4:13] students who could not have cared less [4:16] what I was doing on stage and I played [4:18] with my friend [4:20] who I actually learned how to play bass [4:21] guitar terribly and we played Foo [4:24] Fighters [4:25] Nice. terribly. And then I played some [4:27] Nirvana [4:28] terribly. [4:29] And I had a really wonderful time. So, I [4:31] I [4:32] you doing hundreds of shows as someone [4:33] who's only done two of them in their [4:35] entire life and and I play guitar in [4:36] private and usually in a closed door [4:38] room because I don't want anybody to [4:40] hear what I've got going on. That's [4:41] really cool. And I think it helps mold [4:44] like you as a as a human being behind [4:47] the stories that you tell. You've got [4:48] clearly like I know I I've read [4:51] your book and I've read your blog posts [4:54] and you reference kind of your start and [4:56] your your how you became who you are [4:59] today and it's not a normal journey and [5:02] you should go back to our other podcast [5:03] and listen to it. But now you've got [5:05] keynotes coming up. You've got world [5:07] travel that's that's you know, on your [5:09] agenda. You are killing it in these [5:12] training and sales consulting world and [5:14] you're working with wonderful wonderful [5:16] clients and I wanted to pick your brain [5:18] a bit more. So, as you're developing and [5:21] you're you're really expanding who you [5:24] are in the field, I think that people [5:26] should know a little bit more about the [5:28] uniqueness that you bring to the table. [5:30] So, when you talk about storytelling, [5:33] you [5:34] talk about it, but you also story [5:36] tell while you're storytelling about [5:39] talking about storytelling and I think [5:41] that there's an art and a science to the [5:44] the process that you probably go [5:46] through. And I know that when I do [5:47] keynotes, I you know, it's not walking [5:49] up on stage and winging it. That's [5:50] That's not how you do that. Um and it [5:52] takes a lot of preparation, but [5:53] sometimes too much preparation can end [5:55] up in something that's like anxiety or [5:58] you can be a little bit over you know, [5:59] you know, overproduced or you can be too [6:01] canned. And the way that you present is [6:03] very fluid. Walk people through as a [6:05] salesperson, as someone who's making a [6:07] pitch to somebody else, how you sort of [6:09] build that uh [6:11] that smooth aura uh that allows you to [6:14] really make connections with other [6:15] people. I want you to dive into that a [6:16] little bit more. [6:17] So, in terms of that specifically, I [6:19] mean, it is about preparation. And what [6:22] we can talk about shortly is how you can [6:25] compose a story, that that art and [6:27] science bit that you talked about. But [6:29] in terms of the [6:30] the smoothness and the confidence and [6:33] the relaxed nature, it is preparation. [6:36] And controversially, I don't believe you [6:39] can [6:41] over prepare, really. I think that you [6:44] can [6:45] try and learn every single word of a [6:49] script. [6:51] And and say it over and over again, and [6:53] it might become a bit wooden, but it's [6:54] not about scripts. It's about scripts to [6:56] begin with, I think, to get everything [6:59] to get your story straight. [7:02] But then it's about doing it out loud as [7:04] much as possible, and not just out loud [7:07] in a room, but it's about doing as many [7:10] pitches and speeches and talks as [7:13] possible. So, when I it's you know, it's [7:15] a bit like uh a comedian. Before they go [7:19] to the big arena, they rehearse their [7:21] material in all of these small clubs and [7:24] pubs. And they know what's funny, and [7:27] they know what's working, and they know [7:28] what's not working at all. And it's [7:30] exactly the same with a business [7:32] presentation or pitch, keynote, speech. [7:36] You've got to do it to some other [7:38] people. [7:39] And you've got to get really comfortable [7:41] with not every word being right, but the [7:44] stories that you're telling. [7:46] And the [7:49] the pauses and the annunciation and the [7:51] little bits of humor and and things like [7:53] that, you know, last time I told you a [7:55] story about uh British Rail. [7:58] I must have told that story a thousand [8:01] times. And the first time I told the [8:03] story was definitely not as good as the [8:04] way I tell the story now. But because I [8:06] know it so well, even now I kind of riff [8:10] and play and little thoughts come into [8:11] my mind that goes, you know, in that [8:13] moment, "Danny, this could be funny if [8:15] you say this right now." And and [8:17] sometimes it isn't and sometimes it is [8:19] and then next time I say that again or I [8:21] don't. So, it is about preparation and [8:24] rehearsal, but only once you've got that [8:27] core story [8:29] down. I want to kind of do a parallel [8:31] here. You you played in a band, I'm glad [8:33] I brought this up, and you did hundreds [8:34] of shows, and that's sort of the same [8:35] process, right? Like by your 200th show, [8:38] you have the rhythm, you you can you [8:40] riff off of each other, you can do [8:42] different things within the set, and you [8:44] change up the songs, and you know, do a [8:46] cover within a song that you wanted to [8:48] do. I mean, it can just get kind of [8:49] weird at 200, but at one, it's a little [8:52] like we got to just go through the [8:54] motions to make sure that we're in the [8:56] same, you know, play you know, playing [8:57] field, same playbook. You know, for me, [8:59] like I don't play music with other [9:01] people. I play music alone. I typically [9:03] do it in behind closed doors. Um it's, [9:05] you know, very personal and private to [9:06] me because I think I have like, you [9:08] know, an embarrassment about it. I don't [9:09] feel like I'm as um as practiced as I [9:12] should be to show other people. And I [9:13] think that pitches can be very much the [9:15] same uh or storytelling can be very much [9:16] the same. As a salesperson, [9:18] I what I observe a lot is people go into [9:22] pitches, they have never rehearsed what [9:24] they were doing in front of anybody [9:25] else. They maybe did it, you know, [9:26] privately, and maybe in their car. Yeah. [9:29] they go in front of the customer, and [9:30] like that's showtime. And I think that [9:32] there's people want to rehearse in front [9:34] of other people. I don't think there's a [9:36] will to not do it. They just are maybe [9:39] reluctant to because of like our egos. [9:41] So, [9:42] um as you have developed in your career, [9:45] what has given you more confidence to [9:48] kind of branch out it to calling over a [9:51] colleague or talking to your your spouse [9:53] or maybe even your children or you know, [9:54] just somebody that you know and you [9:56] trust um to say, "Hey, you're going to [9:58] have to sit here for 30 minutes while I [10:00] go through a business pitch and you're [10:01] not going to be very interested." [10:03] I still do it. Absolutely. All the time [10:05] I pitched to my 11-year-old. I pitched [10:07] to my 19-year-old, two very different [10:09] audiences. I pitched to my wife. If no [10:12] one's around, I pitched to my dog. You [10:14] know, you've got to do it. And And how [10:16] did I get to that point? Well, it's the [10:18] same as anything in life. We learn [10:20] through our experiences. And I've had [10:24] lots of experiences where I've had a [10:26] good pitch after I've rehearsed it in [10:28] front of someone and a bad pitch when I [10:31] haven't rehearsed it in front of [10:32] someone. And so, it's [10:34] leaving your ego at the door. And it's [10:36] the same with you playing music and it's [10:38] the same with you [10:40] doing a pitch. If you want to get good [10:42] at it, [10:43] then go through the pain [10:46] before you're, you know, on stage in [10:50] Madison Square Gardens. [10:52] You know, it's better for your kids and [10:55] your wife to be like, "Mm, well, you [10:57] were a little bit awkward and a little [10:58] bit embarrassed and you know, but that's [11:00] okay because we love you." [11:02] And learning what to change from that [11:05] before you go onto the big stage. And [11:06] And [11:07] to your point earlier, I think it's [11:09] there's a lot of parallels between music [11:11] because with music, [11:12] when you're practicing with your band in [11:14] the studio, you can get really, really [11:16] good at playing the songs. You can have [11:18] the rhythm, the timing, the uh [11:21] intonation, all the rest of it. But when [11:24] you're on stage, it's about the [11:25] performance. [11:26] And it's the performance that's really [11:29] hard [11:30] to practice behind closed doors. [11:32] That's such an interesting distinction. [11:34] I was thinking about this [11:36] in a very, you concrete way. I did a [11:38] training yesterday and [11:42] I had someone in the training that was a [11:45] little more difficult than other people. [11:47] And, you know, I was doing some [11:50] performing as you as we do as [11:52] performers, we sort of it's sort of is [11:53] natural to me, but I was doing that [11:55] performing and and that person was sort [11:57] of seeing the performance and and I I [12:00] think they didn't appreciate it very [12:01] much. They wanted more of like the hard [12:03] facts and everything. And, you know, I I [12:04] I come across sales people that often [12:06] have the sort of inclination to [12:09] reduce the amount of performing they're [12:10] doing because they believe that the [12:12] experience of the people in the room [12:14] will be better if they just get to the [12:16] brass tacks and the and the bullet [12:18] points and the you know, just the the [12:19] things that are concrete and they can [12:21] stand behind more easily [12:23] than the performance. And in music, [12:24] you're right. You can be in the studio [12:26] and that's the time to be doing the [12:27] bullet points and the practice and the [12:29] and the timing and the you know, and [12:31] making sure you're doing all the right [12:32] things. But, when you get on stage, it's [12:33] not it is not about the music [12:35] necessarily. It's about the performance [12:37] you give and the experience you give. [12:39] So, what is the difference in your mind [12:43] between say the practice and the [12:46] performance? What do you What do you [12:48] kind of psych yourself up with before [12:51] you get on stage or before you walk into [12:53] the room you're doing a pitch? Like, [12:54] what are those kinds of notes that [12:55] you're hitting to say like, "Okay, I've [12:57] I I got to trust this and I'm going to [13:00] go perform." And you've just said the [13:01] key thing, trust. [13:03] And you've got to trust yourself. Once [13:04] you've rehearsed so many times, you can [13:06] be in that point where to your point you [13:09] feel like you've over rehearsed. [13:11] And before you walk in the room, you're [13:12] going through all of your lines, all [13:14] through your lines, and you're so [13:15] nervous cuz you're like, "I can't screw [13:17] up a single word." And you just want to [13:19] get it started, but you also want to get [13:21] it over with. [13:23] For me, it's I've had some amazing [13:25] people on my podcast. One of them was a [13:26] guy called Robin Dreeke, and he has [13:28] written a lot of books, Code of Trust, [13:30] and he used to um [13:32] used to recruit spies from Russia and [13:34] things for the FBI. Amazing stories, but [13:38] I was asking him the same question, and [13:39] this is a number of years ago, [13:42] and he said, [13:43] "You just got to let it go." [13:46] I was like, "Mhm, okay." Like, you got [13:48] to be in the moment. You've got to [13:50] forget [13:52] all of that overthinking in your head. [13:54] You've got to forget all of that [13:56] rehearsal stuff. You've done it, and [13:59] you've banked it. And now, you're in a [14:02] different mental frame of mind when you [14:04] walk in a room because you've got all of [14:05] these chemicals, dopamine, adrenaline, [14:08] all sorts going on, nerves, a whole load [14:11] of people staring at you. [14:13] You can't be the same person. And so, [14:16] you don't need to try. You need to [14:18] breathe and feel confident, let it go, [14:22] and trust that if you are relaxed, the [14:25] things that are going to come out of [14:26] your mouth are just about the things [14:28] that you had rehearsed before. Because [14:31] you've got to be in in the room, you've [14:33] got to be in the moment with these [14:34] people. Because the other mistake I see [14:36] is people can be very well rehearsed and [14:39] polished, and they will know every [14:40] single word of their script. But if they [14:42] get interrupted, or if they [14:45] you know, someone asks a question, or if [14:47] they forget one word, [14:49] then they're like, "What was the next [14:50] line? What was the next line? What was [14:51] the next line?" And you go into this [14:53] spiral, and you see people's faces go [14:56] red, or the color drain from them, [14:58] whichever it is. It's like panic attack [15:00] territory. [15:00] Yeah. Because you're relying on every [15:03] single beat being perfect, and it will [15:06] never be perfect. Usually, imperfection [15:08] is far more perfect anyway, because to [15:11] your point, some people think, "Well, it [15:13] was a bit overproduced, overperformed." [15:16] And And we don't want that either. We're [15:18] not actors. We are telling genuine [15:21] stories that we know because we have [15:23] written. Mhm. [15:25] And we got to trust that those stories [15:26] are going to come out in about the same [15:29] way as we'd always hoped that they [15:30] would, and sometimes they can come out [15:32] even better. I I like the the let it go. [15:34] You're more the [15:36] I I play golf and and golf is this like [15:39] contradictory [15:40] sport, game, whatever you want to call [15:42] it. I think it's more of a game, but [15:44] that's you know, for y'all to debate in [15:45] the comments, but uh when you play golf, [15:47] the more you try, the more you try and [15:49] control it, the less control you [15:51] actually have. [15:51] Right. Exactly. [15:54] and when you do speaking or you do [15:55] pitches or you're in front of lots of [15:57] people, like I find it easier to talk to [15:59] like five people. I I find it easier to [16:00] talk to 10,000 people than I find it to [16:02] talk to five people. I'm trying to [16:04] control uh the room, and I think that [16:06] what I what I want to learn from you is [16:08] you you've had lots and lots of years of [16:10] doing this in front of different [16:11] different groups, and you're telling me [16:12] about this keynote you're you've got [16:14] going on in the Netherlands, which is [16:15] going to be amazing. I I'm really [16:17] excited for you, and you're speaking to [16:19] an audience that might have a different [16:20] persona than [16:22] the stu- the the people in Kentucky that [16:24] you are going to go speak to, right? So, [16:26] that's coming up on your list, and they [16:28] have a different persona, and in the [16:29] same room as you as a salesperson [16:31] pitching, like we know that there are [16:32] different personas. There are people who [16:34] are chief financial officers, there are [16:36] people who are CEOs, there are people [16:37] who are sales leaders, there are people [16:38] who are technical leaders, like they [16:40] have different ways they go about the [16:41] process, and I love your authenticity [16:44] drive to like these are stories that you [16:46] know cuz you you wrote them, and being [16:48] in the moment, trusting and letting go, [16:51] but now you're in the room, and you feel [16:52] confident, you feel good. How do you [16:55] start to read people as you're pitching? [16:58] How do you start to read the room and [17:00] go, "Okay, I know this story, and I've [17:02] got that joke, and I know I think it'll [17:03] work here." And you you start to you [17:06] start to play jazz a little bit with [17:07] what with what's going on. [17:08] You're right. That's You got different [17:09] buyers. So, how do you how do you go [17:11] about that? What is your process of [17:12] training and teaching people how to be [17:14] really fluid in that moment? Well, I [17:16] think it there is a distinction here [17:18] between a pitch to maybe a group of four [17:21] or five people that's pre-planned and [17:23] more of a keynote speech to a room. [17:26] And if I'm doing a pitch to a, you know, [17:29] a C-suite [17:31] I will have [17:32] researched them [17:34] a lot before. I will know everything [17:37] about them. I will know their dog's [17:39] name. I will know what they love, what [17:40] they hate, what keeps them awake at [17:42] night, you know, what is their desire. [17:45] You know, are they choosing us because [17:47] really they want a successful project [17:49] because of A, they want a promotion and [17:51] a pay rise or or [17:54] B, it's, you know, whatever it is. [17:56] You've got to know all of these things [17:57] and you shape your pitch to try and hit [18:00] all of the people in those room in in [18:02] that room. And sometimes to your earlier [18:04] point, there are going to be different [18:07] characters in terms of [18:09] this guy just wants snappy numbers. And [18:11] if you're too elaborate, he's going to [18:13] or she's going to turn off and get bored [18:17] and frustrated. And you take all of that [18:19] into account. [18:21] If you're speaking to a whole room of [18:23] people, you can't do the research. You [18:26] can get general feel. So, I'm speaking [18:28] to [18:29] a group of designers in the Netherlands. [18:32] So, that's two data points. [18:34] And I'm speaking to a group of realtors [18:37] in Kentucky. [18:38] Two very different data points. [18:41] But I'm still going to make assumptions [18:44] on what I think might work in Kentucky [18:46] with a very similar keynote to what [18:48] might work, I hope, in in in the [18:51] Netherlands. And so then to your point, [18:53] it is a bit like playing jazz. You got [18:55] to [18:56] you've got to be [18:57] in the room enough and relaxed enough [19:00] like I mentioned earlier so that you're [19:02] actually taking in what the audience are [19:04] doing. You're in listening mode even if [19:08] it's listening to body language and [19:10] emotions. It's it's it's like visual [19:12] listing almost if that makes sense. [19:15] There's little things that that people [19:16] do. If If you If you [19:19] say something and it's got a You know, I [19:21] wouldn't use a swear word usually right [19:23] off the bat. If I said a word that's a [19:25] bit like, "Ooh." [19:27] And that pissed me off and it gets a [19:29] laugh from the audience, then I think, [19:31] "Oh, maybe further on there could be a [19:33] time where I use a slightly stronger [19:35] word for [19:37] funniness or impact and that's okay." [19:40] Sometimes people look at you like, "I [19:42] can't believe he said pissed me off." [19:44] Like it just [19:45] It it is, you know, are people laughing? [19:49] Is part of it. Are people engaged? Are [19:52] people making eye contact with you? Are [19:54] people starting to get their phones out? [19:56] Um [19:58] and it's taking those cues and learning [20:01] what to do with them. Mhm. But I think [20:02] in any room it's also really important [20:04] to make eye contact as well. This is [20:06] something that I do. This is um [20:08] you know, I think really bad advice I've [20:10] heard before is, you know, "Look at the [20:12] back of the room just over everyone's [20:14] heads and then you just looks like [20:16] you're looking at the back of a room [20:17] over everyone's heads." I go around the [20:19] audience and I [20:21] you know, stay on someone for 5 seconds, [20:23] go to another person for 5 seconds. [20:26] And it's quite empowering as well. It [20:28] can It can help to build your confidence [20:30] in the moment on stage cuz you realize [20:32] that the person you're looking at, uh [20:35] you make them feel a little bit [20:36] uncomfortable. Not intentionally, of [20:38] course. You're not trying to make your [20:39] audience uncomfortable. Um [20:42] uh but it shows that you're not the only [20:43] one that needs to be nervous here. But [20:46] the other thing it does is often you [20:47] lock eyes with someone [20:49] and they lock eyes back. [20:51] And it's in that moment that they start [20:53] nodding and smiling and it's a bit like [20:55] you've made that mini emotional [20:57] connection with them [20:58] and they will stay with you now. So, how [21:00] many people in the audience can you do [21:02] that with during the course of your talk [21:03] because [21:04] you're making a whole bunch of emotional [21:06] connections even with the sea of people. [21:08] I I think that there's a really meta [21:10] skill that you've just [21:13] kind of delivered in this podcast that I [21:16] I I also find really powerful even in [21:18] small groups of people. If it's, you [21:19] know, it's six people in a room and if [21:21] it's 10,000. If you start making direct [21:24] eye contact with every single person in [21:26] that room as many as you possibly can, [21:28] even 10,000 you can't, but as many [21:30] people as you can, it one builds your [21:32] confidence and I find that people are [21:35] apt to want to disagree with you or have [21:38] a dismissive attitude until you look [21:41] them in the eyes and then they have to [21:44] either choose to be dismissive actively [21:49] or they typically choose to fall a [21:51] little bit more in line with the [21:53] conversation and nod their heads and [21:55] start to like, you know, give you those [21:57] reactions because they know you're [21:58] coming back to them. They know that [22:00] they're on the they have a little bit of [22:01] a spotlight on them, too. You made them [22:03] feel special for a second. That's it. [22:05] Yeah. I think that as a pitch person in [22:08] your what you teach and how you go about [22:10] storytelling and all of that can be [22:11] great when you get into that room, if [22:13] you look someone in the eyes [22:15] that emotional connection that you are [22:17] this that's the payoff of your entire [22:18] book. That's the payoff of your entire, [22:20] you know, your your brand as the pitch [22:22] guy is that emotional connection. Right. [22:25] Let's go to another [22:28] topic which I've been dying to ask you [22:30] about just because I know of your [22:32] background and and I asked you the [22:34] question about your picture earlier. Um [22:37] Many years and many different industries [22:39] doing many different things. Ultimately, [22:42] you strike me as a man who has a lot of [22:45] calm confidence. [22:47] Uh it's not cocky, it's humble. Have a [22:49] wonderful family that you uh speak about [22:51] quite fondly and you you have quite a [22:54] busy life, but it looks like you are um [22:57] you're in a place of moderate peace. [22:59] Yeah, from from my perspective. And I [23:01] think that what I'd love to learn from [23:03] you is as you've written this book, as [23:05] you've gone through storytelling and the [23:06] process and psychology of it all and [23:08] gone through customer experience and UX [23:10] and UI and all the different industries [23:12] that you've worked in and you stumbled [23:13] into sales, which [23:15] stumbling into sales must have been [23:16] stressful on its own. I said [23:19] And you and you've built your business. [23:22] What drives you to keep the 8 in or 6 in [23:26] or whatever it is right between here [23:28] focused on the right things every single [23:30] day. You know, yes, building pitches is [23:32] important, but it's hard to do that when [23:34] you're not [23:36] thinking correctly or straight. [23:38] Um, give us a little bit of, you know, [23:40] insight into like what's driven you to [23:42] have um, the career that you've had so [23:45] far. [23:46] Mhm. [23:48] You know, [23:49] it's not always been [23:52] very smooth. [23:54] I think [23:55] I've always been ambitious and I've [23:58] always [23:59] over [24:01] exerted myself. [24:02] I've been doing a day job and then [24:05] another job in the night time so I can [24:07] learn how to make my day job into a [24:08] different job and then in a band and a [24:11] dad and you know, always always [24:14] hustling I suppose you would say. [24:17] And you know, it got to a point um, [24:20] in my late 20s when I basically had a [24:22] breakdown. [24:24] And my body just said no and I had huge [24:27] panic attacks and I thought I was, you [24:29] know, I needed to go to hospital and all [24:30] these kinds of things, you know. [24:32] And I'm sure, you know, more than ever I [24:34] feel like [24:35] more people in society are going through [24:38] this. We all feel like we're under so [24:40] much pressure to be working harder [24:42] harder harder harder. [24:44] Funnily enough, after that happened, my [24:47] uh, [24:48] route to recovery wasn't doing less. [24:51] It was getting put on anti-anxiety pills [24:54] and antidepressants and I was at first [24:56] thought, well, this is great. [24:58] Because I can do as much as I did [24:59] before, but I don't feel all the anxiety [25:03] that I used to did. So, now I'm just [25:04] like a Iron Man machine kind of thing. [25:08] But then, you know, a number of thing [25:10] happened, you know, [25:12] you're not you anymore. [25:14] Mainly. You're numb and [25:17] it's [25:18] at some point the physical toll takes [25:21] over you know, it is all too much. [25:23] And so, what I realized was it was much [25:26] better [25:27] to not be on any medication like that. [25:30] And every time I had those feelings to [25:32] go, "Aha! [25:34] My mind and my body are telling me that [25:36] I'm doing too much." So, [25:39] it sounds really dumb to be honest that [25:42] I had to go through all of that to [25:43] realize that my body's got really good [25:45] warning mechanisms. [25:48] Which means that if I get those [25:49] feelings, I go, [25:51] "I am taking on too much." [25:53] And so, then what I had to get really [25:54] good at was two things. One is [25:56] prioritizing. [25:58] What do I really want? And not just [26:01] tomorrow, but what do I really want in [26:03] 10 years, in 15, 20 years from now? [26:06] And therefore, what are the things I [26:08] need to do [26:09] every day or every month or every year [26:11] to get to that place in 10 years. [26:15] And therefore, if anything else comes [26:16] along that isn't in line with that, then [26:19] the second thing I had to do was learn [26:21] how to say no. [26:23] And this is also something that many [26:25] people are really bad at. And I was the [26:27] worst. I [26:29] I'm a very kind person. I always, you [26:33] know, I like people to like me. [26:35] And the easiest way of saying yes to [26:37] everything. And I know that I can help [26:39] people, lots of people, with lots of [26:42] things. [26:43] But nowadays, [26:44] you got to say no to nearly all of them. [26:48] And once you get good at the priorities [26:50] that get you where you want to be [26:53] and saying no to the things that are not [26:55] on that path, [26:56] then all of a sudden [26:58] your path to success is [27:01] massively accelerated and it's [27:03] straight as an arrow rather than [27:05] hopefully something will happen that [27:08] gets me to where I want to be. [27:10] Your MO is experience. It's the [27:13] experience of people who speak with you, [27:15] who have interactions with you as a [27:17] business person and as a as just a [27:19] person and as a sales person and as a [27:22] business owner and as a designer and a [27:24] UX person. Everything you have written [27:27] about and everything that you do is [27:28] geared towards elevating the experience [27:30] of others in your presence and I think [27:32] that you teach other people how to do [27:34] this well [27:35] and given what you just said with your [27:37] journey, how you've [27:39] determined your priorities and learned [27:41] to say no and listening to your body, [27:44] which is a tough thing to do because my [27:45] mind is a different thing than my body [27:49] and I'm you know, I'm 27 and I think I [27:51] can do everything in the world and I I [27:52] agree. I have to listen to my body more. [27:55] As you've gone through that journey, you [27:56] are where you are, [27:58] what [27:59] impact does the clear path to success [28:04] have for the experience that you give [28:06] others? Can you kind of speak to the [28:10] maybe the the joy you see or maybe even [28:14] the more clarity that other people have [28:16] when they're in your presence. How has [28:17] this impacted your professional life um [28:20] that has [28:22] garnered more success or helped you get [28:23] to places you didn't know you you think [28:25] you could be? Mhm, that's an interesting [28:27] question. [28:28] I think I've always [28:30] wanted to be clear with [28:33] why I'm doing things. [28:35] So we all want success in one way, shape [28:38] or form. We all want money and happiness [28:41] and the two aren't necessarily [28:43] intrinsically linked as we know, [28:45] but I've always made a promise to myself [28:48] that if I [28:49] receive [28:51] abundance, prosperity, success, whatever [28:54] you want to call it, [28:55] then I won't hoard it. [28:57] I will be generous with it and help [28:59] others because that is why we're on [29:02] Earth, I think. I mean, no one really [29:04] knows why we're on Earth, but if it's [29:06] not to help other people, [29:08] um, in aligned [29:10] in alignment with doing what we want to [29:13] do in our lives, then, you know, nothing [29:15] seems better to me than that. So, I love [29:17] to mentor people. I love to teach [29:19] people. I love to hear stories back when [29:23] people have gone, "Oh, I've read your [29:24] book and I did this pitch and it worked [29:26] and this great thing happened." And I [29:27] just think it just makes everything [29:30] worthwhile. So, I [29:32] I don't know whether that really answers [29:34] your question, but I think everyone [29:35] should be [29:36] thinking [29:38] about sharing any success you have with [29:40] as many people as possible. [29:42] I I I think it does answer my question [29:44] and the the the best sales people that I [29:47] know, the people who in this industry [29:49] that I [29:51] look up to the most are those who are [29:52] more generous with what they have than I [29:56] even thought people could be and they [29:58] invest in others any chance they get and [30:02] that means their customers. That means [30:04] the people that they talk to, they give [30:05] more than they try and take and usually [30:08] it's because they're in a sales role, [30:10] but they just love having great [30:12] conversations and and solving problems [30:14] and and they say no to things because [30:16] they know they're not going to solve [30:17] that problem and they say yes to the [30:18] right stuff because they believe in it [30:20] and they know it's going to help others [30:21] and they're they're giving with their [30:23] with their time and their effort. Danny, [30:26] I I appreciate you spending just a few [30:28] minutes with us and walking through the [30:29] psychology of storytelling and how you [30:31] got to where you are and what success [30:33] maybe looks like for people in your [30:34] position and [30:36] all the great insights you have. I look [30:37] forward to more conversations with you. [30:39] Before I let you go, where can people [30:41] find you? Where can people find a pitch [30:43] and and learn more from from what you've [30:46] got to offer? Uh it's been great coming [30:47] back. I'd love to come back again. Uh [30:49] you can find the book Pitch How to [30:51] Captivate and Convince Any Audience on [30:53] the Planet in anywhere you feel like [30:56] buying a book from pretty much. Uh you [30:58] can find me Danny Fontana on LinkedIn. [31:00] Uh you can find me at pitchguy.co.uk as [31:02] well. And you can find the Pitch Masters [31:05] Podcast and at the same place you find a [31:08] podcast. All of those places. And if you [31:11] are listening to this and you find his [31:13] band's music somewhere, link it in the [31:15] comments. I want to find it. I want to [31:18] find it. It's out there somewhere. So go [31:19] find that. If you are listening to this [31:21] you've gotten to this point, please give [31:22] us a five-star rating on Spotify, on [31:24] Apple Music, and uh follow us and give [31:26] us a like on YouTube. If you If you [31:28] haven't watched our podcast uh in video, [31:30] that's where we are over on YouTube at [31:31] Sales Gravy. Uh you can always find us [31:33] there. Danny, thank you so much for [31:34] being on the Sales Gravy Podcast and we [31:36] will catch you all next time. The Sales [31:37] Gravy Podcast is sponsored by Nooks. [31:39] Nooks is a single first workspace that [31:41] turns real-time intent into real [31:43] conversations. Their AI agents monitor [31:45] LinkedIn and CRM signals to tell your [31:47] team exactly who to reach and what to [31:50] say. Think of it as having an agent that [31:52] thinks just like your best rep. When it [31:53] comes to tools, stop searching and start [31:56] winning with Nooks. Check out the agent [31:58] workspace for sales at nooks.ai. That's [32:01] nooks.ai. n o o k s .ai. [32:08] Thank you so much for watching this [32:10] video. Please make sure to click like [32:11] and subscribe so you never miss a single [32:13] video. And if you want more sales [32:15] training content, go to [32:16] learn.salesgravy.com.

===FILE=== HOk8QzWsNIo - How to Handle Decision Deferment Objections Money Monday.txt
https://youtu.be/HOk8QzWsNIo
How to Handle Decision Deferment Objections (Money Monday)

[0:00] [Music] [0:05] This is Jeb Blunt and it's Money Monday [0:07] on the Sales Gravy podcast. Make money. [0:10] Make money. Make money. Make [0:14] money. Money makes the world go round. [0:17] I'm talk gave me the sound. I need [0:23] All right. Welcome back to the sales [0:25] gravy podcast. I'm Jeff Blunt, author of [0:26] fanatical prospecting sales EQ. And you [0:29] got to go get my brand new book, The [0:31] LinkedIn Edge. It is on pre-order right [0:34] now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and [0:36] wherever books are sold. You're going to [0:38] love it. The book is fantastic. I turned [0:40] it in last night to our publisher. It'll [0:42] be out in September. But to be the first [0:44] person to get it, go pre-order it right [0:47] now. This is Money Monday, where we get [0:50] fired up, focused, and ready to crush [0:51] our goals. Because let's face it, how [0:54] you start your week is how you finish [0:56] your week. And this week we're facing [0:58] the challenge of decision deferment [1:00] objections. If you're running into [1:02] stakeholders who are telling you that [1:04] they want to hold off a bit or they need [1:06] a little bit more time or they want to [1:07] wait until the economy settles down, [1:10] we're going to dive into why this is [1:11] happening and more importantly, how you [1:14] can handle decision deferment objections [1:16] with confidence and skill and still [1:18] close the deal. Just look around you. [1:21] The market is swinging like a pendulum [1:23] on steroids and it's making everybody [1:25] skittish. You got tariffs, trade wars, [1:28] and a spike in economic uncertainty. [1:30] Buyers read the Wall Street Journal or [1:32] check their news feeds or look at their [1:34] investment accounts and the headlines [1:36] scream turmoil. So, they panic and they [1:40] defer decisions, walk away from deals, [1:42] or play a wait and see game. These [1:45] decision deferment objections are a [1:47] natural consequence of fear. People want [1:50] to avoid making the wrong move, and it's [1:51] easier to hit the pause button than to [1:54] commit to something that they're not [1:55] 100% sure about, but it's a brick wall [1:58] that will shut down your deal. So, how [2:02] do you avoid letting hesitation, [2:03] stalling, and decision to firm it kill [2:06] your deals during market uncertainty? [2:09] Well, it all starts with a fundamental [2:11] truth. To succeed in this environment, [2:14] you must sell better. Because when [2:17] people are fearful, indecisive, or [2:19] uncertain, how you sell matters far more [2:22] than what you sell. In uncertain and [2:25] volatile times, mistakes come with [2:27] severe penalties. The stakeholder who [2:29] chooses the wrong vendor, invests in the [2:31] wrong technology, or commits resources [2:34] too soon might put their entire business [2:36] or career at risk. So, they freeze. They [2:39] put it off. They say, "We'll need a [2:42] little bit more time to think about it, [2:43] or we'll need to run the numbers again, [2:46] or let me go talk to my boss." So, the [2:49] question everybody's asking is, "How do [2:51] we help them navigate this fear and move [2:53] forward?" But the kicker is shallow [2:55] discovery and skipping steps in the [2:57] sales process typically lead directly to [3:00] massive push back at the close during [3:03] uncertain times. If you haven't taken [3:05] time to uncover their real fears and [3:07] address them and methodically advance [3:09] your deal through the sales process, [3:11] you'll hit a wall of decision deferment [3:13] objections at maximum force. Look, I [3:16] know that if you are a regular listener [3:18] to this podcast or you read or listen to [3:21] my books that I can sound like a broken [3:23] record, but I also know that repetition [3:26] is the mother of skill. The basic steps [3:29] to closing in an uncertain market are [3:31] fundamental. Execute your sales process [3:34] flawlessly. Consistently ask for micro [3:36] commitments to advance a sale. Present a [3:39] compelling, airtight business case for [3:41] change. Ask your stakeholders to make a [3:44] decision confidently and without [3:47] hesitation. And handle objections with [3:49] empathy. These are the basics, the [3:52] essentials, the fundamentals that will [3:54] help you sell more in any market. Now, [3:57] sadly, a lot of sales reps treat closing [3:59] as a magic moment, like flicking a [4:02] switch. But in reality, closing is a [4:04] series of micro commitments that happen [4:06] throughout the sales process. Each time [4:09] you get a commitment to a next step, [4:11] your buyer leans in a little bit more, [4:13] and you're setting the stage for a final [4:15] yes at the close. Now, when times are [4:18] normal, a halfway decent rep can skip [4:20] some of these steps and still get a deal [4:22] across the finish line. But in a crisis [4:25] or an uncertain market like we're [4:27] experiencing right now, that sloppy [4:30] approach will fail. In this environment, [4:33] you must consistently advance your sale [4:36] by getting those micro commitments. [4:37] Because if you let the ball drop even [4:40] once, you're giving your stakeholder an [4:42] opening to stall or back out with [4:44] objections like, you know, we're going [4:46] to hold off for a while or we're going [4:48] to stick with what we're doing right now [4:49] until the economy gets better. The truth [4:52] is, if you're getting hammered at the [4:54] close with these type of objections, it [4:57] usually means that you made mistakes [4:59] earlier in the process or you didn't get [5:01] those micro commitments. So, instead of [5:03] obsessing over how to word smith your [5:05] objection rebuttals, you might need to [5:07] reexamine how you qualified and sold [5:10] from the get-go. Tough objections at the [5:12] 11th hour when you're trying to close [5:14] the deal are typically a symptom of an [5:16] earlier problem, not the root cause [5:19] itself. And this brings us to one of the [5:21] most important sales tactics that you'll [5:24] need to deploy in uncertain times like [5:26] these. It is absolutely critical that [5:28] you get buyer worries, fears, and [5:30] potential objections out in the open and [5:33] on the table as soon as possible. And [5:35] this means that you need to do deeper [5:37] discovery and have the courage to ask [5:39] tough questions like, "What are you [5:41] afraid of?" or "How do you see the [5:42] current market volatility impacting your [5:44] decisions?" or what's your biggest [5:47] concern that would hold you back from [5:48] moving forward? Or if you don't address [5:51] this problem soon, what do you think [5:53] might happen? It takes confidence to get [5:55] your stakeholders talking openly about [5:57] their fears and concerns. And yes, [6:00] you'll risk hearing truths that might [6:01] scare you or them, but the alternative [6:04] is to bury your head in the sand and get [6:06] blindsided at the last minute when they [6:09] say, "You know what? We're going to wait [6:10] until next quarter." Asking hard [6:13] questions like these are where many [6:15] salespeople hesitate because these type [6:17] of direct questions can feel [6:19] confrontational and they worry that the [6:22] prospect may shut them down or that [6:24] they'll push their prospect away. So, [6:26] they back off, tiptoe around the real [6:28] issues and avoid pressing them on [6:31] timelines and next steps. And that might [6:33] keep the conversation calm, but it sets [6:36] them up for a big heartbreak later. [6:40] The biggest agony in sales is pouring [6:42] time, energy, and emotion into a deal [6:45] only to lose it at the finish line when [6:47] the stakeholder reveals an objection [6:49] that had you known about it weeks ago, [6:51] you could have handled. This is why you [6:54] must push through your own discomfort [6:56] and bring hidden fears to the surface [6:58] early. It's infinitely less painful to [7:01] deal with them upfront than to discover [7:04] them at the worst possible moment. [7:07] There's his quote I love from [7:08] philosopher Julian Beini. He says, "If [7:10] you believe you're right, then you [7:12] should believe that you can make the [7:13] case that you're right. This requires [7:15] you to deal with serious objections [7:17] properly." I can't think of a better way [7:19] to explain exactly what it takes to [7:21] handle decision deferment objections [7:23] when buyers say things like, "We're [7:25] going to hold off for a month and see [7:26] what happens with the economy." Or, [7:28] "We'd like to run this by the entire [7:30] team before we commit." Or, "We're just [7:32] not ready to make a long-term commitment [7:34] right now." If you truly believe that [7:37] your solution is what your prospect [7:39] needs, then it's your duty to address [7:41] their fears and hesitations head on and [7:44] show them why moving forward makes [7:45] sense, even in choppy waters. Start with [7:49] empathy. This isn't about agreeing with [7:51] their reasons, but acknowledging them as [7:53] a human. It's saying, "I get where [7:55] you're coming from, and it's smart to be [7:57] cautious." That's it. We're not [7:59] discounting their worry or jumping into [8:01] a debate. We're just letting them know [8:02] that we understand and we're listening. [8:05] They're bracing for you to argue or push [8:07] them. But by empathizing with them, you [8:09] lower their guard and show them that [8:11] you're on their side. And it also buys [8:13] you a moment to compose yourself and [8:15] think strategically before you respond. [8:18] Then you want to make sure that there [8:20] aren't other hidden objections below the [8:22] surface. So gently probe with something [8:24] like, "Aside from needing more time, [8:26] what else is worrying you about moving [8:28] forward?" The last thing you want is to [8:30] handle one objection and then be [8:31] blindsided by another objection. [8:34] And never assume that you know exactly [8:36] what they mean. Always take a moment to [8:39] clarify their words and objection. When [8:41] they say something like, "We need to run [8:43] the numbers." Maybe they really do need [8:45] to do a cost breakdown, or maybe they [8:47] doubt the ROI, or maybe they're afraid [8:50] installing. So clarify with open-ended [8:53] questions like, "When you say you need [8:55] to review the math, how do you mean?" [8:57] These clarifying questions will unearth [9:00] the real meaning behind their words, [9:02] which makes it easier for you to handle [9:04] the objection. And once you have clarity [9:07] on what's really holding them back, all [9:09] you need to do is minimize their fear by [9:12] reconnecting them to their desired [9:14] outcomes. Remind them of the pains they [9:16] wanted to solve, the benefits they hope [9:18] to gain, and how your solution addresses [9:20] that. Show them the math if you need. [9:23] Get out your calculator, demonstrate the [9:25] ROI, and paint the brighter future. By [9:28] focusing them on what they stand to gain [9:30] and the cost of doing nothing, you [9:32] shrink the size of their fear while [9:35] maximizing the benefit of moving [9:36] forward. And finally, you need to ask [9:39] for the sale again because your buyer [9:42] won't do the job for you. The key here [9:45] is asking with relaxed, assertive [9:47] confidence because your confidence gives [9:50] them the confidence to push past their [9:52] fears and make the right decision. I'm [9:55] going to share my final words with you [9:57] in just a moment. But first, I want you [9:59] to take a note. We are in for a rough [10:01] ride. I don't know how long this market [10:04] volatility and uncertainty is going to [10:05] last, but while it does, selling is [10:08] going to get harder. And this is exactly [10:11] why I wrote my book, Selling in a [10:12] Crisis. It is there to be a companion, a [10:15] guide, and a handbook to help you [10:17] navigate these rough waters and sell [10:19] more. You can get Selling in a Crisis in [10:22] hardcover, ebook, and audio book on [10:24] Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible, and [10:27] Spotify. It will help you, so go get it [10:30] now. Look, times are unstable. Buyers [10:33] are jumpy. They'd rather punt than make [10:35] a risky call. But you are a sales [10:38] professional and that means that you [10:40] have to stand in the gap helping them [10:42] navigate doubt and find a solution that [10:44] actually benefits them right now. Don't [10:47] shy away from we need more time or we're [10:49] going to hold off. Expect it. Be ready [10:51] for it and face it head on. The markets [10:54] may wobble, but you should not. So lean [10:57] into better discovery, surface hidden [10:59] fears, and confidently ask for the sale. [11:02] And when you get hit by decision [11:03] deferment objections, now you know [11:06] exactly what to do. And remember, when [11:09] it's time to go home, always make one [11:11] more call because that extra call is [11:14] where breakthroughs happen, especially [11:16] when everyone else is scared and is [11:18] sitting on their hands. This is Jeff [11:20] Blunt and I'll see you next time on the [11:22] Sales Gravy podcast. [11:24] Survival of the sink or swim. I' been [11:27] broke. I ain't never going back again. I [11:30] need some cotes, some cheddar, and a [11:31] stack of ends. I need a bowl of dough. I [11:34] don't need no Facebook friends. I need a [11:36] pack of them snaps, a handful of fatty [11:38] ws, and rubber band on my green backs. [11:40] Look, don't be playing with my paper. I [11:43] need every red scent. That's why I [11:44] brought my little scraper. Money money. [11:50] [Music]

===FILE=== LnvAmjBkQa4 - Main Character Syndrome Why Prospects Tune You Out Money Monday.txt
https://youtu.be/LnvAmjBkQa4
Main Character Syndrome： Why Prospects Tune You Out (Money Monday)

[0:00] Join us for the fanatical prospecting [0:02] boot camp that will help your team 5x [0:04] their pipeline in 90 days or less. We'll [0:06] be hosting it on March 10th and 11th in [0:07] Atlanta, Georgia. Go to [0:09] salesgravy.com/live. [0:11] That's salesgravy.com/live [0:14] and use the code podcast to save $100. [0:22] This is Jeb Blunt and it's Money Monday [0:24] on the Sales Gravy podcast. Say, "Make [0:27] money, money, make money, money, money. [0:29] Make money, money, [music] make money, [0:31] money, money. Money makes the world go [0:34] round. I'm [0:36] Welcome to another edition of Money [0:37] Monday. My name is Duff Tucker and today [0:40] I'm filling in for our fearless leader, [0:42] the hardest working man in sales, Mr. [0:44] Jeb Blunt." Now, if you've listened [0:47] before, you know that Jeb always [0:49] delivers big insights to help you sell [0:51] smarter, lead stronger, and build more [0:54] pipeline. Well, today is no different, [0:56] but today we're going to be shining the [0:58] spotlight on the real star of the sales [1:00] story, your prospect. And we're going to [1:03] be talking about a common mistake that [1:05] many sales professionals make. Something [1:07] we call the main character syndrome. [1:10] Today, we'll be discussing what main [1:12] character syndrome is, why it kills [1:15] deals, and most importantly, how to flip [1:18] the script so you become the trusted [1:20] guide your buyer actually wants to [1:22] engage with. So, let me set the stage. [1:26] Have you ever been trapped in a [1:27] conversation where the other person [1:29] talks nonstop? It's all about them, [1:32] their [clears throat] vacation, their [1:34] dog, their favorite new gadget, and you [1:37] realize this isn't a conversation at [1:39] all. It's a monologue. You're instantly [1:42] annoyed. You tune out, and you start [1:44] looking for your escape from the [1:46] conversation. This is exactly how [1:48] prospects feel when we, as sales [1:50] professionals, make ourselves the hero [1:52] of the story. instead of them. Today, [1:54] we're going to break down how to avoid [1:56] this trap and keep your prospects front [1:59] and center. Let's define the problem. [2:02] Main character syndrome shows up in [2:04] sales all the time. You've probably [2:06] noticed it or even caught yourself doing [2:08] it. On the phone, it sounds like a rep [2:11] launching into a 5-minute pitch about [2:13] their company history before even asking [2:15] a question. Over email, it looks like [2:18] giant blocks of texts about feature with [2:21] zero mention of the prospect's actual [2:23] problems. On LinkedIn, it looks like [2:26] those connect and pitch messages that [2:28] basically say, "Here's my product. [2:30] Here's my calendar link. Let's meet." [2:33] The common thread, it's all about me, [2:36] me, me. The sales professional makes [2:38] themselves the main character. When in [2:41] reality, the customer should always be [2:43] the hero of the story. Here's the truth. [2:45] Prospects don't care about your product. [2:48] They care about their problems, their [2:50] goals, their world. And when we as sales [2:53] professionals make it all about us, we [2:56] trigger resistance. Prospects feel like [2:58] they're being sold at instead of [3:00] collaborated with. And that leads to [3:03] objections, ghosting, and stalled deals. [3:07] Think about it. Nobody wants to sit [3:09] through a feature dump. People want [3:11] relevance. They want to feel heard. They [3:14] want to know you get them. Now, when we [3:17] as sales professionals fall into the [3:19] main character syndrome, it's not only [3:21] bad etiquette. Main character syndrome [3:23] has consequences that can be [3:25] catastrophic to your deal and your [3:27] success. Here are the three greatest [3:30] consequences of main character syndrome. [3:33] Number one, prospect disengagement. When [3:37] sales professionals focus on themselves [3:39] and their product instead of the buyer [3:41] and their needs, they tune out. Calls, [3:44] emails, or messages feel like feature [3:46] dumps rather than meaningful [3:48] conversations, and this causes the [3:50] prospect to lose interest or ignore [3:52] outreach altogether. Number two, we miss [3:55] opportunities to uncover real needs. By [3:58] making the interaction about themselves, [4:01] sales professionals fail to ask the [4:03] right questions or hear what's really [4:05] going on with their prospects. This [4:08] prevents us from identifying the true [4:10] pain points, goals, or motivation, and [4:13] it leads to poorly aligned solutions. [4:16] Number three, we lower our trust and [4:19] credibility with our prospect. Prospects [4:21] no longer see sales professionals as [4:24] that helpful guide. they see someone [4:26] pushing a product. Without trust, it's [4:29] hard to move deals forward. It's hard to [4:31] overcome objections, and it's really [4:33] hard to build long-term relationships. [4:36] So, how do we flip the script? How do we [4:38] shift the focus to make our prospects [4:41] the main character? Well, the most [4:43] important thing to understand is that [4:45] your role is the trusted guide, not the [4:48] hero. So, I want you to think Yoda, not [4:51] Luke Skywalker. To make this actionable, [4:54] I want to give you a simple three-step [4:56] framework you can apply today, right [4:58] now, to shift your mentality from main [5:01] character to trusted guide. Step number [5:04] one, change your eye to why. Too often, [5:08] we start conversations with, I want to [5:11] show you, I'd love to introduce, or I [5:14] think you'll like. But your buyers don't [5:16] care about your eye. They care about why [5:19] your product should matter to them. When [5:21] you lead with why it's relevant, why [5:24] it's urgent, and why it solves a real [5:26] problem they're facing, you shift the [5:29] focus from your agenda to their reality. [5:32] When we change our eye to why, we stop [5:35] sounding like a salesperson and we start [5:37] being seen as a trusted guide. Step [5:40] number two, define what you solve, not [5:43] what you sell. Most salespeople can [5:45] rattle off what they sell, a platform, a [5:48] service, a software. But that's not what [5:51] your buyer actually cares about. Buyers [5:53] don't wake up thinking, "I need a new [5:55] vendor." They wake up thinking, "I need [5:58] to fix a problem." When you define the [6:00] problem you solve instead of the product [6:02] you sell, you build value with your [6:05] buyer and position yourself as a partner [6:07] in their success, not just another pitch [6:10] in their inbox. Solve first, sell [6:13] second, and then watch how fast the [6:15] conversation start to convert. Step [6:18] number three, listen to hear not to [6:21] respond. One of the biggest mistakes [6:24] sales people make is listening just long [6:26] enough to jump in with an answer. But [6:28] top performers know that the real power [6:31] is in listening to hear, not to respond. [6:34] When you listen to hear, you're not [6:35] waiting for your turn. You're seeking to [6:38] understand. You catch the nuance, the [6:41] emotion, the hidden pain points that [6:43] your competitor will miss because [6:45] they're too busy pitching. Great sales [6:48] conversations aren't built on what you [6:50] say. They're built on what you hear. [6:53] Slow down, tune in, and let your buyer [6:56] feel heard. That's when trust and [6:59] opportunity begins. So, here's your [7:02] challenge for the week. In every sales [7:04] conversation you have, apply these three [7:06] steps. Lead your conversation with why [7:09] instead of I. Define what you solve, not [7:13] what you sell. And listen to hear and [7:15] understand, not to respond. For [7:18] accountability, record one conversation [7:20] where you consciously flip the script [7:22] and review it with your leadership or a [7:24] colleague to note the difference in [7:26] engagement. Remember, the most [7:28] successful sales professionals aren't [7:30] selling products, they're solving [7:32] problems. That's a wrap for today's [7:34] edition of Money Monday. Remember, your [7:36] prospect is the hero and your job as the [7:39] sales professional is to guide them to [7:41] success. Flip the script, lead with [7:44] relevance, listen deeply, and watch [7:46] trust and opportunity grow. Thanks for [7:49] tuning in. I'm Duff Tucker and I'll see [7:52] you next time on the Sales Gravy [7:54] podcast. [7:56] Survival of [music] the sink or swim. I' [7:58] been broke. I ain't never going back [8:00] again. I need some cot, some cheddar, [8:02] and a stack of [music and singing] ends. [8:03] I need a bowl of dough. I don't need no [8:06] Facebook friends. I need a pack [music] [8:08] of them snaps, a handful of fatty ws, [8:10] and rubber band on my green backs. Look, [8:12] don't be [music] playing with my paper. [8:14] I need every red scent. That's why I [8:16] brought my little scraper. [8:19] [music]

===FILE=== MYhxSISujE8 - Stop Getting Ghosted and Win More Deals Using Neurostrategy  Sales Gravy Podcast.txt
https://youtu.be/MYhxSISujE8
Stop Getting Ghosted and Win More Deals Using Neurostrategy ｜ Sales Gravy Podcast

[0:00] Nooks is the first agent workspace for [0:02] sales. A unified platform where AI [0:04] agents and human sales reps work [0:06] together in real time. Instead of [0:08] getting buried in manual tasks, you work [0:10] alongside AI that prospects, [0:12] prioritizes, and drafts outreach for [0:15] you. When it comes to outbound, stop [0:17] managing sequences and start selling [0:19] with Nooks. Visit nooks.ai today. That's [0:22] ns.ai. [0:28] [music] [0:31] Welcome back to the Sales Greview [0:32] [music] Podcast. I'm Jeb Blunt Jr. and [0:34] today we have a really really cool [0:37] guest. I'm excited for you to listen to [0:39] today's episode. It's going to be a [0:42] little heady, but we're also going to [0:44] take that back down to to Earth with [0:46] some great great scenarios. And we have [0:49] Jake Stall on the podcast who is a [0:51] neurostrategist and is the CEO of [0:53] Orchestrate. He's also the new author of [0:56] Own the Room, which is also accompanied [0:58] by a podcast called Own the Room. So, go [1:00] listen to that podcast. He's trained [1:02] more than 10,000 sellers and business [1:05] leaders and businesses across 47 states [1:08] and all over the world. His specific [1:10] framework called Strata is blending [1:13] psychology, neuroscience, and what he [1:15] calls NLP. I am a complete newbie to [1:18] this, so uh you're all going to learn [1:20] along with me. He helps leaders, [1:22] sellers, and teams truly connect and not [1:24] just communicate. So Jake, I really [1:25] appreciate you joining us today. Um, and [1:27] I look forward to learning more about [1:28] what Strata is and how you are applying [1:30] that in your work in your world to help [1:32] business leaders really communicate [1:33] better uh to those prospects and to [1:36] their internal teams. [1:37] It's an honor to be here. Longtime fan [1:38] of the show, subscribe to the podcast. [1:41] Really excited to be here. Thank you. [1:42] It is my pleasure. And you've given us [1:44] five stars as a review. resources. [1:46] Remember, if you're listening to this, [1:47] give us five stars on Spotify, on Apple. [1:49] If you if you haven't, go check us out [1:51] on YouTube. That's [1:52] youtube.com/salesgrave. [1:53] You can see us have this conversation in [1:55] real time. You can do this at work. [1:57] Although, don't tell your boss. So, we [1:58] have some really cool stuff here. Let's [2:00] start with Strata. Let's start with what [2:02] Neurostrategy is and just sort of give [2:04] us the best elevator pitch you can to [2:08] help us understand what this is before [2:09] we dive into some ways we apply it to [2:11] the world that we live in. [2:13] Sure. So, I'm a firm believer, Jeb, that [2:15] we all have two profiles. We have the [2:17] one we put on LinkedIn, the one that [2:19] smiles, you put a hat on it, you comb [2:20] its hair, but there's another one [2:22] underneath that makes all the decisions. [2:25] It's the one that says, "I'm afraid to [2:27] move forward. The price is too high. Not [2:29] right now." Neurorrategy is a term that [2:32] I coined and I trademarked. the [2:34] combination of behavioral psychology, [2:37] social psychology, and neural linguistic [2:39] programming, NLP, to communicate in a [2:41] method that speaks to the real decision [2:44] maker, the one that's kind of under our [2:46] smiley profile. [2:47] This is the art of communication. This [2:50] is the place where you exist as the [2:52] space between what people hear and then [2:55] what they do with that information. help [2:57] us understand how you started to blend [3:00] all of these disciplines and then output [3:04] information for sales professionals and [3:06] then business professionals in [3:08] particular. [3:08] Sure. So, I've been in sales all my life [3:12] and I love the art. I think it's the [3:14] greatest profession there is. But I'll [3:16] be honest with you, I got frustrated [3:18] with every conversation starting with, [3:20] "Hi, how are you?" It just annoyed me [3:23] cuz it's non-con conversation. It leads [3:26] nowhere. Nobody gives the honest answer [3:28] and nobody cares about the answer. And [3:30] yet, it's how we all start. So, I [3:32] thought early in my career, how do I [3:33] break the conditioning? How do I not [3:35] start with that? And when I started [3:37] breaking out of how I introduce myself [3:39] to people and how I greet them, I [3:41] noticed a dramatic change. So, I went to [3:43] school. I got a degree in psychology. I [3:46] got a master certification neural [3:47] linguistic programming. I've studied [3:50] social psychology so much, somebody owes [3:52] me an honorary degree. Syracuse, step [3:54] up. give me my degree. And I combined it [3:57] into a way to communicate with people [3:58] that deals with behavioral triggers, [4:01] psychological hook points, things that [4:03] are guaranteed to get a response. And [4:06] neuro strategy was born. [4:07] What I hear you saying is a strategy [4:09] that many people I know employively. [4:12] They're not masters of the art. They [4:13] just do it very well. And it's, you [4:16] know, when I walk into a room, I think [4:17] that the like in a networking event, the [4:20] thing that drives me the most is how do [4:22] I make this a memorable interaction? And [4:24] often times that's being a little off [4:27] the wall. You got to be a little weird. [4:29] You got to say some things. You got to [4:30] ask questions that other people don't [4:31] ask. And I think that this is that [4:33] connection point where, you know, you're [4:35] helping people not just be good at that [4:37] part. You're helping them understand how [4:40] to be good at it and then take it to the [4:42] next level. And you know, I think this [4:43] is going to be a really interesting [4:44] conversation. So I wanted to jump into a [4:47] scenario that I want to give you some [4:48] space to coach to. Given your [4:49] experience, you're going to be put on [4:50] the spot here. So I I call this one the [4:52] ghosted perfect fit proposal. So you've [4:55] got strata, you've got your [4:57] psychological hook points and where [4:58] people get distracted and what grabs [5:00] attention and what sticks with people in [5:02] their memory. I work with sales teams [5:03] just like you do all over the world and [5:05] one of the most painful things we do as [5:06] coaches as leaders and as sales people [5:09] is we see a rep, especially new ones, [5:11] and they walk out of a meeting and [5:13] they're like high-fiving their boss. [5:15] They're coming to the sales bullpen and [5:17] they're saying to their team like, "Man, [5:18] this is a slam dunk. This is a layup." [5:21] like I did it. They bought from me, you [5:24] know, we're just feeling good and we've [5:25] all done it. We all been there. We high [5:26] five too early. Yes. And [5:28] absolutely. [5:29] And it's because they did genuinely get [5:30] a really great reaction. So the buyer [5:32] said, "Yes, like we're all in on this. [5:34] Give us a week." Right. We all We've all [5:36] heard this. Everything goes dark. [5:37] There's no emails, no calls, LinkedIn [5:39] messages, you know, they're read, but [5:41] you know, they're not answered. And the [5:42] rep keeps pushing emails, calls at this [5:45] buyer, right? They keep trying. And the [5:48] silence just keeps getting like bigger. [5:49] like it gets loud. I call this loud [5:51] silence when you know that they're you [5:54] know they're listening but they don't [5:55] want to talk which is way more [5:56] frustrating. It's just perfectly stalled [5:58] like completely stalled. And this is [6:00] what pipelines end up looking like where [6:02] they have a perfect fit but the ICP is [6:05] perfect but they're just not moving [6:06] forward. I guess what I want to ask you [6:08] is when the deal looks perfect but goes [6:10] completely dark, how can a seller use [6:12] your approach, your strata approach and [6:15] and the 210 rule to diagnose what really [6:17] went wrong and then how to re-engage [6:19] people into a real conversation that [6:21] either gets a yes or a no at the end of [6:23] the day. That's all we're looking for. [6:24] So given that scenario, how do you help [6:27] sales teams work through this? [6:28] The first part of it is looking at the [6:29] conversation you had. So many times the [6:33] first part of strata, the S in strata [6:35] stands for signal. So, what signal did [6:37] they send us? And many times a [6:40] representative will miss those subtle [6:42] signals. Like a buyer will say yes and [6:44] then you'll see them look down or you [6:46] see that they start twitching or they're [6:48] touching their face. You know, a lot of [6:50] those are insecure signals that people [6:52] send and they're telling you in advance, [6:55] I'm not going to get back to you. I'll [6:56] say yes. I want to get you off the [6:58] phone, but I'm just not getting back to [6:59] you. And the fact is Jeb whenever we see [7:02] a signal like that we need to understand [7:04] what we've triggered in them. So the [7:07] second letter the T in stratda is what [7:09] did you trigger in those people? Once [7:12] you understand that then it's about a [7:14] reframe. So how do I make this exact [7:18] concept come out in a different way [7:20] that's acceptable to you? So, without [7:23] looking at the communications, without [7:24] looking at the emails, I'm going to make [7:27] a bet and I'd be willing to put cash on [7:29] this that if we looked at the video or [7:32] we looked at an email or we looked at [7:34] the transcript, we would find an [7:36] indicator that the person on the other [7:38] side was just not ready to move forward. [7:41] And this happens more often than not, [7:43] Jeb. If you consider the fact that 80% [7:46] of our communication is non-verbal, [7:49] we're reacting to that 20% that comes in [7:51] an email or a DM or a voice message and [7:55] we're missing 80% of the message. So, I [7:58] would again be willing to bet when I [7:59] walk into a company and they say, "Jake, [8:01] we're getting ghosted." And I look at a [8:03] call transcript or I watch the video, [8:06] it's like right there. That's what you [8:08] missed. Many times, Jeb, and I'm sure [8:10] you've taught this as well, giving the [8:12] person permission to say no is 90% of [8:15] getting them to say yes. And as sales [8:17] people, we often don't give them [8:19] permission to say no. We're so bent on [8:22] getting those four yeses in a row that [8:24] we never give them the back door. And [8:26] let me paint a picture. Jeb, you're in a [8:28] room. You're sitting in a chair, no [8:30] windows, one door. And at that door is a [8:33] guard. What's the only thing you're [8:35] thinking about while you're sitting in [8:36] that chair? I'm never going to get out [8:38] of here, [8:39] right? [8:39] How do I get out of here? [8:41] Right? So, all you're thinking about is [8:42] getting out. Now, let me give you [8:44] scenario number two. You're sitting in a [8:46] room, no windows, sitting in a chair. [8:49] There's one door with a guard at it. The [8:51] door behind you is wide open. So, you [8:54] have two doors. Now, are you thinking so [8:57] much about how to get by the guard? [8:59] No. Yeah, you got a way out. [9:01] As a matter of fact, you're pretty [9:02] relaxed, right? It's like, listen, if [9:03] anything really bad happens, I can get [9:05] out of here. But we rarely give our [9:07] customers permission to say that. One of [9:09] my favorite things to tell reps to say [9:11] is say to your customer, "Listen, feel [9:13] free to say no. If this is not a good [9:15] fit, let's just call it quits here." And [9:18] what reps find is that nine times out of [9:20] 10, the person goes, "No, no, I'm good. [9:22] Yeah, let's let me hear you out." But [9:24] now you've given them that open door [9:26] behind them, and they're not panicking, [9:28] thinking about where they need to go. [9:30] And inevitably, most of those calls do [9:32] that. Let me give you a part B of that [9:34] answer, though, J. [9:35] I love it. Keep going. [laughter] I just [9:37] I I wanted to have more comments, but I [9:39] am I That was so so good. So, listen to [9:43] that part and then this is part two. [9:45] This is part two. So, the other places [9:47] all falls apart is in the follow-up. [9:49] Many reps are like, "I sent you a [9:51] proposal. You said this week. Where are [9:53] you? Was the cost too high? Was I too [9:55] much?" Don't do that. Instead, send [9:59] subtle reminders that they owe you [10:01] without telling them they owe you. [10:03] Here's a great example. Jeb, you're on [10:06] the SalesGravy podcast as the host. I [10:09] want to get on your podcast. You're [10:11] ghosting me. I'm just going to send you [10:12] an email that says, "Jeb, Sales Gravy, I [10:15] said saw did awesome this week. Here's [10:17] your second biggest competitor. And [10:19] here's an article as to why your podcast [10:21] is so great." And then I'm just going to [10:23] send it. Nothing about getting on, [10:26] nothing about reminding you. But in your [10:28] head, Jeb, you're gonna go, "Oh my god, [10:31] I heard from Jake before and now he sent [10:33] me this really cool thing." And if you [10:35] don't follow up, then I'm gonna send you [10:37] another one that says, "Jebb, here's a [10:40] review from the last podcast I was on. [10:42] Thought you might find it useful." Hit [10:44] send. I am selling without selling, but [10:48] more importantly, I'm giving to you. I'm [10:51] not asking for anything in return. [10:53] There's no better way to get someone to [10:55] respond than not pressuring them and [10:58] giving to them at the same time. [11:00] I love that this is a part of how you [11:03] teach sales teams because it is so hard [11:06] to pull back down to earth. Like you can [11:08] say this to any group of sales reps, but [11:11] how do I actually do this? Well, look, [11:14] if you don't give people the back door, [11:16] if you don't give them the opportunity [11:18] when you're in the sales process to tell [11:20] you that they are out, they will tell [11:22] you that they are in until they don't [11:25] have to tell you anymore and then they [11:27] go away. [11:28] Because, you know, you've been in those [11:30] situations. You have the pest control [11:32] guy on the phone and they're just saying [11:33] things to you, you got to do this, you [11:34] got to do this, you got to do this. At [11:35] some point, you just start saying yes [11:37] because you got other things to go do [11:38] and you know that if you just say yes [11:39] long enough, they'll quit. like at some [11:42] point they will go away and that's so [11:44] crucial [11:48] of what you just talked about. Really [11:50] quickly before we move on to the next [11:51] scenario, you mentioned that subtly [11:53] telling someone they owe you without [11:56] saying that they owe you. And this is an [11:58] art that I don't think many people have [12:00] mastered and I don't think I've mastered [12:02] it. So I'm in a sales call. Everything [12:04] goes well. I'm sort of at the end of the [12:05] process and look, I feel like 95% [12:09] confident this is going to go through. [12:11] You know, things just sort of get lost. [12:13] And I don't think that in most cases [12:14] like in this scenario that most people [12:16] are ignoring you out of malice. They're [12:17] probably ignoring you because they've [12:18] got a lot of other things going on. And [12:20] what I see you from reps is exactly what [12:21] you're talking about. And even for me, [12:23] is you hound that person to get a yes or [12:25] no. The yes or no is way more important [12:27] than the connection that you actually [12:29] have with that person. And so what [12:30] you're saying is there's a strategy to [12:33] providing the note that says, "Man, Jake [12:36] emailed me about this podcast and I have [12:39] not responded to him." And there's some [12:41] cognitive dissonance there where they [12:43] know that they should respond to you [12:45] because that's how we operate in [12:47] society. We typically respond to one [12:48] another. We don't just ignore people. [12:50] It's weird to do that. It's just easy [12:52] now, but it's weird to do that. And then [12:54] they do owe you an answer. So they also [12:56] don't want to respond to you, but you [12:58] create tension there. or the percentage [12:59] chances, right, increased that they're [13:01] going to respond to the email. Yes. No, [13:04] get off my lawn. Whatever that response [13:06] is, but you haven't damaged the [13:08] relationship because they can write you [13:09] off if you just say, "Hey, where's this [13:12] answer? Hey, where's this answer? Hey, [13:13] where's this answer?" They start writing [13:14] you off like, "You suck, man. I don't [13:17] want to talk to you anymore." I've got [13:18] the scenario. I'm a sales rep. I'm going [13:20] through this and yes, Jeb JBJ, that [13:22] sounds so good. And Jake, you you're [13:23] you're dropping knowledge on this [13:24] podcast, but what the hell do I do when [13:26] I'm in this situation? So as a sales [13:28] person like how do you start going [13:29] through this? What do you start to [13:30] gather as a rep? [13:32] You need to get them to take ownership. [13:34] So part of strata the second T in strata [13:37] is transfer. So how do I make my idea [13:41] their idea? My firm belief Jeb is we [13:44] never convince anybody of anything. They [13:47] just eventually decide it was their idea [13:50] to begin with. What does that look like? [13:52] So, I'm getting to the end of a call and [13:54] I think the person's bought in, but I [13:56] want to make it their idea. So, Jeb, let [13:59] me ask you a question. Now that you've [14:01] decided to have me on your podcast, tell [14:03] me how you think the audience will [14:05] react. [14:05] Whoa. Um, [14:07] so I'm forcing you to think, okay, I [14:09] already bought it and here's what's [14:11] going to happen. It's called future [14:13] pacing. [14:14] So, we're getting someone to picture [14:15] themselves inside the solution. So, if [14:18] I'm selling a shed and the person says, [14:20] "Yes, Jake. I want your $5,000 shed." [14:23] Say, "Listen, I'm glad we got to this [14:25] point and thank you." But let me ask you [14:27] this. What's your house going to look [14:29] like when all that clutter's in the [14:30] shed? So, I'm not just doing a follow-up [14:33] or, oh, when are you going to commit or [14:34] when are you going to sign the contract? [14:36] I want you to own it. And the best way [14:38] to get you to own it is to have you [14:40] write your story with my solution in it. [14:43] So, in practice, just really quickly, so [14:46] just to recap, you feel like things are [14:47] going well. Maybe you're like 60% sure, [14:49] but you just want to know like he's got [14:51] to the end of the process. You want to [14:52] know, and you say, "Jake, I appreciate [14:54] that we've gotten to this point. It [14:55] sounds like we're all in alignment [14:56] here." Let's just take the last few [14:58] minutes of this conversation, and I want [14:59] to hear what it's going to be like at [15:01] the other side of this when we start [15:03] implementing this. What does that mean [15:04] to you? How do you think your employees [15:06] are going to respond to this? How do you [15:07] think your team is going to respond? How [15:08] do you think your world is going to [15:09] change based on, you know, these tools? [15:12] and then let them have that conversation [15:14] is so so so so powerful. When you start [15:18] to really have these conversations, what [15:20] are the typical responses? What are some [15:22] of the things that you have heard [15:23] prospects say in response to that [15:26] question? [15:26] Yeah, sometimes you'll get them say, [15:28] "I'm not sure how that's going to look [15:30] yet." And my response back is, "I think [15:33] you do. I think you have a clear idea of [15:36] where this is going to go. And my guess [15:38] is your spider sense is tingling a [15:41] little bit right now. Tell me what your [15:43] reservation is. And it's amazing how [15:46] that shifts gears. It breaks [15:48] conditioning and it gets them to come [15:50] back and say, "Well, Jake, you know, [15:52] actually this is a little bit pricier [15:54] than I had hoped it would be." Awesome. [15:57] Now I'm at the exact thing that was [16:00] going to make you ghost me in 20 [16:02] minutes. So, don't ever hesitate to take [16:06] something and if it doesn't work, shift [16:08] gears. Hey, listen. I saw you look down [16:11] there for a second. My guess is [16:13] something caught you off guard. What was [16:15] it? Don't ever hesitate to grab onto [16:17] that and make it yours. And then I'll go [16:21] back to him after that and I'll say, [16:22] "Okay, are you set now? Does that feel [16:24] good?" "Yes, it does." Perfect. Then [16:27] tell me how you're going to describe the [16:29] product to your employees when you roll [16:31] it out. I'm just curious cuz I could use [16:34] that when selling the product. It gets [16:36] them to own it. I'm saving you 20% of [16:38] your time on your emails. I'm just [16:40] curious. What are you going to do with [16:41] the extra hour in your day? Get them to [16:43] own it. Don't ever say, "Great, sign the [16:46] contract. I'll follow up with you in 5 [16:48] days." It's a loser. You're going to get [16:50] ghosted. [16:51] Yeah. So, repeat all of that part of the [16:52] podcast. We're going to get to a next [16:53] part, though, cuz I think we got to move [16:55] on from this so we can spend 16 years [16:58] how to do all of that. No, that was [17:00] incredible. Okay. Okay, so listen to [17:01] that. If you're going through your sales [17:02] process and you're trying to figure out [17:04] why things aren't getting across the [17:05] line, those are some fantastic questions [17:07] and strategies and thought process [17:09] around what the end of the line should [17:11] look like for you so that you can start [17:12] to manage your pipeline and the outcomes [17:15] a bit better. I'm sure that there's a [17:17] lot more that we could get into, which [17:19] we will, but you've got a lot of clients [17:22] just like you, I'm sure, and you work [17:24] with lots of businesses that have a [17:27] brilliant, brilliant expert, people who [17:30] are consultants or, you know, lawyers, [17:32] for example, people who are fractional [17:33] leaders and technical founders, people [17:35] who are really brilliant at their craft. [17:38] Their clients love their work. I mean, [17:39] you can see all the love that people [17:41] have for their work when they get into [17:43] their business or what they do for them. [17:44] The first sales conversation is pretty [17:46] much a ramble. [laughter] They're not [17:48] bringing a lot of net new. They're [17:49] keeping what they bring in though, but [17:51] they're not bringing a lot of net new. [17:52] They're overexlaining their entire [17:53] process. They deep dive into like their [17:55] methodology, their philosophies. They [17:57] never actually guide the conversation. [17:58] They sort of just let it happen, which [18:00] is usually them talking. And then when [18:02] it times to get next steps, they sort of [18:03] like, well, we could explore this [18:05] together if it makes sense. They walk [18:07] out of the meeting thinking like, I gave [18:08] them a bunch of value. and the [18:10] prospector walks out thinking that was a [18:11] really nice person but I don't know what [18:14] they actually do for people. So you have [18:16] that scenario when brilliant experts [18:19] keep losing deals because of their [18:20] presence and their messages are muddy. [18:23] How do you reframe their identity to [18:25] help them build a simple structure to [18:27] own the room which is the name of your [18:29] book by the way? Own the room in the [18:31] first few minutes so that the buyer [18:32] clearly feels that this is the person I [18:35] want to lead me. That's a long question. [18:37] It is. But given, you know, your book [18:40] you're releasing in this particular [18:42] scenario, and this could apply to every [18:43] salesperson who's also an expert in [18:45] their field, by the way, how do you [18:46] start to handle that as a coach and a [18:48] consultant to better those [18:49] conversations? [18:50] You said the key word and most of it is [18:52] presence. And I think the biggest [18:55] misconception that people have when I go [18:57] to coach them is that I decide my [18:59] presence when we talk for the first [19:01] time. So when you and I meet face to [19:03] face, that's the first impression. could [19:06] not be farther from the truth. One of [19:08] the great social psychologists, Robert [19:11] Shelini, used the term persuasion. What [19:13] happens before persuading them is you're [19:17] persuading them. And all that comes in [19:20] your presence on LinkedIn, social media, [19:24] your initial emails, your outreach, even [19:27] Jeb, how you walk into the room. So, [19:29] I'll give you a quick hint on how [19:31] everybody can start to build persuasion [19:34] before they even get into the room. And [19:35] that's through your headsh shot. So [19:37] there's three pieces of a headsh shot [19:38] that psychologists have identified that [19:41] are crucial in establishing trust before [19:45] you meet. The first is a huge smile. Ear [19:47] to ear. Show a little crow's feet. Bonus [19:49] points for teeth. Great smile. Second is [19:52] posture. Keep your your back straight or [19:55] lean forward a little bit to show [19:56] interest. But the third piece is my [19:59] favorite. A slight tilt to the head on [20:02] your head shot. Psychologists believe [20:04] that when you're exposing your karate or [20:06] your jugular, you're showing that you [20:08] trust them with the most vital blood [20:11] flow in your system. Therefore, they [20:15] feel a trust back. Big smile, good [20:18] posture, slight tilt of the head has [20:21] been clearly shown to establish trust [20:23] before you even meet. Get a head shot [20:25] that has those three things and you have [20:28] a way to persuade. And Jeb, there's a [20:31] dozen ways to continue building presence [20:33] before you walk into a room. Because [20:35] here's the thing, if they trust you [20:37] before you even walk in, you've got to [20:39] flub it pretty bad in order to not make [20:42] a sale. So, your work begins well before [20:45] the meeting. [20:45] Maybe the followup question to that is [20:47] when I was in the field in a different [20:49] scenario than this. It's easy for me and [20:51] maybe you to say this because we have [20:53] podcasts and lots of content and I'm [20:55] doing video and I've sort of have have [20:57] that built-in kind of uh process because [21:00] that's what we do. But when I was [21:01] selling in the field when one of the [21:03] more difficult things is no one knows [21:05] who you are until you walk in the room. [21:06] How have you helped business development [21:08] professionals learn how to preframe [21:11] persuade people when there's no natural [21:15] reason for them to know who you are [21:16] until you walk in the meeting. [21:18] So there's a couple of rules of thumb. [21:19] The first is before you go into a room, [21:21] ground yourself. And I know this is [21:23] gonna sound really woo woo, but boy does [21:25] this work. Plant your feet firmly on the [21:28] floor, feel the ground on your feet. So, [21:31] don't just stand there. Feel the ground [21:33] pushing against you on your feet. Give a [21:35] couple of nice box breaths. Four in, [21:37] hold for four, out for four, hold it out [21:40] for four. Couple of box breaths. So, get [21:43] yourself all in alignment. Get your [21:46] signal straight. And when you go in, no [21:48] matter what they say, do not make it [21:51] about you. You should have 2 to 5 [21:53] minutes where it is nothing but [21:56] discovery. And if they ask about you or [21:58] your background, say, "I'd love to talk [22:01] about it, but you're my priority, so [22:04] let's talk about you." Nine times out of [22:06] 10, when I talk to a company that goes [22:08] in to do a pitch in a conference room, [22:10] the first thing they do is they load up [22:12] their PowerPoint and it's, "Let me tell [22:14] you about us." It's not about you and it [22:17] hasn't been. If I had my way, I would [22:20] eliminate PowerPoint from every sales [22:22] organization. If you make it two to five [22:24] minutes about them, there's something [22:26] cool that happens here, Jeb. And it's [22:27] chemistry. [22:29] So, if I get you to talk about yourself, [22:31] and this has been shown through study [22:33] after study. If I get you to talk about [22:36] yourself and I get you really involved [22:39] so you get real honest and trustworthy [22:41] with me, your brain releases the same [22:43] neurotransmitters as eating a chocolate [22:45] cupcake. But here's where the miracle [22:47] happens. You don't associate that good [22:50] feeling with a conversation. You [22:52] associate it with me. And once I create [22:54] that chemical bond with you, it's going [22:57] to take a real guided effort to screw up [23:00] the presentation [23:02] because somebody's going to say, "Hey, [23:03] the presentation may not have been dead [23:05] on, but I liked him and I think we can [23:08] work with him." There's a real advantage [23:10] in that first two to five minutes. And [23:12] that Jeb is where my 210 rule comes in. [23:15] There is a rule of thumb that says for [23:16] every 10 minutes you talk, you generate [23:19] two minutes worth of questions in the [23:21] other person. So in a 60-minute [23:23] conversation, you're generating about 12 [23:26] to 15 minutes of questions. And I think [23:28] if you ever look back at all the [23:29] presentations you've given, that's [23:31] probably really close, right? So flip [23:34] that on its head. Every 2 minutes during [23:36] the presentation, check in with [23:38] somebody. So Jeb, did I miss anything so [23:40] far? Sally, was that clear or should we [23:44] retrace that? Frank, how does that feel [23:46] compared to what you're doing now? saw [23:48] any minor check-in every 2 minutes. Then [23:51] at the end of every 10 minutes, you know [23:54] what, guys? I have been blabbing a blue [23:57] streak. And my guess is I missed [23:58] something. So, let me just open up the [24:00] floor real quick. When you give people [24:03] that safety to give feedback and ask [24:06] questions and the room to be honest, [24:10] you'll be amazed at what you hear. [24:12] I love this framework. I think that it's [24:14] just so powerful for any conversation [24:16] that you're having. and I'm doing a [24:17] podcast here and talking with you, but [24:19] this rings true and it's so much more [24:22] disciplined inside of these sales [24:23] conversations. It's so strange to be [24:26] this pedantic about your sales process, [24:28] but the way that you go about these [24:30] things really does change the pH of a [24:32] room. I've walked into these conference [24:35] rooms with six, seven people on their [24:37] leadership team, you know, looking at [24:39] this presentation and they all are [24:41] looking with negativity bias. We're all [24:43] looking for the reasons to hate me. like [24:45] they they're looking for all the reasons [24:47] to not buy from you. And if you aren't [24:50] doing everything in your power to [24:51] maximize your ability to create a [24:53] connection with them, you're starting [24:55] off from a really tough position. And [24:58] so, yes, your presentation could be [25:00] beautiful. You might not even have the [25:01] about us slide. Like, you could be a [25:03] good salesperson and go through [25:04] everything. But if you haven't persuaded [25:06] done everything to build warmth within [25:09] the room to ask them questions and you [25:11] sort of just maybe you didn't even ask [25:13] questions, maybe nothing happened. You [25:14] just drank some coffee and made some [25:16] slight jokes with people and that was [25:17] fine, but it didn't work. If you didn't [25:19] give that 2 to 5 minutes what you're [25:21] talking about, you're at a severe [25:23] statistical disadvantage. I love this [25:25] chemical connection. Like you talk about [25:26] this is from a neuroscience perspective. [25:29] This is not something that's like we as [25:31] experts, as consultants go, well, I [25:32] think you should do this. like this is [25:34] truly proven. It's called the [25:35] self-disclosure loop. You can go take a [25:37] look at it. When someone starts talking [25:38] about themselves, I'm doing it right [25:39] now. We like get this little dopamine [25:42] hit and it's so nice. And people start [25:45] to say things like, you know, we've [25:47] really had a tough year [25:48] and then they're they pause and they [25:50] look at the rest of the room like, am I [25:51] is it okay if I say that? [25:52] Right. Was I allowed to say it? Is so [25:54] interesting. I think what's more [25:55] important than like what I love about [25:57] the way you approach this and I think [25:59] that is such a great mindset for sales [26:01] professionals. you don't sell them [26:02] things. If you learn in those [26:04] conversations, no matter where you are, [26:06] if it's the last deal and you've been [26:08] working on it for 8 months, and you get [26:09] into that conversation and it's a real [26:11] one, and they start to tell you that [26:13] they're not your ICP and they're not a [26:14] perfect fit because this is just never [26:16] going to work for them, and they didn't [26:17] know it cuz they were saying yes all [26:19] along the way, and then suddenly you had [26:20] a real conversation with them. You can [26:22] get out of that. You can save yourself [26:24] the heartbreak of a bad client, the [26:27] heartbreak of doing something that you [26:28] felt like, well, I sold them into this [26:30] versus they are making a decision about [26:32] it and you relieve yourself of a lot of [26:35] the pressure that sales professionals [26:36] typically have, which is close a deal, [26:38] close a deal, close a deal, close a [26:39] deal, and then everyone else has to [26:42] clean up after you. If you do this work, [26:44] you are both beneficial to the company [26:45] that you're working for, which is the [26:47] people who pay you, and you're also [26:49] serving your clients. It's the best way [26:50] to serve everyone. So, I love the way [26:52] you go about this. I've got one more [26:54] scenario for you, Jake. This one is a [26:55] leadership one. So, I'm curious to see [26:57] how you fit this into the leadership [26:59] world. It's an overwhelmed new leader [27:01] and they're way over their head. So, in [27:02] the leadership layer, you've got an AE [27:04] who gets promoted to a sales manager as [27:06] a top AE. So, somebody who in business [27:08] development world, they were top on the [27:10] leaderboard for the last two years. They [27:12] have really outshined people. They've [27:14] been consistent. They show up and then [27:15] they got the promotion, tap on the [27:17] shoulder, hey, you're going to be a [27:17] leader. That's never happened to [27:18] anybody, right? [laughter] [27:20] Yeah. Yeah. such a familiar scenario. [27:22] And then suddenly, okay, they're doing [27:24] backto-back one-on- ones, their pipeline [27:26] reviews, executive meetings, trying to [27:27] do coaching in between all of this, [27:29] trying to keep up with the territories, [27:30] doing the Salesforce thing or the [27:32] HubSpot or whatever it is. Reports, [27:33] reports, reports. They still jump in all [27:35] the time to save deals because they [27:37] don't quite trust that the reps know how [27:39] to do what they do cuz they were Michael [27:41] Jordan hitting it from, you know, way [27:42] out in half court and then also like [27:44] slam dunking it. and the other team is [27:46] like they feel like they're trying to [27:47] get people to pass the ball, but they [27:49] jump in, they save deals, and their [27:51] quarterly book looks good, but because [27:52] they were putting in 90 hours of work, [27:54] their team is really scattered, so their [27:57] meetings feel rushed, tense, sort of [27:59] just like a brief update and everyone go [28:01] like go work. It's not working as an [28:03] organization. They're sort of a [28:04] fractured kind of succeeding up. When a [28:07] new sales leader is drowning like this [28:08] and they're trying to lead a team and [28:10] they're unintentionally broadcasting [28:12] stress and frustration to the whole [28:14] team, how do you help them reset their [28:17] signals and their presence? We talked [28:19] about this previously, your trigger. [28:21] That's that first T and strata. And then [28:22] you also have this presence piece. And [28:24] we just finished that conversation. The [28:26] sales managers working for these sales [28:28] reps. How do they start to build that [28:29] world in a better place? I think part of [28:31] it, you know, we always talk about the [28:33] best way to flatter someone is to say, [28:35] "Hey, your hair looks nice." Or, "Hey, [28:36] what a great outfit." But the best way [28:39] to flatter somebody is actually by [28:40] asking their advice. And the best way to [28:43] get people involved is by taking their [28:46] advice, right? They some people call it [28:47] the IKEA method. When you build [28:49] something together, you're more invested [28:51] in it, right? So, with a sales team like [28:54] that, and I actually, it's funny, I [28:56] coached a team like this. So when I [28:58] coached him, the first thing I did was I [29:00] said to him, "Listen, we've been working [29:01] together for a little bit. Do me a favor [29:04] and just spill out. What are the [29:06] problems we have?" And if you were in my [29:08] shoes, what would you do differently? [29:11] And start to get them to give feedback. [29:13] Now granted, people are going to say, [29:15] "Hey, Jake, it's not going to be [29:16] productive." It's going to be the most [29:18] productive conversation you've ever had [29:20] because when you start asking what they [29:22] would do differently, even if it's not [29:25] great advice, pull little pieces of [29:28] things that you can do and show them [29:31] that their advice is being taken. In my [29:33] opinion, worst thing you can do in a [29:35] team is to say, "I'm the leader. You're [29:37] the followers." It's got to be, "I'm the [29:40] leader because you guys have faith in me [29:43] here and because I'm actually doing [29:45] what's best for the team." and Jeb, [29:47] there's going to be a bunch of good [29:48] ideas that come out. You're gonna get [29:50] some people that are going to say things [29:51] and you're going to go, "Yeah, wow. I I [29:53] probably should have thought of that." [29:55] So, get them invested. And then what [29:57] happens is they see that you take [29:59] advice. You're a listener. And all of a [30:01] sudden, we're back to that other [30:03] scenario we had where, hey, you may not [30:04] be the greatest, but I like you, and [30:07] you're trying, and you're asking for [30:08] input, so I'm going to work with you. [30:10] You know, there's a lot to be said for [30:13] taking feedback from a team. Here's a [30:15] great real life scenario. A five-star [30:17] hotel chain, I won't mention who it was. [30:19] Fivestar hotel chain was getting a lot [30:20] of feedback that their elevators were [30:22] too slow. So, they started looking into [30:24] putting in elevators. One goes to the [30:26] first 10 floors, another one goes 10 to [30:28] 20. They were looking at putting [30:30] elevators outside the building. All of [30:31] it would cost millions upon millions. [30:33] So, the CEO got everybody together in [30:35] the hotel and said, "How do we fix [30:37] this?" And one maid said, "Why don't you [30:40] put mirrors on the outside of the [30:42] elevators? Then people will be so busy [30:44] primping themselves and looking in the [30:46] mirror that the weight will seem like [30:47] nothing. Tell me the last time you [30:49] walked into a hotel or motel that didn't [30:51] have mirrors next to the elevators. [30:53] Whoa. [laughter] [30:55] So when you start to bring [30:57] I feel lied to. By the way, you just [30:58] revealed something. I feel like I got [31:00] scammed. Did y'all know that there were [31:02] mirrors next to the elevators for your [31:04] own vanity? I feel I feel gross, but I [31:08] don't disagree with it somehow. [31:10] [laughter] [31:12] So when you ask for other people's input [31:14] like that and you become a team, it's [31:16] amazing how much the dynamic changes. So [31:19] my advice is to new leaders, put your [31:22] armor on, put your big boy or girl pants [31:24] on, get in there, ask for feedback, and [31:27] give your team micro wins so that they [31:29] become a team. [31:30] The way you've outlined this is a really [31:31] practical way to just say servant [31:34] leader. When you walk into that room, [31:36] the challenge that most leaders have, [31:38] and I definitely struggle with this as [31:40] well, is I am the leader and you are the [31:42] followers. Because there's there are [31:43] times and places where you need to be [31:46] the leader and they are the followers. [31:47] But in most cases, you are working with [31:50] people and in fact, you are working for [31:52] those people to remove obstacles out of [31:54] their way to help them be successful in [31:55] their jobs. And that's how you become [31:57] successful as a leader. And if you walk [31:59] into the room and say, "Look, I am here [32:01] because the company and you all trust me [32:04] to be a leader." My first step is let's [32:07] figure out what you would do in my shoes [32:10] so that I can learn from you and build a [32:13] better environment for us to all succeed [32:16] in. And I don't know, Jake, you outlined [32:18] this so you know this, but I don't know [32:20] if you're aware that when you ask [32:22] someone for their opinion, they always [32:24] have one. [32:25] Oh, yeah. There's not one person on this [32:28] earth that doesn't want to share their [32:29] opinion with you. And it's because the [32:31] most insatiable human need that we have [32:32] is to feel important. And when you give [32:34] people that gift, it is so powerful. I [32:37] love your advice here around how an [32:40] overwhelmed sales leader can slow the [32:42] world and slow the game down around them [32:44] and start to build a better [32:46] communication environment. [32:47] Just real quick, Jeb, think about the [32:48] buyin. So let's say somebody says to you [32:50] as a leader, you know what, Jeb, you [32:52] should wear a green shirt. So, if you [32:54] ever wore a green shirt, that person can [32:56] never say to you, "Why would you wear a [32:58] green shirt? That's just dumb, right?" [33:00] If you start to take what they're [33:01] saying, and granted, it's not always [33:03] going to be great. You can always find [33:05] that little micro piece of advice that's [33:08] in there that you can take and [33:10] incorporate. So, as soon as they give [33:12] you advice, they can't criticize you for [33:14] following it. It's a matter of fact, [33:16] they admire you. And that's a shift in [33:18] dynamic. [33:19] I think that there's so much more we can [33:21] explore. Jake, I want to give you though [33:22] a little bit of space here to tell [33:24] people where to find your book and where [33:26] to connect with you so they can learn [33:27] from you. [33:28] Thank you. So, my new book is called Own [33:30] the Room: How to Communicate to Be Seen, [33:33] Heard, and Respected. and it covers my [33:36] strata framework which teaches you how [33:38] to take a conversation from the point of [33:42] first encountering them in whatever way [33:45] that is on LinkedIn or the first time [33:47] you walk into a room and getting a [33:49] person to take action. So, it goes [33:52] through worksheets and exercises you can [33:54] do, all real life stories, all coaching [33:57] I've done. There's even a bonus chapter [33:59] about a time share person trying to sell [34:01] me and what they did wrong and how I [34:03] would have done it differently. So, lot [34:06] of great advice in there. It's available [34:07] on Amazon right now. They can also [34:09] listen to my Own the Room podcast. We [34:11] have weekly episodes. I have the Own the [34:14] Room newsletter on LinkedIn. And if you [34:16] want to follow me on social media, my [34:18] handle is Jake the Mind Mechanic. [34:21] Jake the Mind Mechanic. You're awesome. [34:24] Uh, thanks for spending some time with [34:25] us on the sales grieving podcast. Look, [34:26] I know you are listening and if you've [34:28] gotten this far and you're still [34:29] listening and you haven't given us a [34:31] review on Spotify or Apple, you need to [34:34] go do that now. You are our marketing [34:35] department. You help us help more [34:37] salespeople sell more. So, go to Spotify [34:40] and Apple, give us a fivestar review, [34:42] write a little comment about how we've [34:43] helped you or what you like the most [34:44] about the podcast. And I also want to [34:47] encourage you to go to [34:48] youtube.com/salesgravy. [34:50] Give us a like, subscribe to the [34:51] channel. We are putting all of this [34:52] video content up. You can go there, ring [34:54] that little bell so that you get updates [34:56] whenever we release new videos. And if [34:58] you haven't checked out SalesGravy [34:59] University, use code free course. That's [35:00] learn.salgravy.com. [35:02] Thank you so much, Jake, for being here [35:03] on the SalesGravy podcast and we will [35:05] catch you next time. [35:10] The SalesGravy podcast is sponsored by [35:12] Nooks. Nooks is a signal first workspace [35:15] that turns real time intent into real [35:17] conversations. Their AI agents monitor [35:20] LinkedIn and CRM signals to tell your [35:22] team exactly who to reach and what to [35:25] say. Think of it as having an agent that [35:27] thinks exactly like your best rep. And [35:29] when it comes to tools, you can stop [35:31] searching and start winning with Nooks. [35:34] So check out agentworkspace for sales at [35:36] nooks.ai. That's n o ks.ai. [35:40] Thank you so much for watching this [35:41] [music] video. Please make sure to click [35:43] like and subscribe so you never miss a [35:45] single video. And if you want more sales [35:46] training [music] content, go to [35:48] learn.salgrivy.com.

===FILE=== OVMejP4t6bo - Moneyball for Sales Why Youre Tracking the Wrong Metrics  Money Monday.txt
https://youtu.be/OVMejP4t6bo
Moneyball for Sales： Why You're Tracking the Wrong Metrics ｜ Money Monday

[0:04] [music] [0:05] This is Jeb Blount and it's Money Monday [0:07] on the Sales Gravy podcast. [0:09] They make money, money, make money, [0:11] money, money. Make money, money, [music] [0:13] make money, money, money. [0:15] Money makes the world go round. I'm the [0:17] talk around town. Remy gave me the [0:19] sound. Welcome to another edition of [0:21] Money Monday. My name is Keith Lubner [0:23] and I'm filling in for my good friend [0:25] and our CEO Jeb Blount. [0:27] Jeb is always delivering insight into [0:29] all things sales and today is no [0:31] different. Except I'm going to take a [0:33] page from the movies. Let me ask you [0:36] something straight up though. What are [0:37] you actually measuring in your sales org [0:40] right now? And if you're like most sales [0:43] leaders I work with, and I've worked [0:44] with hundreds of them across every [0:46] industry, [0:47] your dashboards are full of activity [0:49] metrics. Calls made, emails sent, [0:51] LinkedIn touches, dials per day, per [0:53] rep. And look, I get it. Activity is [0:55] visibility, activity is easy to track, [0:57] activity feels like progress. [1:00] But here's the brutal truth. [1:02] Activity without the right outcome [1:04] metric is just noise. I've walked into [1:08] too many sales floors where the reps are [1:11] grinding and the leaders are proud of [1:12] the numbers. Hundreds of calls a week, [1:14] thousands of emails a month, and yet the [1:16] pipeline is thin. [1:18] The close rates are mediocre and nobody [1:20] can figure out why. I can tell you why. [1:24] They're measuring the wrong leading [1:25] indicator. [1:27] There's a concept in business that [1:28] separates the teams that consistently [1:30] win from the teams that consistently [1:32] wonder why they're not winning. It's [1:35] understanding the difference between a [1:36] lagging indicator and a leading [1:39] indicator. [1:41] Lagging indicators tell you what already [1:43] happened. Revenue closed, quota [1:46] attained, deals won. Leading indicators [1:49] tell you what's about to happen. [1:52] Today, I want to give you the one [1:54] leading indicator in sales that changes [1:58] everything. Whenever I'm working with a [2:00] group, there are always one or two [2:02] people who have seen the movie [2:04] Moneyball. So, I use it to set the [2:06] stage. [2:07] In the early 2000s, the Oakland A's had [2:09] a serious problem. They had a phenomenal [2:12] team, [2:13] guys like Jason Giambi, Jason [2:15] Isringhausen, and Johnny Damon. [2:18] And and they went really deep into the [2:20] playoffs, but they didn't win it all. [2:23] The real crisis hit after the season. [2:26] Those three stars were becoming free [2:28] agents, and in baseball, that means they [2:30] were about to cash in. [2:32] The New York Yankees were knocking on [2:34] their doors with deep, deep pockets. And [2:36] Oakland, well, they didn't have deep [2:38] pockets. Billy Beane, [2:40] played by Brad Pitt in the movie, faced [2:43] a classic dilemma. [2:45] He had to replace elite talent, but he [2:47] couldn't afford elite prices. [2:50] He had to find value where no one else [2:53] was looking. [2:55] There's a famous scene in the movie [2:57] where Billy Beane is sitting at a long [2:59] table in what they call the war room [3:01] with all his old-school scouts. Now, [3:03] these are guys who have been looking at [3:05] talent the same way for 40 years. Billy [3:08] walks up to the board and writes a name [3:10] on a magnetic strip. He sticks it on the [3:12] wall. The scouts lean in, and they're [3:15] confused. They start complaining [3:17] immediately. Why is this guy's name up [3:20] there? He's old. He can't even run [3:21] anymore. [3:23] And Billy doesn't argue with them. [3:25] He just turns to Peter Brand, who in the [3:26] movie is played by Jonah Hill. [3:28] And Peter is the young metrics guy and [3:30] says, [3:31] "Tell them. [3:33] Tell them why he's up there." [3:35] And what does Peter say? [3:37] He says, [3:38] "He gets on base." So, Billy writes [3:40] another name down and throws it against [3:42] the wall. And this time it's Scott [3:43] Hatteberg. The scouts go crazy. Why is [3:46] he up there? He's a catcher who can't [3:48] even throw the ball to second good [3:51] Billy turns to [3:53] Peter Brand again. [3:55] He says, "Tell them." [3:57] And Peter Brand says, "He gets on base." [4:00] Then Billy writes a third name. Before [4:02] the scouts can even open their mouths, [4:05] he looks at them and he says, "Don't [4:06] make me ask him." And he's pointing to [4:08] Peter Brand. "Why is that name up [4:11] there?" [4:12] And one of the scouts sighs and says, [4:15] "He gets on base?" [4:18] "He gets on base!" Billy shouts. [4:20] Then he explains the logic. It's simple [4:22] math. [4:24] "If we get on base, we score more runs. [4:26] If we score more runs, we win more [4:28] games. In baseball, getting on base is [4:31] the leading indicator of success. And 2 [4:34] years later, the Boston Red Sox used [4:36] that exact formula to win their first [4:38] World Series in 86 years." In baseball, [4:43] the leading indicator is getting on [4:45] base. In sales, your FTA, first-time [4:50] appointment, is your leading indicator [4:52] of success. I have a client at HubSpot [4:54] right now measuring more than just [4:56] meetings. They are specifically tracking [4:58] FTAs versus general meetings. Why? [5:03] Because meetings can be with existing [5:05] customers or internal catch-ups, but [5:07] FTAs are what build momentum with net [5:10] new business in the funnel. When people [5:13] hear this story, they finally understand [5:15] why the FTA is so important. It's not [5:17] just another metric. It's the only way [5:20] you get on base and build new business. [5:22] At the end of the day, as a leader, I [5:24] don't really care how many calls you [5:26] make. If I ask a room of sales leaders [5:28] what they really, really care about, [5:30] they all give the same answer, [5:32] appointments. I don't care how you get [5:34] there. I just care that you get there. [5:36] So, if you have five FTAs set, I'm [5:38] high-fiving you. [5:40] If you only have two, then we need to [5:42] turn the dial on your activity levels to [5:44] get those numbers up. You want the [5:46] results, you want the meetings. You want [5:49] to get on base. [5:51] Because if you get on base enough times, [5:53] the wins will naturally take care of [5:55] themselves. So, here's what I want you [5:57] to do, and I mean this week, not [6:00] someday, not next quarter, this week. [6:03] Pull up whatever CRM or pipeline tool [6:05] you're running, look at your team's [6:06] numbers, and ask yourself this question: [6:09] How many first-time appointments did my [6:11] team set last week? [6:12] Not meetings, not touchpoints, not [6:15] conversations, [6:17] FTAs. Net new, first-time, never talked [6:21] to this person before appointments. If [6:24] you know that number, great. Now, figure [6:26] out what you need it to be to hit your [6:28] revenue goals and reverse engineering [6:30] the activity that gets you there. That's [6:32] the Moneyball formula applied to sales. [6:35] Simple math. Leading indicator first, [6:37] results will follow. If you don't know [6:40] the number, and I'll be honest with you, [6:41] a lot of leaders don't, then that's your [6:43] starting point. You can't manage what [6:45] you don't measure, and you can't improve [6:47] what you don't manage. [6:49] Build the habit, track the FTA, make it [6:52] a non-negotiable conversation in your [6:54] weekly pipeline reviews, put it on the [6:56] scoreboard. Celebrate the reps who are [6:58] getting on base and coach hard the ones [7:01] who aren't. Because here's the thing [7:03] about the Moneyball story that I love [7:05] love the most. [7:06] Billy Beane didn't change baseball by [7:08] spending more money. He changed it by [7:11] asking a better question. He stopped [7:13] asking who's the biggest star and [7:15] started asking who gets on base. That [7:18] shift in mindset from vanity metrics to [7:20] leading indicators is exactly what [7:22] separates the sales organizations that [7:25] consistently hit their numbers from the [7:26] ones that are always scrambling at the [7:29] end of the quarter. Be the Billy Beane [7:30] of your sales team. Ask the better [7:33] question. Track the FTA. I'm Keith [7:35] Lubner, and thanks for spending your [7:37] Monday with me. Now, get out there and [7:40] get on base. [7:41] Survival of the fittest, you can sink or [7:43] swim. [music] I've been [7:47] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [7:49] watched this video. Make sure that you [7:50] click like and subscribe so that you [7:52] never miss one of our amazing sales [7:54] training videos.

===FILE=== OyJqlxerqkY - Protect Your Golden Hours The Prospecting Habit That Guarantees You Hit Quota  M.txt
https://youtu.be/OyJqlxerqkY
Protect Your Golden Hours： The Prospecting Habit That Guarantees You Hit Quota ｜ Money Monday

[0:05] This is Jeb Blunt and it's Money Monday [0:07] on the Sales Gravy podcast. [0:09] Make money [0:11] money. [0:21] Welcome to the Sales Gravy podcast. I'm [0:23] Brad Adams, senior master trainer at [0:25] Sales Gravy, filling in for Jeb Blunt. [0:27] And it's Money Monday. Now, today's [0:30] topic is a practice that's kind of [0:33] simple, but yet incredibly powerful and [0:36] fundamental to your success in sales. [0:39] We're going to dive into sales golden [0:42] hours. Now, look, we all have the same [0:45] number of hours, and golden hours in [0:47] particular, every single week. Yet, many [0:49] sales reps I've seen do kind of a poor [0:52] job of protecting them. I have a [0:54] customer that sells into manufacturing [0:56] and one of their top reps from last [0:57] year, Sarah, she crushed Q1 and Q2 and [1:01] she was the top five in all the company [1:04] and yet she's only been with them for 2 [1:05] years. She is completely full of energy. [1:08] She knows her product. She's a great [1:10] technician. She connects well with [1:12] prospects and she can close deals in her [1:14] sleep. And yet, after slipping a little [1:16] bit in Q3, rolling into Q4, she's now in [1:20] complete fightor-flight mode. Her sales [1:23] have slipped. Her prospects are just not [1:26] responding like they used to. And her [1:28] manager is very concerned. When I met [1:30] with her, she told me that she is [1:31] working harder than ever. She's helping [1:33] her customers with all of their issues, [1:36] and she's turning these things around in [1:37] record time, and she just can't figure [1:39] out why she's in a sales slump. Well, [1:42] when I dug into what her day looked like [1:44] and how she was allocating her efforts, [1:46] her energy, and her time, it became [1:49] completely clear to me what was going [1:50] on. The problem wasn't that she stopped [1:52] working hard. The problem was that she [1:55] was not allocating the right amount of [1:58] effort working on the right things. [2:00] Sarah had fallen into that quote, "I'm [2:04] busy" trap. Now, there's three ways that [2:07] you can spend your time. You can spend [2:10] your time in golden hours, in platinum [2:12] hours, or in silver hours. In training, [2:16] I speak of impactful, important, and [2:18] trivial things that you do in your day. [2:20] And the golden hours are the single most [2:23] important dollar producing activity in [2:26] sales. And that activity is filling your [2:29] pipeline. When I talk with customers, I [2:31] often get multiple definitions of the [2:33] word prospecting. So whatever that means [2:36] for you and your organization, make sure [2:38] that you clearly define that. I have a [2:41] definition that I share with my clients [2:42] that sometimes they think is helpful. [2:45] Prospecting is the art and science of [2:47] getting a meeting with a qualified [2:49] prospect that meets your ideal customer [2:51] profile. It's that simple. It could be a [2:55] new prospect. It could be a former [2:57] customer. It can even be an opportunity [2:59] to expand the business with inside an [3:02] existing customer. For instance, new [3:04] locations, new products, or just maybe [3:07] grabbing additional wallet share, taking [3:09] it away from a competitor. If you're [3:11] unclear of what prospecting means to you [3:13] inside of your organization, try to find [3:16] clarity or create a definition. Now, how [3:18] we get those meetings is using a [3:20] multi-channel approach to prospecting, [3:22] including making telephone calls, [3:24] sending out those amazing emails, [3:27] leveraging LinkedIn, as Jeb and Bren [3:30] clearly map out in the most recent book, [3:32] The LinkedIn Edge, or just getting out [3:34] there and booking face-to-face [3:36] conversations or even having them in [3:38] real time. These are golden hour [3:41] activities. I just spent the last week [3:43] working with a bank. Now, this bank was [3:46] completely changing the way that they [3:47] went to market and they're doing cold [3:50] direct outreach. It's not something they [3:52] used to do. The reps were really [3:55] knowledgeable, very experienced, and [3:58] they were absolutely stone cold closers. [4:01] But their biggest concern was the top of [4:03] the funnel, those golden hours. And one [4:05] of the things that they ask me is when's [4:08] the best time to call? What day of the [4:09] week is best? Now, I get this question a [4:12] lot. And the answer is unfortunately, it [4:15] depends. And what it depends on is it [4:18] depends on you. Most reps I speak with [4:21] are fresh in the morning. They've got [4:23] great energy. They have time allotted to [4:26] do prospecting golden hour activities [4:29] and are much more likely to actually do [4:32] it and to do it well. Now, I prefer the [4:35] morning and I recommend it to my [4:36] clients. In fact, I think the ideal time [4:40] to do these prospecting efforts is first [4:43] thing in the morning before you even [4:45] open your emails and before you move [4:48] pipeline opportunities and before [4:50] internal meetings. Now, let's look at [4:53] that equation through the prospect's [4:55] lens. They probably are also fresh in [4:58] the morning. They're not up to their [5:00] armpits and alligators and they have [5:03] time to receive a prospecting call and [5:05] to answer it. Now, you may consider [5:08] having a couple call blocks in the [5:09] afternoon to account for some of those [5:11] people that just aren't available in the [5:13] morning, but I would focus most of your [5:16] time in the morning. Mark Twain once [5:18] said, "If it's your job to eat a frog, [5:21] it's best to do it first thing in the [5:24] morning. If it's your job to eat two [5:26] frogs, eat the biggest one first." [5:29] Prospecting is most sales reps frog. The [5:33] longer you stare it in the eyes, the [5:35] less likely it is to get eaten. Eat your [5:38] frog. Every day, every day. Every day [5:42] without fail. I have kind of an [5:43] interesting story here. I had a manager [5:45] call me a couple months after [5:47] prospecting training and she said, "You [5:50] know, Brad, I tried to call Drew the [5:52] other day during one of his call blocks [5:54] and he didn't answer my call and he [5:56] didn't answer my text until after he was [5:58] done. And then he told me that you said [6:02] I should ignore everything when I'm in [6:04] my call block." And Brad, I got to be [6:07] honest with you, I was a little bit [6:08] miffed. However, when I thought about [6:10] this further, I said to myself, here was [6:13] one of my best reps, Drew, doing the [6:16] thing that made him so good, diligently [6:19] and relentlessly prospecting. And I was [6:22] mad that he didn't answer my call, even [6:24] when what he was doing was more [6:26] important than what my call was. And I'm [6:28] actually calling to thank you. Thank you [6:31] for resetting my team's focus on what's [6:33] most important, those golden hours and [6:35] prospecting and for also resetting my [6:38] priorities as well. One more thing about [6:40] golden hours, the ultimate goal of a [6:42] golden hour is to book a prospecting [6:44] meeting. And at Sales Gravy, we call [6:46] that an FTA. An FTA is an incredible [6:50] lead indicator of your future success. I [6:52] have sales people ask me all the time, [6:53] "How many calls a day should I make? How [6:55] many door knocks should I make in the [6:57] field? How many emails should I make?" [6:58] and and all of those are are kind of the [7:01] right way of thinking, but I think the [7:03] ultimate thing that we need to be [7:04] concerned about when we're prospecting [7:06] during golden hours is the number of [7:08] FTAs that we're booking every single [7:10] week. If you do the math, you can [7:13] quickly figure out what your average [7:15] customer cost is. And you can figure out [7:17] maybe what your conversion rate is and [7:20] then you could back down to how many [7:22] meetings do I need to be booking every [7:24] week, every month, every quarter. If you [7:26] do that math, I would do whatever [7:28] prospecting it took to hit that goal. If [7:31] you do that month over month, year over [7:33] year, you will always, always, always [7:36] hit your number. And the FTAs and the [7:39] golden hours are your insurance policy [7:40] to make sure that you do. Now that we've [7:42] talked about golden hours, let's talk [7:44] about platinum hours. You've earned your [7:46] platinum hours by being successful [7:48] during your golden hours through [7:50] prospecting. Platinum hours should be [7:52] dedicated to customer meetings, [7:54] advancements, moving deals through the [7:56] pipeline, having expansion conversations [7:59] with existing customers, maybe doing [8:01] some demos, negotiating a deal, and [8:04] closing the opportunity. This is high [8:07] value work, but it's reactive based on [8:10] what you did to get those meetings and [8:12] to get those advancements in the first [8:14] place. It only happens because you [8:16] successfully executed your golden hours [8:19] either weeks or months prior. Platinum [8:21] hours are generally designed to be in [8:23] the middle of the day or the afternoon [8:25] when clients can be available for [8:27] scheduled meetings and interactions. And [8:30] when you're suggesting times to your [8:32] customers, make sure that you're doing [8:34] it this way, that you're scheduling time [8:36] to talk to them outside of your golden [8:39] hours. It's easy when you give cart [8:41] blanch to a customer and you say, "Hey, [8:43] when can we meet and if they tell you [8:45] the morning?" Of course, you're going to [8:46] say yes. Well, don't even give them that [8:48] option. Protect those at all costs, just [8:51] like Drew did. Now, ideally, having [8:53] these meetings in person is the best, [8:56] but if you can't do it in person, have [8:58] these meetings on a virtual platform [9:01] like Zoom or Teams and always be on [9:03] camera. And lastly, we have the silver [9:06] hours. This is the administrative work. [9:08] This is the backbone of all the things [9:11] we do. Paperwork, internal [9:13] conversations, pre-all planning, [9:15] returning non-urgent emails, putting [9:18] information in your CRM, necessary work, [9:22] but it is passive and it's low value. It [9:25] supports the work that you do in your [9:28] golden and platinum hours. And you must [9:30] schedule it around your highv value [9:32] activities. Maybe use the early early [9:35] morning, the pre- golden hour of time or [9:38] late afternoon. I often times spend some [9:41] time on Sunday doing my activities such [9:43] as this. And silver activities can be [9:46] the enemy of your gold. It's easy to let [9:49] those activities infringe into those [9:51] golden hours. Don't let it happen. Get [9:54] your prospecting done first. If you [9:56] wait, the silver hour tasks, the easy, [9:58] comfortable ones will creep in and [10:00] they'll fill the void. If you don't eat [10:03] your frog every single day, as you head [10:05] into this week, I want you to ask [10:07] yourself, are you truly prioritizing [10:09] your golden hours? Or are you letting [10:12] the comfortable, easy, administrative, [10:16] silver tasks stealing money from your [10:18] future self? Block time, eat the frog, [10:22] and hit your FTA goal by being fanatical [10:25] about protecting your golden hours. And [10:27] remember, when the day is over and [10:30] you're ready to go home, always make one [10:33] more call. Once again, I'm Brad Adams on [10:36] the Money Monday edition of the [10:37] SalesGravy podcast. If you are so moved, [10:41] I would really appreciate it if you [10:42] could take a moment to give us a [10:44] five-star rating and review this on your [10:46] favorite podcast platform. You can also [10:49] check out our YouTube channel by going [10:51] to youtube.com/salesgravy. [10:54] Thank you so much for listening and [10:55] we'll catch you next time on the Sales [10:57] Gravy podcast. [11:06] You could sink or swim. I've been broke. [11:08] I ain't never going back again. I need [11:10] some cot cheddar and a stack of ends. I [11:13] need a bowl of dough. I don't need no [11:15] Facebook friends. I need a pack of them [11:17] snaps, a handful of fatty wops, and [11:19] rubber band on my green backs. Look, [11:22] don't be playing with my paper. I need [11:23] every red scent. That's why I brought my [11:25] little scraper.

===FILE=== ScKcNBe_qPY - The Prospecting Pace Paradox  Money Monday  Sales Gravy Podcast.txt
https://youtu.be/ScKcNBe_qPY
The Prospecting Pace Paradox ｜ Money Monday ｜ Sales Gravy Podcast

[0:04] [music] [0:05] This is Jeb Blount and it's Money Monday [0:07] on the Sales Gravy Podcast. [0:09] They make money, money, make money, [0:11] money, money. Make money, money, [music] [0:13] make money, money, money. [0:15] Money makes the world go round. I'm the [0:17] talk around town. Remy gave me the [0:19] sound. [0:21] Welcome back to the Sales Gravy Podcast. [0:22] I'm Jeb Blount Jr. and this is Money [0:24] Monday. I'm filling in for Jeb Blount. [0:26] And here's a number for you. 107.6 [0:31] That's how many kilometers I put on my [0:33] shoes since the start of the year. Now, [0:34] for those of you in the United States [0:36] that don't naturally speak metric, I'll [0:38] translate it for you. It's about 67 [0:40] miles. And to put that in perspective, [0:43] that is more than two and a half full [0:45] marathons back to back. [0:47] If you're a New Yorker, that's running [0:48] the entire length of Manhattan five [0:50] times over. [0:51] And for some of you who are [0:52] ultra-marathoners, look, it's it's not [0:55] that far. It might be just a long [0:57] Tuesday for you. But for me, it's a [0:59] minor miracle. I used to be a D3 [1:02] collegiate sprinter and a pole vaulter. [1:04] I was quick, but I wasn't exceptionally [1:06] fast. I was capping out at around an 11 [1:08] and a half seconds for a 100-meter, 49.5 [1:10] seconds for a 400-meter. And my pole [1:13] vaulting record wasn't breaking any [1:14] records or getting any headlines. I [1:16] ended up actually quitting after my [1:18] sophomore year because the wheels just [1:20] started to come off the bus. I had some [1:21] severe shin injuries from high school [1:23] and I fell in my freshman season off the [1:25] pole from a really high height and hurt [1:27] my back. And it got to a point where [1:29] running even an 800-meter warm-up, like [1:32] that's just two laps around the track, [1:34] was incredibly excruciating. So, I did [1:36] the most logical thing and quit. [1:39] For eight years. [1:41] In the meantime, I gained some 30 [1:43] pounds. I started a family. I got busy [1:46] with business. [1:47] And I've tried to come back to running a [1:49] couple of times using those Couch to 5K [1:51] apps, but those apps felt just like a [1:54] cage. They made me feel like training [1:56] for a 5K was an Olympic marathon trial. [1:59] It was rigid, it was prescriptive, and [2:01] it just honestly wasn't very fun. I [2:03] never really made it past a mile, maybe [2:05] a mile and a half. [2:07] Failure over and over again. [2:10] But recently, I was visiting a friend in [2:11] Atlanta. And if you know Atlanta, you [2:13] know the BeltLine. It's a beautiful [2:15] paved loop, and I decided I wanted to [2:17] give it a run. [2:19] I didn't know what I was going to [2:19] experience, especially in a new place, [2:22] but I knew that I wanted to run at least [2:24] 7,000 [2:25] m. That's a 7K. [2:27] I certainly didn't want to push myself [2:29] in the off chance that I was going to [2:30] run so hard that I would have to call [2:32] somebody to come get me, but I wanted to [2:34] let the run unfold. [2:36] And so I started at a really measured [2:38] pace. [2:38] And as I was running this easy pace, I [2:40] noticed something happened. [2:43] People were passing me. [2:44] Often. And they were moving a lot [2:47] faster. I like to run fast. And in [2:50] nearly every part of my life, I push as [2:52] hard as I can. [2:53] I hate measured. I hate slow. I hate [2:56] being paced. In my mind, slow is just [2:59] another word for losing. [3:02] So every time a runner zipped past me, [3:04] my brain screamed at me to pick it up. I [3:07] felt like a failure because someone else [3:09] was outworking me. But about a kilometer [3:11] down the road, I noticed something else. [3:14] It was I who was passing them. [3:17] They were huffing, puffing, bent over on [3:20] their knees. [3:21] They were trying to catch their breaths, [3:23] and they had sprinted that first mile, [3:25] and burned out. [3:26] Meanwhile, I was cruising right along. [3:29] I was struck by a connection that my [3:31] brain made, and it wasn't even a [3:33] terribly original thought. [3:35] I saw a pacing paradox, and I see this [3:38] play out every single day in the sales [3:40] organizations that I work with. We are [3:42] obsessed with sprints in sales. We have [3:45] monthly goals, weekly blitzes, quarterly [3:46] leaderboards that leave no room to hide. [3:49] And because of that, a lot of reps feel [3:52] like if they aren't pushing themselves [3:53] to the brink from the second they log [3:55] in, they're falling behind. [3:58] They see the top performers crushing a [4:00] high volume of activity, and they try to [4:02] match that intensity instantly. Or even [4:05] worse, they see top performers operating [4:07] at a high level with a small amount of [4:09] activity, and without any appreciation [4:11] for the years of work that that person [4:13] put into making the process efficient. [4:16] They try to sprint the marathon, if [4:18] you'll allow the metaphor. [4:20] Most of these sprints result in burnout [4:23] by week two of the quarter. [4:25] You'll see it in the CRM, [4:27] a bunch of activity, and then it goes [4:28] completely silent, a ghost town. [4:31] These reps are huffing and puffing on [4:32] the side of the road because they [4:34] prioritize the appearance of speed over [4:36] the mechanics of stamina. [4:38] And usually these are the people who [4:39] will tell you that prospecting is dead [4:41] and complain that marketing sucks. [4:43] In my coaching sessions, I talk to reps [4:46] who are paralyzed by their own [4:48] sequences. [4:50] In one case, a rep was so worried about [4:51] moving fast through his list that he was [4:54] rushing through list building. He was [4:56] skipping the boring, measured work of [4:58] actually sorting his own database [5:00] because he was so worried about reaching [5:02] a particular dial count. [5:04] He told me that he was hitting his [5:05] number every day during the first month [5:06] quarter, but truthfully, he really [5:08] wasn't setting that many appointments [5:10] and getting anywhere near a good deal. [5:12] So, he did what most people do. [5:15] They quit. [5:16] Consistency in sales isn't about being [5:19] the fastest person out of the gate. [5:22] It's about having a measured pace that [5:23] allows you to actually finish a [5:25] marathon. [5:26] And lots of people can be a flash in the [5:28] pan. Remember that. [5:30] We all grew up with the story of the [5:31] tortoise and the hare. [5:33] I think it's worth revisiting though as [5:35] an adult, and maybe in the context of [5:37] new and seasoned sales reps. So, let me [5:39] tell you that story. [5:41] The hare, a new hire at Animal [5:43] Incorporated, came to the company [5:44] marathon with a lot to prove. [5:47] He was daring, fresh, and he had won [5:49] many races in his college days. [5:52] Our challenger, the tortoise, had been a [5:54] multi-year President's Club winner and [5:56] reigning company champ. [5:58] Though many would run, only one animal [6:00] could win. The hare was unimpressed by [6:03] the season champ. [6:04] He grinned, rubbed his paws together, [6:06] and said to his new manager, "This must [6:08] be the easiest field I've ever seen." [6:12] Then the CEO, wishing his employees best [6:14] of luck, started the race with a great [6:16] ceremony. [6:17] The hare takes off like a shot, laughing [6:20] as he rounds that first bend, and he [6:22] checks his rabbit watch sometime later [6:24] and begins to realize that he's miles [6:26] ahead. At an aid station, he hears a [6:28] radio call where the tortoise [6:30] has barely passed the starting line. [6:33] And so he was feeling confident. The [6:35] hare decides he's done enough work for [6:36] the time being and finds a patch of [6:38] shade, closes his eyes, and thinks about [6:40] how easy it is to win. [6:43] The tortoise, your past champ, and with [6:46] lots of experience, paid little [6:48] attention to the ceremony of the day. [6:50] He didn't look at the hare, he didn't [6:52] look at the crowd, he just looked at the [6:54] next inch of ground in front of him. [6:56] One foot, then the other. [6:58] Heavy, deliberate, and to the outside [7:00] observer, incredibly boring. [7:03] He doesn't stop to celebrate a good [7:04] mile, he doesn't stop to rest when his [7:06] legs burn, he just keeps moving at the [7:09] same measured, sustainable pace. [7:12] The hare wakes up, panicked and a little [7:14] out of sorts. He realizes that he's [7:16] overslept his alarm and needed to get on [7:18] the road again. [7:19] With not much more energy to burn, the [7:21] hare takes off again, running as hard as [7:23] he can muster to the finish. Most of the [7:26] racing field had grown very thin in the [7:28] interim because they were not interested [7:30] in truly finishing the marathon and more [7:32] enjoyed the festivities and the comfort [7:34] of the company headquarters. [7:35] The hare was sure he was going to [7:37] impress the new CEO and make a name for [7:39] himself quickly. [7:40] And as the finish line came into view, [7:42] he could see the rest of the company [7:44] cheering loudly for him to finish. He [7:46] was excited. He pushed even harder, but [7:49] he was kind of running through some [7:50] proverbial mud. So, though he was [7:52] pushing a lot harder, his effort wasn't [7:54] showing a lot of speed. When he finally [7:56] crossed the finish line, he looked up [7:59] and finds that he was being awarded the [8:01] silver medallion. [8:03] Second? The hare whimpered. [8:06] Oh, yes. What a race you ran. Congrats [8:08] on making it. But, who was first? [8:11] Tortoise. He finished hours ago, but [8:13] it's hardly a fair race. [8:14] I'm Jeb Blount Jr. and I'll catch you [8:16] next time on the Sales Gravy podcast. [8:19] [music] [8:24] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [8:26] watched this video. Make sure that you [8:27] click like and subscribe so that you [8:29] never miss one of our amazing sales [8:31] training videos.

===FILE=== TjOdOEdrtcM - The Follow Up Flywheel How to Close High Ticket Deals Without Being Pushy  The S.txt
https://youtu.be/TjOdOEdrtcM
The Follow Up Flywheel： How to Close High Ticket Deals Without Being Pushy ｜ The Sales Gravy Podcast

[0:00] Nooks is the first agent workspace for [0:02] sales. A unified platform where AI [0:04] agents and human sales reps work [0:06] together in real time. Instead of [0:08] getting buried in manual tasks, you work [0:10] alongside AI that prospects, [0:12] prioritizes, and drafts outreach for [0:15] you. When it comes to outbound, stop [0:17] managing sequences and start selling [0:19] with Nooks. Visit nooks.ai today. That's [0:22] ns.ai. [0:31] Welcome back to the Sales Gravy podcast. [0:33] I'm Jeff Jr. and today we have a really [0:36] cool conversation for all of you to [0:38] listen to. I think that we're going to [0:40] bounce around to a few different [0:42] tactical areas that are going to help [0:43] you become better at followup and also [0:46] how to apply fanatical prospecting to [0:48] some different scenarios in your [0:50] business world. And I really look [0:51] forward to this conversation because we [0:52] have Morgan Kim. He is a masterclass of [0:56] professional evolution just in in it in [0:58] in and of itself. He spent over a decade [1:01] in the fast-paced worlds of biotech and [1:02] food tech helping raise and deploy over [1:04] $400 million in venture capital. And he [1:07] was at the heart of building industry [1:08] shaping startups. But he eventually [1:10] pivoted to something he found more [1:11] enduring, which is real estate. because [1:13] he is the founder of Ocean Ridge [1:15] Capital, which specializes in helping [1:17] high-erforming entrepreneurs, uh, many [1:20] who are like you listening to this [1:22] podcast, move from active income to [1:24] lasting wealth through real estate [1:26] investments. He's been involved in over [1:28] a 100 deals, acquiring more than 3,000 [1:30] units, and delivering incredible [1:31] returns. But what's truly unique is his [1:34] approach to sales and relationships. [1:36] Morgan has developed a powerful system [1:38] that he calls the follow-up flywheel. [1:40] It's designed to transform cold leads [1:42] into committed clients without ever [1:44] feeling pushy. Today, we're going to [1:46] break down that framework and again, [1:47] we're going to uncover the secrets to [1:49] building trust and closing deals through [1:50] genuine relationship. So, Morgan, thank [1:52] you so much for being here on the sales [1:53] gravy podcast. [1:54] Hey, so great to be here, Jeb. [1:56] Appreciate you having me. I am excited [1:58] about what you have to bring to the [2:00] conversation. But you know, I think one [2:02] of the commonalities across all [2:04] industries and across any kind of sales [2:07] job is the especially among empathetic [2:09] people is the fear of feeling pushy. And [2:12] I know that you've built this system. [2:14] You have done an incredible amount of [2:16] work because you have the system. So, [2:19] how do you create momentum and stay the [2:20] top of mind of a busy, high-erforming, [2:23] high, you know, executive client or [2:26] someone who has a lot of wealth, high [2:27] wealth, and they don't have the time to [2:30] necessarily look at everything. We know [2:31] how busy our days are. Um, but we don't [2:33] want to resort to aggressive or annoying [2:35] tactics. So, how do you sort of frame up [2:37] your flywheel? And then what are some [2:39] ways that you've figured out how to [2:42] build relationships without that pushy [2:44] aggressive sales salesy pitch? [2:47] Absolutely. And look, you nailed it, [2:48] right? These are high ticket items we're [2:51] talking about. Whether it's selling [2:53] shares of a of a company to a pension [2:56] fund or a VC, whether it's selling the [2:59] dream of a future for for a large food [3:01] conglomerate, or whether it's selling a [3:03] high ticket item of a real estate [3:05] investment that creates basically the [3:08] transition of income into ownership for [3:12] a high netw worth individual, right? It [3:14] all comes down though, I think, to [3:16] having a real understanding of the [3:19] emotion that person's feeling, the [3:21] desired state of where they want to be [3:23] and really not like your desired state, [3:25] but their desired state, living in that [3:27] reality of who they are and what they [3:30] want and kind of putting your ego in [3:32] check. I mean, you you guys see it so [3:34] well, I think, in sales EQ about kind of [3:36] making them the hero. And I find this to [3:39] be a really valuable perspective where [3:42] if you can build somebody's significance [3:44] up and really make the the reality of [3:46] what you have to offer about them and [3:49] about them being the hero of the story [3:52] about them realizing something that they [3:54] need to achieve. That's where the the [3:57] best content, the best follow-ups are [3:59] going to stem from, right? So I think [4:01] relevance, emotional intelligence and [4:04] and really really high value and high [4:06] understanding are like the core to that [4:08] to that flywheel. What are the single [4:11] most valuable assets that sales people [4:13] have when it comes to driving a value in [4:18] those conversations? Making someone the [4:19] hero. I love the way you you frame that [4:21] and it is how we frame the, you know, [4:23] sales EQ and it and it makes a lot of [4:24] sense. I think theoretically, you know, [4:27] we we can all understand this. You the [4:28] hero's journey. Help them. You know, [4:30] Odysius, you're in a tenable situation [4:32] and then you got you find a solution and [4:34] you're at the top and then there's a [4:35] crash and then you got kind of find the [4:37] final solution. If you can build that [4:39] for your client, like that storytelling [4:41] is really, really important. But most [4:43] sales people listening to this podcast [4:44] are like, "Yeah, Morgan, that sounds [4:45] really great. I know exactly what you're [4:47] saying. My boss has told me a million [4:48] times. I've read sales EQ before. How do [4:51] I do that?" So, like, what is it that [4:53] you've done in your world, whether [4:54] that's in the food or in, you know, [4:56] venture capital space or whether that's [4:57] in, you know, your your role now, uh, [4:59] finding great properties for investors [5:01] to transform their wealth. [5:03] Yeah. I mean, I think your single [5:04] biggest tools in your toolkit are going [5:06] to be your eyes and ears. It's about [5:08] listening and seeing where your prospect [5:11] is and what they really want. And by the [5:14] way, that might be different than the [5:15] words they use. Their body language [5:17] might say something else. What is it [5:19] like 57% of what we what we show is in [5:23] our body language, another 27% in our [5:25] tone. Like 7% is the words we say, [5:27] right? So actually queuing into the [5:30] nonverbal stuff is going to be what [5:33] ultimately guides how you're how you're [5:36] sharing and building value and how [5:38] you're listening for the areas in which [5:40] you can build that value. I think that's [5:42] critical and I'll give an example of [5:44] different different areas here. When I [5:45] had my prior career in the venturebacked [5:48] food tech startup domain, I mean we [5:50] raised for for a single company north of [5:53] $300 million pre-revenue, right? Think [5:55] about the future you have to paint and [5:58] the individuals behind large wealth, you [6:02] know, organizations that are going to [6:03] back that future. They're going to want [6:06] different things. Some may be thinking [6:08] food sustainability. Some may be [6:09] thinking uh pure returns and velocity of [6:12] money. Some may have completely [6:14] different things there. And so it's [6:16] about like dialing that messaging in and [6:19] listening quickly for what's the [6:22] mandate, what's the bias, what's the [6:23] lean, but then how do we quickly paint [6:25] the story so that it's in their [6:27] language. And I think a lot about this [6:29] too even with high high income earners [6:32] and entrepreneurs especially, there's a [6:35] language of entrepreneurial speak. [6:37] There's a language of sales speak and [6:38] it's different than the language other [6:41] people might use, right? And it's really [6:43] important to be aware of that language. [6:45] A when you talk in peers, it might be [6:48] very easy to translate. You know, [6:49] there's no translation. We understand. [6:51] But then maybe you go home with your [6:52] family, you're talking about entreprene [7:06] that that prospect's core language, [7:09] right? Right there where they sit with [7:11] you. I think that's key [7:12] when you are thinking about like say a [7:14] follow-up process and you're having [7:16] conversations with these different [7:17] investors or these um different [7:19] executives or people who are buying a [7:21] product or service from you and there's [7:22] a high ticket item on on the board and [7:24] they have different um they have [7:25] different priorities as that's the same [7:27] for any organization. You talk with the [7:29] HR, you know, leader and you talk with [7:31] the marketing leader, they're going to [7:32] have very different ideas about what [7:33] they want to do. Same thing with like [7:35] investors, right? they they may want [7:37] diversification as a main priority and [7:39] that's why they're doing something [7:40] versus you know they're looking for [7:42] velocity of cash because they need to [7:44] liquidate a couple other properties very [7:45] different other thing. So, as you're [7:48] thinking through this process, making [7:49] them to hear or using your eyes, using [7:51] your ears, listening to them, and you're [7:53] building your follow-up process, how do [7:55] you nudge them with that language that [7:57] you know them, that you understand, that [7:59] you listen to them, that you make them [8:01] feel important without that pushiness [8:03] within a message? I mean, within an [8:05] email possibly, or even a text message [8:06] or whatever that looks like. What's your [8:07] framework around those those kinds of [8:09] things? Yeah, I I think that's a great [8:11] question and especially in the age of [8:14] permissionless leverage and automation [8:16] where we're starting to talk about one [8:17] to many sales. How do you actually queue [8:20] it in so that somebody hears it? You [8:21] know, when you're upper funnel and then [8:23] as you get down, right, how do you [8:24] really make sure you're reinforcing [8:26] something that you've maybe established [8:28] or go down the rabbit hole of the right [8:29] kind of things? I mean, a lot of it I [8:32] think it's coming down to in that upper [8:34] funnel framework. I do a lot of ABC D [8:37] testing, right? And so if it's [8:40] automations, like for the types of [8:42] people maybe that would invest with us, [8:44] they typically land in one of three [8:46] buckets. They want passive cash flow [8:48] that's outside of their employment and [8:50] that's totally diversified away from [8:51] what they're doing. They want tax [8:53] efficiency, or they want to create [8:55] generational wealth for their family, [8:57] for their kids, for their grandkids, [8:59] whatever those things are. Real estate [9:00] and multif family is a great great way [9:03] to do that, separated from your sales [9:05] career. But I can't assume on my first [9:07] message to you, I'm going to say, "Hey, [9:09] you know, do you want to talk about [9:11] passive cash flow when you're [9:12] like,"Well, I'm really trying to build [9:13] for my kids, you know, and it's [9:14] something else, right?" So, trying [9:17] different things is key. Not getting [9:18] beat up if you don't get a couple [9:20] responses. And you know, if I start [9:22] getting down the funnel of, let's say, [9:24] three or four emails to a prospect and [9:26] I'm not hearing back, I'm I'm feeling [9:28] okay about giving them the space and and [9:31] opening up and taking a little power [9:32] back and saying, "Look, this might not [9:34] be the right time. I'm a resource and a [9:36] conduit to you, but I'm going to just [9:39] create value passively here as we go. [9:41] I'm not going to pursue you that like [9:43] like to this level because you've [9:44] already kind of heard the three or four [9:45] things we can offer at that point." Now [9:47] I think as we get down the funnel you've [9:50] identified hopefully at that point at [9:51] least in my in my world right what the [9:53] three main focuses are and it becomes [9:56] more about creating I think the [9:58] emotional understanding of what your [10:00] product will do to actually help them [10:02] realize that because at the end of the [10:04] day is anyone actually really looking [10:06] for passive cash flow or are they [10:08] looking for freedom? Are they looking to [10:10] spend time with their kids more than [10:12] being on the road? You know, and I found [10:14] in my career, I was on the road so much [10:16] after we raised this venture money and I [10:19] had to make that shift ultimately and [10:22] real estate and my passive investments [10:23] that I had made prior helped me build [10:26] the cash flow bridge out of my startup [10:28] career. Right? So for me it was about [10:31] freedom more than it was the the cash [10:33] flow drip if that makes any sense. And [10:35] as far as these buckets go, it's really [10:37] interesting, you know, I think [10:39] conversation around ICP and and really [10:42] starting to narrow in like where you are [10:45] going to start playing really well. Like [10:47] what your percentage chances of win like [10:48] you talk about salesq for example, you [10:50] read that, you know, we want to we want [10:51] to [10:52] increase our win percentage. That's [10:53] that's everything we do in sales. [10:55] Those three buckets, were they [10:56] immediately obvious to you? Um how did [10:58] you start to, you know, leverage those [11:00] buckets more readily? And then when did [11:03] you know to like this the bucket I had [11:05] before wasn't working as well so I [11:07] needed to pivot out of it. So what was [11:09] the process of kind of dialing that in [11:11] and becoming efficient with it? I mean [11:13] the process for me started with my own [11:15] personal understanding then building to [11:18] what are other people saying to me [11:20] different questions or identifying [11:21] different things. Um for me it was about [11:23] first building passive income. Now it's [11:25] about building generational wealth. But [11:27] I started to hear from others saying hey [11:30] I just sold this asset and have a big [11:31] tax bill. I'm trying to figure out how [11:32] to shelter some of that, right? There [11:34] are some opportunities to really listen [11:36] and go, "Well, that's not me this year." [11:38] And by the way, that evolves with the [11:40] economy. We get into these real estate, [11:42] real estate's like incredibly cyclical, [11:43] right? So, we'll get into these big real [11:45] estate upcycle trends like in 2021 and [11:48] suddenly everybody wants tax efficiency, [11:51] whereas then a couple years go by and it [11:53] really becomes more about, hey, I want [11:55] to add cash, maybe the economy is a [11:56] little shaky, whatever those things are. [11:58] So, I think it's about being resilient [12:00] and listening to the people you're [12:01] ultimately serving. Again, getting out [12:04] of your head as a salesperson, saying, [12:06] "This isn't really about me. I'm a [12:08] conduit and an agent for change to [12:11] create a better reality for somebody [12:12] else, regardless of what you're selling. [12:15] How does this not just be like the [12:16] future, but the benefit? And how do I [12:18] emotionally relate to the deepest need [12:20] state that that person's feeling? [12:22] safety, security, you know, whatever [12:25] those things are, not just the cash flow [12:27] that lands in your bank, right? [12:29] So, walk us through that little mindset [12:32] shift that you just went through really [12:33] quickly. I think it's powerful for [12:35] everyone to listen to and me to get [12:37] reminded of that, you know, we talked [12:39] about the three buckets. I mentioned [12:40] those and then you talked about the the [12:42] you know the the kind of the ways that [12:43] you would go about the solution value [12:45] selling messaging process but you [12:48] mentioned like your mindset should be [12:49] you're helping somebody [12:51] and then there's something deeper beyond [12:52] just the solution itself. So kind like [12:55] give us a insight into how you got there [12:57] what your mindset is and like how do you [12:58] how do you speak to yourself as a sales [13:00] professional every single day to keep [13:02] your yourself in the right spot. That's [13:05] such a great question and especially [13:07] because sales can be scary for a lot of [13:09] people. Picking up the phone and calling [13:11] a random number and facing rejection can [13:13] be so scary. It can prevent action, [13:15] right? How many of us have been there? [13:17] Yet at the same time, for me personally, [13:20] I I have been paralyzed by that fear and [13:22] I know what that feels like. I also have [13:25] been introduced to the to the thinking [13:26] around like closed mouths don't get fed [13:29] and how can you serve to the ultimate [13:32] mission of what you want to do if you [13:34] aren't taking action to let people know [13:37] that your product or your service exists [13:38] to let people know that you can help [13:40] them. You are doing them a disservice by [13:44] not picking up the phone and telling [13:47] them and trying to find and you are [13:48] going to get nos. That's just part of [13:50] the process, right? But, you know, for [13:52] me, it's been about actually reframing [13:55] if I don't feel afraid, I'm not going [13:58] big enough. I'm not I'm not serving my [14:00] mission big enough to change affordable [14:03] housing in America to bring 10,000 units [14:06] online in the next couple years that are [14:08] boarded up in high demand cities and to [14:10] help the entrepreneurs that want more [14:12] freedom for their family. Right? If I [14:14] don't open my mouth and tell people who [14:16] I am and Jeb tap into the three forms of [14:19] leverage to do so, labor leverage, [14:22] capital leverage, and permissionless [14:24] like we're doing here to amplify that [14:26] message. That's key. [14:27] Close mouths don't get fed is the quote [14:31] of the day for me. I that is incredible. [14:33] I think that you're absolutely right. If [14:35] you are waiting for you, we talk about [14:38] this fanatical prospering, right? If [14:39] you're waiting for someone to walk in [14:41] the door and say, "I'm ready to buy." [14:43] You are doing a disservice to the world. [14:45] You are not a you are a rain barrel, not [14:48] a rain maker, as we put it. So, close [14:51] mouths don't get fed is just another way [14:53] to put that. Write that on a note card. [14:54] Put it on your office. Put it in a [14:56] sticky note. Write it on your phone. Oh [14:58] my god, Morgan, that was incredible. All [14:59] right, so you mentioned that you want to [15:00] do a live build. Let's um let's dive [15:03] into that. I think this would be really [15:04] fun. And so give us a scenario and uh [15:06] and and walk us through what we can [15:08] apply ourh sales gravy knowledge to and [15:11] your knowledge to that would help the [15:12] audience. [15:13] Yeah, absolutely. And I'll be super [15:14] vulnerable about this one. I think this [15:16] will be valuable just to hear how we [15:17] work this through. But I was thinking [15:19] maybe take three minutes talk through a [15:21] little bit the the you know ICP of who [15:23] we serve, right? Which is for us it's [15:25] going to be founders, high income [15:27] earners maybe making a million plus a [15:30] year. Net worth could be five to 50, [15:32] something like that. They're looking [15:33] for, like I said, cash flow, tax relief, [15:37] generational build, and they don't want [15:38] to take their time to be like the [15:40] headache, have the headaches of a [15:41] landlord because there are a lot of [15:43] headaches that come with this job. And [15:45] so I'm thinking about like how do I [15:48] apply some of the things I've learned in [15:49] in in sales gravy's focus around you [15:53] know having a golden hour maybe for me [15:55] it might be three days a week 60 minutes [15:58] but really like having good good touch [16:00] points at that point like 10 to 12 [16:02] prospects plus or minus multi- channel [16:05] maybe some are calls some are emails um [16:07] a little bit of LinkedIn I want to also [16:10] have you know a strong focus on [16:12] automation so again closed mouths don't [16:14] get fed I'm going going to be focused on [16:15] trying to get out there as much as [16:16] possible doing that sort of AB testing [16:20] around using LinkedIn automations that [16:22] reach my ideal client archetype. Um, [16:25] emails that are getting out there and [16:26] delivering a lot of value and really [16:28] kind of working through a prospect [16:29] nurture sequence. And then, you know, [16:31] ultimately these should link to a [16:34] discovery call with me. I'm not pitching [16:37] a deal. This is a high trust type of [16:40] sell through. It's all about like, no, [16:42] and trust. And honestly, I'm thinking [16:43] this is somebody who might invest two [16:44] years from now. I'm not going to even [16:46] put the pressure on them today. Now, I [16:48] do often see those people convert [16:50] quickly, but I don't try to I almost try [16:53] to get out of my head that that's not [16:54] the the goal. It's really to listen [16:56] because it allows me to tap in more to [16:57] what they actually need. Now, we have [17:00] some nurture things. We have an ebook. I [17:01] do a lot on social uh you know, other [17:04] other type of things that that are [17:05] touch. But I'm curious from your [17:07] perspective, if you looked at that [17:09] paradigm, how would you think to, you [17:11] know, a to amplify building a lead [17:13] funnel and the upper funnel and b to [17:16] maybe enhance the conversion of those [17:18] leads based on sort of what I what I [17:20] shared. [17:21] If you're looking at three times a week [17:22] and you're doing, you know, 10 to 12, [17:24] you said 10 to 12 targets on that list [17:25] that you're you're calling. So that's uh [17:27] 30 30 to somewhere in the range of like [17:30] 36 people a week or so. And then let me [17:34] also add to LinkedIn uh has a prospector [17:37] doing about 40 a day. 40 outreaches a [17:40] day. [17:40] 40 outreaches. Okay, perfect. And are [17:43] you running them through like your [17:44] sequence, your prospecting sequence, are [17:46] you running them through for like a [17:47] month, 60 days, 90 days, 120? Like give [17:49] me your the length of the time that [17:51] you're going to be prospecting to these [17:53] people. [17:54] So probably a shorter amount of time for [17:56] LinkedIn. We're talking about 2 and 1/2 [17:58] weeks or so for touch points. And then [18:01] for the ones that I'll manually be [18:03] reaching out to, you know, if if I've [18:05] had a connection point before, they're [18:07] getting an email once a week. It's a [18:09] high value email. It's it's no BS, [18:11] right? And it's really delivering like [18:12] I'm trying to live where they are and [18:14] give them something that they need. [18:15] That's an evergreen. [18:17] Ebook is an evergreen. But for these [18:19] kind of touch points, they're going to [18:20] be more personalized, right? And I'll [18:22] say two or three. If I haven't heard [18:24] back on that third, I'm going to [18:26] disengage for six months. [18:28] Let me understand this correctly. [18:29] They're asking me how can I optimize [18:31] this to get more leads at the top of the [18:33] funnel which means you know more people [18:35] that I can just first and foremost try [18:37] and sell time with which is my my [18:39] meeting. Um and then how do I convert [18:41] them maybe at a higher rate to that [18:44] meeting [18:44] because you see good conversions there. [18:46] Now like I'm just going to ask you this [18:47] question. We don't have to go through [18:48] every single step of your your process. [18:50] Where do you find the most conversion to [18:53] a meeting? like what at what stage at [18:55] what step at what point are most people [18:58] sort of saying, "Yeah, I'll take a [19:00] meeting with you." Or, "No, I'm not [19:01] taking like when are you getting a [19:03] response?" Typically, [19:04] if it's upperfunnel, it's going to be [19:05] like on a third email. Uh, and somewhere [19:08] in there, something's landed and they're [19:10] interested. Um, if it's midfunnel, [19:12] typically, it's going to be when we're [19:14] circling the wagons on another deal and [19:17] there's enough intrigue to get somebody [19:19] to say, "Hey, I I kind of want to see [19:21] what you guys got going on." The first [19:22] thing is are you happy with the [19:24] conversion rates you're seeing from like [19:25] or the click the open rates the you know [19:27] contact rates from these prospecting at [19:29] the top of the funnel. Are you are you [19:31] happy with where you're at [19:32] mathematically with all of those steps [19:34] like in in terms of optimization? Are [19:36] they pretty are they pretty optimized [19:38] decently? Let's call them eight at a [19:40] time. There's always room, right? [19:41] So at that point you're tweaking. I mean [19:43] that point you're doing ABCDE. [19:45] Yeah. Yeah. [19:45] You know testing or and whatnot. That's [19:47] messaging. That's time of day. That's [19:49] how much effort you're putting into it. [19:50] That's cadence. Are you are you touching [19:52] them every other day, every day, uh for [19:55] maybe five weeks instead of two weeks? [19:57] Like those are the things you can start [19:58] to do if you're going to work on your [20:00] getting from 8 to 10. Those are the [20:02] typical levers I would pull. [20:04] But from a pure like top of the funnel [20:06] standpoint, if you're doing golden hours [20:08] and you're calling 10 to 12 people, add [20:10] like that's math. You know, math is [20:12] math. If you get 20 people on that list, [20:14] like how how many more meetings can you [20:16] get on your calendar from top of funnel? [20:17] So, I look at my golden hours like this. [20:19] If I wake up in the morning and I and I [20:21] I do my workout and get myself in the [20:23] right headsp space at 8:00 in the [20:24] morning when I am in the office and [20:26] you're on the West Coast, so you have no [20:27] reason to stop to not call people. Like [20:29] you could call people at anywhere in the [20:31] country at 8:00 in the morning your [20:32] time, which is a great benefit to you. [20:34] What you would do is at 8:00 in the [20:35] morning, the first thing you do before [20:36] checking your email, before getting on [20:37] your phone, before getting on LinkedIn, [20:39] before talking to anybody else is you [20:40] have your list the ready the night [20:41] before with 20, 25 people. You know [20:44] what? Screw it. Put 40 people on there [20:46] for your first test. And I know it's [20:48] going to look scary because you know [20:49] this you final pressing is kind of kind [20:50] of hard. You get 40 people on that list [20:52] and you dial and you dial and you dial [20:54] and you dial for an hour. Put put 30 [20:57] minutes on your timer [20:58] on on like maybe a kitchen timer and do [21:00] that. So I use I use one of those on my [21:02] on my computer. You can put it on a on [21:04] your phone or whatever and you dial and [21:05] you dial and you dial until that timer [21:07] rings [21:08] and you see how many dials you got and [21:09] you see how many connections you have [21:11] and you know you may connect with [21:13] somebody right in the middle of that [21:14] call block and that's not a true measure [21:15] but if you connect with somebody in the [21:17] middle of that great if you don't you [21:18] can see how many dials you can actually [21:20] get through before you before you have [21:22] to move on to with the rest of your day. [21:24] What I see in most sales organizations [21:26] and most sales teams is people say, [21:29] "Well, I use my golden hour, but when I [21:30] observe them, they use 15 minutes of [21:34] their golden hour. They have one [21:35] conversation possibly. It's a no, by the [21:37] way." Like, it's not even a meeting. [21:39] Right. Right. [21:40] And then they log everything in their [21:41] CRM or they write everything down and [21:42] they get kind of flustered. Then they [21:44] get out out here and then they're in [21:45] email and then they're in LinkedIn and [21:46] then 45 minutes later they have made 12 [21:49] calls. Right. [21:50] Yeah. [21:50] So that's what I see most of the time. [21:52] So, at the top of the funnel, the optim [21:54] optimization is put a timer on your [21:56] freaking phone and don't look at [21:58] anything else until you are done with [22:00] that timer. And then you will see what [22:01] you can do. Do that for two weeks. See [22:05] how many more conversions you have at [22:07] the top of the funnel without even [22:09] having to get to the third email. Right? [22:12] That's what you're looking for. Now, [22:13] with the rest of that, again, it's ABCDE [22:15] testing. I think you've got a good [22:16] process midlevel of of the funnel like [22:19] somewhere along the lines of like [22:21] they're familiar with my brand, they [22:24] have familiarity with me even I've had a [22:26] conversation with them. You know, some [22:28] of this is not necessarily math. I think [22:30] that you're not on the wrong path with [22:34] the middle of your funnel. You cannot [22:36] blitz these people the same way you [22:38] would blitz like a cold market, right? [22:40] But closed mouths don't get fed. So when [22:41] you see these things like you see [22:43] opportunity, you should have we call [22:45] them platinum hours. Maybe we call them, [22:47] you know, hours in your day that you're [22:49] not selling. So you might say like, [22:50] well, it's 7:00 I can get into the [22:52] office. I might be early for y'all. You [22:53] do 7:30 and they do like 5 to like 5:30, [22:56] you're like 6 or whatever that looks [22:57] like. And I take those hours after my [23:00] sales day. And what I do is I I figure [23:03] out in that midfunnel, who are my best [23:06] targets, how can I reach them best? I [23:09] build messages for them. I maybe put [23:11] build them on a list and then in my [23:12] golden hour the next day that's when I [23:15] go after them. So instead of you know [23:18] trying to So on Tuesdays and Thursdays [23:19] so three times a week. So Monday, [23:20] Wednesday, Friday you have your cold [23:22] prospects. [23:23] On Tuesdays and Wednesdays you're going [23:25] after that midfunnel and that sounds a [23:27] little different. I think your messaging [23:28] is different but again you are you're [23:31] targeting that group not in the golden [23:33] hour. Like you're not building your plan [23:35] in the golden hour. You're building that [23:36] plan in the platinum hours. that makes [23:39] so much sense to you for this this kind [23:41] of thing, right? High ticket, like [23:42] you're going to want to spend that extra [23:43] time and really curate something that's [23:45] going to be hyperpersonalized, [23:47] especially for for the, you know, the [23:48] real estate capital industry. I mean, [23:50] this is very much of a of a white glove [23:52] service that's almost expected, right? [23:54] So, that makes a ton of sense to not [23:56] just do that during golden hour, but be [23:57] prepped, right? [23:58] The other thing I might do is change up [24:00] your golden hour. I don't know when you [24:01] call, you probably have this already in [24:03] mind. And I'm not I'm not going to tell [24:04] you anything new, but these people who [24:06] invest5 to $50 million, you know, when [24:09] they're answering their phone, [24:11] 7:00 in the morning. [24:12] Yeah. [24:12] And 5:30 in the afternoon. [24:14] Yeah. [24:15] And I have found when I work in places [24:18] where they were highle executives, [24:19] people who are probably of the same kind [24:21] of net worth and I was selling this uh [24:24] this software that was really boutique. [24:26] It was out of like a Y Combinator, so [24:28] you're probably familiar with one of [24:29] those companies. Um, and it was an [24:31] incubator and I was selling to these [24:32] other founders who had like millions and [24:34] millions of dollars. They they had [24:36] gotten you and they'd raised $300 [24:37] million. They were not they were not [24:39] they didn't care about talking to me at, [24:41] you know, 10:30 in the morning because [24:43] they had their whole day busy. But when [24:45] I called them, I was it was a California [24:46] company. When I called them at 7:00 in [24:48] the morning, Eastern time, which may be [24:50] early for you, but it was I was on the [24:52] East Coast. 7:00 in the morning, they [24:54] almost always answered. [24:56] Interesting. [24:57] It was like a 90% pickup rate. Now, my [25:00] conversion rate was not 90%. I'm just [25:03] going to put that out there for anybody. [25:05] They were not happy always to talk to [25:06] me, but they always picked up. [25:08] And that was a huge difference from when [25:09] I called at like 9:00 in the morning. I [25:11] would get maybe a 5% pickup rate. [25:13] In the afternoon was kind of the same [25:15] thing. It wasn't as high. It was maybe [25:16] 50% or so. I would get like half of them [25:18] to pick up the phone after after work [25:20] hours. But those were my golden hours. [25:22] And my platinum hours were like 9:00 in [25:24] the morning because then I could do a [25:25] bunch of research and it was my regular [25:26] working day. and I knew that I just [25:28] wasn't gonna get a high enough pickup [25:30] rate there. [25:31] Yeah, that's really clear. I appreciate [25:32] you kind of walking through that. One [25:34] quick question on this too. Like where [25:36] do you generally see let's say you know [25:38] aspiring or building salespeople lagging [25:41] most in this process as opposed to like [25:43] an ultra high performer? [25:44] Well, ultra high performers while they [25:47] have the best messages, well maybe not [25:49] the best, but they have really great [25:50] messages. They're eight out of 10 and [25:51] everything. They have sequences, their [25:53] lists are fantastic. They are organized. [25:56] They wait. They they go to bed at night [25:58] knowing who they're going to call the [25:59] next day. They use their golden hours [26:01] and they stay committed to those things. [26:03] While all of that might be true, the [26:05] golden hour piece of that is probably [26:07] the most important for building sales [26:10] people like growing sales people or [26:11] people who are not doing as well as they [26:13] wish they were or someone who is trying [26:15] to get better. It is simply a habit. [26:17] Like it is simply a mindset shift to I'm [26:20] going to go help people. Close mouths [26:21] don't get fed. And I'm going to wake up [26:23] every morning, damn it, and I'm gonna [26:24] call people. Like that is the difference [26:27] between the 1% and everybody else. [26:30] Absolutely. [26:31] So I tell a story uh Morgan and it's [26:33] it's a really dumb story. So I apologize [26:36] for people who are listening but I was [26:38] uh when I was younger I was at this [26:41] software tech company and I was just not [26:44] really having a great I think week. I [26:47] just wasn't setting very many [26:48] appointments and I've been trying to [26:49] call this guy, this high, you know, high [26:50] executive at this Atlanta based [26:52] organization and [26:54] this was kind of down in the dumps, but [26:55] I just kept calling because that's what [26:56] I did. And I called him and I got it was [26:59] a Friday afternoon and I was just sick [27:00] of it. I was just ready to go home and I [27:02] said, "Um, hey Morgan, this is Jeb Jr. [27:04] over at Sales Gravy and the reason I'm [27:06] calling is that I have a sparkly purple [27:08] truck and I'll be in your parking lot [27:09] next Tuesday at 2. Would you want to go [27:11] see it?" And you know, there's that [27:13] silence, that awkward silence on the [27:14] phone call. I just let it sit cuz I [27:16] didn't know what else to say after that. [27:18] And he goes, "You have a purple truck. [27:20] Where are you calling from?" And you [27:22] know, I went, "Well, I'm Jepplin Jr. up [27:23] at Sales Gravy. The reason I typically [27:25] call is for this kind of thing, but it's [27:27] Friday afternoon and I'm bored and I'm [27:29] not getting very many appointments. So, [27:30] I have a purple truck. You want to go [27:31] see it?" And he was like, "You know [27:32] what? Come by my office." And he set the [27:33] appointment with me. So, it turns out [27:35] you don't have to say very much, right? [27:37] You just have to start saying things. [27:38] And so, the difference between like [27:40] someone who's building and someone who's [27:41] an ultra high performer is a habit. [27:43] every day, every day, every day, every [27:45] day, every day. If you are doing a [27:47] really great job and you have everything [27:48] right and your messaging is best and you [27:50] can call 100 people on Monday, [27:52] but you don't call until the next [27:54] Monday, what you do now will not pay off [27:56] the 90-day rule. [27:58] What you do now will not pay off for 90 [27:59] days. And for your, you know, your [28:01] example, it might be two years. What you [28:03] do now will not pay off for two years. [28:06] So if you aren't doing anything now and [28:09] you somehow exist two years from now uh [28:12] you will not exist in two years like [28:14] that is the math on it. So, uh, to [28:16] answer your question, those are like the [28:17] habit. Just do the work every day. If [28:20] it's if it's imperfect, do it better [28:22] than nothing. BTN, that's the method. [28:24] I love that. Imperfect action for the [28:27] win every time. Anything over [28:29] overthinking. And then also, I mean, it [28:31] sounds like what you shared is like it's [28:32] like almost like a pattern disrupt in a [28:34] way. You try something new with the with [28:36] the with the truck, right? It's like, [28:37] well, that guy is not expecting the call [28:40] and he's just intrigued enough. It's [28:41] like, wow, interesting. It's like that [28:43] was kind of an AB. I didn't sell the [28:45] account everyone, so don't use that [28:47] necessarily. But yes, the pattern [28:49] interrupt is fun. I, you know, I really [28:50] like on cold calls just um the [28:52] permissionbased openings are are for [28:54] some people. They're not necessarily for [28:55] me. They don't really I think my [28:57] personality type just isn't that I don't [28:59] hold well with small talk on the phone. [29:01] I'm less of an empathetic person, more [29:03] of like get to the point person. But, [29:05] you know, I say things like, you know, [29:06] it's Jeb Blunt Jr. I'm over at Sales [29:08] Gravy. reason that I'm calling is to set [29:10] an appointment with you [29:11] because and then I have, you know, our [29:13] message or whatever your message would [29:15] be and that throws people off because [29:17] they typically get like, [29:19] "Wait, who are you and why are you [29:20] calling?" Which is the perfect time [29:23] to say your message better and slower [29:25] right back to them instead of going, [29:27] "Well, you know, I'm from Ocean Ridge. I [29:30] sell real estate." And they're like, [29:31] "Okay, I'm out." You know? [29:33] Yeah. [29:34] So, hopefully that answers your [29:35] questions. [29:36] Yep. Absolutely. I love that. That was [29:37] great. And I think also I'll I'll add [29:40] another one too, just listening to you, [29:41] you just said something interesting [29:42] about, you know, this is how you are, [29:44] right? This is like something that you [29:46] have a natural energetic lean towards [29:48] versus something else you don't. I think [29:50] that's really key. It's like you don't [29:52] have to be the extroverted sales guy if [29:54] you're not that person. I found a lot of [29:56] power doing my Clifton strengths test [29:58] and there are others like disc and [30:00] whatever. But this one told me, hey, my [30:03] literal last strength of everything is [30:06] winning over the room. But my number two [30:08] strength is individualizing, which is [30:10] building people up for a better outcome. [30:12] And I lean into that like crazy because [30:15] I think on an individual level, how do I [30:16] make life better for you? Right? [30:18] Everybody's going to have their [30:20] different things, but the more knowledge [30:22] you can have around who you are and not [30:25] having to be somebody you're not, but [30:27] leaning into the strengths that you do [30:28] have, right, that'll help you get around [30:30] those tough parts, especially when it's [30:32] like building the muscle, right? It [30:34] might be that you're trying to do it [30:36] like the wrong way and your body's not [30:38] built like that. Yeah. You got to find [30:39] the way that it does work for you. You [30:40] know, [30:41] is a lot like getting in the gym. You [30:42] know, you spend about 2 or 3 weeks [30:45] really suffering through it, but at week [30:47] four to five, six, seven, you start to [30:49] really feel the endorphins of like this [30:51] is a good move for my life. And you [30:53] know, you're you're moving your body and [30:55] you feel much better. Prospecting is a [30:56] lot like that. And that the first two [30:58] week two to 3 weeks are they're tough [31:00] and it's tough all the time, but after [31:02] that it becomes such a habit that when [31:03] you get up in the morning and you wake [31:04] up and you go into the office and you [31:06] get to your desk and you start picking [31:07] up your phone, like it's so easy to pick [31:09] up that phone [31:10] that you know that in 30 minutes it's [31:12] going to be over. [31:13] Like you know it in your brain. Your [31:14] brain knows it. [31:15] And before you start doing it, that [31:18] timer isn't there and you're like 30 [31:20] minutes feels like a really long time. [31:22] But it just isn't. It just is not that [31:23] long of time. people can suffer through [31:25] almost anything for 15 minutes at a time [31:27] and that's just the motto that I have. [31:29] So, uh, Morgan, I really appreciate you [31:30] being on the podcast today and having a [31:32] wonderful conversation. I want to give [31:33] you space so that people can take the [31:35] space to go follow you, connect with [31:37] you, and learn from you and, uh, and [31:39] learn more about what you do at Ocean [31:41] Ridge. So, um, tell tell them where to [31:43] where to find you. [31:44] Yeah, absolutely. Um, I'm on all social [31:46] at Creative Capitalist. Um, Instagram, [31:49] LinkedIn. We can you can also look on [31:52] Ocean Ridge Cap or Ocean Ridge Capital. [31:54] That's my company. We work with high [31:56] income earners to basically translate [31:58] income into durable wealth and freedom [32:01] um and really pull together capital to [32:04] go buy large assets, improve them, and [32:06] help really solve America's affordable [32:08] housing crisis. For anybody who wants to [32:10] learn about this stuff, we recently put [32:12] an ebook out there. It's at [32:14] passivewealthplay.com [32:16] called the passivewealth playbook. will [32:18] teach you all sorts of different things [32:20] you need to know about multif family [32:22] real estate, how to diligence, how to [32:24] understand what this is, and I share a [32:25] lot of vulnerability of my story of how [32:27] I got here and what I've learned uh [32:29] making more than 100 investments in the [32:31] last 10 years there. So hopefully you [32:32] guys find some value there. [32:34] Amazing. Go check out those resources. [32:36] Go connect with Morgan. He's an [32:37] incredible thought leader and also [32:39] helping to solve one of the one of [32:41] America's hardest challenges, one [32:43] investor at a time. And and if that's [32:45] you, go check him out. I really [32:47] appreciate you being here, sir. And if [32:48] you are still listening to this podcast, [32:50] if you've gotten to this place and you [32:51] have not given us a fivestar review on [32:53] Spotify, on Apple, on wherever you're [32:56] listening to your podcast, if you're on [32:57] YouTube watching this, give us a like. [32:59] Give us five stars. It helps us a lot. [33:00] You are our marketing department. So, [33:02] please, please, please put your thumb on [33:05] that five star. It's not that hard. [33:06] It'll take you two seconds. It'd be [33:08] faster than me talking like this for the [33:10] for like 15 seconds at the end of a [33:12] podcast. So, if you all didn't, I would [33:13] stop doing this. But we appreciate you [33:15] listening to the SalesGravy podcast, and [33:17] we'll catch you next time. The Sales [33:18] Gravy podcast is sponsored by Nooks. [33:20] Nooks is the signal first workspace that [33:22] turns real-time intent into real [33:24] conversations. Their AI agents monitor [33:26] LinkedIn and CRM signals to tell your [33:29] team exactly who to reach and what to [33:31] say. Think of it as having an agent that [33:33] thinks just like your best rep. When it [33:35] comes to tools, stop searching and start [33:37] winning with Nooks. Check out the agent [33:39] workspace for sales at nooks.ai. AI. [33:42] That's nooks.ai. [33:44] N O Ks.AI. [33:50] Hi, I'm Jeff Blunt, bestselling author [33:52] of Fanatical Prospecting, Sales EQ, [33:53] Objections Inc., and my brand new book, [33:56] The LinkedIn Edge. You know, companies [33:58] and people from all over the world come [34:00] to me to get answers to their toughest [34:02] sales and growth questions. And that's [34:04] why I created Ask Jeb. There's a segment [34:06] on the Sales Griffy podcast where you [34:08] can come and ask me anything. If you [34:11] want to get on the show, just go to [34:12] salsgravy.comask. [34:14] That's salsgravy.comask. [34:17] One of our great producers will get you [34:19] on and you can ask me anything about [34:22] sales. [34:26] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [34:28] watch this video. Make sure that you [34:30] click like and subscribe so that you [34:32] never miss one of our amazing sales [34:34] training

===FILE=== U-O6K1U4XOM - Your Calendar Is Lying About Why Youre Not Prospecting Money Monday.txt
https://youtu.be/U-O6K1U4XOM
Your Calendar Is Lying About Why You’re Not Prospecting (Money Monday)

[0:04] [music] [0:05] This is Jeb Blunt and it's Money Monday [0:07] on the Sales Gravy podcast. [0:09] Make money [0:13] [music] [0:14] money. [0:18] [music] [0:21] Hi everyone, welcome to this episode of [0:23] Money Monday. I'm Jessica Stokes filling [0:25] in this week for Jeb. One thing that I [0:27] often hear from busy sales professionals [0:30] is that they are struggling to balance [0:31] it all. The life of a salesperson is not [0:34] for everyone. It's challenging. You are [0:37] constantly trying to juggle current [0:39] customer issues with internal meetings, [0:42] building your pipeline with raising a [0:44] family, and prepping for that big [0:47] meeting while keeping your CRM updated. [0:50] It can feel like riding a roller coaster [0:53] every day. There's twists and turns and [0:56] surprises that you don't always see [0:58] coming. One moment, you're steadily [1:00] climbing towards a big win. And then all [1:03] of a sudden, you're plunging into chaos [1:06] when you get an inbound request from a [1:07] co-orker that pulls you completely off [1:10] track. You can feel the adrenaline and [1:12] the pressure mounting as the end of the [1:15] month approaches. With each day, you [1:17] still need to hit your target while also [1:20] trying to uncover pipeline opportunities [1:22] for next quarter. Steven Cvy once said, [1:25] "The key is not to prioritize what's on [1:28] your schedule, but to schedule your [1:31] priorities." How often have you reviewed [1:34] your calendar to see it full of [1:36] nonselling events? You know what I'm [1:39] talking about. It's that internal [1:41] meeting that you wonder why you are even [1:44] being invited to. Or it's that [1:46] reoccurring event like update my CRM [1:49] that you seem to just ignore every [1:51] single day. Or maybe it's your [1:54] prospecting window that you actually [1:56] never complete because you seem to have [1:59] other work to take care of. In sales, [2:02] time blocking is how you stay productive [2:05] instead of reactive. When you schedule [2:08] your sales priorities first, like [2:11] prospecting, outreach, client meetings, [2:14] and prepping for a discovery call, you [2:16] actually ensure that the revenue [2:18] generating work won't get lost among the [2:22] less important busy work. And you have [2:26] to protect those blocks like your [2:28] commission depends on it because it [2:32] does. Let me ask you this. Have you ever [2:36] declined an internal meeting to allow [2:40] yourself time to prospect? My guess is [2:43] probably not. Most salespeople look at [2:46] any meeting as an excuse, a welcome [2:49] excuse not to prospect. It gives you the [2:52] perfect get out of jail free card. Then [2:55] when your leadership asks about how your [2:58] pipeline and prospecting activities are [3:00] going, you can actually prove how full [3:03] your schedule is by turning to a [3:05] jam-packed calendar of internal [3:08] meetings. But here's the truth. Your [3:11] calendar tells the story of your [3:14] priorities. If prospecting and selling [3:16] time are not on it, then they're not [3:20] your priority. And forgive me if I'm [3:23] being a little too direct, but if [3:25] prospecting and selling aren't your [3:27] priority, then why are you in sales? So, [3:32] to ensure that you are scheduling your [3:34] priorities, you need to have those [3:35] priorities on your calendar. I [3:38] understand that not everyone listening [3:40] today has two or three hours every day [3:44] to focus on prospecting and sales [3:46] activities, but here's the good news. [3:48] You only need about 15 minutes at a [3:52] time. Far too often, sales people avoid [3:54] prospecting altogether because they feel [3:57] that there's not enough substance in a [3:59] 15-minute time block. Did you know that [4:02] the average person can read between 20 [4:05] and 25 books a year by just reading for [4:09] 15 minutes a day? If you walk for 15 [4:13] minutes a day on your lunch break, you [4:16] would add about 2,000 steps to your step [4:19] count, which is almost an extra mile. 15 [4:23] minutes might not sound like much, but [4:25] when it's focused and consistent, these [4:28] blocks hold amazing power. And here's [4:31] the thing. During these 15-minute power [4:34] blocks, there are no other distractions [4:37] allowed. It is a singular focus time. [4:41] You won't complete reading 20 books a [4:44] year if you spend the first 3 minutes [4:46] reading and then the next 12 scrolling [4:50] through Instagram. The same goes for [4:52] prospecting and sales activities. When [4:55] you schedule a 15minute block on your [4:58] calendar, that time is only allowed to [5:02] be used for the activity assigned to the [5:05] block. So that means no monitoring [5:09] emails, no chatting with your [5:12] co-workers. Everything else can wait and [5:16] it should. And yes, I am suggesting that [5:20] you ignore co-workers, customers, and [5:24] even your boss for 15 minutes because [5:28] the truth is they can wait. You will not [5:32] lose a customer or your job because you [5:35] focused on prospecting for 15 minutes. [5:38] That email that you just received from a [5:40] client, responding at the end of your [5:43] block is not too late. It is still [5:46] professional and respectful. Think about [5:48] it this way. If you were sitting face to [5:50] face with one of your top clients, would [5:54] you be checking emails from your other [5:56] customers while sitting at that table? [5:59] Of course not. Top performing [6:01] salespeople treat their 15minute power [6:04] blocks the same way as a top priority [6:08] meeting with themselves. And who knows [6:11] that 15 minutes prospecting, it could be [6:14] the first step towards your next biggest [6:17] account. Now before we wrap up this [6:19] week, I want to leave you with some [6:21] things that you can include in your [6:24] 15minute blocks. These power blocks can [6:27] be used to make 6 to 10 outbound cold [6:30] calls, or you could spend 15 minutes [6:33] sending LinkedIn connections to ideal [6:35] stakeholders that are not currently part [6:37] of your network. 15 minutes is also a [6:40] great amount of time to send a few [6:42] handwritten notes to new accounts that [6:44] you closed this month or to record a [6:48] video message for that prospect who [6:50] might be ghosting you right now. So, [6:52] here's your takeaway. Your calendar is [6:54] your compass and your 15minute power [6:57] blocks are critical. Protect them, focus [7:01] on them, and treat them as a [7:03] non-negotiable appointment with [7:05] yourself. It does not take hours a day [7:09] to move your pipeline forward. It takes [7:12] consistent, intentional action delivered [7:16] in focused bursts. Whether it's making a [7:19] few calls, sending some personalized [7:21] emails, or following up with a key [7:23] prospect, these short blocks will add up [7:26] to big results. Remember, top performing [7:29] salespeople don't wait for the perfect [7:32] time to prospect. They make the time, [7:35] even if it's just 15 minutes. If you [7:38] start treating these power blocks as [7:40] sacred, who knows? That tiny window of [7:43] focus could be the first step towards [7:46] your next biggest account, your highest [7:48] commission check, or that breakthrough [7:51] month that you've been chasing for so [7:53] long. So this week, look at your [7:55] calendar, block your priorities, because [7:58] success isn't about being busy, it's [8:01] about being deliberate. You've been [8:03] listening to the Sales Gravy podcast. [8:05] This is Jessica Stokes. Make today [8:07] awesome. [8:09] [music] [8:10] You could sink or swim. I've been broke. [8:12] I ain't never going back again. I need [8:14] some cotes, [music] some cheddar, and a [8:16] stack [singing] of ends. I need a bowl [8:18] of dough. I don't need no Facebook [8:19] friends. I need a [music] pack of them [8:21] snaps, a handful of fatty ws, and rubber [8:24] band on my green backs. Look, don't be [8:26] playing with my paper. [music] I need [8:28] every scent. That's why I brought my [8:29] little scraper. [8:32] Money money. [music] [8:36] Make money money make money money. Take [8:38] money take money. [music]

===FILE=== U7Xyr45dqks - How to Fix Your Sales Teams Hidden Revenue Leaks  The Sales Gravy Podcast.txt
https://youtu.be/U7Xyr45dqks
How to Fix Your Sales Team's Hidden Revenue Leaks ｜ The Sales Gravy Podcast

[0:03] [music] [0:06] Welcome back to the Sales Gravy podcast. [0:08] I'm Jeb Blunt Jr. and I'm so excited to [0:10] have you here today. We have a long time [0:13] follow for me, but a first time [0:15] connection and this is actually the [0:16] first time we're meeting each other, [0:17] which is really cool. We had a a fun [0:18] conversation about what we do in the in [0:20] the sales world. Um, I I I want to [0:22] introduce you to this powerhouse in the [0:25] sales industry, Mr. Marcus Chan. He's [0:27] the CEO of Vinley Consulting where he [0:29] helps B2B sales teams uncover two to 10 [0:32] million plus dollars in hidden revenue [0:34] by installing the revenue engine OS or [0:36] operating system. He's a Wall Street [0:38] Journal best-selling author of the six-f [0:40] figureure sales secrets. And Marcus [0:42] previously led a $195 million a year a [0:45] year sales organization and after 12 [0:47] promotions I don't how do you get [0:50] promoted 12 times 12 promotions in eight [0:52] in eight years uh he has been recognized [0:55] multiple times by Salesforce as a top [0:58] sales influencer. He also writes for [1:00] Salesforce and he hosts the Revenue [1:02] Vault podcast. That's the Revenue Vault [1:04] podcast. So go check that out and [1:06] subscribe there which focuses on [1:08] systematized predictable growth. Marcus, [1:10] thank you so much for joining us on the [1:11] SalesGary podcast. [1:13] You know, Joe, I'm pumped to be here. [1:14] I'm happy to share all the mistakes I've [1:16] made in my career and hopefully [1:18] listeners and watchers will learn from [1:19] my mistakes. [1:20] You know, I I I like that you bring up [1:21] mistakes. We were talking earlier. My my [1:24] first question is going to hold off [1:25] because I want to give a little bit of [1:26] background to you and and and why I [1:28] think that you have a unique perspective [1:31] into sales organizations, what drives [1:34] value, and that's your background in [1:36] commoditized selling. A lot of people [1:38] who work in your space, who work with [1:40] tech companies and do sales training, [1:41] come out of high ticket sales. And you [1:44] came out of a space that is really [1:45] dirty. It's really nasty. It's really [1:47] cool. And you get to work with tons of [1:49] uh really great customers, but you have [1:51] to sell yourself. And you came out of [1:54] out of uniform sales much like Jeb Blunt [1:56] Senior did. So give us a little bit of [1:58] background and like how you got to where [1:59] you are. [1:59] Yeah, 100%. I think the the first piece [2:01] is um you know what I found across the [2:04] board is you know majority of sales [2:05] people when they sell stuff they're [2:07] focusing heavily on their products and [2:08] how great the product is and especially [2:09] we see it heavily in say SAS as as a [2:12] common example right where they have a [2:13] cool product they're focused on the [2:14] product and the features which is great [2:16] now I was given the blessing of [2:18] stumbling into uniform sales and [2:21] facility service sales so that means [2:23] this is a place where there are a lot of [2:25] competitors whether people are doing it [2:27] on themselves or they have a lot of [2:29] competitors they sell And these are [2:30] industries that have been around for [2:31] like over a hundred years. All right. So [2:34] what happens is a lot of these [2:36] commoditized industries like that they [2:38] get thrown into what's called the Ca [2:40] sameness which is you're just like [2:43] everybody else and that's just kind of [2:45] how it is, right? and other industries [2:46] are very similar like we talk about [2:47] telecom communications is very very [2:49] similar waste management services um [2:51] copier sales these are all really [2:53] similar where everyone gets kind of [2:54] thrown in the same bucket and reality is [2:57] is because they've been around for a [2:58] long time in order to get really really [3:01] good at selling in the commoditized [3:03] market where price seems to be the only [3:05] factor now by the way I should mention [3:07] the company I work for we were like [3:09] double if not three times the price of [3:11] everyone else as well so we had to sell [3:12] at a higher level as well right but you [3:14] have to learn how to get really good at [3:17] the sales process. So, it's not just [3:18] like selling yourself, which is one part [3:20] of it, right? But you have to be able to [3:22] take someone who has what I call a [3:23] latent pain, a pain they don't even [3:25] realize, convert them to active and [3:27] create urgency to move. And I think the [3:30] really interesting part is because of [3:32] the world that you know, senior came [3:34] from, myself came from, it's like people [3:36] were in like three to five year [3:37] contracts. [3:37] Yes. They're highly commoditized and you [3:39] have to be so good where you can take [3:41] multiple stakeholders, get them to admit [3:43] their pain, take them on a journey from [3:46] I have no pain, I'm super happy to [3:48] making a switch by through your sales [3:50] cycle to close and come over to you in a [3:52] longer term agreement at a higher price [3:54] point. So that means when you really [3:57] master those skills, sell that, you can [3:59] really sell anything. It doesn't matter [4:01] now like whatever I sell, it's not [4:04] really hard for me to sell. And that's [4:05] why we work in so many different [4:06] industries now because I'm like, "Oh, [4:08] you actually have a cool unique [4:08] advantage." Amazing. [laughter] Wish I [4:10] had that, right? I mean, I was just [4:12] talking to a client yesterday and [4:15] they're in a brand new, it's a brand new [4:17] market. Their first to market. Wow. [4:19] And they're like, they've closed like 5 [4:21] million bucks in annual recur revenue in [4:23] 12 months since launching. They've [4:24] closed like Apple and all these huge [4:26] companies [4:28] and they're like because there's no [4:29] competitors, right? Because they have [4:30] something shiny and cool and different. [4:31] I'm like that's great. I'm like what's [4:32] going to happen in three years? [4:34] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, [4:34] how can we put the process in now so you [4:36] can really maximize your market share [4:38] now but build it for scale for the [4:40] future as well. [4:41] I love that just always reminding the [4:45] audience and and and even myself that [4:47] when you are on a sales team and in a [4:49] sales organization that experience of [4:52] being the first to market in a brand new [4:54] market is literally like a unicorn. Like [4:56] you almost never have that experience. [4:58] And yet a lot of sales teams operate [5:01] like they are the newest in the market. [5:02] even on the teams that are in the [5:04] commoditized spaces like they they lead [5:06] with these features knowing that like [5:08] your customer doesn't know the [5:10] difference and nor do they care like [5:12] they care about the outcome of that and [5:14] I love that you know I I sold telecom [5:16] and the process you know getting through [5:18] a process is the habit you learn in [5:21] those industries it's the habit that [5:23] takes you to higher levels in the [5:26] non-commoditized spaces where you're [5:28] competing with you know you're competing [5:30] with no movement you're competing with [5:31] high budgets and maybe no competitors at [5:34] all, but you might lose a deal on [5:35] yourself. Like you may say the wrong [5:37] thing and then you're out. Um, and I [5:38] love that running the sales process [5:40] really drives your knowledge base. And [5:42] you wrote this book and then you have [5:43] this new model that you like to call the [5:45] revenue engine operating system. So kind [5:47] of give us a walkthrough of your you [5:50] know your philosophy behind all of this [5:52] and uh and what it is that you are [5:54] helping teams do. [5:55] 100%. So it really stems from [5:57] understanding what happens with the [5:59] current training model, right? So the [6:00] kind of current model is if company says [6:02] hey we have our team needs to increase [6:04] more pipeline they reach out to a couple [6:06] like my company your company or other [6:08] companies and they try to bring a [6:09] trainer in they turn on a couple [6:10] workshops to focus on prospecting maybe [6:13] it's cold call email whatever right but [6:15] then what happens after right there [6:18] first off there's no reinforcement [6:20] that's definitely a challenge so HubSpot [6:22] says after 90 days only 10% remains in [6:24] the brains of the reps so they go back [6:26] to old habits now here's also the second [6:28] part this is also assuming the companies [6:31] know the true root issue of what's going [6:35] on, [6:35] right? And that's kind of like if you're [6:38] a patient who's sick with a lot of [6:39] symptoms and then you go to a surgeon [6:41] say, "Hey, I just did my own homework [6:42] and research. I use Chachi EBT. I think [6:44] you need to cut cut my body open and [6:46] pull my spleen out and then you pay them [6:48] for that." Right? Now, you may or may [6:50] not be solving the right problem. So, [6:53] you suddenly have two problems here, [6:54] which is number one, you might be [6:55] solving the wrong problem, trying to [6:57] train on the wrong thing. And number [6:58] two, you don't get the longtail on the [7:00] back end. And this is something I saw [7:02] when I was in corporate America because [7:04] we could do the same thing. We would [7:05] hire these trainers in it and it'd be [7:06] amazing. We all get excited and then it [7:08] wouldn't really solve a core root issue. [7:10] So when I started my business, it [7:12] actually started as an accident when I [7:15] started working with companies because [7:17] initially they'd reach out and they [7:18] would want me to come do a couple [7:20] workshops for the team about whatever [7:21] topic and I would tell them how I would [7:24] not want to do. I try to sell them out [7:25] of it. And number had one company and [7:28] they're down in California. It was a [7:30] technology company. They did like [7:32] actually hard like hardwired radios like [7:35] public safety. Very interesting, very [7:36] interesting like products. And this the [7:39] CEO said that makes perfect sense like [7:43] can you come and just do like an audit [7:46] like look at everything like we'll pay [7:47] you for it. We'll pay for the audit. You [7:49] look at everything and based on what you [7:51] uncover then maybe we have a separate [7:53] date. We you focus on that. Would you be [7:55] cool with that? I'll be like that sounds [7:57] great. So that was the first step. So [7:59] first we did a diagnostic, right? We [8:01] covered core issue and it end up being [8:02] completely different issues. So like [8:04] they want a sales trainer for the team [8:05] because they thought win rates are down. [8:07] The reality was is like their managers [8:09] weren't really doing a good job. That [8:10] was like the biggest core issue for [8:12] sure. The reps could get trained more. [8:13] But the number one challenge the [8:14] managers did not know how to manage the [8:16] team. [8:17] So once we cover as a core root issue [8:19] and also there's some things they didn't [8:20] have they didn't have clear KPIs or [8:22] metrics. They also weren't managing the [8:23] team. So we focused on the engagement [8:26] actually training and developing their [8:27] leaders SOPs actually run to be an [8:29] effective frontline sales leader and [8:31] literally within 90 days the number [8:33] started to trend up into the right and [8:35] then now we're doing training on top of [8:37] that after that right so that was really [8:39] really powerful so so I share that first [8:41] because the model we do now you know the [8:43] revenue engine OS is we focus really [8:45] three core parts so number one is the [8:47] revenue engine diagnostic so we're here [8:49] we take we take all their sales they [8:51] export out of Salesforce HubSpot [8:52] whatever it is we analyze all the data [8:54] We review call recordings, okay, from [8:56] different stages of the funnel. We also [8:58] interview reps at the top, the middle, [9:00] the bottom name leaders as well. So we [9:02] want to identify what are the top one, [9:05] two or three root causes that we can [9:08] focus on fixing. That takes about two [9:10] weeks to do. After we do that, then we [9:12] dive into really the sprint piece. So [9:15] then depending what it is, we'll have a [9:17] very target usually 6 to 8 week targeted [9:19] sprint where there's usually 6 to 12 [9:21] workshops targeted specific things that [9:23] are very tactical to solve those root [9:25] issues wherever we uncover. And then we [9:27] also have separate reinforcement session [9:29] with the managers showing them how to [9:31] hold their team accountable scorecards [9:33] and and training and and routine to make [9:35] sure that we solve those problems. [9:36] Right? So just by doing that we start [9:38] seeing a lot of amazing results because [9:40] we're tackling things so specifically to [9:41] the reps, the managers or the [9:43] reinforcement. And then what then we do [9:45] a part three which is we do enable [9:47] expansion. So then from there depending [9:50] on their organizational leaders right [9:52] we'll help them improve their skills and [9:54] we primarily focus on two core models. [9:56] So I call it charge [9:58] and scale and it depends on like what [10:01] type of leaders we're working with. So [10:02] for instance here if it's charge when I [10:05] think about frontline sales leader [10:06] majority of them are basically super [10:09] reps right? meaning like they were a [10:11] great rep and now they're just like [10:12] either a bigger another version of the [10:14] rep, right? They're just trying to sell [10:15] deals all the time or they're like [10:18] armchair quarterbacks. [10:19] They sit behind their laptops, they just [10:21] go the Salesforce data and dashboard. [10:23] They don't really do anything, right? [10:25] So, if they're a frontline sales leader, [10:27] we focus on charge, right? To help them [10:30] focus on what are considered RGAs, [10:32] revenue generating activities. And [10:33] charge really breaks down to, you know, [10:35] C, coach for impact. So, teach them how [10:37] to actually coach their team to drive [10:39] results. H high hire for excellence. So [10:42] how do you bring in coachable high [10:44] potential talent? We have a al a lot of [10:46] expectation. How do you set clear [10:47] expectations across the board from [10:49] activity to outcomes to r the pipeline? [10:52] Show them how to drive hygiene [10:54] qualification moving the deals through [10:56] to g great performance. So how do you [10:58] identify gaps in your team early and [11:01] often to coach them accordingly? How do [11:03] you do e how do you engineer high [11:04] performance cultures? How do how do you [11:05] model and embed behaviors that win? So [11:07] then we'll focus on developing that team [11:08] there. But in some situations we have [11:11] leaders who manage managers, right? So [11:13] sometimes the titles can really vary [11:14] across the board. So there might be they [11:16] might be sales VP, might be a CRO, but [11:18] they're managing managers now, right? [11:20] And here we focus on scale. That's [11:22] that's the system we focus on. So it's [11:24] like okay, what's the S? How are you sh [11:26] how do you shape the org? That's from [11:28] the structure, the territories, the [11:30] roles, the comp. Are we clear across the [11:33] board? How do we do C coach the leaders? [11:36] How do we uplevel the frontline leaders [11:38] to actually be coaches versus just you [11:40] know check the box manager? How do we a [11:42] align the revenue motion? So how do we [11:44] align you know the go to market the [11:46] product the enablement across the boards [11:47] you have towards growth. How do we [11:49] leverage the data? How do we [11:51] operationalize the data insights from [11:52] the dashboards for improve forecast and [11:54] performance and how do we e enable scale [11:56] from systems playbooks and rhythms to [11:58] replicate success. So what we look at is [12:01] not just coming in just training to you [12:04] know feel excited and use some training [12:05] budget. We're looking at how can we [12:08] transform the org not just today but [12:11] like for the future [12:12] right and I'll give you a really really [12:14] simple example. So we working with an [12:15] organization where they were uh really [12:17] good at transactional sale. They're an [12:19] MSP firm, managed service provider. [12:21] Really, really good at like the 10K [12:23] deals, like high volume, boom, you know, [12:25] wham, bam, one, two, call clos, really [12:27] good at that, right? As a whole, [12:30] typically closing 20, 25%. When we [12:32] looked at all the data, if it was like [12:35] over 100K, [12:36] I mean, it was like a 4% win rate. I [12:38] mean, it was like just a fraction. So, [12:40] there was losing these deals, right? So, [12:42] we came in and we focused specifically [12:44] on helping them develop their enterprise [12:46] go to market function. how they run [12:47] deals A to Z for the enterprise [12:49] function, right? I mean within three [12:51] within three months their win rate for [12:53] the enterprise deals went from five to [12:56] over 25% as a team and then on top of [13:00] their deal size was like 10k to quarter [13:02] million plus in 6 months I mean it was [13:06] insane right so I mean it completely [13:07] transformed the business right because [13:09] obviously far more profitable deals long [13:11] bigger engagements more back etc but my [13:14] point is it wasn't because we just [13:16] trained their team we focused on [13:18] actually improving the overall system so [13:20] they can actually scale the business [13:22] now. So they're actually working to [13:23] raise a series C now. So that's a cool [13:25] part because now they can do more [13:26] things. So they have a predictable [13:27] revenue motion [13:28] and predictable revenue is really really [13:31] important for growing sales [13:33] organizations especially organizations [13:35] that are looking to exit or to uh get [13:37] more funding. And if I'm a sales leader [13:40] and I'm listening to this, all of that [13:42] sounds great. All of that sounds [13:43] wonderful. Uh you can yeah sure I I can [13:45] get behind all of that. None of that [13:47] didn't make sense to me. But what am I [13:49] supposed to do as a leader in an [13:51] organization where I don't have access [13:52] to to you or sales gravy or another [13:55] training organization? You know, where [13:56] do most deals die? Where, you know, [13:58] where can I start to make quick fixes or [14:00] single moves to start to improve the [14:03] organization at a base level? Maybe it's [14:05] just incrementally you know what is your [14:07] kind of advice to people who are [14:08] listening to this and thinking, I want [14:09] to make changes and I want to make them [14:10] fast because we need to make them fast, [14:12] but I don't have access to these [14:13] resources. [14:14] 100%. So, I think that the first step is [14:15] you always want to diagnose first, [14:17] right? Even in my own life it's the same [14:18] thing kind of like if I have foot [14:20] problems what's the core root issue is [14:22] it the shoe I wear is it the sole I wear [14:24] is it my movement my mobility what's a [14:26] core root issue I want to solve a root [14:28] issue first that's really important [14:29] piece right now after just literally [14:32] analyze over 100 plus organizations [14:33] right I'll kind of show the top three so [14:35] this might be a good guy if you struggle [14:37] with diagnosis right that might be the [14:38] case so one really common one and this [14:40] is found like I'll call 80% plus of [14:42] teams which is discover discovery [14:44] quality just like really really poor [14:46] discover is a very transactional kind of [14:49] finding basic things. So regardless of [14:51] whichever methodology you follow right [14:53] whether it's medic pick you use spice [14:56] you know we teach powerful whatever pick [14:58] mythology right it's pick methodology [15:00] like how can we improve discovery [15:02] quality across the board so it's run [15:04] across the whole sales process versus [15:06] just a step right that's a really common [15:07] thing we see it's number one right the [15:09] second thing thing we see it's really [15:10] really common from a gap perspective is [15:13] management systems [15:15] so like really like I would say it's not [15:18] poor management it's most of the manage [15:19] managers were just reps who got promoted [15:21] into the roles and and goes up, but [15:23] there's no systems in place for actually [15:25] effectively managing the team to drive [15:27] high performance. And I'll find it's [15:29] probably in 75 80% of the teams. It's [15:31] like it's it's really high up there. [15:33] Just managers that fly too high or [15:35] they're too much of a super salesperson. [15:36] They're not actually coaching their [15:37] team. That's a really really common one. [15:39] Uh the third might be it's it sounds [15:41] kind of simple but really how we define [15:45] the sales process and gaps there. So for [15:48] instance, this is like understanding [15:50] what each stage in the deal means as [15:52] what's pipeline qualified versus [15:55] forecast qualified. It should be the [15:57] same, but often it's very very [15:59] different. [16:00] So those three things are probably the [16:02] most common. And of course there's a [16:03] bunch of other ones, but it's probably [16:04] the most common ones right there. Now, [16:06] if I had to pick one though, let's say [16:08] for example, it's like, okay, Mark, that [16:10] sounds sounds cool, Marcus, you just [16:12] said like three. Where do I go first? If [16:14] I had pick just one, I would actually [16:16] focus on management system gaps first. [16:19] And the reason I say is because let's [16:21] say for example, let's say if you have [16:24] 100 sales reps in your organization. [16:25] Okay, so if you have 100 sales reps in [16:27] your organization, that probably means [16:29] you have probably 8 to 12 sales leaders. [16:32] In the perfect world, you could deploy [16:33] training and train them yourself and you [16:35] could have them be awesome for all 100 [16:38] plus reps, but unrealistic to happen [16:40] like overnight. It's just it's very hard [16:42] to do. However, can you improve how your [16:46] sales leaders run 101 ones, how they run [16:48] team meetings, run sales meetings to get [16:50] them to be riding in the field or [16:53] attending calls and do call reviews [16:55] 100%. So, you can it's easier to manage [16:57] 8 to 12 people to do those things. And [16:59] even if you can only get three of them [17:01] to do it out of the, you know, 8 to 12, [17:03] well, let's say they have 8 to 12 reps. [17:05] So, now you're you're you're actually [17:07] now impacting like 20 25% of that sales. [17:10] So you have a greater lift by doing that [17:12] as a result. That's why sometimes it's [17:14] understanding what the core root cause [17:16] is. But if we can get even the managers [17:18] to do the better job of doing those [17:19] things, that can create a pretty big [17:21] lift just by itself without investing in [17:23] external resources. [17:25] Do us a quick favor and talk talk [17:28] through the difference between pipeline [17:30] and forecast qualified. If you're [17:32] talking about those three managers that [17:33] are going to make changes, right? if [17:34] you're going to go make a quick change [17:35] in the management systems. I think this [17:37] is a key area of management as a sales [17:40] leader that you I wish I had better [17:43] leadership when I was in my core of [17:46] career in the sales field that someone [17:48] was like that is not forecast qualified [17:50] Jeb and you freaking know it and uh you [17:53] know I wasn't forecasting things that [17:54] were never going to close but like walk [17:57] people through what that means and then [17:58] maybe from a sales leader perspective or [18:00] or even a sales organization leaders [18:02] perspective how do you start to change [18:04] the management system around that? Let [18:06] me explain how I kind of realized this, [18:07] right? So, I remember being a brand new [18:08] sales leader. Now, me as an individual [18:12] AE, I was like very particular about [18:14] know my numbers inside and out. So, like [18:16] and I was also like my words bond what I [18:18] tell my my manager that's that if I [18:20] commit to 100 grand for the month, I'm [18:22] going to be there, you know, like you [18:24] know, [laughter] [18:25] come hell or high water, I'm there. [18:27] Come high water, I'm going to be at that [18:28] number, right? That's is how I thought [18:31] when I became a sales lead for the first [18:32] time. And I realized most of them didn't [18:35] know that. I also realized they didn't [18:37] know difference between a goal versus a [18:39] commitment. [18:40] Like I'm a commitment is like pay to the [18:42] bank, you know, you know, bet your [18:44] mortgage on, you know, goal is like I'm [18:45] going to shoot for that, right? But I'm [18:46] still going to give you my commitment, [18:48] right? So I remember early on I'm [18:50] getting I'm a new sales manager. I'm [18:52] excited. My boss says, "Marcus, give me [18:55] give me your forecast." I'm like, "I got [18:57] you, boss." Like I'm always I always [18:58] nail my forecasts, right? So, I'm I'm [19:00] going through and I'm they're each [19:02] telling me their numbers. I'm adding all [19:03] up. All right, cool. That sounds good. [19:05] You know, you know, Jeb's got 100K, you [19:06] got 150. Okay, I'm I'm just adding all [19:08] up. I'm feeling really good. Take that [19:11] number, give it to my boss. My boss is [19:13] like, there's no way you're getting a [19:15] little that number. I'm like, no, no, [19:17] no, no. Remember me as an A? I I got my [19:20] number completely missive forecast, by [19:21] the way. [laughter] Right. And that's [19:22] when I realized pretty quickly that what [19:25] they were seeing their CRM as a pipeline [19:28] qualified was different than forecast [19:30] qualified. And I realized there's a big [19:32] delta from the two. So at that point I [19:36] realized there's a couple things. Number [19:37] one, I wasn't setting them up for [19:40] success. Like they didn't understand the [19:42] difference between a goal and a [19:43] commitment. And also number two, they [19:45] didn't understand how to actually even [19:46] forecast and even look at their pipeline [19:48] accordingly. And part of it was it also [19:51] it was not their fault was as ownership [19:53] on me ownership organization was because [19:55] in a lot of CRM like most CRM you have [19:58] your kind of typical stages inside you [20:00] know it's like you know it could be like [20:02] you know prospect you know meeting book [20:04] then you have your discovery you know [20:05] then you have your demo you know [20:08] proposal closed in hand object high [20:10] level right so you kind of have like [20:11] those overall steps so whatever step [20:14] that people have these deals in it they [20:16] might be like oh for example it's a [20:17] proposal cool it's really close the end. [20:20] Sure. [20:20] It's like [20:21] 80% chance of closing. That's what they [20:23] think. [20:24] But then when you actually dig into the [20:25] deal, you realize we have only one [20:27] stakeholder involved. They're not the [20:29] economic buyer. We don't have [20:31] procurement looped in. We don't have HR [20:33] looped in. We don't have multiple [20:34] stakeholders depending on what you're [20:35] selling looped in. I'm like chances [20:37] actually really quite slim. So it became [20:40] a very different picture as a result. So [20:42] that's actually why I had to come up [20:43] with my own frameworks for actually [20:44] managing the deal cycle for that reason. [20:47] Right. But that's a good example right [20:48] there why, you know, you have to [20:50] identify the difference between a [20:51] forecast versus, you know, pipeline [20:53] qualified because ideally they're the [20:54] same thing. But if you don't create the [20:55] parameters and environment for that, so [20:57] they know what what that's supposed to [20:59] mean, then it's really hard for them to [21:00] actually match the expectation. [21:02] I found that when I was in the field and [21:04] had more of a a large team, I was around [21:08] I think I had 15 people on my team and I [21:10] was the seller and I was much like you [21:11] were, you know, I ran a slim, this is [21:13] just my personal preference because of [21:15] how I like to run my pipeline. I ran a [21:16] slim pipeline. Like I I only had 15 [21:19] deals a month or so in my pipeline, [21:21] which made my sales manager sweat every [21:23] single time she saw my pipeline. But I [21:25] closed 14 out of 15 deals. Now, did I [21:28] put only 15 deals in the pipeline at all [21:30] times? No. I would have like 30 or 40, [21:32] but those deals were pipeline qualified [21:35] and that there was a person at that [21:37] business who I had had a brief [21:39] conversation with, I'd prospected to, [21:40] and they were maybe interested in [21:42] hearing something, but I didn't actually [21:43] have a good discovery with them. those [21:45] 15 deals, I sat down with somebody and [21:48] qualified it out. And when I committed [21:49] it, it was a commitment to that number. [21:51] And I always hit that number. But what [21:53] you're right about is that salespeople [21:55] on my team with a leader who wasn't [21:58] holding them accountable to a commitment [22:00] rather than a pipeline, the sales leader [22:03] often would say, "Oh, that's fantastic. [22:05] You've got 15 deals in the in the [22:06] proposal stage. You're doing a great [22:08] job, Mark. Great job for you. Like, [22:10] we'll see you at the end of the month, [22:11] and I'm happy for you. I can't wait to [22:13] see those numbers." and then they would [22:15] leave and that saleserson goes, I feel [22:18] good because I've got a bunch of stuff [22:19] in my pipeline. My sales manager's happy [22:20] and they feel like I'm going to hit my [22:22] number. Well, come end of the month, [22:23] there's no number, right? And that's the [22:25] that's the challenge there. So, from a [22:27] sales leader perspective, the like [22:29] system of ownership, [22:31] what are the cadences and scorecards [22:33] that you imp you implement or you start [22:36] to implement at organizations to help [22:38] frontline managers and sales leaders own [22:41] their role in this process? Yeah, 100%. [22:43] So, there's a couple of things, right? [22:44] And a multi-art answer. So, like I think [22:47] even talking about kind of forecasting [22:49] and kind of like that piece of right [22:51] there has to be number one, you have to [22:53] have a framework along that and then I'm [22:55] going to walk through a few different [22:56] rhythms that will align to driving [22:58] towards that performance. All right. So, [23:00] the first piece is understanding that a [23:02] lot of times the steps we have in the [23:04] sales process in the CRM are what sales [23:08] people do, but it's not how buyers buy. [23:11] like how buyers buy is also is actually [23:13] very very different. They're not [23:14] thinking about those steps, right? So I [23:17] I I use a very simple framework I call [23:20] advanced right and this mirrors a [23:24] complex buying process and sometimes [23:26] depending on stage of the process you [23:28] might be able to jump stages ahead. So I [23:29] actually have my buy my my matching [23:31] these stages. All right. So like for [23:33] instance in each as you can I like [23:35] frameworks right? So makes it easy to [23:37] remember. So advanced stands for [23:39] different things. So for example, A is [23:41] acknowledge problem. So like has a buyer [23:44] acknowledge it's a serious problem, [23:46] right? Is it high cost and high [23:48] priority? Right? This is like stage [23:49] zero, right? Like [laughter] I'm like [23:51] cool. At the very minimum, do they agree [23:53] that there's a problem? Great. They do. [23:55] Then we can go to the next step in the D [23:57] which is documented issue. Do we have a [24:00] clear documented issue that's written [24:03] down? Like is it has it been written in [24:04] an email in a Slack? Is it on a business [24:07] case? Have they talked about internally [24:08] and written it down? This is really [24:10] powerful, especially if you sell some [24:11] into the enterprise or complex [24:13] organizations. There are these things [24:15] that are happening, has it already been [24:18] documented? If it has been, you're now [24:20] in stage one. So, you're alreadying [24:22] forward, which is awesome, right? And in [24:24] order to get to the next level, which is [24:26] called Validated [24:28] by team, that means you have multiple [24:31] people have validated. Yes, this is a [24:33] pro. And so to exit the D, you have to [24:36] have at least three people that agree [24:38] with a problem at hand. Yes, this is a [24:40] big problem. This is high priority. It [24:42] impacts us. It's tied to an executive [24:44] level metric. And you know what? You've [24:47] spoken to as well as a salesperson. If [24:49] you imagine even at this stage, if you [24:50] talk to like four people at a company [24:53] and they're all high level influencers, [24:54] you have and they're like, "Yes, I agree [24:55] is a problem. Yes, it's a problem. Yes, [24:57] it's a problem. Yes, it's a problem. [24:58] impacts our future priority of you know [25:01] 2x growth in 2026 [25:04] you're already ahead of majority of [25:05] people. Oh yeah right [25:07] then so once validated by team so we [25:09] have multiple people that validated [25:10] right and then we get into then a [25:13] authorized by an exec. [25:15] So at this point we're getting executive [25:17] sponsorship. This is the economic buyer. [25:19] This is the only person that can say yes [25:21] when everyone else says no. Only person [25:23] that can say no when everybody else says [25:25] yes. So highly valuable but we know [25:28] exactly which exec is sponsoring this. [25:31] We know that they tked their team to go [25:32] and deploy that the exec said hey you [25:34] know what like team this is definitely a [25:36] problem. I agree. You got to figure it [25:38] out though and you tell me what you want [25:40] to do, right? We have the the stamp of [25:42] approval to least proceed forward, [25:43] right? There's a timeline. This is all [25:45] really important, right? And then we go [25:47] into Narrow to external. So, at that [25:51] point, if you're talking with them, they [25:53] they said to you, "We want to go with [25:54] sales gravy." Okay? But there's still a [25:57] lot of has to get figured out still. The [25:59] exact scope, the timing, the milestones, [26:01] the commercials, etc. But they're like, [26:02] "We want to go with you, Jeb. Like we've [26:04] talked to multiple vendors like but [26:06] you're like we like you we like what you [26:08] discussed so far that's awesome right [26:11] but they still might not go with you [26:12] still right so they're going to go [26:14] external still then we go back let me [26:15] back up narrow external is more so is [26:17] they they're going to go with external [26:19] not internal so they're like they're [26:21] not going to try to do internally like [26:23] won't work internally we have to go with [26:24] someone [26:25] we're not sure yet it could be you then [26:27] we go to see chosen vendor then they [26:29] choose you then they're like okay we [26:31] choose you we're getting really close if [26:33] this is like stage five. Okay, this [26:36] stage five now. Now they're like, "All [26:37] right, we're feeling really really [26:39] good." So now you have like certain [26:41] things starting to progress and then we [26:42] go to Establish timeline. So now we have [26:44] milestones. When's going to be the go [26:46] live date? Were the milestones maybe [26:48] before or after? Who's doing what? You [26:50] might have a mutual action plan put in [26:52] place at this point. They feel really [26:53] really good about this. So we're making [26:55] a lot of great progress. And then [26:56] finally, we're in Dal terms finalized. [27:00] They agree. they agree commercial terms, [27:02] the length, the scope, etc. And then [27:04] boom, once you're out there, you're like [27:06] 9% win rate. Like that's the most [27:09] beautiful part. So if you understand [27:10] this as a mythology and you actually [27:12] have even your CRM sees mapping to this [27:13] or if you don't have in your CRM at [27:15] least running deals through this [27:16] process, you'll be able to tell very [27:18] quickly like what deals are more [27:20] qualified, right? So let me pause. [27:21] That's the advanced framework first off. [27:23] Going to put that in your lap so you can [27:25] kind of soak on that for a [laughter] [27:26] second. [27:27] I think that as a leader what is [27:30] important to remember about this [27:32] conversation that methodology like as an [27:34] AE you should listen to that and hear [27:36] okay these are this in medpic medic [27:39] whatever methodology you choose there's [27:41] sort of I mean at sales gravy we teach [27:42] you know sales EQ we have these these [27:44] different processes and and frameworks [27:46] but it allows you to qualify your deal [27:48] understand where your deal actually is [27:50] versus the steps in a pipeline right so [27:52] steps in a pipeline are prospect you [27:53] have a demo you have discovery and like [27:55] those can say like Oh, 50% likely to [27:57] close. But that's not actually accurate. [27:59] If you dig deep in your pipeline and in [28:01] your heart, unless you're a super high [28:03] performing AE, you know that in your [28:05] heart that 50% is really more like 20%. [28:07] And and and that's just true for some [28:09] deals. But you can change what those [28:12] odds are by using advanced or or [28:14] different methodologies. And then as a [28:15] leader, as you are speaking with your [28:18] team in one-on- ones and you're having [28:19] conversations, that should be your [28:22] methodology for testing their pipeline. [28:24] Do they know A, you know, V, D, A, N, C, [28:29] E, D? Like, what can they fill out? What [28:31] can you check off? If they're not [28:32] checking off more than, [28:34] you know, three of those things, [28:36] you probably should say you need to you [28:38] need to go check that back in your [28:39] commitment because I'm going to knock [28:41] that down as not committed right now. [28:43] And and as a as a as a last question, [28:46] pulling a play from the SixFigure Sales [28:48] Secrets, the book that you've written, [28:51] what is one routine that you would [28:54] install this week for a sales frontline [28:57] sales manager group to start advancing [29:00] their sales organization towards peak [29:03] performance rather than where they are [29:05] right now? [29:06] So, I'll say the number one thing I [29:09] would f I'd focus on. So because of [29:10] obviously there's many many plays you [29:12] could run, right? Um and I'll say the [29:15] the book itself is fantastic. It's very [29:17] tactical, right? But if I'm going to [29:19] give it to a frontline sales leader, I'm [29:21] I'm thinking what are all the levers I [29:22] can pull as a frontline sales leader [29:24] that will drive the greatest results. I [29:28] would say for sure it would be literally [29:32] time in the field with your reps, right? [29:35] And to be very specific, I'm going get [29:36] very tactical here, right? like I'll be [29:39] writing like four half days with the [29:42] team on sales calls and implementing the [29:45] what I call the 3x3 by3 that's not in [29:47] the book so I'm just going to share [29:48] because this is I think is really really [29:50] critical right so it's set in the tone [29:53] that you're going to be with your team [29:54] with your rep for three appointments [29:57] okay so they have to have three [29:58] appointments set for that half day [29:59] together okay ideally they're new [30:02] business appointments first discovery [30:04] calls right but they could be two [30:06] discoveries one demo or one field [30:07] progression, whatever, right? So, [30:08] because you need to see how they run [30:10] different parts of the sales process, [30:11] right? And on those calls, you're going [30:14] to go in and you're also going to, you [30:16] know, watch how they perform and see [30:19] where the potential gaps are, but you [30:21] want to coach them as well. And some and [30:24] depending on tenure because some you [30:25] have to jump and kind of show them how [30:26] what good looks like. You want to [30:28] implement the other parts of the three. [30:29] So, three appointments and then you want [30:31] to share with them at the end of the [30:32] day, what are three wins they did? or [30:35] three things they did a really excellent [30:37] job that you want them to continually [30:39] do. So for instance, let's say they just [30:42] did a great account research in advance, [30:43] which is awesome. You know, you want you [30:45] don't want to disregard that, but hey, [30:46] you know what? Like Jeb, I want to [30:48] really commend you like on all three [30:49] calls today. You did a phenomenal job. [30:51] You did all your you looked in [30:52] perplexity. Look, look at CHBT. You went [30:54] you read 10K reports. You did all your [30:56] homework in advance. You came with a [30:57] very clear POV for every single call. [30:59] That is absolutely incredible. Keep that [31:01] up. In fact, would you be open to maybe [31:03] teaching the team how you do research [31:05] coming up in a team meeting? Exact. [31:07] Great. So, you give at least three wins [31:09] that make them feel good, but they're [31:11] reinforcing behaviors you want to see [31:13] happening again. Okay? And then you give [31:15] them three opportunities, three very [31:18] specific things to work on that can [31:21] improve their game literally [31:23] immediately. Now, they have to be very [31:25] specific and t it can't be like, you [31:27] know, Marcus, um, your discovery sucked. [31:30] I want you to get better at asking [31:32] questions. Well, that's that's really [31:34] that's not useful at all, right? It has [31:36] to be so specific. So, it might sound [31:37] something like this. It might sound [31:38] something like your first question is [31:41] good as a as an opener, but we want to [31:43] work on your follow-up question. So, [31:45] here's a framework, Mark, because I want [31:47] you to work on it's called a rim. You [31:48] want to uncover what's the relevance, [31:50] what's the impact, and what's the [31:52] motive. So, let's just say for example, [31:54] that you know, they said that they [31:57] believe discovery is a challenge for [31:59] their team. Hey, cool. Can you tell can [32:00] you tell me a little more why you think [32:03] that's relevant? [32:04] And so you start you're showing them [32:07] live what it looks like, what great [32:09] looks like, the very tactical things. [32:11] They walk away and there's three things [32:13] they can go and do immediately. Okay. [32:15] Now, here's the thing. I wish you could [32:17] say then you're done. You're going to be [32:18] completely good. But then at the end of [32:20] the day, you just fire them off an [32:22] email. You you BCC yourself and you [32:25] write the same thing in writing as well. [32:26] Sometimes in the moment they're going to [32:28] forget what you said or they're over [32:30] they're overwhelmed. You can recap. Hey, [32:32] great job again today. Here's the three [32:34] things you did phenomenal. Keep doing [32:35] these things. Here's the three things I [32:37] want you to work on. And then of course [32:39] you you CC yourself. You save in the [32:40] file. Then when you're back in the field [32:42] with them, they call it in two weeks [32:43] from now or three weeks from now. You [32:45] can pull it up, see how the progress is. [32:48] Or if you also implement the other thing [32:49] we discussed today such as oneonone [32:51] other thing like that you discuss hey [32:52] listen how did it feel focusing on rim [32:55] this past week [32:57] don't remember it's a good coaching [32:59] opportunity to continue to drive home [33:01] the behavior hey remember what rim is [33:03] let's role play really quick and then [33:05] why you can just coach them off spot [33:06] help them improve results so if you can [33:08] just do one thing you do that one thing [33:10] your team will get instantaneously [33:12] better like literally the first 30 days [33:14] that's amazing the okay the 3x3 by three [33:17] that's three appointments, three wins, [33:19] and three opportunities. Marcus, thank [33:21] you so much for your time today on the [33:22] Sales Gravy podcast. I want to give [33:24] people a little opportunity here to hear [33:25] from you where they can connect, learn [33:27] more from you, uh, and, uh, and, and [33:29] follow you around so that they can get [33:30] more information. [33:32] Awesome. Well, first off, it's been [33:33] absolute pleasure jam out. We had a lot [33:34] of fun, right? So, lot a lot of lot of [33:36] commonalities across the board. So, you [33:38] can find me on LinkedIn, look up Marcus [33:39] Shan, super simple. You can look me up [33:41] on YouTube as well. Just look up [33:42] Marcuschan. Uh, you go to [33:44] benleyconsulting.com if you want to get [33:45] more help. Uh, you can get my book on [33:47] Amazon or if you look on Spotify, [33:48] anywhere else, we have the podcast of [33:50] course as well. [33:50] Awesome. Well, thank you so much for [33:52] joining us on the SalesGravy podcast. We [33:53] will catch you all next time. If you [33:55] haven't had a chance, go to salesgravy [33:56] university. That's learn.salesgravy.com. [33:59] learn.salesgravy.com and go check out [34:01] the world's most powerful online sales [34:03] learning engine with over 1500 plus [34:05] hours of sales specific training content [34:08] from 55 of the world's leading experts. [34:11] So that you can use the code free course [34:12] if you've never taken a course before. [34:13] That's code free course at checkout. Go [34:15] to learn.salesgrby.com and we'll catch [34:17] you next time on the salesgy podcast. [34:19] [music] [34:23] Hi, I'm Jeff Blunt, bestselling author [34:25] of Fanatical Prospecting, Sales EQ, [34:26] Objections Inc., and my brand new book, [34:29] The LinkedIn Edge. You know, companies [34:31] and people from all over the world come [34:33] to me to get answers to their toughest [34:35] sales and growth questions. And that's [34:37] why I created Ask Jeb. There's a segment [34:40] on the Sales Griffy podcast where you [34:42] can come and ask me anything. If you [34:44] want to get on the show, just go to [34:45] salsgravy.comask. [34:48] That's salsgravy.comask. [34:50] One of our great producers will get you [34:52] on and you can ask me anything about [34:55] sales. [34:59] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [35:01] watch this video. Make sure that you [35:03] click like and subscribe [music] so that [35:05] you never miss one of our amazing sales [35:07] training

===FILE=== UV8GHIEkkZA - Dirty Pipelines Dont Close Deals  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/UV8GHIEkkZA
Dirty Pipelines Don’t Close Deals ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:01] [Music] [0:07] All right, it's wisdom Wednesday where [0:09] you drive the agenda. On this segment of [0:11] the sales podcast, you bring the biggest [0:13] sales challenges and Jeb Blood delivers [0:15] the best answers. And those answers, [0:18] they come straight from the trenches. [0:19] Because Jeb's not just teaching sales, [0:21] he's out there prospecting, closing, and [0:23] leading sales teams every single day. [0:25] But before we jump in, here's a quick [0:27] update. The Outbound Conference, the [0:29] biggest, baddest sales conference on the [0:31] planet, is getting ready to announce its [0:33] new dates and location. Tickets always [0:35] sell out fast. So, if you want early [0:37] access to discounted seats, head over to [0:39] outboundconference.com and get on the [0:41] waiting list now. That's [0:43] outboundconference.com. [0:45] All right, let's take the next caller. [0:47] Next up is Mary Ellen Soriano from [0:49] Sakasana, New Jersey. Welcome to the [0:50] sales gravy podcast. Tell me what's on [0:52] your mind today. So came into the formal [0:56] sales if you want to call it right from [0:58] owning my own business and my own child [1:00] care center that actually used the [1:03] products that I'm selling now. All [1:05] right, working for an edtech company. So [1:08] my first year into it, I kind of crushed [1:10] it. I think they were all shocked. Okay, [1:13] I hit the quota at 134%. They would ask [1:16] me every week, every month, what are you [1:18] doing? How you doing this? And I would [1:20] answer, look, you told me to make calls [1:22] and get meetings and that's what I'm [1:24] doing, right? So, it's funny because [1:26] though before I started, Jeb, I went on [1:29] to Mentor Box and you had a course on [1:31] there from your fanatical prospecting [1:33] book and it was awesome. It was a great [1:35] start for me. So then when the company [1:37] actually recommended we read Fanatical [1:39] Prospecting, I was set. But when um it [1:44] was posted to ask a question, okay, of [1:46] you, I thought of this. So, pipeline [1:49] creation was my question that I came [1:52] upon this year. And what would you say [1:56] is the most effective way to set a [1:59] pipeline creation target so that you [2:03] know we set it so that we say so that [2:05] it'll help us achieve our quota. So, [2:08] what would you say was the best way to [2:11] set that pipeline creation quota? That's [2:13] a great question. Congratulations, by [2:15] the way, on all of your success. It's [2:17] amazing. What a great story of owning [2:19] your own business and then moving into [2:21] an adjacent industry and selling back [2:23] into that business. And it sounds like [2:24] you're selling something that's really [2:26] good for the people that you sell it to. [2:28] Yeah, it's really special to my heart, [2:30] Jeb. So that actually makes me be able [2:33] to do everything you talk about in sales [2:35] EQ. Very good. Very good. Well, let's [2:38] talk about your question and how do you [2:40] know how much pipeline or how do you [2:42] calculate pipeline? And there's a couple [2:45] of ways we can look at this. One is just [2:47] do as much as you possibly can. That's [2:50] always been my particular way of going [2:52] about it. I have a rhythm for [2:54] prospecting. So in fanatical [2:56] prospecting, you heard me say prospect [2:58] every day. Every day, every day, every [3:00] day, every single day. So I've got a [3:03] block of time every single morning for [3:05] prospecting. And then I'm prospecting [3:08] during the day. During any gap during [3:09] the day, I'll fill that in with phone [3:11] calls. I'll carry a list with me. If [3:13] I've got time between meetings, if [3:14] you're selling virtually, if you got [3:16] time between virtual meetings, I'm doing [3:18] outreach. So, every single day, I'm [3:21] prospecting to the very max that I have [3:24] time to prospect. And doing that, I [3:26] don't have to worry about how big is my [3:28] pipeline because that's going to take [3:30] care of itself. You think, well, if if I [3:32] have this much pipeline, I'll be good. [3:34] But as soon as you get that much [3:36] pipeline, then you quit prospecting [3:37] because now you go, okay, I'm set. And [3:40] that's a problem because you never stop. [3:42] Yeah. because when you stop, you get [3:43] into this this roller coaster. We call [3:46] it the desperation roller coaster, and [3:48] it'll begin to bite you. But that's one [3:50] way of doing it. You go in and you say, [3:53] "I'm going to schedule this time. I'm [3:54] doing this every single day, no matter [3:56] what, which is sounds like what you [3:58] already have done." And then you build [4:00] pipe from there. Now, you're probably [4:02] working for people who obsess over, you [4:04] know, do we have enough pipe? We need 5x [4:06] pipe, 3x pipe, 4x pipe. And they're [4:08] doing that primarily from a forecasting [4:10] standpoint. So they're looking at the [4:12] numbers or the statistics and they're [4:14] saying how much do we actually need in [4:16] the pipeline in order to hit our number. [4:18] Now as we look at that we have to step [4:20] back for a second and be honest with [4:23] ourselves. All pipeline opportunities [4:26] are not equal. So if you just say I need [4:29] a lot of pipe it's really easy to build [4:31] pipe if if that pipe is a pipe dream and [4:34] it's actually not going to turn into any [4:36] kind of deal. Right? So, I'm just [4:37] filling up a pipeline with numbers to [4:40] make my management team happy because [4:42] they need 4x pipe. And that's why so [4:45] many leadership teams, especially in [4:47] tech companies, consistently miss their [4:50] forecast because they're obsessed with [4:53] this number. How much pipeline do I [4:55] have? Rather than obsessed with the [4:57] quality of that actual pipeline. [5:00] Are you with me so far? Yep. Let's go [5:02] back and review this one. Is you don't [5:04] worry about how big your pipeline is. [5:06] You worry about how much prospecting [5:08] you're doing and you run on a daily [5:10] cadence of prospecting and you max out [5:12] the amount of time you can spend [5:13] prospecting every day. If you do that, [5:16] you never have to worry about how big [5:17] your pipe is. I guarantee it. It will [5:20] take care of itself. Two is if you're a [5:22] leader and you're being held to numbers, [5:24] it does make sense to have an [5:26] understanding of what your pipe looks [5:27] like because if you look at that like a [5:29] funnel at the very top of that funnel, I [5:31] know statistically I'm going to get drop [5:33] through. But if you obsess too much on [5:35] that, what'll happen is you'll just put [5:37] stuff into the pipeline for the sake of [5:39] having things in the pipeline and then [5:41] you're going to be disappointed with [5:42] your ultimate forecast. Now, if we look [5:45] at pipeline like a formula, like we're [5:47] going to look at like it's science, then [5:49] we can go to the law of replacement. So, [5:50] you probably read that in fanatical [5:52] prospecting. And the law of replacement [5:54] simply says that you need to replace the [5:56] opportunities in your pipeline at a rate [5:59] that is equal to or greater than your [6:01] closing ratio. Like that's just science [6:04] for pipeline. So when I'm looking at a [6:06] pipeline, if I say this is the pipeline [6:08] that consistently delivers my number. So [6:11] if I've got a number, I want to hit, you [6:13] know, 100% of my number, I need to have [6:15] this many deals in my pipeline because [6:16] over time statistically, I know that [6:19] I've got this particular closing ratio. [6:21] And I'll give you an example of that. So [6:22] back in another lifetime, I had a really [6:25] dialed in closing ratio. So, I knew that [6:27] I was going to close about 20% of the [6:30] deals that I put in my pipeline as long [6:32] as they were qualified. So, I understood [6:33] what my qualification standards were, [6:35] those data points, if I put them in. So, [6:37] I knew that I needed to go on 10 [6:39] firsttime appointments every single week [6:42] because those 10 first-time appointments [6:44] would almost always turn into five [6:47] additional appointments for me. So, five [6:49] follow-up appointments. Either the [6:51] customer or me during the those initial [6:53] appointments would disqualify ourselves. [6:55] I would say, "I'm not going to spend any [6:57] more time with you. This is not the [6:58] right fit." Or they would say, "This [7:00] really isn't something that I want." Or [7:02] maybe we just had a personality clash. [7:03] Whatever it was, I decided that we [7:05] weren't going to spend time with those. [7:06] So, I knew about 50% of the first time [7:10] appointments that I went on would go [7:12] away. And about half of them would then [7:14] move into a further stage in the [7:16] pipeline, typically discovery. And of [7:18] those five, I would typically close one. [7:21] So, I'd have a 20% closing ratio. So, if [7:24] I wanted to sell one new deal a week, [7:26] then I needed to put 10 new first-time [7:29] appointments into the pipe, which meant [7:31] that I needed to make enough calls in [7:33] order to get there. Work backwards from [7:35] that, it took me on average about 20 [7:38] outbound prospecting touches to generate [7:40] two first-time appointments. And those [7:43] first-time appointments were almost [7:44] always with prospects that were [7:47] qualified in a bucket, qualified enough [7:49] to go spend time with. I wasn't just [7:50] showing up randomly and meeting with [7:53] people who had no need or no budget or [7:56] the timing was off or they were under [7:57] contract, but I knew those numbers and I [8:00] had them dialed in. So, I knew exactly [8:02] what I needed to produce each week in [8:05] terms of first-time appointments in [8:06] order to feed my pipeline. And if I [8:09] didn't replace the deals that fell out [8:11] of my pipeline every single week, [8:12] eventually I would end up with nothing. [8:14] And that's one of the problems. If we go [8:16] back to building pipe for the sake of [8:17] building pipe, you feel like you have [8:19] enough, so you quit prospecting. And [8:22] then what happens is a lot of the deals [8:23] that are in the pipeline, they're never [8:26] going to close, but you chase them [8:27] anyway. So instead of prospecting for [8:29] new logos and new opportunities, you [8:31] start prospecting the pipe. And all the [8:34] prospecting the pipe sounds like is you [8:36] call people and say, "Hey, I'm just [8:38] checking in." You with me? Yep. You're [8:40] checking in on what's in that pipe. [8:41] Exactly. So if we look at our pipeline [8:43] from a science, we say the law of [8:45] replacement says that I need to replace [8:47] the opportunities in my pipeline at a [8:49] rate that is equal to or greater than my [8:52] closing ratio. Then you need to know [8:54] your closing ratio. If you say this is [8:56] my closing ratio, I go back to my first [8:58] time appointments. That's sort of my [9:00] money ball for selling. And I look at [9:02] the deals that I close. What percentage [9:04] of my first time appointments do I end [9:06] up closing? Now a 10 to one, right, is a [9:08] 10% ratio. In my case, I would look at [9:11] which of the first time appointments [9:13] would roll into a follow-up, which was [9:15] when I would put it in my pipeline. So, [9:17] I had a 5 to1 ratio, which was about [9:19] 20%. And all you have to do because [9:21] you've got some experience now, is go [9:24] back and look. And if you look at what [9:26] you've done and just go back and look at [9:28] proposals, I've done this many [9:29] proposals. A proposal is a formal offer [9:32] to buy, right? It's a written offer to [9:34] buy. I've done this many proposals. This [9:37] is my closing percentage from those [9:38] proposals. So, it's someone you met [9:40] with, not even just opportunities of [9:43] quotes that somebody was interested. So, [9:45] on like a special day of the week when [9:47] when you're prospecting all day. Um, [9:50] just cuz they're interested. Don't count [9:51] that quote because you didn't meet with [9:53] them yet. No. Meet with the ones that [9:55] you've actually met with. When we say [9:56] that, not just we met with them, but we [9:59] gave them a proposal. Like, we met with [10:01] them and they were qualified enough for [10:04] you to go through the process of giving [10:06] them a proposal. So, in other words, I'm [10:08] not giving everybody a quote. I'm only [10:09] going to give a quote to people who are [10:11] going to buy from me. Yeah. How about [10:13] when stuff's put in your pipeline, you [10:15] didn't talk to them. Somebody else [10:17] talked to them and put them in your [10:18] pipeline. That's not a pipeline [10:19] opportunity, right? That's not a [10:20] pipeline opportunity. If you've got a [10:22] place in your pip like, you shouldn't [10:23] put stuff in your pipeline that's not a [10:25] true pipeline opportunity. And let me [10:27] give you an example of that. At Sales [10:28] Gravy, my company, we generate on [10:31] average around 1,200 leads a month. Some [10:34] of those leads are warm. They're what we [10:38] call marketing qualified leads. Sales [10:39] team will go work on them, but they're [10:41] good. We got all the information on [10:42] them. So, they look on the surface like [10:44] they would be good leads for us. Those [10:47] don't go in the pipeline. And they don't [10:48] go in the pipeline because nobody had a [10:51] conversation with them. Nobody talked to [10:52] them. Nobody vetted them. We didn't we [10:55] don't really understand what's important [10:57] to them or whether or not the timing is [10:59] right or they have a budget. So, those [11:01] are leads. They go to the sales [11:03] organization. The sales organization [11:05] goes through their process of vetting [11:08] them, qualifying them, and then the [11:10] sales organization decides at that point [11:12] if they go into the pipeline. Make [11:14] sense? That's awesome. But there are [11:17] leads that go directly in the pipeline [11:19] and those are our hot leads. So, we have [11:21] a couple of forms that when someone [11:23] comes into those forms, they're coming [11:25] in, as we say, hot, right? They're [11:26] coming in, they're raising their hand [11:28] and saying, "I've got 30 salespeople on [11:30] my team. I need fanatical prospecting [11:32] training and I need it right now. Or we [11:34] wanted to bring sales EQ to our event in [11:37] Las Vegas. We want that right now. Those [11:39] people are telling us that they're [11:41] qualified. They have a budget. They're [11:42] ready to go. And so we immediately put [11:44] them into the pipeline. They become [11:46] pipeline opportunities and then we [11:47] schedule the appointment with them and [11:49] we close about 90% of those deals. You [11:50] know, when people put it into your [11:52] pipeline, to me, it's not a pipeline [11:54] opportunity until the point that you've [11:56] qualified it and decided it's going to [11:58] be a pipeline opportunity. That way, [12:00] what's coming out of the other side of [12:01] the pipeline is pure. Like when we start [12:03] talking about these numbers, how can you [12:05] get good numbers if you've just got a [12:06] bunch of junk coming in the front? You [12:08] want to make sure that what you're [12:10] putting in, you're saying, "Okay, this [12:12] has a relatively good chance of closing [12:16] or at least they're qualified." And if [12:18] they don't pick me, they're going to do [12:20] something else, but they're going to [12:21] pick something, right? So more important [12:23] than that number you're given, pipeline [12:26] creation target, it's more important to [12:29] just keep prospecting with the calls, [12:31] the meetings, and get on with those [12:33] people to share your passion. At the end [12:35] of the day, Mary Ellen, if you're [12:36] hitting your number, nobody cares what [12:38] was in your pipeline to begin with. Just [12:40] think about that. So if you're 134% of [12:43] your quota, nobody's going, "Well, your [12:45] pipeline was only 2x and it needs to be [12:46] 5x." You're like, I hit on 134% of my [12:49] number, so it doesn't really matter that [12:51] much. [12:52] What do you think of 11x? 11x is amazing [12:56] if it's good. Like if it's great quality [12:58] and then if so if you're hitting 11x of [13:00] your of your pie. I'm not hitting it [13:02] right. Okay. That's right. That's the [13:04] expectation. I know. I think what's [13:06] happening with your leadership team is [13:08] that they're looking at all the [13:10] salespeople and say an 11x gets us our [13:13] number because the problem is is instead [13:16] of going in and fixing the real problem [13:19] and that is that you don't have good [13:21] quality deals going into your pipeline, [13:23] you're just playing statistics. So 3x [13:26] didn't work, 5x didn't work, 6x didn't [13:28] work. So let's just dump everything in [13:29] there, call it 11x, and then maybe we'll [13:31] get an output. But for you as a sales [13:33] professional, chasing 11x is not going [13:37] to really help you if you're hitting [13:38] 150% of your quota and everybody else is [13:41] 30% of your quota. 11x doesn't mean [13:43] anything. Make sense? Yes. Very much. [13:46] I'm a big fan of when you put it into [13:49] the pipe, you've made a decision about [13:52] the level of qualification that you're [13:55] going to allow to get in your pipeline. [13:56] Now, it could be that you have a [13:57] conversation with say an early childhood [14:00] education center owner and they it's a [14:03] great conversation. The person says, [14:05] "I'm really interested in learning [14:06] more." And you just get a good feeling [14:09] from it and go, "I'm putting in my [14:10] pipe." There's nothing wrong with that. [14:12] You get to make that call. And the more [14:14] you get experience with this, Yeah. But [14:16] if someone's just dropping deals into [14:18] your pipeline and call it a pipeline [14:19] opportunity, all you're doing when you [14:21] call them and when you find out that [14:23] it's not really a good pipeline [14:24] opportunity is you're just dumping it [14:25] out of the pipeline. You're you're [14:26] deleting it and then that affects my win [14:28] rate. If they're running your win rate [14:30] against the stuff that marketing is [14:32] stuffing into your pipeline, yeah. Um [14:35] but that's a really hard way of looking [14:37] at it. And I don't know that you have a [14:39] lot of control over that because of the [14:40] way that your leadership is looking at [14:42] it. But when I'm looking at win rate, [14:45] win rate doesn't mean anything if you're [14:47] basing it off of junk. It only means [14:50] something if you're basing it off deals. [14:52] So my win rate, for example, for you, if [14:54] I'm looking at win rate, my win rate for [14:57] you should come off of deals that you [14:59] give proposals to. Now, I can hold you [15:01] accountable for the number of proposals [15:03] that you give. So let's just say that I [15:05] need you to give two proposals a week [15:07] because I know that if you give out two [15:09] proposals to qualified opportunities, [15:11] you're going to close one of them. If [15:12] you only add a half a proposal a week, [15:15] we got a problem because you're not [15:16] getting enough there. But if I'm just [15:18] saying stuff some lead into the front of [15:20] the pipeline and call it a win rate, [15:22] that is just a really poor way of [15:24] measuring your output. So, how do you [15:27] consider win rate? Is it the number of [15:29] ops you you you close versus how many [15:32] you're you're taking care of? It's the [15:35] number of deals that I close versus the [15:38] number of deals that I propose. A [15:40] proposal is a written offer to buy. I go [15:43] to you, we have a meeting, you say, "I'd [15:46] like to learn more about that." I go, [15:47] "Great. Let me give you a proposal for [15:49] how we'd help you." And you accept the [15:51] proposal. I try to close you. Maybe I've [15:54] got to follow up a couple of times. And [15:56] then I'm either going to win the deal, [15:58] I'm going to close it, or I'm going to [15:59] close loss it. And that to me is a win [16:01] rate. Now, you can back up and say, "I'm [16:04] going to run my win rate against my [16:05] firsttime appointments, or I'm going to [16:08] run my win rate against presentations, [16:10] or I'm going to run win rate against [16:12] the, you know, every deal that goes into [16:15] the very top of the pipe." I could do [16:17] that. Like, you can look at it any way [16:18] you want to, but for me, when I'm [16:21] looking at a true win rate, it is the [16:23] number of deals that get a proposal [16:25] against the number of deals that [16:27] actually close. Because until we gave [16:29] them a proposal, we didn't ask them to [16:31] buy. That's how I look at that. Now, a [16:33] couple of other things just to think [16:35] about as you start looking at these [16:36] numbers because this is a great [16:38] question. We could probably spend all [16:38] day long going through this, but when [16:41] I'm looking at my pipeline, I look at my [16:44] pipeline and and I forecast my pipeline [16:47] on a couple of numbers. One of those [16:48] numbers is how much revenue is the [16:51] pipeline opportunity going to generate. [16:53] Okay? So, when you look at what 11x [16:56] pipe, somebody's got to put a revenue [16:58] number on that particular business. What [17:00] is each of your proposals going to [17:01] produce? I'm also looking at the time [17:04] period. 11X doesn't mean anything unless [17:06] it's built on a time period. And I [17:08] typically look at my pipeline on a [17:10] 90-day rolling time period. So, I'm [17:12] looking at 90 days out and I'm looking [17:15] at the total revenue. I want to look at [17:17] a quarter. And this depends on your [17:18] sales cycle. So, if you've got a sales [17:20] cycle that is say, you know, a year, [17:22] this won't work. You would look at your [17:23] pipeline over the course of a year. But [17:26] in my space, 90 days works pretty well. [17:28] We have deals that close relatively [17:30] quickly. Some take a little bit longer. [17:32] So I'm looking at the target is 60. Yes. [17:34] So 60 days, 90 days would work fine. So [17:36] you look at but if you look at a 60-day [17:38] rolling period, what are the [17:40] opportunities in your pipe that are [17:42] real? And what is the revenue that [17:44] you're going to tie to each of those [17:45] opportunities? And it needs to be [17:47] accurate because again, I can build 11x [17:50] putting a million dollars on deals that [17:52] are $20,000. I mean, I could easily do [17:54] that in my pipeline. What what's the [17:56] time period? Say 60 days. take each [17:59] opportunity and assign a revenue number [18:01] to it and then take each opportunity and [18:03] assign a probability to it. Now, your [18:06] CRM probably does that by stage. Again, [18:09] a very, very poor way of running pipe [18:12] because just because something is in [18:14] discovery doesn't mean that it's 50% of [18:16] the way there. It means it's 50% of the [18:18] way there when you look at all of the [18:21] evidence and say, "I've got a 50% [18:23] opportunity here because I can do a a [18:25] discovery call with with a with a [18:26] company and I'm just throwing a Hail [18:29] Mary and it's a 2% opportunity. Maybe [18:31] I'll win, but I'm scratching a lottery [18:33] ticket." So, at Sales Gravy, what we do [18:35] is we go through each of those deals and [18:37] we do not run our probabilities by [18:39] stage. We run it on a dealbydeal basis [18:42] and we look at every single deal and we [18:44] change that probability based on the [18:46] evidence that we're getting that [18:47] prospect's going to move forward and [18:49] close. Once you build all that out, then [18:53] you can take your pipe and you can take [18:55] your revenue in that 60-day time period [18:58] and multiply it by the probability that [19:00] each of those deals are going to close. [19:02] And that's going to tell you on a [19:04] consistent basis what you can forecast [19:07] that you're going to close in that [19:08] 60-day period. And if you get [19:10] disciplined on the probability and get [19:12] disciplined on the revenue, then you'll [19:16] find that you can get really predictive [19:17] with your pipeline. But I'll go back and [19:19] tell you that I bet 90% of tech [19:22] companies miss their forecast every [19:25] quarter because they're stuffing the [19:27] pipeline with crap and then calling it [19:30] pipe, which is not. And then they're [19:32] running probability by stage versus by [19:35] deal. And when you do that, you're just [19:37] going to miss your number over and over [19:39] and over again because it's just purely [19:42] delusional. And in sales, you cannot be [19:44] delusional and successful at the same [19:46] time. So we we do change the percentage [19:50] um when we do our forecasting in the [19:52] beginning of the month. That's all you [19:53] want to do. If you're changing your [19:54] number, that's perfect. So you look at [19:56] revenue, number, time, and then and [19:58] that'll tell you what you need to do. [19:59] But from a salesperson standpoint, [20:02] I think you've already got this. So, I [20:04] think you go out there and maximize the [20:07] time that you're prospecting every [20:08] single day and be relentless with that [20:10] and all this other stuff will take care [20:12] of it. Sounds great. Just keep making [20:14] those calls and getting those meetings. [20:15] That's it. Thanks, Mary Ellen. If you've [20:18] got a question for the show, go to [20:19] salesgravy.com/ask. [20:22] That's salesgravy.com/ask [20:24] and submit the form. One of our [20:26] producers will reach out to you and [20:28] schedule your session with Jeb. Now, [20:29] let's button this up with a final [20:30] thought. Mary Ellen's question exposed [20:32] one of the most dangerous myths in [20:34] modern sales. That pipeline size equals [20:36] pipeline strength. But here's the brutal [20:38] truth. Most sales teams are drowning in [20:40] fake pipeline and it's killing their [20:42] ability to forecast accurately. Think [20:44] about this. Would you rather have 11x [20:47] pipeline filled with lottery tickets or [20:49] 2x pipeline packed with qualified [20:51] buyers? The answer should be obvious, [20:54] but somehow sales leaders keep chasing [20:56] vanity metrics instead of focusing on [20:58] what actually converts. Here's what [21:00] separates elite sales professionals from [21:02] the pack. They understand that pipeline [21:04] is a science, not hope. The law of [21:07] replacement isn't just a concept. It's [21:09] your lifeline. You must replace [21:11] opportunities at the rate equal to or [21:13] greater than your closing ratio or [21:16] you'll find yourself on the desperation [21:17] roller coaster every single quarter. So, [21:20] stop playing games with your pipeline. [21:22] Get ruthless about your qualification [21:24] and know your numbers. Calculate your [21:26] true closing ratios based on real [21:28] proposals to real buyers, not marketing [21:31] leads dumped into your CRM. And [21:33] remember, probability isn't determined [21:35] by stage. It's determined by evidence. [21:38] Because at the end of the day, your [21:39] commission check doesn't care about your [21:41] pipeline multiplier. It only cares about [21:44] one thing. Did you close the deal or [21:47] didn't you? The next time someone asks [21:49] you about your pipeline, don't tell them [21:50] how big it is. Tell them how clean it [21:52] is. Because clean pipelines close deals [21:54] and dirty pipelines just create false [21:56] hope. This is Jeff Blink Jr. and we'll [21:58] catch you next time on the Sales Gravy [22:00] Podcast. [22:04] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [22:06] watched this video. Make sure that you [22:08] click like and subscribe so that you [22:09] never miss one of our amazing sales [22:11] training

===FILE=== dbo7Q-eYxUA - Why Prospects Ghost You And How to Fix It  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/dbo7Q-eYxUA
Why Prospects Ghost You (And How to Fix It) ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:07] It's wisdom Wednesday where you drive [0:08] the agenda because on this segment of [0:10] the sales gravy podcast, you bring your [0:12] biggest sales challenges and Jeb Blunt [0:14] delivers his best answers. And those [0:16] answers, they come straight from the [0:18] trenches because Jeb's not just teaching [0:20] sales. He's out there prospecting, [0:22] closing, and leading sales teams every [0:24] single day. Let's take that next caller. [0:26] We have our good friend Will Fertini and [0:28] Jeb Blunt here. An interesting question [0:29] for Will from Britney Helder. She says, [0:32] "My show rates for first-time [0:33] appointments have been really bad this [0:35] past quarter. What are some things that [0:37] I can do to get people to show up to my [0:39] meetings that I book?" All right, at the [0:41] risk of seeming a little cheesy, so get [0:45] that forewarning out of the way, the [0:47] little little flash on the screen, a [0:49] little cheesy alert coming through, but [0:50] it is on you to create urgency and to [0:53] create desire. As a seller who's trying [0:55] to book an appointment, now we're really [0:56] talking turkey, right? But we're not [0:58] this isn't relationship build moment. [1:00] This isn't human moment yet. You're not [1:01] on the meeting yet. You're not in the [1:03] room yet. You got to get them to show [1:04] up. And frankly, you know, time being [1:07] the most valuable asset, we have to be [1:09] demanding of attention. And then we have [1:11] to earn it. But let's just be clear, [1:14] show rate problems, best show rate that [1:16] you could ever hope to have is 50%. You [1:18] get higher than that, man, you're just [1:19] riding the wave. Keep riding it. Enjoy [1:21] it. But 50% is what you're shooting for. [1:23] So the basic economics of double up the [1:26] number of sets that you think you're [1:27] going to have shows. So make sure that's [1:29] that's quorum. That has to be part of [1:30] it. Second though is think about how [1:33] often you've offered up times versus hey [1:36] can we meet? So what I mean by that we [1:39] used to call it the 10 and two rule when [1:41] you know if you ever got your driver's [1:42] license you would be told to hold the [1:44] steering wheel at 10:00 and 2:00. So hey [1:46] Jeb, I'm going to be in the area [1:47] tomorrow. I don't know if you have [1:49] openings, but I'm free between 10 10:30 [1:52] and 2 or 3. Does two work for you? Give [1:55] a choice. Take one away. Give that [1:57] choice again. Those are the little [1:59] pneummonics that get a human being to [2:00] say, "Oh, I want to take that choice." [2:02] The last piece I'll say, then Jeb can [2:04] kind of back clean up here on the rest [2:05] of the tactical would be think about how [2:08] far out you're giving someone the [2:10] opportunity to think about how busy they [2:11] are. Now, if you've had a meeting today [2:14] and you're booking a follow-up meeting, [2:16] great. But I think what Britney's [2:17] question is around first meeting shows, [2:19] you got to shoot for 48 hours out. If [2:21] they're not going to commit to that and [2:22] they're going to tell you to send them [2:23] an email with options, how good of a [2:25] salesperson would I be if I didn't offer [2:27] you up some times? If it's not something [2:29] that you can commit to two days out, I [2:31] just called you out of the blue. I will [2:32] take ownership of reaching out to you [2:34] again in 2 days. But realistically, my [2:36] calendar gets pretty full pretty quick. [2:38] So, I don't want to put something out [2:39] there too far for you that you have to [2:41] think about why it was that you took [2:42] that call a week ago. Those are the [2:44] little cheesy and often sometimes looked [2:46] down on down your nose by some [2:48] salespeople that that is ultimately what [2:51] it's all about. I love when I get to [2:52] talk to my SDR clients and my SDR [2:54] leaders because you can just tell the [2:57] ones that know it, hey, I've got a [2:58] really good message that I send. I make [3:00] sure I don't give them too many [3:01] opportunities to get out of it. I do [3:03] include a followup of why we're meeting [3:05] just in case they do forget and they [3:07] blacked out direct call that they were [3:08] in the middle of eating a sandwich. But [3:10] you know, tactically going back, make [3:12] sure you target 48 hours or less from [3:15] the day you are at today. So if it's [3:16] Tuesday, try to book it for Wednesday or [3:18] Thursday. Give them two options, either [3:20] 10 or two. And then take one away. How [3:23] about two? It's okay if they say no. [3:25] That's what you want them to say. And [3:27] then making sure you are demanding and [3:28] creating some urgency. Hey, I I don't [3:30] want to put something out there that's [3:32] too far out. You know, we got some stuff [3:33] going on, but we can absolutely follow [3:35] up with you if you're not ready to talk. [3:36] Just quick question. That type of [3:38] urgency. Jeb, what about you? [3:39] Those are perfect. I'd also think about [3:42] how you're setting the meetings. So, [3:44] some salespeople are really good at [3:46] talking people into agreeing to meet [3:49] with them. Sometimes they're so good at [3:51] it that people will just agree to meet [3:52] with them to get them off the phone. And [3:54] so, if you're really good at closing for [3:55] meeting, but you haven't really created [3:58] a good reason in their heart to meet [4:00] with you, then in that case, it just may [4:02] be buyer's remorse at the end. like they [4:04] said yes because you were so convincing [4:06] but when they got off the phone with you [4:07] they're like why am I going to spend [4:08] this time? The easiest way to figure out [4:10] if you're doing that is go back and [4:11] listen to some of your calls and does it [4:13] feel like you're pushing people into the [4:14] meeting. So just look at that. The [4:16] second thing is how you follow up on the [4:19] meeting that you set. So the people that [4:20] you're setting meetings with are busy. [4:22] I'm one of those people like I'll set a [4:23] meeting with you and have every [4:24] intention of showing up but I got 80 [4:26] things happening in my life and then [4:28] everything just gets buried. What [4:30] happens to a lot of SDRs and field [4:32] salespeople and sales people who are [4:34] full desk account executives, they get a [4:36] meeting because they they made like a [4:38] hundred prospecting calls and one person [4:39] says yes and they get real excited and [4:42] so they jump off the telephone and they [4:45] don't run a follow-up process to make [4:47] sure the meeting is actually set on the [4:49] calendar. So start with this. When the [4:52] person agrees at 2 o'clock, before you [4:54] get off the phone, say these words, "I'm [4:56] looking forward to seeing you at 2 [4:58] o'clock on Thursday. [5:00] and get that confirmation from them and [5:02] then say this and this is important. May [5:04] I confirm your email address so that I [5:06] can send over a meeting invite to make [5:09] it more convenient for you. Take that [5:11] extra time. Don't get excited and jump [5:12] off the phone. So, first of all, you're [5:14] a you're going to make sure you have the [5:15] right email address and then b you're [5:17] going to send them a meeting invite [5:19] immediately after that. Now, this is [5:21] also important. So, the meeting invite [5:23] has to go out. It doesn't make a [5:24] difference if they accept it or not. If [5:25] they accept it, great. Even if they [5:27] don't accept it, it's going to end up on [5:28] their calendar. And I'm just one of [5:29] those people that you're probably not [5:31] going to get acceptance out of me. You [5:32] might get out of my executive assistant, [5:34] but if it's on my calendar, it's on my [5:35] calendar. So, the next thing you want to [5:38] do when you send a meeting invite is [5:39] make sure you send a meeting invite, [5:41] right? What a lot of sales reps do is [5:43] they'll send the meeting invite, and the [5:45] meeting invite will have the name of [5:46] their prospect on it. So, it'll be like [5:48] meeting with Will Fertini. So Will comes [5:51] in on Thursday and he looks at his [5:52] calendar and it says meeting with Will [5:54] Fertini at 2:00 and Will's got no [5:56] freaking idea why there's a meeting with [5:59] Will Fertini there and Will looks at his [6:01] day and goes I got a lot of stuff going [6:02] on like I want to work on some Legos and [6:05] I got this thing on here meeting with [6:06] Will Fertini and just deletes it off the [6:08] calendar doesn't show up. So you need to [6:10] make sure that you follow a process that [6:12] says right. It says your name and then [6:16] your company in parenthesis and then [6:18] Will's name and his company in [6:20] parenthesis. Let's say Jeff Blunt [6:22] parenthesis sales gravy and will ferti [6:25] info meet about and then what I'm meet [6:28] about going forward from there because [6:30] showing up to meetings that people don't [6:32] show up to sucks. The next thing you [6:34] want to do is somewhere in the middle of [6:35] this. So let's just say that you send a [6:37] meeting invite and let's say it's [6:38] Monday. You send a meeting invite. You [6:40] got a meeting with Will on Thursday at 2 [6:41] o'clock. So on Tuesday afternoon, I'm [6:45] going to send an email to Will with a [6:46] video or a text message if I know him. [6:49] And the video is going to say something [6:50] like this. Will, it's Jeb over at [6:52] Salesgravy. I just want to let you know [6:54] how excited I am to meet with you. I'm [6:55] looking forward to bringing some ideas. [6:57] I've done a little bit of research on [6:58] your organization and I can't wait to [7:01] learn, use those words, learn more about [7:03] you. Send the email. Now, a little bit [7:06] of what I'm doing is building some [7:07] guilt, right? So, I'm showing Will that [7:09] I'm eager, I'm excited, I'm a nice [7:11] person, I personalize an email to him [7:13] and personalize a video to him. And so, [7:15] for him not to show up, it like creates [7:17] some shame. Next, and this is important, [7:20] if Will is a big deal account and I'm in [7:24] the field and I have to drive someplace [7:26] and it's going to take me a long time to [7:27] drive there, I'm going to confirm the [7:29] meeting. If Will is a big-time account [7:32] and I'm bringing the vice president of [7:34] my western division in to meet with [7:36] Will, I'm confirming the meeting. I am [7:38] not going to let executives show up on a [7:40] no-show. In those cases, I'm going to [7:43] send an email directly to Will or I'm [7:45] going to call Will directly and I'm [7:46] going to say, I just want to confirm. [7:48] I've got my head of regional sales from [7:50] the Western region coming in for the [7:51] meeting. I want to make sure [7:52] everything's going to be okay. If I'm [7:54] driving four hours to go to see Will, [7:56] I'm going to confirm it. If it's a, you [7:57] know, first- time meeting with a single [7:59] stakeholder and, you know, the stakes [8:01] are low, I'm probably not going to email [8:04] or phone to confirm it because the [8:07] likelihood is if I do that, Will's going [8:09] to get buyers remorse and say, "No, I [8:10] don't have any time." The only play that [8:12] you can use, and this is harder in the [8:14] world of cell phones than it used to be, [8:16] but if you have an office phone number [8:18] is you wait till the night before when [8:20] you know everybody's gone home and you [8:21] leave a voice message. And the voice [8:23] message again, kind of like your video [8:24] message, simply says, "Hey, I'm really [8:26] looking forward to seeing you. I can't [8:28] wait to get there. If you need to [8:30] cancel, let me know." You force him to [8:32] have to go through the work to let you [8:33] know. But he gets in, it's like 1:00 in [8:36] the afternoon, and this happened to me [8:37] yesterday, Will, believe it or not. It [8:39] was noon. There was a meeting on my [8:40] calendar that I wanted to cancel with a [8:42] salesperson. And so I called at noon, [8:45] and nobody answered the phone, and I [8:46] ended up showing up because like I [8:47] couldn't just like not show up two hours [8:49] before after they done all that work. [8:51] They sent me a text message, let me know [8:53] the meeting's going to be. They sent me [8:54] like a pre-aggenda for the meeting. And [8:56] so, I tried to snake my way out of it. [8:58] I'm being honest here. But because they [9:01] had done all the work, and I just didn't [9:02] have the ability to just not show up. It [9:05] would it would have been rude. So, I [9:07] want to do all those things because [9:08] here's the deal. Let's just say that we [9:11] get to that meeting and they don't show. [9:14] I want to own the moral high ground. And [9:16] the reason I want to own the moral high [9:17] ground is if they don't show up, they [9:19] feel like they owe me. because I did all [9:21] that work that if I have to follow up to [9:24] reset the meeting, I'm more likely [9:26] higher probability that they will reset [9:28] the meeting with me and a much higher [9:30] probability that they will show up the [9:32] next time because they owe me. If you [9:34] didn't do any of those things, you [9:36] treated them like a transaction, so they [9:37] just treat you like a transaction. If [9:39] you think about how you buy stuff as a [9:42] human being, it is kind of a funny [9:44] phenomenon in like B2B sales or high [9:46] ticket dollar sales that like we have [9:48] this like culture of, oh, I got to [9:50] follow up with you in a week, so let's [9:52] book a meeting a week out. That can [9:54] sometimes bite you in the butt, right? [9:56] So, the first meeting shouldn't be that. [9:58] It should just be like, hey, I called [10:00] you on the spot. I don't have time to [10:02] talk right now. Neither do you. Can I [10:03] talk to you later today? Like, there's a [10:05] real good reason why. And I promise you [10:07] that if it's not a good fit to go [10:09] further, I'll tell you and I will be the [10:11] first one because there's no value in me [10:12] stringing you along. But like, you know, [10:15] I think about, you know, if I want to go [10:17] buy a house, I can't be like, "Oh, I [10:20] love this house. This is a great house. [10:22] I'm going to call you in a week. We'll [10:23] see you next week. How's that sound?" [10:24] Like, those are the things that like you [10:26] have to kind of just take it down to [10:27] human brass tax as well. Think what Jeb [10:30] is saying. when you have a show rate [10:31] problem, it's probably because there's [10:34] just not something compelling or urgent [10:36] or demanding that that is sitting there [10:38] in front of them. And and yes, I promise [10:40] you, I said at the beginning of my [10:42] answer, 50% of people are going to show [10:43] up one way or another. That's just the [10:46] way it works. Like there isn't any SDR [10:49] account executive on the planet Earth [10:50] that can get some human being who's [10:52] never talked to them before to convince [10:54] on average over the course of a year, [10:56] maybe they're on a heater for a week or [10:57] couple days, fine. But to have a first [10:59] meeting show rate of about 50% is like [11:02] provol mode is like elite all-star. [11:05] Again, I'm not saying that's not [11:06] possible to have a higher than 50% show [11:08] rate. So don't come for me in the [11:09] comments kind of thing. But like you [11:10] want to remember that you are still [11:12] going to have a bunch of people not show [11:14] up even if you do it all right. So keep [11:16] it simple. Think about what you're doing [11:18] to make it easier for them to remember [11:19] why they said they want to show up. Like [11:20] Jeff said, that's the most important [11:22] thing of all the stuff he said that I [11:23] would ask you to remember. Why did they [11:25] agree to meet with you? I hate those [11:27] calls. It's like, I have no idea why I'm [11:28] here. Also, spoiler alert, be ready for [11:31] that because most people might just say [11:33] it to screw with you. I don't know why [11:34] I'm here, Jed. Why don't you tell me? [11:36] Like, I'm bad. I have no idea cuz I [11:38] don't even remember. Like, you have to [11:40] think about the human element of, "Hey, [11:42] I talked to JBJ. He was telling me some [11:44] awesome stuff about the podcast [11:45] recording software that you guys use. [11:47] What I heard from him is this, this, and [11:49] this." I don't know if that's [11:50] interesting to talk about now, later. If [11:52] you don't even care about it, but I'd [11:54] love to just grab 10 minutes later today [11:56] or tomorrow. I don't know if 2:00 works [11:58] so that we can figure out if it's [11:59] worthwhile to talk more about like those [12:00] are the people that get you to that next [12:02] level, right? Um, and so again, thinking [12:05] about how Jeb is pointing out like [12:06] making sure you're staying relevant and [12:08] staying visible are really the things [12:11] that I would hope that everybody heard [12:12] from his answer because those are the [12:13] little we call them, Henry, our CEO [12:15] founder calls them non-alltoction value [12:18] drops. Make that an acronym, you know, [12:21] Gen Alpha, Gen Z. We'll see what that [12:22] turns into. But non- call to action [12:24] value is just literally, hey, I know [12:26] we're going to meet next week. Here's a [12:27] case study about how we helped a [12:29] customer do the same thing that we said [12:30] we're going to help with. I don't know [12:31] if it's going to be relevant or not, but [12:32] you tell me. Like those are the little [12:34] things that I hope people heard from [12:35] what Jeff said and read them in his [12:37] books as he makes it so stupid easy to [12:39] go figure that stuff out. [12:40] I have a bonus question just really [12:42] quickly in one paragraph answer from [12:44] both of you if I could possibly get it. [12:46] You do all the work, you get to the [12:47] meeting, that first time appointment, [12:49] and the person no shows. What is your [12:52] follow-up message after that to [12:55] re-engage them into a reschedule of that [12:57] meeting? Will, what is your messaging to [12:59] that person? [13:00] Hey, Jeb, I hope everything's okay. I [13:02] was on the Zoom meeting for about 7 [13:04] minutes. I've got some time reserved for [13:06] Thursday and Friday morning between 9:00 [13:08] and 10:00 a.m. Eastern for when people [13:10] have stuff that comes up. Just let me [13:11] know if you're okay. If you don't want [13:13] to meet with me, I have really thick [13:14] skin. [13:15] The reason I'm calling is to reschedule [13:16] our meeting. It was set for Thursday. [13:19] Not exactly sure what happened. I hope [13:20] everything's okay. Let's go ahead and [13:22] reschedule it for the same time. And the [13:24] same thing goes for if I show up, like [13:26] if I'm in person and I show up to a [13:28] meeting and I set the agenda and I go, I [13:31] just want to make sure we still have 20 [13:32] minutes or 30 minutes. And they go, [13:34] look, I'm really in a hurry. I go, look, [13:37] I need a little bit more time because [13:38] it's not enough time to give you what [13:40] you deserve. Why don't we just go ahead [13:41] and reschedule same time, same day? [13:44] Because if they scheduled you for that [13:45] time, it's probably an open time and I [13:46] don't want them to have to think. And [13:48] sometimes, you know, I'll send him an [13:49] email, send him a note, I'm going to [13:51] follow up a few more times. Again, I'm [13:53] back to as long as I own the moral high [13:55] ground and I've done all the right [13:57] things, the probability is really high [14:01] that they're going to respect you and [14:02] they're going to reset the meeting. If [14:04] you treated them like a transaction, if [14:06] you didn't do any of those things, the [14:08] chances are high they're not going to [14:09] show up because along the way you either [14:11] broke trust with them, you lost your [14:13] credibility, they never intended to meet [14:15] with you in the first place, but you [14:17] didn't follow the process. If you had [14:19] done all those things, if they didn't [14:21] have an intention to meet with you, most [14:23] people, I'm not talking about the purely [14:25] evil people that are possessed by demons [14:28] out there. I'm just talking about most [14:30] normal people are going to tell you [14:32] along the way, look, I know I agreed to [14:34] meet with you. I really can't meet with [14:36] you now. I made a mistake. And I've had [14:38] buyers do that. Look, I know I set that [14:39] meeting with you, but it was really a [14:41] mistake. I've got too much going on. Can [14:43] we do this again 6 months? You don't end [14:45] up having a no-show because the person [14:48] told you they weren't going to show. [14:49] Yeah. I mean, that's your goal, right? A [14:51] cold call's intention is to get the [14:52] person to show up. And so, there's no [14:55] harm in listening to what Jeff just [14:56] said. Hey, I'll be the I think this is [14:58] Carl Vandercoy, top rep at Zoom Info, [15:01] broke every record we could have ever [15:02] had. The Tom Brady in New England of [15:04] kind of analogies, but your insert [15:06] sports hero here. His first thing he'll [15:09] say, and he says it so genuinely is, I [15:12] promise you, if there isn't a fit here, [15:15] I will be the one to tell you. Like, I [15:17] think there is because I've done the [15:19] hard work, but if there isn't, I got no [15:21] reason to try and convince you to take [15:22] the journey with me. Like, that's the [15:24] vibe. I'm trying to get you to a call [15:25] where I'm not calling you out of the [15:27] blue cuz I guarantee I don't have your [15:28] full attention. I'm asking for 101 15 [15:30] worthwhile. If not, I'll tell you if I [15:32] think it's not worthwhile. Here's why I [15:33] think it is. You can tell me I'm crazy. [15:35] People love that agency of being able to [15:37] say no. No, man. I'm busy. I'm in a [15:39] meeting. I know you are. I talked to [15:40] JBJ. He said that the podcast software [15:43] y'all use every single time he tries to [15:44] go spliceedit something, it starts to [15:47] catch. Do you care about that at all? [15:49] No, I don't care about at all. Perfect. [15:51] What do you care about? I mean, frankly, [15:53] right, that's the you're trying to get [15:54] them to show up to that meeting. And [15:56] when they start to give you a little bit [15:57] of a nibble, hold that. All right, cool. [15:59] I also have something I'm running to [16:00] right now. I'm calling you out of the [16:01] blue. Let's set some time for tomorrow, [16:03] 10 or two. Take what Jeb and and I have [16:05] kind of gone through today, make it your [16:06] own. But remember, that is your goal is [16:08] just to literally get on and off the [16:10] phone. I think as quickly as you can [16:12] without, you know, rushing it or not [16:13] creating that value. [16:14] Look, if you've got a question for Ask [16:16] Jeb, go to salesgravy.comask. [16:20] That's salsgravy.comask. [16:22] Get on our list. You can come on the [16:23] show. Ask us anything. Will and I are [16:26] going to be back together again on an [16:28] entire series of webinars that are put [16:30] on by Zoom Info. These been really [16:32] popular. We've been doing this now for, [16:34] I don't know, 7 years, 8 years now. We [16:37] get huge crowds. We get, you know, 2, [16:38] three,000 people show up for these [16:40] things. So, look for your email. Look [16:42] for this on social media. Look, if you [16:44] have questions for the show and you want [16:45] to be on with Jeb, go to [16:47] salesgravy.com/ask. [16:49] That's salesgravy.com/ask [16:52] and we'll get you on the show. One of [16:54] the more challenging obstacles we face [16:55] in sales is making sure our prospects [16:58] actually meet with us for that [17:00] first-time appointment. There's lots of [17:02] ways to go about making sure that you [17:04] have butts and seats so that you can [17:06] have a conversation that ultimately [17:07] leads to a closed deal. Now, the first [17:10] thing you should do is you should have a [17:12] pre-me plan where you are communicating [17:15] with your prospect with calendar [17:16] invites, with emails, and with [17:18] conversations that let them know that [17:20] you are excited and that they should [17:23] come meet with you. When it comes to [17:25] rescheduling, always offer two concrete [17:27] alternatives. Never send what works for [17:31] you in a written email. And if they [17:33] ghost, follow with a short still a [17:36] priority checkpoint and then reset. Do [17:38] this consistently and your calendar and [17:40] your revenue will start to stabilize. [17:43] And remember, when it's the end of the [17:44] day and you're tired and you've had a [17:46] bunch of prospects ghost you, always [17:48] pick up the phone and make one more [17:50] call. This is Jepplin Jr. and we'll [17:52] catch you next time on the Sales Gravy [17:53] Podcast. [17:57] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [18:00] watched this video. Make sure that you [18:01] click like and subscribe so that you [18:03] never miss one of our amazing sales [18:05] training

===FILE=== fqDiCZS-tpo - Sales Call Reluctance Rebuilding Your Prospecting Confidence  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/fqDiCZS-tpo
Sales Call Reluctance： Rebuilding Your Prospecting Confidence ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:03] [music] [0:06] It's wisdom Wednesday and the premise is [0:08] simple. You set the agenda because on [0:11] this segment of the sales groovy [0:12] podcast, you bring your biggest sales [0:14] challenges and Jeff Blunt, he hits back [0:17] with his best answers. Those answers [0:19] come straight from the trenches. He's [0:21] not just teaching the stuff. He's out [0:22] there every single day prospecting, [0:25] closing deals, and leading sales teams [0:27] that win. Today we're bringing Dwayne [0:29] Malberg from Sugarland, Texas. [0:31] All right, next up on the show is Dwayne [0:34] Malberg from Sugarland, Texas. Tell me [0:37] what you got going on. [0:39] Well, I started this opportunity with [0:42] the company. You I can actually do it [0:44] from home. I've actually been working [0:45] from home for a while. Been in the sales [0:49] game since the '9s. Inside sales, [0:53] appointment setting. and I had stopped [0:56] doing appointment setting and any type [0:57] of thing on the phone. It's been about a [0:59] little over two years. So, when this [1:02] opportunity came along, I was like, [1:04] "Okay, well, let me get back in the [1:05] game." And so, I was trying to get my [1:08] mindset right, but I noticed that when I [1:10] started having thoughts about getting on [1:11] the phone again, I started having those [1:15] uh fears like I was new again. And I was [1:17] like, "Whoa, what's going on?" You know? [1:20] And so I've been looking at, you know, [1:22] your sales videos and different ones [1:24] about getting through the gatekeeper [1:26] again. And what's funny is a lot of [1:28] stuff about getting through the [1:29] gatekeeper I remember I used to use. And [1:31] so I was like, okay. So I'm trying to [1:33] get over that that feeling, get that [1:35] mindset back about getting on the phone, [1:38] hitting it, and I actually was good, [1:40] too. So that's the thing, you know. [1:42] I totally hear you. And I think that [1:44] what you're expressing is the raw human [1:47] emotion that we feel around cold calling [1:50] and just making calls. Even though [1:52] you've been successful at it before and [1:55] you were good at it, now you're, you [1:58] know, you're looking at calling [1:59] invisible strangers again. And it [2:02] creates a level of emotional angst and [2:05] fear. And this is something that I [2:08] explain to young sales people all the [2:09] time. I've made tens of thousands of [2:11] cold calls. I make them with my clients [2:13] when I'm in training them. I'm like, [2:15] "Give me a list. I'll call with you." [2:17] And I still feel that trepidation when I [2:19] get up in the morning and I'll feel it [2:21] tomorrow when I get up in the morning [2:22] and I call my list. I'm going to feel [2:24] the first couple of calls. That level of [2:26] trepidation. It's just natural. It's [2:28] human. And I give you a good example of [2:32] why your question is important and what [2:33] we have to start thinking about as human [2:36] beings when we face these types of [2:38] fears. Five years or so ago, I got [2:40] invited to jump out of an airplane with [2:42] the United States Army Golden Knights. [2:44] It's pretty cool thing, right? You're [2:46] jumping out with the pinnacle of [2:48] paratroopers in the world. They invited [2:50] me. So, I go to Fort Knox and I get [2:52] briefed in and I get ready to go on this [2:55] thing and I'm scared to death. Like up [2:58] to the point where one of the sergeants [3:00] who was briefing us in came up to me and [3:02] said, "Sir, are you okay?" I looked [3:04] frightened. So, we go down to the hanger [3:06] to get on the airplane. I'm like, I'm [3:08] okay, okay, okay. And I'm like, my [3:09] heart's beating. I'm afraid. We get on [3:11] the airplane. I'm tandem jumping with a [3:14] golden knight. And we're getting [3:16] strapped in everything. And I just turn [3:17] to the guy and go, "Do you ever get [3:19] scared?" Like, I mean, this you're [3:20] jumping out of an airplane. And he said, [3:22] like, I mean, completely honest. He [3:24] goes, "Yeah." He goes, "Of course I do. [3:26] My heart's beating a little bit when I [3:27] jump out of an airplane cuz it's an [3:28] airplane and you know, I don't know [3:30] what's going to happen." He goes, "But [3:31] I've done it so many times and I've got [3:33] a routine." And we were going through [3:35] the whole routine. because I just go [3:36] through this routine and because I go [3:38] through this routine every single time, [3:40] I'm able to get past the fear and then [3:42] make the jump. And the jump was awesome. [3:45] I had a really, really good time. But it [3:46] was a good lesson for all of us as we [3:49] look at things that make us afraid is [3:52] what's the routine that we're going [3:53] through in order to make the call. My [3:56] guess is that if you go back and think [3:58] about where you were in the past making [4:00] calls that there was just this mental [4:03] routine that you went through before you [4:05] made the first phone call of the day, [4:06] which by the way is the hardest one [4:08] because you're picking up a 10,000 lb [4:10] weight to make the phone call. I would [4:12] go through that and start, you know, [4:13] thinking about it. The second thing that [4:15] I would think about is something called [4:17] the pull strategy or the big pull. But [4:21] making an outbound call, a cold call is [4:23] hard. That's why you and I are talking [4:24] right now. It's hard because it's scary. [4:27] The thing is is that it's not going to [4:28] get any less scary. It's going to [4:30] continue to be scary because you're [4:31] calling invisible strangers. It's just [4:34] human. There's a reason why you're doing [4:35] this. You took this job because you want [4:37] something. And that something could be a [4:39] paycheck or that something could be a [4:40] goal or that something could be I've got [4:42] something I want to buy or I want to [4:44] move up in my life or whatever it is. [4:46] What you got to have is that thing out [4:48] there that's driving you. Because when [4:51] you're thinking about something as scary [4:53] as jumping out of an airplane or making [4:55] a cold call, facing rejection, if you [4:58] don't have a big pull, like if you don't [4:59] have something that you want more than [5:02] dealing with the fear right now, you'll [5:03] end up procrastinating. So the [5:05] discipline to run a prospecting block [5:07] and do your prospecting is the [5:10] discipline to sacrifice what you want [5:12] now, which is easy, for what you want [5:14] most, which is something else. So my [5:17] first piece of advice would be sit down [5:19] and write down what you want. Like why [5:20] am I doing this? What's the process? [5:22] What do I want? So that when you start [5:24] your day, that's what you're focusing [5:26] on, not whatever is happening in the [5:27] call. And I guarantee you that if you [5:29] look in your past, because you've been [5:30] doing this for a long time, you've done [5:32] that in the past and you just forgot to [5:33] do it this time. That would be number [5:35] one. Number two is you know how to make [5:38] the call. Like telling you to make the [5:39] call, you know how to pick the phone up, [5:41] have a conversation with someone. You [5:43] already know how to get best [5:44] gatekeepers. you're pulling all of that [5:46] in. What you've got is to focus on your [5:49] core mindset and that's something that [5:52] you just got to build. So listen to the [5:54] SalesGrevy podcast. We're podcasting [5:57] three days a week. We're having these [5:58] conversations. Listen to them. I highly [6:01] recommend listening to or reading my [6:03] book, Fanatical Prospecting. That book's [6:05] been, I don't know, a couple million [6:07] copies worldwide. People use it [6:09] everywhere. The first part of that book, [6:11] the mindset part of the book will help [6:13] you. And then the frameworks for, you [6:15] know, conducting a call or for messaging [6:17] or for getting past gatekeepers. You'll [6:20] find all that in there. I think for you, [6:21] a veteran who's been doing this for a [6:23] long time, a lot of it's going to sound [6:25] like, "Hey, I used to do this. I already [6:26] know how to do this. This is pretty [6:27] good." It'll remind you of those things. [6:29] But what I've always found is that when [6:31] I'm in a situation where I feel fear or [6:34] I feel emotional angst, if I'm putting [6:37] good stuff in my ears, right, or I'm [6:40] putting good stuff in my eyes, it has a [6:42] tendency to make my heart stronger and [6:44] build my courage. And I'll give you an [6:46] example of this from my own past, but [6:48] there was a time in my past where I was [6:50] exactly where you are. I was [6:51] uncomfortable. I was fearful. I was [6:53] secondguessing myself. I'd lost my [6:56] confidence. and I didn't like know [6:59] exactly how to get out of it. So what I [7:02] did was I started breaking up my calls [7:04] into very small short blocks like [7:07] sometimes just five minutes. I'd make [7:09] five calls in five minutes or I would do [7:11] 10 minutes or 15 minutes. And we call [7:13] these highintensity prospecting sprints [7:15] today but back then I called it therapy [7:18] because I was having a hard time making [7:20] the call. Right? So, what I would do is [7:22] I would say, "Okay, I'm gonna make 10 [7:24] dials and then I'm gonna read." And I [7:28] would make 10 dials and then I would [7:29] read a book about sales that would [7:32] motivate me or inspire me. I would read [7:33] something that would be inspirational or [7:35] in this case, you know, I might watch a [7:37] YouTube video or I might listen to a [7:39] segment of a podcast and then I would do [7:41] 10 more and then 10 more and then 10 [7:43] more. And what I found was there were [7:45] two things that happened. One, by [7:46] actually doing it and not thinking about [7:48] it, I actually got better at doing it. [7:51] And I got what they call cells [7:53] endorphins. When you're actually doing [7:54] it, you actually feel good about [7:55] yourself because you like now you know [7:57] like, "Hey, I can do this. I'm fine. [7:58] Everything's okay." By breaking it up [8:00] into short little spurts, it was easier [8:03] for my brain to wrap around actually [8:05] doing it. Right? So, if you said, "I [8:06] need you to make cold calls all day [8:08] long, Dwayne." You're like, "Man, that's [8:10] a lot." Right? But if I said, "Hey, can [8:12] you just knock out five calls for me?" [8:14] You'd be, "I can do that." Then what I [8:16] would back that up with is something [8:17] that is inspiring me. like I'm putting [8:20] information in my heart. So you would [8:21] make 10 minutes of calls and then you [8:22] would read fanatical prospecting for 10 [8:24] minutes and then you make 10 minutes of [8:25] call and then you read fanatical [8:26] prospecting for 10 minutes. Right? So [8:28] what you're doing is you're building [8:30] back that muscle that you've kind of [8:32] lost over the last couple of years which [8:35] brings me to my last point which is [8:37] building the muscle. Let's say you were [8:39] a bodybuilder and you worked out really [8:41] heavily in your 30s and then you had [8:43] kids, like you got into a career, you [8:45] quit working out, you quit doing all [8:47] those things and you decided one day, [8:49] I'm going back in the gym. I'm going to [8:50] get back in shape. You're not going to [8:52] go into the gym and get on the bench [8:54] press and go bench press like 250 [8:56] pounds. You're going to go on the bench [8:58] press like me and you're going to start [9:00] off with two 20 lb dumbbells, right? and [9:02] you're going to do some reps on that and [9:04] you're going to build your way into [9:06] bench pressing 250 pounds. That's where [9:09] you are right now. You got to build the [9:12] muscle back. You already know like you [9:14] know how to do it. You got the muscle [9:16] memory. Like everything is saying I got [9:19] this, but you can't go into the gym and [9:23] go do a full workout the same way you [9:25] did, you know, five years ago right now. [9:28] So little at a time, build out your [9:30] mindset, right? go back the things that [9:32] you're doing to right now. Learn and and [9:34] focus on your skill set. Focus on [9:35] setting those goals so that you've got [9:37] something that you're going for. And [9:39] then I highly recommend short spurts of [9:42] calls, inspiration, short spurs of [9:44] calls, inspiration. Build your muscle, [9:46] build your muscle, build your muscle. [9:48] And what you're going to find is that [9:49] you're going to start feeling better [9:51] about yourself. You're going to feel a [9:52] whole lot more confident. It's going to [9:54] start building. And one day, you're [9:56] going to look back and you're going to [9:57] go, I'm better than I used to be. I'm [9:59] better now because um yeah, I I've got [10:01] all this wisdom and I've learned it. [10:03] That's going to be the key. Does that [10:04] make sense? [10:05] Yeah. Yeah, it makes a lot of sense. And [10:07] a lot of things you touched on, you [10:09] know, about how I'm feeling and uh and [10:11] that makes sense though about building [10:13] the muscle back, you know, because uh [10:16] that's something you said, you know, I [10:18] actually, you know, was working out for [10:20] a while, then I stopped and then I was [10:22] like, yeah, I need I can't go back to [10:23] what I was doing. So, little by little. [10:26] Yeah. [10:27] I appreciate that. I wrote down [10:28] another question too like for example I [10:31] have a lot of responsibilities um and [10:33] not to get too much into my personal [10:35] life but you know I have my wife's [10:36] disabled so I'm actually her caregiver [10:39] that's why you know years ago I started [10:41] working from home to have that type of [10:43] freedom where I can go ahead take her to [10:44] the doctors matter of fact when we leave [10:46] here I got to take her to the doctors [10:48] so my time management is something that [10:50] I need to learn how to build back to [10:53] what kind of advice can you give to that [10:55] I would go back to from a time [10:56] management standpoint point, the most [10:58] important thing that you can do is just [11:00] block your day. So, you've got a lot of [11:02] responsibilities. If those [11:03] responsibilities are going to impact [11:05] your ability to do your prospecting and [11:08] do your sales calls, then what you want [11:10] to do is concentrate and focus your [11:12] time, your prospecting time in a really [11:14] short block. So, these high-intensity [11:16] prospecting sprints, what we're doing is [11:18] we're getting as much prospecting as we [11:20] possibly can in the shortest time that [11:22] we possibly can with the greatest [11:24] possible outcome. Start your day with [11:26] the most important, highest priority [11:28] sales activity that you possibly can do [11:31] and then go, I'm gonna do this really [11:33] hard for 15 minutes or really hard for [11:36] an hour. If you don't block it, like if [11:39] you just leave it open with all the [11:41] responsibilities you're going to have to [11:42] do, you're going to end up diluting your [11:44] time. So, you're going to have to go get [11:46] what we call ruthless prioritization. [11:48] You're going to say the first hour of [11:49] the day, then I'm not doing anything but [11:51] this. I've got a doctor's appointment [11:53] that I need to take my wife to. That's [11:55] going to be at three o'clock in the [11:56] afternoon. So, that's going to take [11:59] three hours. I'm gonna run go do that [12:01] then. But also think if I'm taking my [12:03] wife to a doctor's appointment, if [12:05] there's time at the doctor's appointment [12:06] where they don't need me, take a [12:08] prospecting list with you and say, [12:11] "While I'm there, I'm going to knock out [12:13] five calls while I'm there or 10 calls [12:14] while I'm there in the waiting room." [12:16] So, start trying to like use every [12:18] moment of your time for that sales [12:20] activity. But most important for you is [12:23] get your calendar laid out in core [12:25] blocks for all the things that you have [12:28] to do. And my best recommendation is [12:31] frontload your day. Like start your day [12:33] with your most intense sales activities. [12:36] Because when you got a lot of stuff [12:38] going on and you're also doing the [12:42] hardest job in sales, which is making [12:43] outbound calls, by the time you get to [12:45] the end of your day, you're like you're [12:46] worn out. You're tired. Your willpower [12:49] is worn out, right? It's going to be a [12:51] lot harder for you at the end of the day [12:52] to find the motivation and inspiration [12:55] to go interrupt strangers. It's a lot [12:58] easier for you in the first thing in the [12:59] morning and you're going to feel more [13:00] confident in the morning. So, organize [13:02] your day around your responsibilities [13:04] and your emotional energy so that you're [13:07] in the right place for who you are at [13:10] that time to get what you need to get [13:12] done during the day so that you're [13:14] leveraging yourself, your best self in [13:17] each of those activities. Yeah, I [13:19] appreciate that. And right, start in the [13:21] morning, I think, is best. That was [13:23] already kind of my mindset was in the [13:25] morning because it's true. By time the [13:27] afternoon comes, I'm like, you know, but [13:30] if I start in the morning and then I'm [13:33] already motivated and say if I got stuff [13:35] done, I can kind of like feed off of the [13:37] morning motivation. Go, okay, I can make [13:39] some calls this afternoon. [13:41] So, yeah, I appreciate that. That makes [13:42] sense. And you already kind of touched [13:45] on another question of mine about [13:48] mindset in regards to rejection. I know [13:50] that's part of the game. I just have to [13:53] get back like you said that muscle of [13:56] even if it is personal, it doesn't [13:58] matter. [13:58] Yes. And the book that I would highly [14:01] recommend is an audio book or in print. [14:03] I wrote a book called Objections. Super [14:05] popular book. And the objections book [14:07] walks you through specifically how to [14:10] deal with the human emotion of [14:13] rejection. And it gives you specific [14:16] frameworks for handling rejection. I [14:19] don't glorify rejection because it's [14:20] there's nothing to glorify. It's not [14:22] fun. Nobody wants to feel rejected. And [14:23] it's not a fluff book about, hey, you [14:25] know, you just got to roll off your [14:26] back. It actually teaches you that the [14:29] way that you feel about being rejected [14:31] is real. And here are some things that [14:34] you can do in order to handle that fear [14:37] of rejection so that you can still go do [14:39] your job in sales. Folks, if you want to [14:41] be on with me, if you got questions like [14:43] this, I don't always have the right [14:44] answers, but I'm happy to have a [14:46] conversation with you and I'd love to [14:47] have a conversation with you. All you [14:48] got to do is go to salsgravy.com [14:51] ask and we'll get you on the show. [14:53] Dwayne, um, good luck for you. I believe [14:55] in you. I've got hope and I'm sending [14:58] you all my best wishes and good [15:00] vibrations to go out there and crush it. [15:03] I appreciate that. I need that. Thank [15:05] you very much. [15:06] Have a good one, Dwayne. [15:07] All right. Thank you. You, too. [15:08] That knot you feel in your gut right [15:10] before a cold call, it's human. And the [15:13] only real cure is doing it again. You [15:16] need to start each day with your highest [15:18] value sales activity. Run high-intensity [15:21] prospecting sprints that last just 5 [15:23] minutes and if you can get it to 15 [15:25] minutes of nonstop action and pair each [15:29] sprint with the quickest blast of [15:31] mindset fuel. Use the big pool. Write [15:34] down what you want most in your future [15:36] and let that massive goal overpower [15:39] today's tiny discomfort. Block your [15:40] calendar ruthlessly and celebrate those [15:43] small wins and rebuild that muscle every [15:46] single day because confidence always [15:49] follows action. Look, there is no secret [15:52] to success other than when you're tired [15:54] and when you're ready to go home, you [15:57] look down at that phone and you pick it [15:58] up one more time. This is Jeb Blunt Jr. [16:01] and we'll catch you next time on the [16:02] Sales Gravy podcast. [16:07] Thank you so much for watching this [16:09] video. [music] Please make sure to click [16:10] like and subscribe so you never miss a [16:12] single video. And if you want more sales [16:13] [music] training content, go to [16:15] learn.salgrevy.com.

===FILE=== k4aDsOC4-ck - The BTN Prospecting Method Money Monday.txt
https://youtu.be/k4aDsOC4-ck
The BTN Prospecting Method (Money Monday)

[0:00] [Music] [0:05] this is Jeb blunt and it's money Monday [0:07] on the sales gravy podcast say make M [0:11] make make [0:15] s the world go I'm the talk [0:18] around town Remy gave me the Sound [0:20] Pocket I need that on [0:23] theet what's up everybody I apologize [0:26] for my voice this week I picked up a [0:28] cold at a training event lastek week and [0:30] I'm a little bit under the weather but [0:32] the show must go on because Monday [0:34] matters you see when you start your week [0:36] strong you end your week strong and [0:38] that's exactly what Monday Monday is all [0:40] about it's about helping you get [0:41] energized focused and moving in the [0:43] right direction with real world [0:45] strategies that help you crush your [0:47] quota fill your pipeline and above all [0:49] keep that momentum going every single [0:51] day now here's a warning this Monday's [0:55] message will be one of the most powerful [0:56] hacks you've ever integrated into your [0:58] sales life because it's simple easy to [1:01] put into practice and it absolutely [1:03] works it has the potential over the [1:06] course of time to change everything for [1:08] you it's the BTN method and I learned it [1:11] from a friend of mine who completely [1:13] transformed his life and his Habits by [1:15] mastering this one straightforward [1:17] tactic in James clear's book Atomic [1:20] habits he talks about a strategy for [1:22] making a habit stick never miss two days [1:24] in a row in other words if you mess up [1:26] on Monday if you skip your workout or [1:28] drop the ball on your new habit you give [1:31] yourself permission to Let It Go but you [1:33] get right back on track by Tuesday you [1:36] never miss two days in a row and allow [1:38] those mistakes to pile up and push you [1:40] right back into the bad habit you were [1:42] trying to change I love this advice [1:45] because it reminds us we're all human [1:47] we're going to slip up you see life [1:50] happens kids get sick you get sick [1:52] clients call with emergencies your boss [1:55] gives you extra work your flight's [1:57] delayed and you're stranded in the [1:58] airport and sometimes [2:00] you just have to eat that piece of cake [2:03] James clear's approach is when this [2:05] happens to give yourself a break it's [2:07] okay that you messed up once forgive [2:10] yourself but don't let it spiral [2:12] downward by stringing multiple days of [2:14] Misses together and by the way this [2:16] approach [2:17] works but there is another strategy that [2:21] works even better for keeping you on [2:23] track makes it easier to bounce back [2:26] still allows you to be human and over [2:28] time yields far better results and if [2:32] you really want to build Unstoppable [2:34] sales habits and supercharge your [2:36] performance I think you'll love this [2:39] approach a few years ago I was meeting a [2:41] good friend of mine for dinner we hadn't [2:44] seen each other in a couple of years [2:45] because he's the CEO of a large company [2:48] and he's constantly flying all over the [2:49] world dealing with high level [2:51] negotiations board meetings you name it [2:54] but I know from experience that this [2:56] kind of schedule can wreak havoc on your [2:58] diet your sleep and especially your [3:00] exercise routine but when Chris walked [3:03] into the restaurant I was stunned I mean [3:05] he looked incredible like a completely [3:08] different person he lost a bunch of [3:10] weight and he was in fantastic shape as [3:13] we sat down at the table I couldn't help [3:15] but blurred out dude you look incredible [3:17] how on Earth do you manage to find time [3:19] to exercise and take care of yourself [3:22] with a schedule that is insane as yours [3:25] the truth is at the time I was really [3:27] struggling with my own health I'd been [3:30] traveling without a break and I'd gained [3:32] far too much weight and I really felt [3:34] bad even though I needed to do something [3:36] about it I was wrestling with the [3:38] typical excuses of a busy travel [3:40] schedule client dinners lack of time in [3:43] the mornings for a real workout late [3:45] nights in airports and extreme [3:48] exhaustion Chris looked at me and smiled [3:50] and said I used the BTN method I [3:53] instantly reach for my phone to Google [3:55] BTN because I thought it was some new [3:57] Miracle workout program and I was [3:59] looking for anything that can help me [4:01] get my health back on track but Chris [4:03] just started laughing he said you're not [4:05] going to find that on Google he said BTN [4:08] stands for better than nothing then he [4:10] explained his philosophy he said no [4:13] matter where he is no matter how [4:14] jam-packed his day no matter how [4:16] exhausted he feels he refuses to let a [4:19] single day pass without doing some form [4:22] of exercise no matter how little on a [4:25] good day when he has time he does an [4:27] intense 45-minute workout but if he [4:29] doesn't have time if he's been in [4:30] back-to-back meetings from dawn to dusk [4:33] then he'll at least drop down on the [4:34] floor in his hotel room and do five [4:36] push-ups or 20 jumping jacks or a [4:38] two-minute plank something anything just [4:42] not nothing he explained that five [4:44] push-ups is better than no push-ups and [4:47] over time it all adds up that's the BTN [4:51] method something is better than nothing [4:54] now one of the big reasons that most of [4:56] us haven't adopted the BTN mindset [4:59] already is that it feels too small to [5:01] matter you see if you're used to doing a [5:03] 60-minute workout you might think well [5:05] 10 push-ups that's useless might as well [5:08] not do anything but the truth is doing [5:11] anything is infinitely better than doing [5:13] nothing because of the cumulative impact [5:16] of doing a little bit every day you see [5:18] for Chris the months and years of never [5:20] missing a day completely transformed his [5:23] Health Plus BTN keeps you Tethered to [5:26] your routine your discipline momentum [5:28] and your sense of ADD idty as someone [5:30] who follows through and never misses a [5:33] day up until this point we've been using [5:36] exercise as an example but let's take a [5:38] step back and consider how the BTN [5:40] method fits into sales in my book [5:43] fanatical prospecting I talk about how [5:45] prospecting is one of those [5:46] non-negotiable activities you must do [5:49] every single day to keep your pipeline [5:50] full yet if we're honest nobody really [5:54] likes prospecting and we'll dream up any [5:56] excuse and I mean any excuse to put it [5:58] off propos proposals that need writing [6:00] admin task emails that one big client [6:03] who demands your attention 24/7 meetings [6:06] the boss it's wiy a full moon or maybe [6:08] just the Allure of another cup of coffee [6:10] in the breakroom but of course there are [6:13] real legitimate issues that truly impact [6:16] how much time you have for prospecting [6:17] during your sales day and I know you're [6:20] busy you have fires to put out big [6:22] presentations and a packed schedule of [6:24] demos Discovery and closing meetings and [6:27] all those days when your schedule is [6:28] that packed It's Not Unusual to roll a [6:31] zero and Skip prospecting allog together [6:34] and it's not like you did it on purpose [6:36] you were legitimately busy but that's a [6:40] big problem because those zeros add up [6:43] to zero and the number one reason for [6:45] failure in cells is an empty Pipeline [6:48] and the top reason why you have an empty [6:50] pipeline is because you did zero [6:52] prospecting a zero day is a day when you [6:54] do absolutely nothing toward your goal [6:57] in Fitness that means no movement no [6:59] push s not even a single Squad in sales [7:02] it means ignoring prospecting [7:04] entirely zero days are the enemy because [7:08] zero days compound your inaction and [7:10] lead to crash and burn failure on the [7:13] other hand when you adopt a something is [7:16] better than nothing mindset and commit [7:18] to never rolling a zero you'll [7:20] accomplish more than you ever thought [7:22] possible because you'll tap into the law [7:25] of cumulative impact the law of [7:27] cumulative impact states that small [7:28] consistent Act s when repeated regularly [7:31] over time add up to produce massive [7:34] results in other words even effort that [7:37] seems insignificant like making a few [7:39] prospecting calls or doing a short [7:41] workout lead to Major transformations in [7:44] Performance Health and personal growth [7:46] over [7:47] time some days you don't knock out 50 [7:50] cold calls other days you might only [7:52] manage to make five but that's okay [7:55] because the last time I checked five is [7:57] better than zero [8:00] by continuously stacking small winds you [8:02] harness the compounding effect and [8:04] you'll far exceed what can be achieved [8:06] with occasional burst of high effort [8:08] followed by long stretches of inaction [8:11] for example doing five push-ups every [8:13] single day for a year accumulates to [8:16] nearly 2,000 push-ups that's going to [8:18] tone your upper body build endurance and [8:20] keep your metabolism humming and doing [8:23] five calls a day is 25 calls a week over [8:26] 100 calls a month and well above a th000 [8:28] calls a year [8:30] that's a massive chunk of pipeline [8:32] building activity from just five calls a [8:35] day the key is allowing yourself to be [8:38] proud of those micro winds you see [8:41] you're aiming for Progress not [8:42] Perfection and the days when you can do [8:45] more will that's fantastic but on others [8:47] you might have to accept that doing [8:49] something is a win because something is [8:52] better than [8:53] nothing what we must remember is that [8:56] greatness in sales comes from consistent [8:59] daily effort the pipeline is always [9:01] flowing because you never stop feeding [9:04] it the better than nothing approach [9:06] ensures that you were always adding logs [9:08] to the pipeline fire maybe just a few [9:11] some days maybe a whole bundle on others [9:14] but you never let it burn out completely [9:16] and over time that's how you create [9:19] Unstoppable [9:20] momentum here are a few keys to putting [9:24] the BTN method into practice in your [9:26] sales day and in your life is starts [9:29] with adopting a no zero mindset wake up [9:33] each morning and tell yourself that you [9:35] are a person who never has a zero day of [9:37] prospecting no matter how swamped or [9:40] frazzled you feel then I suggest say it [9:42] out loud because when you say it out [9:44] loud it becomes your [9:46] identity Next plan for better thano [9:49] activities identify the simplest task [9:52] you can do if you're pressed for time [9:54] like calling five leads or sending three [9:57] emails and then fill the gap [10:00] always carry a prospecting list with you [10:02] that way you're always prepared and [10:04] whenever you find yourself with a tiny [10:05] window maybe someone canels a zoom [10:08] meeting or you have 20 minutes between [10:10] appointments use that Gap to make a few [10:12] calls no chunk of time is too small to [10:15] do something and celebrate small wins it [10:18] may feel silly to fistbump yourself for [10:21] just doing something but that mental [10:23] reinforcement works because you're [10:25] rewarding yourself for no zeros and [10:28] remember this doesn't just apply to [10:30] prospecting you should never let a day [10:32] go by without some form of progress [10:34] toward your sales goals five minutes 10 [10:37] minutes one microtask something is [10:40] always better than nothing now before I [10:43] wrap up I want to give a shout out to [10:45] Fernanda cesarz who posted this comment [10:48] on Spotify Fernanda says I really love [10:51] money Mondays thanks for the inspiration [10:54] and thank you also to Ellie Presley who [10:56] wrote this awesome five-star review on [10:58] Apple she says I listen to Jeb every [11:00] weekday morning and when Jeb is giving [11:03] advice you can tell from his responses [11:05] he's actually selling not just telling [11:07] people how to sell from afar I haven't [11:09] come across one episode where I couldn't [11:11] take something and apply it to my world [11:14] thank you so much Fernanda and Ellie I'm [11:17] truly grateful for your words and and I [11:19] want to say thank you to everyone who is [11:21] taking time to leave five star ratings [11:23] and post five star reviews we have an [11:25] incredible audience and your reviews are [11:28] helping push us up in the algorithms our [11:30] numbers are way up so thank you so much [11:33] as you go into this week I challenge you [11:35] to refuse to settle for zero I've [11:38] promised that you will be amazed at how [11:40] those small daily actions add up and if [11:43] you found value in this episode please [11:45] share with your team or a fellow [11:47] salesperson who might be struggling to [11:49] keep up their daily activities and [11:52] remember when it's time to go home when [11:54] you're worn out when you're tired and [11:56] all you want to do is give up always [11:58] make one more call because even if that [12:02] one more call is your only call of the [12:04] day it's still better than nothing I'll [12:08] see you next time on the sales gy [12:13] podcast broke I ain't never going back [12:16] again I need some C notes some cheddar [12:18] and a stack of ends I need a bowl of [12:20] dough I don't need no Facebook friends I [12:23] need a pack of them snaps a handful of [12:25] fety wops and rubber band on my green [12:27] backs look dog don't be playing with my [12:29] paper I need every red scent that's why [12:31] I brought my little scraper makeone [12:34] makeone take Mone take Mone [12:41] make take

===FILE=== lK8enndO1YQ - How Much Research Before Cold Calling Stop the Productivity Trap  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/lK8enndO1YQ
How Much Research Before Cold Calling？ Stop the Productivity Trap ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:00] All [0:03] [music] [0:07] right, it's Wisdom Wednesday where you [0:09] drive the agenda. And on this segment of [0:11] the Sales Gravy podcast, you bring the [0:13] biggest sales challenges and Jeb Blunt [0:15] delivers his best answers. And those [0:16] answers, they come straight from the [0:18] trenches because Jeb's not just teaching [0:20] sales. He's out here prospecting, [0:21] closing, and leading sales teams every [0:24] single day. All right, let's take that [0:25] next caller. All right, next up on the [0:27] show is Michael Bricker from West [0:30] Monroe, Louisiana. What's happening out [0:33] in Louisiana these days? [0:34] Oh, not much, man. Uh Meta over in about [0:37] 30 miles east of us is a huge thing [0:40] going on. Um as well as Radiance is [0:42] bringing in uh a massive manufacturing [0:45] chip plant 30 miles the other way. Um [0:48] we've got a lot of big things happening [0:50] on the I20 corridor here in North [0:51] Louisiana and Louisiana as a whole. So [0:53] uh exciting times definitely be in my [0:55] industry as well. It [0:56] is very good. You know Streetport used [0:57] to be I I went up to Monroe but I was in [1:00] Streetport um used to be part of my [1:02] territory when I was in sales and um and [1:04] in sales leadership as well. Yeah. I [1:06] spent a lot of time um between uh Tyler, [1:08] Texas and Monroe. It is a happening area [1:11] over there that and it's nice you know [1:12] the I20 corridor all the way from I'm [1:15] I'm on I20 in Augusta Georgia but really [1:17] all the way from Florence uh South [1:19] Carolina out to Midland Texas is really [1:22] hopping all all the way through. Tell me [1:24] what you do and what your question is. [1:26] Sure. I work for Canterara Networks. Uh [1:28] we are a fiber uh backed internet [1:32] provider that also does phones and [1:34] managed services. Um I got a background [1:36] pretty wide range. started out in [1:38] education, higher education, um was a [1:40] recruiter, then did sponsorship sales [1:43] for another university. Um then managed [1:46] a uh blood donation center, uh two of [1:50] them actually, and that was a fun time. [1:51] But now, uh Contra Networks is is what [1:54] I'm doing. We we help businesses. We're [1:56] business internet only provider that uh [1:58] helps create tailored solutions, not [2:01] bundles, you know, um things that will [2:03] actually speak and provide value um and [2:08] reliability. [2:09] Here at Sales Studios, you can see our [2:11] studio here. This is one of our five [2:13] studios. Our fiber provider, we actually [2:16] um they built a line directly to our [2:18] offices because we need so much upload [2:20] because we do so much live training. [2:22] You'll be like that. So you'd be doing [2:24] customized solutions for businesses. [2:26] Okay, got that. So um so tell me what [2:28] your question is. What's on your mind? [2:30] Well, when I first started, I'm about [2:31] five months in right now. When I first [2:33] started, I think whenever I sent the [2:34] message, it was two months in. And so we [2:36] went through a training, fantastic, best [2:38] sales training I've had yet. And of [2:40] course, it included some of your stuff [2:42] and some of Mike Weinberg's stuff. And [2:43] also my first uh my first major book [2:46] once I said, "Hey, direct sales is where [2:48] I'm going was Fanatical Prospecting." Um [2:50] and so learned a lot there. Uh but in [2:53] the training we learned 3x3s. Basically, [2:55] hey, you get a new prospect, three [2:57] minutes of research should be able to [2:59] discern or give you enough information [3:02] to um not sound, you know, like you [3:05] don't know what their what their [3:07] business is um and really give you some [3:09] insights into what would uh provide [3:12] value for them. [3:14] What I found was though and I was coming [3:16] out of not coming in telecom industry so [3:19] I was you know fresh learning everything [3:21] myself and what I found was is I was [3:23] going way past that three minutes to [3:25] find three things that would really help [3:27] you get in there. I was going 15 minutes [3:30] 30 minutes um just kind of really [3:33] worried that you know I would I wouldn't [3:35] have that one thing that I needed to [3:38] really turn the table or open the door [3:39] the key to unlock it. Um and so yes, I [3:44] started implementing the the training. [3:45] It was again a fantastic wellthoughtout [3:48] training. Um saw my numbers go up, but I [3:51] also felt like I was capping myself and [3:54] it was hard to discern what those key [3:56] pieces of information were and how could [3:58] I get better at finding those? And when [4:01] do you when do you finally jump off, [4:03] right? At what point do you say, "Okay, [4:05] that's enough research. Let's make the [4:07] call." [4:07] And where are you today? So that was a [4:08] couple months ago. You went to training. [4:10] you experienced that. How have you [4:12] evolved now and you still struggling [4:14] with what to do or when to jump off or [4:16] how much information do I need or how [4:17] much time do I spend? [4:18] I think I find myself uh sliding back [4:22] into it. But it [clears throat] has [4:23] become less of an issue I believe um for [4:26] I think two main reasons. Uh one is just [4:28] experience. You know, just getting to [4:30] know what typical cadences are and what [4:33] typical businesses on a 30,000 foot [4:35] level really need. [4:37] The second is a bit of a shift in my [4:40] mindset as to what I'm doing on that [4:42] call. [4:43] Yes. [4:43] Right. Like what I was looking for was [4:46] the in the armor while they're [4:48] still in the armor [4:49] versus, hey, let's take the armor off. [4:52] I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. [4:53] Let's take the armor off and let's look [4:54] it over together. Um, and so I'm finding [4:58] that if I'm not looking to make a sale [5:01] on that first initial call, which I [5:03] that's not Yeah, you're not supposed to, [5:05] but if I if I'm looking to make a [5:06] connection [5:07] and I start with curiosity, [5:10] that has helped a tremendous amount. I [5:13] feel way less like I am playing a game [5:16] of chess that, you know, I don't have [5:18] all my pieces for versus uh building a [5:22] chess board together. I think that's [5:24] super insightful and if we can break [5:26] down your question just for other people [5:27] who may be in the same situation. [5:30] The the problem with research is that [5:33] research isn't prospecting. Research is [5:35] research. So the all the time you spend [5:38] researching, you're not actually doing [5:40] any activity. You're not talking with [5:41] anybody. You're not having any [5:42] conversations at all. And and then when [5:46] you add on the just the basic human fear [5:49] that comes with making cold calls and [5:51] you know interrupting invisible [5:52] strangers, research becomes a crutch [5:55] where your your brain almost lies to you [5:58] and says if I know all this information [5:59] that it's going to be so much better. So [6:01] then you spend 15 minutes researching [6:03] and I know this has happened to you. And [6:05] then you make the call and you go to [6:06] voicemail and you know you're like I [6:09] just like I made 12 calls a day and [6:11] everyone went to voicemail and did all [6:13] this research and didn't get anywhere. [6:14] I'm sure you learned that lesson like [6:16] you hit that wall and said this isn't [6:18] working for me. Initially your [6:19] productivity went up because you had [6:20] better conversations and then it hit the [6:22] floor and now you're still trying to [6:24] balance it and like you said you'll go [6:25] back to that and you go back to it when [6:27] you're living in a world of uncertainty [6:28] or if you have a really bad call you'll [6:31] typically if you'll think about it you [6:32] have a bad call you revert to I'm going [6:34] to start researching. Yes. [6:36] Exactly. [6:37] I've got a I've got some [6:39] philosophies about the research thing. [6:41] I'm I'm not saying that the threeminut [6:43] thing is a wrong thing to do but let me [6:45] let me give you some my own insight on [6:47] this. You said my job is not to sell [6:49] them on the first call. My job is to get [6:52] them to agree to spend some time with me [6:54] so that I can ask them questions to [6:56] figure out whether or not it makes sense [6:57] for us to keep talking. So all you're [6:59] really doing on a call is trying to set [7:00] an appointment with them. And in that [7:03] case, right, how much do you really know [7:05] need to know about them in order to set [7:06] the appointment? And the answer is not a [7:08] lot. Um, now I'm I want to break down a [7:12] cold call on the phone versus sending [7:14] them an email, right? and I want to [7:16] break down, hey, I called, I hit a wall, [7:19] they gave me an objection, and I'm [7:20] calling back the second time. Right? So, [7:22] those are different things. The first [7:24] call that you make to them, how much do [7:26] you actually need to know? And over [7:29] time, this gets even easier because I [7:31] think you said this in a different way, [7:32] but the more you get to know your [7:35] customers and the business and the [7:37] industry, the more business acumen you [7:39] gain. So, it's a lot easier for you to [7:41] look at a business and say, "Well, I've [7:42] talked to 10 other businesses just like [7:44] this. they're all having this particular [7:45] problem. I've seen a pattern. I don't [7:47] really need to go do 15 minutes of [7:49] research to recognize that this likely [7:50] that this company is going to have the [7:52] same pattern. So, I just need to build a [7:55] message around that. And and that's the [7:58] thing that I think a lot of people miss [7:59] is I'm not selling them. I just need to [8:02] get an appointment with them. Now, if I [8:04] go, let's say I talk to their president [8:06] of their company or I talk to the owner [8:07] of the company or talk to the CEO and [8:09] they give me a hard no objection, then I [8:12] might go back and do some research [8:14] because I I need to come back again with [8:15] a different message because what I gave [8:17] them didn't work and I have infinite [8:19] times to come back. or if I'm going to [8:21] send them an email, it probably makes [8:23] sense if I'm going to do a prospecting [8:25] email that I at least have some [8:26] information about them that's not AI [8:28] generated crap that I'm able to give to [8:31] them that says, "Hey, I've got some [8:32] insight for your business because I've [8:33] talked to other businesses that way." [8:35] But you don't really need to do that [8:36] much research. So, if you're in a [8:38] situation where you're like, you're [8:40] researching then making a call, then [8:41] researching and making a call, if that's [8:42] your world, stop. Just stop doing that. [8:46] If you feel like you need research, like [8:48] if you feel like you need that crutch, [8:50] and I'm one of the people that don't, [8:51] like you give me your list, I'm not [8:53] researching anybody. I'm making the call [8:55] and talking to people because I feel [8:57] really confident in my ability to get [9:00] someone on the phone, convert them into [9:02] an appointment, and then if I hit a wall [9:04] of rejection and they give me [9:06] information, I can go back and then do [9:07] that research for the next time I call [9:09] them. But I don't I just don't do [9:11] research. Now again, I'm not sending [9:14] emails to people with just blind without [9:16] any research. I'm not going to put [9:17] something in writing that way, but I'm [9:18] making a cold call. The thing lasts for [9:20] 30 to 60 seconds and and and most of [9:23] them are going to go to voicemail. But [9:25] if you're a person who feels like, hey, [9:27] I really need to research these things. [9:29] I totally get that. What you need to do [9:32] is schedule time before your call block [9:36] for the research. So, even if you said, [9:38] "Look, I'm going to, you know, I'm going [9:39] to schedule two hours, but I'm going to [9:40] do all my three minutes of research [9:42] during that two hours." Cool. Do that. [9:44] Do the research, right? Make your notes [9:46] next to their name and then go make the [9:48] calls because the chances are you're [9:50] going to hit voicemail a lot and but at [9:52] least you'll have the research done. If [9:55] you, let's say you run a call block on [9:57] purely cold leads and you talk to, let's [9:59] say, you call 25 and you talk to five [10:02] and those five give you additional [10:03] information. and I'm not the right [10:04] person or we don't have that problem or [10:06] we don't have this issue and you're [10:08] like, "Okay, well, I got to call them [10:09] again." Go back and do the research on [10:11] those. First of all, you know they're [10:13] there. You know something about them. [10:14] You've done a little bit of qualifying. [10:16] Now, go do research on them so you can [10:18] you can augment your message or shift [10:20] your message just a little bit so that [10:22] when you come back again, you sound a [10:23] little bit more insightful. But the [10:25] efficiency that you lose from doing all [10:28] that research just kills your call [10:30] momentum and becomes an emotional [10:32] crutch. like I'm going to go do all the [10:34] research because I didn't know enough [10:35] stuff, you know, and you start lying to [10:36] yourself about it. So, the big thing is [10:38] if you feel like you need to do [10:39] research, just do all the research in [10:41] one block. So, all I'm doing is [10:43] research. If you find yourself slipping [10:46] back into doing a lot of research, [10:48] that's cool, but just do it in that [10:50] block and that that'll solve it because [10:51] you'll you'll get past that. and then [10:53] recognize and be comfortable with [10:55] yourself cuz I think you're at that [10:56] place now where I could probably give [10:58] you a list and said this is a list of [11:00] businesses who are in this particular [11:02] sector and then we could create what we [11:04] call targeted messaging. So targeted [11:06] messaging is messaging that is not [11:10] completely personalized to every single [11:12] one of those businesses, but is either [11:14] rolebased. I'm calling um CIOS in all [11:17] these businesses or I'm calling the the [11:18] facilities manager. I'm calling the [11:20] business owner. I'm calling businesses [11:22] that are in this geographic area or that [11:25] are in this particular industry sector. [11:27] You and I could sit down very quickly [11:29] and go, "Okay, what are they dealing [11:30] with? What are the issues they're [11:31] facing? What are the what do they want [11:33] from their business? how could that help [11:35] them? And then we could put together a [11:37] one or two messages that's going to [11:39] connect with most of the people on that [11:42] list without having to do research on [11:44] every single customer on that list. [11:46] Because from my standpoint, right, from [11:48] a time standpoint, if I can call them [11:50] and get them to meet with me, like you [11:52] said, and then we can go in and I can [11:54] take a good look at their armor before [11:56] I'm going into that first meeting, you [11:59] know what I'm going to do? Lots of [12:00] research. Like I'm I'm I'm walking in [12:02] armed. So that way I know I have a [12:05] meeting. I know they're going to be [12:07] there. All of the effort that I put into [12:09] my research is going to pay off um [12:11] because they're waiting for me to go [12:12] there and then I can use some really [12:14] cool tools these days. Like are you [12:16] using Notebook LM by any chance? [12:18] No, sir. [12:18] Google program. If you got a Gmail [12:20] account, you can get in. It's called [12:21] Notebook LM. So before you go into a [12:24] first meeting, you can dump everything [12:25] that you know about them into Notebook [12:27] LM. It'll create an FAQ. It'll create a [12:29] briefing statement for you. It'll help [12:31] you kind of work through that. And it's [12:32] not like um a large language model where [12:35] you're putting information in and it [12:36] just gets disseminated everywhere. It [12:38] only works in in that particular model. [12:40] And it's perfect for those first [12:42] meetings. That's how I that's how I go [12:44] to market. That's how I sell. And it is [12:46] the antithesis of what some people teach [12:48] like do all the research. And I've [12:50] proven it again and again and again like [12:51] okay you do the research. You give me a [12:53] list. I'm not going to research. I'm [12:55] calling you're you're researching. And [12:57] I'm talking about in with with in client [13:00] accounts, live situations. I've been out [13:02] on the road and like a buddy's call me, [13:04] hey, can you come in and see my sales [13:05] team? And I'm like, you give me your [13:06] list, you do your thing. And I'll [13:09] always, every time, consistently, [13:11] there's never a time when anybody has [13:13] beat me where I just call and talk to [13:16] people that I don't set more good [13:18] quality appointments than the person who [13:20] is hanging out, researching every deal, [13:22] every every call before they actually [13:24] make the call. [13:25] 100%. Thank you for that. All right. [13:27] Anything else you got while you got me? [13:29] Because now you've like you've grown [13:30] into this job and you're, you know, [13:31] you're you're you're crushing it. [13:33] Moving deals along. I think I would love [13:35] to hear your your advice on after the [13:38] discovery. Um maybe the second and third [13:41] meeting. Um especially for the larger [13:43] deals. What are some of the key things [13:45] that people, especially new people in in [13:48] this direct sales kind of uh environment [13:50] are missing that is going to help them [13:53] push that into the close and bring the [13:55] value that they need? [13:56] So, what causes deals to to not move [13:58] along? [13:59] Uh fit, price, and consensus. [14:04] Okay. Well, if you're doing discovery, [14:06] price wouldn't be an issue, would it? [14:07] Right. [14:07] Okay. So, um consensus might be an [14:10] issue, right? So the consensus to move [14:13] forward that would impact you if you [14:14] have multiple stakeholders in the deal. [14:16] What could also make a deal not move [14:18] along is if you got single siloed with [14:20] one stakeholder. They're not the [14:21] decision maker and now you've got to go [14:24] try to get the decision maker to come in [14:25] and um and gain consensus and now you're [14:28] essentially back to prospecting again [14:30] because you're trying to chase that [14:31] person down and bring them in. So that [14:32] could be it. Probably not going to be [14:34] price, right? Because if you if if it [14:36] was a price issue then you would have [14:38] qualified them out from the very [14:39] beginning, right? If they said, "Hey, [14:40] look, we only have this budget and your [14:42] budget, you know, there's too big of a [14:44] gap between the two of you. The thing's [14:45] not moving forward." Right now, price [14:48] can stall a deal at the close, right? [14:50] Where you've given them a proposal, uh, [14:52] but it's probably not going to stall you [14:53] at at discovery. So, consensus, what [14:56] else? What are the things that like [14:57] stall a deal? [14:58] Value, I would say, um, as well as just [15:01] bandwidth. The person you're working [15:02] with, right, that they're they just [15:04] don't have the bandwidth to address this [15:05] issue right now. [15:07] Could be. Um, and but they're they're [15:09] probably telling you that in some way. [15:11] So, let's just think about um you make a [15:14] prospecting call, you set a first-time [15:16] appointment, you meet with them on the [15:17] first-time appointment, and the entire [15:21] objective of the first time appointment [15:22] is what? [15:23] Just to learn more. [15:24] The entire objective of the first time [15:26] appointment is to get the next [15:27] appointment. [15:28] Gotcha. [15:28] That's it. Like everything else is is [15:30] academic. It's I meet with you, I [15:32] qualify you in, right? and they qualify [15:35] me and they like me enough to to say I'm [15:37] willing to spend more time with you and [15:38] you like them enough to say I'm willing [15:40] to spend more time with them, right? [15:41] That so we're all agreeing that we're [15:43] going to keep moving forward. So the [15:44] entire purpose of the first meeting is [15:46] to get the next meeting. The entire [15:48] purpose of the prospecting call is to [15:49] get the first meeting. Think about it, [15:51] right? So if if I don't do any research [15:54] to get the first meeting, I probably can [15:55] get the first meeting. If I don't do any [15:57] research when I get to the first [15:58] meeting, I might not get the next [16:00] meeting. So that research does matter [16:02] there, right? So, I'm doing some [16:03] discovery. I'm qualifying it out. Then [16:05] at the next meeting, right, what am I [16:08] doing? Now, in a larger deal, it might [16:10] be I'm meeting different stakeholders or [16:13] I'm taking a look at their if you're [16:14] going on site, I'm looking at their [16:15] site, you're seeing an engineer in um I [16:17] need to understand a little bit more [16:19] about your business objectives and how [16:23] you're currently running your network [16:24] and how you're currently, you know, [16:26] using fiber, those type of things. So [16:27] I'm building out a a question base so I [16:30] can build a business case. That could be [16:32] one or two steps or it could be three [16:34] steps, right? So if they have multiple [16:35] locations, you might have to go to [16:36] multiple locations. If they have [16:38] multiple stakeholders that are involved [16:40] that have a say in this, I might need to [16:41] talk to them. If they've got a managed [16:43] service provider that is helping them [16:44] with all their devices and then you're [16:46] going to impact them. But each of those [16:48] steps, right, you're doing particular [16:51] things and you're moving to the next [16:52] step. You're doing all that to build a [16:54] business case for doing business with [16:56] you that you're going to present at some [16:58] point in the future. So all of those [17:00] steps are next steps. The thing that [17:03] stalls a deal that makes it slow down is [17:06] that you didn't get the next step. [17:08] Right? So, we didn't ask for and get the [17:10] next appointment or we didn't ask for [17:12] and get the information or um the the [17:16] stakeholder is overwhelmed and they're [17:18] really not that into it and you're not [17:20] paying attention to the clues that [17:22] they're not engaged. So, we're not [17:24] testing their engagement or we're doing [17:26] all the work or they go, "Yeah, yeah, [17:27] yeah, you know, I'll get with you next [17:28] week." And you go, "Okay, that's okay. [17:30] I'll get with you next week." Versus, [17:31] "Hey, look, I don't I'm pretty busy next [17:33] week. How about Thursday at 2?" So, it's [17:36] that discipline to keep a deal moving [17:38] forward and recognizing that if it's not [17:41] moving forward, right, if they're [17:42] stalling or they're not engaging or [17:44] they're not matching your effort in the [17:45] process, they're not bringing other [17:47] stakeholders in, if you're not advancing [17:49] to the next step with committed next [17:51] steps, like they're committing to you, [17:54] your deal is going to stall. So, as you [17:56] start looking at the chessboard, you [17:58] want to start thinking about every every [18:01] time I go in, what's my targeted next [18:03] step? What am I asking for? and what am [18:05] I doing to test the engagement of the [18:07] stakeholders that are involved so that [18:10] I'm I'm figuring out are they willing to [18:12] match my effort? Like if you ask them [18:14] for some particular information and you [18:16] and you all agree on a date, did they [18:18] give you the information on that date? [18:19] If they didn't give you that information [18:20] on that date, it might be a clue that [18:22] something's missing. [18:23] And that's that testing engagement piece [18:25] you were talking about. [18:26] It's texting. Like if you said, "Hey, [18:28] I'm gonna need to to understand like [18:30] you've got these servers that you're [18:31] using in your building. like we use a [18:33] closed network in our building for video [18:36] content. it's not open. So, it's it's [18:38] only in here and we share it, but I need [18:40] to have that information for you." And I [18:41] said, "Great. I'll get it to you next [18:42] Wednesday." And Wednesday comes along, I [18:44] didn't get it to you. And you called me [18:45] and send me a text message. Hey, I need [18:46] that information. And I go, "Look, I'm [18:48] really, really busy right now. I'll get [18:49] it to you next week." And I keep putting [18:50] you off. What am I telling you? I'm [18:52] telling you, hey, you know what? I'm [18:53] just This is not a priority. I'm just [18:55] not that into this. Sometimes they're [18:56] not into you. Like, sometimes, you know, [18:58] they meet you and they go, I don't [19:00] really like you very much. And so, but [19:01] they're nice people down in, you know, [19:03] West Monroe, Louisiana. y'all are all [19:05] nice to each other down there. You know, [19:06] it's still the South, so people don't [19:09] come right out and tell you, "Hey, you [19:10] know, I'm not into you." They just say, [19:11] "Hey, you know what? Um, why don't we [19:13] get together in a few weeks? We we'll [19:15] see you then." That's what they do. So, [19:18] so keeping deals moving forward is all [19:21] about you driving the momentum by [19:23] nailing down next steps. We call them [19:26] micro commitments, but getting those [19:28] micro commitments. And by the way, when [19:30] you get objections to your micro [19:32] commitments, get back to research, [19:34] right? Understanding how to handle those [19:37] micro commitments by explaining to your [19:39] customer the value of moving forward and [19:42] giving you more time. [19:43] Yes, sir. Thank you. [19:45] Beautiful. Well, it's very good to meet [19:46] you. Thank you so much. Oh, look at [19:48] that. Look at that. The LinkedIn edge. [19:51] Thank you so much for buying my new [19:52] book, man. I appreciate that. [19:53] No, absolutely. Um, no, it's it's I [19:56] don't know. I've read started with [19:58] fanatical prospecting and then I think [19:59] it was people buy you um I don't know I [20:02] found a lot of value especially as a new [20:04] person coming into this um lot of value [20:07] having haven't read a book and been like [20:08] well could have read something different [20:10] no way you got to read it [20:11] I love it appreciate that so folks take [20:13] it from Michael that if you want to [20:16] boost your pipeline if you want to grow [20:18] faster if you want to learn how to use [20:20] LinkedIn and tr really truly transform [20:22] your relationship with LinkedIn and turn [20:24] it into a prospecting machine go pick up [20:25] the LinkedIn edge from all your books [20:27] really uh especially for new people I [20:29] think that the the major thing there is [20:31] is one it's not fluffed there is always [20:34] direct things that you could probably [20:36] put into your calls that day and then [20:39] two it helps you audit what is fluff in [20:44] your process versus what is more true to [20:47] who you are. So sales isn't a isn't a [20:50] thing that you fit a circle into a [20:52] square peg or square peg into a circle. [20:54] you are finding where you thrive um and [20:57] where you're confident um and you don't [20:59] have to feel like I'm a salesman, I'm [21:01] salesy. No, I I literally get to within [21:04] your framework find where I'm strong [21:06] and then pinpoint on those strengths. [21:08] Well, I love that. You just dropped the [21:10] mic right there. That's awesome. Thank [21:12] you so much. Hey, keep up with me on [21:13] LinkedIn. Thank you so much for joining [21:15] us on the self podcast and ask Jeb. [21:17] Okay, let's get one thing straight. [21:19] Research is not prospecting. Activity [21:22] is. You need to do just enough prep work [21:24] to be relevant. Then get your tail on [21:27] the phone and convert those [21:28] conversations into appointments. If you [21:30] need deeper intelligence, you earn it by [21:32] booking the meeting first and then you [21:34] do research before that meeting, not [21:36] pausing between every single dial. You [21:39] need to batch your 3minut lookups, [21:41] create messages targeted right at the [21:43] role or industry that you're calling and [21:45] drive every call toward a one single [21:47] micro commitment the next time that you [21:49] are going to meet with them on the [21:51] calendar. And when that momentum dips, [21:53] you sprint. Short focused call blocks [21:56] will beat long overthought sessions [21:57] every single time. And look, when you're [22:00] tired and you're at the end of the day [22:01] and you can't run any more sequences and [22:03] you just want to go home, always [22:05] remember to make one more call. It's [22:07] Jublin Jr. and we'll catch you next time [22:09] on the Sales Gravy Podcast. [22:14] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [22:16] watch this video. Make sure that you [22:18] click [music] like and subscribe so that [22:19] you never miss one of our amazing sales [22:21] training

===FILE=== oQMWoUvw0Vo - How to Close More Deals by Qualifying Slow Buyers the Right Way  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/oQMWoUvw0Vo
How to Close More Deals by Qualifying Slow Buyers the Right Way ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:03] [music] [0:07] Welcome back to the Sales Gravy podcast. [0:09] It's Wisdom Wednesday where you drive [0:10] the agenda because on this segment of [0:12] the Sales Gravy podcast, you bring your [0:14] biggest sales challenges and Jeb Blount [0:16] delivers his best answers. And those [0:18] answers, they come straight from the [0:20] trenches because Jeb's not just teaching [0:22] sales, he's out there prospecting, [0:23] closing, and leading sales teams every [0:26] single day. [0:27] So, let's take that next caller. Jeb, up [0:29] next we have Philip and he is from the [0:32] Philippines. All right, Philip from the [0:35] Philippines. All right, Philip, but tell [0:37] me what's going on in your world. What I [0:38] am is a character licensing agent. And [0:42] to those who don't know what that is, we [0:45] represent characters for specific [0:48] properties from third parties. So, like [0:50] these would be video games, anime, [0:52] films, comics, and the merchandising and [0:57] promotion of rights to those. [0:59] We would be selling to our local [1:01] partners. [1:02] And that could be a milky chain, an [1:04] apparel brand, [1:06] fun run organizer, basically anyone who [1:09] wants to use our licenser's characters [1:12] on their products or promotions. Now, [1:14] our main problem, Jeb, is that [1:17] we have trouble moving many of these [1:20] clients to the close. And what that [1:23] looks like is they submit a business [1:25] proposal or forecast. [1:28] And what we found is our characters, at [1:31] least at least many of them are popular [1:33] enough that we can get to the first [1:34] meeting. So, we're talking to the [1:36] marketing manager, the procurement [1:38] manager, the design team, even the owner [1:40] or CEO, depending on how small or big [1:43] the company is. And if these people [1:45] happen to be big fans of that character [1:48] or they know those brands well enough, [1:50] the sale closes itself. Like we can get [1:53] their forecast in a couple of weeks. But [1:56] for other clients who are the opposite, [1:58] who don't know the brands or the [2:00] characters well enough or they're not a [2:01] fan, you know, it's crickets from the [2:05] initial follow-ups. It's not as if we [2:07] can expect them to say yes at the [2:09] initial meeting because it'll take a lot [2:11] of time and money on their part. For the [2:13] few that do get back to us, there's [2:14] usually a specific reason. Like, "Oh, we [2:17] licensed this character already." Or, [2:18] "Oh, your character has nothing new for [2:21] us." Or they have so-and-so instead. [2:23] They request a character that's not [2:25] within our portfolio. So, we kind of [2:27] need some good closing techniques to [2:28] move those deals forward. The companies [2:31] that come to you that don't know the [2:32] character very well. So, the ones who [2:34] they know the character, they love the [2:35] character, they're super easy. Are those [2:37] companies coming to you versus the ones [2:40] who don't know the character very well? [2:42] Are you going to them and prospecting [2:43] out to them? How do they get into your [2:45] pipeline to begin with? It's a mix of [2:47] both, actually. So, we do get some [2:50] inquiries on LinkedIn, for example. Some [2:52] of them message me. They say, "Oh, hey, [2:53] we see that you represent this [2:55] character." And then, you know, that's [2:56] when we set the initial meeting. But for [2:58] maybe 80% [3:01] of the the business that we have, like [3:02] we're the ones reaching out. I think [3:04] part of the problem is is that ones that [3:06] are easy to close, [3:08] they're probably already ready to close. [3:09] Like when they're coming to you, they've [3:11] already made the decision that they want [3:13] that character and they want to license [3:14] the character. And so, everything goes [3:16] really fast. So, those are sort of like [3:17] the leads that are on a silver platter. [3:19] And the ones that don't move very fast, [3:21] you're typically going out to them or [3:24] they're looking for something. They saw [3:25] a web form and they filled it out and [3:26] they came in as a lead. They came in not [3:29] ready to buy. Companies who hire me to [3:31] do keynotes. So, I go to big company [3:33] SKOs. When they come in and call us, our [3:37] close rates, you know, 95% or higher. [3:40] They've already made the decision that [3:41] they want me to come speak to their [3:42] sales team. But if we were to go out [3:44] prospecting for companies who are having [3:47] sales kickoff meetings, it would be a [3:49] completely different animal. So, [3:52] in the situations where people are [3:53] coming to us and they love me and they [3:55] want me to be there, right? They've [3:56] already bought into my character, the [3:58] process goes really fast, it's easy to [4:00] set next steps, and we don't have to do [4:02] a lot of convincing. [4:03] So, what I would say to you is you're [4:05] going to want to make sure that you're [4:07] aware of the different type of buyer [4:08] you're dealing with. And I think you [4:09] probably are. Like the ones that are all [4:11] in, you just move those forward, you get [4:13] it done. And the other ones are vexing [4:15] to you and part of the reason is you are [4:18] passionate about your characters. You [4:20] can't imagine that no one, not want to [4:22] license your character. I mean, think [4:23] about it. I can even see your enthusiasm [4:25] just on this call. Like you're talking [4:27] to someone and they're thinking about it [4:28] and you're like, "What are you thinking [4:29] about? This is the number one anime [4:31] character out there. This is the number [4:32] one video character out there. You need [4:33] this." [4:34] They don't think the same thing. They [4:35] don't have the same enthusiasm. So, what [4:38] I would say to you is up front [4:40] qualifying what type of a prospect they [4:43] are. So, we number one, okay? If they [4:45] are a slow buyer, in other words, they [4:47] don't know a lot about the character and [4:50] they need a good business case for [4:52] licensing that character, you need to [4:54] slow the process down just a little bit [4:57] and do a deeper level of discovery. The [4:59] ones that are really easy, those are [5:01] fun, they're fast, they're talking to [5:03] you, you're talking to them, and you [5:05] can't treat the slow buyers the same [5:07] way. And so, I suspected in some cases [5:10] you're setting up those initial meetings [5:11] with those slow buyers and you're [5:13] pitching them on the value of the [5:15] character versus asking them questions [5:17] to really understand the business case [5:20] for them licensing your character. And [5:21] it's easy to do that because the ones [5:23] that are so enthusiastic, like it's [5:24] almost effortless. Like y'all share the [5:26] same love and passion for the character, [5:29] okay? [5:31] The second thing is the slow buyers, in [5:33] a lot of cases, you got to know who [5:35] you're dealing with. So, the buyers that [5:37] are coming in that I call fast buyers, [5:39] they're your hot leads, they know your [5:41] characters, they want to buy. In many [5:43] cases, you're dealing with a person who [5:44] can make the decision. [5:46] With the slow buyers, in many cases, [5:48] you're dealing with a person who cannot [5:50] make the decision, right? So, you're [5:51] dealing with someone mid-level marketing [5:54] or they're someone in the business that [5:56] owner sent out to go find information. [5:58] We call them seekers, right? And the [6:00] seekers are where all your sales dreams [6:02] go to die. Very early on with the slow [6:04] buyers, like when you recognize that [6:06] they don't have the shared passion for [6:07] the character that you do, you want to [6:09] make sure you step back and say, "Who do [6:11] we need to get in the room to have this [6:12] conversation with?" Cuz otherwise, what [6:14] happens, the reason you get ghosted, is [6:16] a person lets on like they've got [6:17] decision-making authority, and then you [6:19] get proposals and you put everything [6:21] together and then you give it to them [6:23] and then they ghost you because they [6:25] don't want to come back to you and admit [6:26] the fact that they can't actually pull [6:28] the trigger and buy. [6:29] So, [6:30] you want to stop early on and get that [6:32] qualifying piece done. Who are all the [6:34] players? Who makes the decision? Who do [6:36] we need to have in the room? And what [6:38] are the business case for this? So, [6:40] focus heavily on discovery. Why would [6:43] you license this character? Where would [6:44] you license this character? What's your [6:46] business case for that? If we looked at [6:48] this, what products you want to license [6:49] a character on? Why does that matter? [6:51] And then, you're going to have to do a [6:53] good job of sharing demographics with [6:55] them. Like you would ask the question, [6:56] "What's the demographic of your buyer? [6:59] Strategically, are you trying to reach [7:00] another demographic?" And then, if [7:02] you're dealing with someone, you've got [7:04] to connect the dots. We call that a [7:05] value bridge between the demographic and [7:08] your character or who they're trying to [7:10] go after and your character or how your [7:11] character can help them. I'm sure you've [7:13] got social proof and case studies that [7:15] you can provide them. [7:16] But you want to stop early on and ask [7:18] those questions. Who are we dealing [7:20] with? And then ask deep questions about [7:22] their business case. Why this particular [7:25] character? What other characters do they [7:27] license? Because they're not going to [7:29] buy from you based on enthusiasm, which [7:31] your fast buyers do. They're going to [7:32] buy from you based on business case. And [7:35] what's happening is you're getting [7:36] ghosted and ghosted and ghosted. They're [7:38] not seeing a true business case or an [7:40] ROI for licensing your characters and [7:42] they just go away or they move on to [7:44] something else. And I think part of that [7:46] is understanding that if you're dealing [7:47] with someone who is not going to buy [7:50] from you, once you see that pattern, [7:52] don't spend your time doing proposals [7:53] and all that work because they're not [7:55] going to buy from you anyway and you'll [7:56] start seeing those patterns if you slow [7:58] down. Now, [8:00] the last thing I'm going to give you for [8:01] this is this is the to avoid the stalls. [8:03] When we're qualifying, you got to [8:05] qualify who are the players and who [8:07] makes the decision and who has influence [8:09] in the decision. You got to qualify, am [8:11] I dealing with a seeker? We use a term [8:14] basic, you can find that in my book [8:15] Sales EQ, but it's buyers, amplifiers, [8:18] seekers, influencers, and coaches. And [8:20] in your case, you're probably not [8:22] dealing with a lot of amplifiers. [8:23] Amplifiers are people inside the [8:24] organization that push things up. In [8:26] your fast buyer situations, that's what [8:28] you're getting. Like they've got people [8:29] in the organization going, "We got to [8:31] have this character. It's the greatest [8:32] thing ever." They're in love with it, [8:33] right? You know, it's something that's [8:34] important to them. But in your slow [8:36] buyers, they don't probably have those [8:37] people. And you're not going to find [8:39] those people in your world. So, you got [8:40] people who can make a financial decision [8:42] to buy from you, and you have people who [8:44] can influence that decision, and in some [8:46] cases, you'll have a coach or a champion [8:48] for that decision if it's a deal that's [8:50] big enough. But in the middle of that [8:52] are called seekers. And seekers are the [8:54] people that are sent to find information [8:56] from you, okay? They go, "Hey, can you [8:58] send me all the information on this? Can [9:00] you send me what this looks like? Can [9:01] you send me those things?" And then, you [9:03] send it to them and you call them and [9:05] then they want more. We call them [9:06] Seemores. They want to keep seeing more [9:07] and more and more, right? [9:09] As soon as you get a seeker, recognize [9:11] that that is not the place you want to [9:13] be. You need to get to an influencer or [9:16] a buyer, a decision-maker. So, be aware [9:18] of the seekers, okay? And then, you got [9:20] to ask them questions like, "Who can we [9:21] talk to? We need to have a conversation [9:23] with this person." If the seeker will [9:25] not let you talk to people, disengage. [9:28] Because I promise you you're not going [9:29] to close the business. You're going to [9:30] waste a lot of your time. [9:32] Okay? [9:33] Now, what we're doing along the way in [9:35] the sales process is we're testing [9:36] engagement. So, you have the first [9:37] meeting with them, slow buyer, right? [9:40] Get some information, set up a next [9:41] meeting. The next meeting needs to be a [9:43] deeper level discovery meeting based on [9:44] their strategy, their ROI, their [9:46] business case, where they're going, how [9:48] about their business, learn everything [9:49] there, set the next meeting. [9:51] And then from there, set the next [9:52] meeting. [9:53] And you shouldn't get ghosted if you're [9:55] setting next meeting. So, never ever [9:57] ever with a slow buyer get off a call [9:59] without the next meeting on their [10:01] calendar and your calendar, right? Get [10:02] every micro commitment you can. I need [10:04] to meet with this, I need to do this, we [10:05] need to present the proposal, we need to [10:07] go through your forecast, we need to do [10:08] whatever. Set meetings. And you want to [10:10] try to set more meetings than you would [10:12] with a fast buyer. With a fast buyer it [10:14] is, "Hello, we're ready to go. Let's do [10:16] a proposal. Let's get the forecast. [10:17] Let's go." With them you want to say, [10:19] "Okay, this is our initial discovery. On [10:21] the next meeting I want to get all the [10:23] people in the room to do a deeper level [10:25] discovery to really focus on business [10:26] case. Then we're going to get together [10:28] and we're going to give you an initial [10:29] idea of what we would do and have a [10:31] consensus meeting. Then we're going to [10:33] go through a final proposal and [10:34] forecast." But you want to set it up so [10:37] you're forcing them to go into different [10:39] steps. [10:40] And the reason you want to do this is [10:42] called the investment principle or [10:43] investment bias. And that is that the [10:45] more people have to work at something, [10:47] the more likely they are to see it [10:48] through to an outcome. [10:50] And if it's just like you have one [10:52] meeting and a proposal, they didn't [10:54] really have to do any work. If they [10:55] don't have to do any work, it doesn't [10:56] mean anything to them. So, you want to [10:58] make it meaningful by making them step [11:00] through multiple steps in order to get [11:02] to a proposal. And your information, [11:04] your proposal, your pricing for the [11:06] licensing, all that information, that's [11:08] your leverage. So, you don't give that [11:10] away until they've walked through those [11:12] steps with you, okay? Super important. [11:14] Cuz if you send them your leverage, [11:16] you're never going to hear from them [11:17] again. Once they have that, they don't [11:19] need you anymore. That's why they ghost [11:20] you. So, you want to go through those [11:22] steps with them. Now, along the way [11:24] you're doing something that I call [11:25] testing engagement. So, every time you [11:28] ask for a next step, [11:30] you're testing whether or not they're [11:31] actually engaged in this or are they [11:34] just seeking information? So, if you [11:36] say, "Hey, the our next step is I need [11:38] to do a deeper level discovery meeting [11:40] with you. So, we really want to [11:41] understand your business case, where [11:43] you're going as a company, the [11:44] demographics. We want to make sure this [11:45] is the right fit for you." And they go, [11:47] "Nah, just send us the information." And [11:49] you say, "Look, before I can send you [11:50] any information, I really need to learn [11:52] more about you." And they go, "Nah, nah, [11:54] just send us the information." [11:56] At that point, they're not going to buy [11:58] from you. They are not going to license [11:59] from you. They're not. They're telling [12:01] you, "We're not engaged." But if they [12:03] go, "Sure." And you go, "Hey, can we get [12:05] the marketing leader on as well when [12:07] we're in this meeting?" And they go, [12:08] "Yeah, we'll get, you know, Jim on." [12:10] That tells you they're engaged and they [12:11] want to move forward. That's where you [12:12] want to invest your time and effort. [12:14] Does that make sense? Yeah, it does, [12:16] Jeb. And you know, what you've just [12:18] spoken about this reflect on the back of [12:21] previous experience we've had with some [12:23] clients. Like, I've had a recent one who [12:25] said they were maybe exploring character [12:28] collaboration this year. Like, we had an [12:30] initial meeting with them and we're [12:31] we're keeping in touch with them. Like, [12:33] they're we've sent them some initial [12:35] terms. And then right now it's getting a [12:37] bit hard to kind of get a hold of them. [12:39] And we're not sure if they're going to [12:42] push forward. So, yeah. [12:44] I agree that maybe we need to [12:46] test their engagement better at each [12:48] step and maybe set those meetings to [12:50] make sure that, you know, they they'll [12:52] really push forward with the commitment. [12:54] Very good. I like it. Excellent. All [12:56] right, who's your favorite character? [12:57] Oh, [12:58] at the moment it would be [13:01] video games. Like, I play [13:04] a lot of them. Tekken, Pac-Man. [13:07] I watch a lot of anime as well. Um, [13:10] like, My Hero Academia. Jujutsu Kaisen. [13:13] I don't know if the fans on here [13:16] know know the titles I'm speaking about, [13:17] but yeah, like those are my jam. Like, [13:21] this is what really gives me passion. [13:23] Like, I'm able to sell my my [13:26] my interests to my business clients. I [13:29] love that. So, Ulysses is up in the [13:30] booth as a big anime fan. Ulysses, he's [13:33] in my ear right here. Who's your [13:34] favorite character, Ulysses? Deku from [13:36] My Hero. Yeah. Oh my god. I love you, [13:39] Ulysses. [13:40] We see eye to eye. We see eye to eye. I [13:42] love that. And is is Deadpool one of [13:44] your characters? Right now, no. But this [13:47] is just a testament of how my room is [13:51] filled with, you know, my my passion, [13:53] man. Very good. I love Deadpool. [13:55] I love Deadpool, too. [13:57] Oh my gosh, Jeb. Thank you so much [14:00] for having me on the show. Like, please [14:03] do keynote in our part of the world. I [14:05] would love to attend one of your [14:06] conventions here. Would love to do that. [14:08] And maybe just maybe you could come to [14:09] the US to Las Vegas this year in [14:11] November for the Outbound Conference and [14:13] we could meet in person there. It's a [14:14] great trip. And Vegas is closer to the [14:16] Philippines than Georgia, where I'm [14:18] right now. So. [14:20] Good point. Good point. I'll be sure to [14:21] bring that up with my boss. [14:22] Bring your boss and your whole team. [14:24] Thank you. Thank you. Like, I just [14:25] recently bought your book Fanatical [14:28] Prospecting. I'm so excited to open it. [14:30] Thank you so much for buying my book. [14:31] Appreciate you being on. Philip from the [14:32] Philippines. Thank you, sir. Here's the [14:34] thing that every rep needs to [14:36] understand. Not every prospect takes a [14:39] meeting is a buyer. Some of them are [14:41] just gathering information. Some of them [14:43] are serious. And sometimes they're in [14:44] between. But it's your job to figure out [14:47] who you're dealing with before you [14:48] invest serious time. The fastest way to [14:51] do that is to ask for something at every [14:53] stage. Ask for a second meeting. Ask for [14:56] another stakeholder in the room. Ask for [14:58] data and information that you need. And [15:00] ask for the step that cost them time and [15:02] effort. If they say yes, they're [15:04] engaged. And if they just negotiate with [15:06] you about every single step, they're [15:08] probably not. You do not need a fancy [15:11] closing technique for a buyer who is [15:13] already sold. What you need is a [15:15] structured process that earns commitment [15:17] at every step. Build four to five [15:19] checkpoints into your sales cycle, your [15:21] discovery, deeper discovery, consensus [15:23] meetings, proposals, closing. And [15:25] withhold your best offer until they've [15:27] walked through those steps with you. The [15:28] buyers who are not serious will drop off [15:31] early. And that is a good thing. [15:33] Because it saves your pipeline from [15:35] deals that were never going to close. If [15:37] you've got a question and you want to be [15:38] on the show, go to salesgravy.com/ask. [15:42] And remember, when you're tired and [15:43] you're ready to go home, always pick up [15:45] the phone and make one more call. I'm [15:47] Jeb Blount Jr. and we'll catch you next [15:48] time on the Sales Gravy podcast. [15:53] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [15:55] watched this video. Make sure that you [15:57] click like and subscribe [music] so that [15:58] you never miss one of our amazing sales [16:01] training videos.

===FILE=== qb9gkaJST2U - Your Attitude Walks Into Every Sales Call Before You Do  Money Monday.txt
https://youtu.be/qb9gkaJST2U
Your Attitude Walks Into Every Sales Call Before You Do ｜ Money Monday

[0:05] This is Jeb Blount and it's Money Monday [0:07] on the Sales Gravy podcast. [0:09] They make money, money, make money, [0:11] money, money. [0:12] Make money, money, make money, money, [0:14] money. [0:15] Money makes the world go round. I'm the [0:17] talk around town. Remy gave me the [0:19] sound. [0:21] Hi everyone. Welcome to this episode of [0:23] Money Monday. I'm Jessica Stokes filling [0:26] in this week for Jeb. [0:27] Have you ever walked into a meeting [0:29] where someone hasn't even said a word, [0:31] but you could already tell what type of [0:33] mood that they were in? Maybe it was a [0:35] big warm smile that made you feel [0:37] welcome. Or maybe it was a scowl in [0:40] their brow as they looked at their phone [0:42] indicating that they were frustrated [0:44] with something. [0:46] You know that feeling. Their body [0:48] language says it all. The facial [0:50] expression, the tone of their voice, the [0:53] energy, it just fills the room whether [0:55] it's positive or negative. [0:58] Here's one thing that sales people don't [1:00] realize. Your attitude walks in the room [1:03] before you do. [1:05] In sales, this happens when you are [1:07] prospecting and having client [1:09] conversations. People pick up on your [1:12] energy immediately, sometimes within [1:15] seconds. And the crazy part? This [1:18] happens over the phone, a Zoom meeting, [1:21] a Teams meeting. It's not just in-person [1:24] meetings. Before buyers fully process [1:27] what you're saying, they are already [1:29] reacting to how you are showing up. The [1:33] tone, the enthusiasm, curiosity, [1:36] confidence, your overall presence. [1:39] Think about the last time someone called [1:42] you and they sounded irritated or [1:44] rushed, maybe even annoyed. You could [1:47] feel it instantly, right? And what do [1:50] you think? Usually, you just want to get [1:53] off the phone. You want to shorten the [1:55] conversation. You may even start to [1:57] disengage. Now, compare that to someone [2:00] who sounds energized, present, happy, [2:03] and genuinely interested in having a [2:05] conversation with you. Same call, but a [2:08] different experience because your energy [2:11] transfers. Last year, my husband and I [2:14] started planning a backyard project. [2:16] We've been dreaming about this project [2:18] for a couple of years, so we were pretty [2:20] excited about it. Thinking about a new [2:23] fire pit, extending the patio, and just [2:25] creating one of those backyards where [2:28] friends and family felt welcomed and [2:30] comfortable right away. [2:32] It was a project that had been on our [2:34] wish list for a pretty long time. So, I [2:37] asked two different contractors to come [2:39] by the house, share some of their ideas, [2:41] and give us a price quote. The first [2:43] contractor showed up, and honestly, my [2:45] excitement started to fade the moment I [2:48] opened the door. [2:50] He looked irritated, almost annoyed, [2:53] like coming by my house that day was the [2:56] last place he wanted to be. There was no [2:59] smile, no friendly greeting. Honestly, [3:02] it was all business, and you could tell [3:05] he just wanted to be done. So, we walked [3:08] to the backyard. I started sharing some [3:10] of the ideas that I'd been thinking [3:12] about, where the fire pit might go, how [3:14] we imagined the patio extending out, and [3:17] I was pretty excited to hear what he [3:19] thought. But, there was still not much [3:22] from him. No enthusiasm, no curiosity, [3:26] no affirmation of where I wanted my fire [3:29] pit. Instead, he immediately jumped into [3:32] questions about our budget and a few [3:34] qualifying factors, which, to be fair, [3:38] these are important things to discuss, [3:41] but there was no connection. In about 3 [3:44] minutes, I already knew one thing. I did [3:46] not want to work with him, which was [3:50] interesting because his company actually [3:52] had great reviews. They had done [3:54] beautiful work on other homes in our [3:57] neighborhood. [3:58] But, none of that mattered in the moment [4:00] because the energy he brought to the [4:03] conversation, honestly the lack of [4:05] energy he brought, changed the entire [4:08] experience. And here's the thing, I'm [4:11] sure he was great at what he did, but [4:14] that didn't matter because before he [4:17] even started talking about designs or [4:20] materials or pricing, his attitude had [4:23] already made the decision for me. A [4:26] couple of days later, we had a visit [4:27] from the second contractor. And within [4:30] the first 60 seconds, the experience [4:33] felt completely different. He smiled as [4:36] soon as I opened the door and he [4:38] introduced himself. He seemed genuinely [4:41] happy to be meeting with us. [4:43] Same type of meeting, same objective, [4:46] but his energy immediately pulled us in. [4:50] He was asking about our plans for the [4:52] space, what features were on our [4:55] must-have list, and he even started [4:57] sharing ideas like, "You could do this [4:59] here, or have you thought about this [5:01] design?" It felt collaborative and [5:04] exciting. And here's the key, [5:07] it also led to us trusting him more even [5:11] before we saw a quote. That's the power [5:14] of positive energy. Salespeople spend so [5:18] much time working on what questions to [5:21] ask during discovery or how to handle [5:24] potential objections, and sometimes [5:27] forget about practicing your tone. I [5:30] work with salespeople all of the time [5:32] who do not love using the phone. [5:36] Prospecting is their least favorite [5:39] activity. And when they finally sit down [5:41] to make those calls, whether it was due [5:44] to pressure from leadership or [5:46] desperation to fill the pipeline, they [5:48] treat the phone like it's their enemy. [5:51] Before they make the first dial, they've [5:54] already decided no one's going to [5:56] answer, and if they do, they're going to [5:58] be annoyed. So, what happens? They show [6:02] up hesitant, their energy is low, and [6:05] almost apologetic [6:07] when they start making those dials. And [6:10] prospects can hear this immediately. [6:13] They hear your tone. They hear your [6:16] pace. They can sense the lack of [6:18] confidence. [6:20] You don't sound like somebody bringing [6:22] value. You sound like someone trying to [6:25] complete a task. And then, when people [6:28] hang up on you or brush you off, you [6:30] blame it on the prospect. But the [6:33] reality is, the call was lost before it [6:36] even started. So, now let's flip that. [6:40] When you go into a call block with [6:42] energy, a smile, everything changes. [6:45] Your tone sharpens, your confidence [6:48] increases, and prospects respond [6:51] differently. It can be the same script, [6:54] the same lead list, but different [6:58] outcomes because of your attitude. This [7:01] dynamic is even more important today [7:03] than ever because so many conversations [7:07] in sales are happening over phone calls [7:10] and video meetings. Some people think [7:13] that the energy would matter less when [7:15] you're in a virtual environment, but the [7:18] opposite is actually true. When someone [7:20] is distracted on a call, you can hear [7:23] it. When someone is excited, you can [7:26] feel it. When someone is disengaged, [7:29] it's obvious. So, in virtual [7:31] conversations, that energy we bring [7:34] actually gets amplified, which means [7:37] your mindset matters more than ever. One [7:41] of the most powerful habits you can [7:42] build is a simple 30-second reset before [7:47] a conversation, before your next [7:49] prospecting call or virtual meeting. [7:52] Pause and ask yourself, [7:54] "What energy am I bringing to this [7:56] conversation? [7:57] How do I want them to feel when this [8:00] conversation ends?" At the end of the [8:02] day, buyers might forget your exact [8:04] pitch. They may forget your slides, but [8:07] they won't forget how they felt engaging [8:09] with you. And in sales, how they feel [8:13] when meeting you will determine if [8:15] there's going to be a second meeting or [8:17] not. So, the next time you walk into a [8:19] room, whether it's a physical conference [8:22] room, a phone call, or a Zoom screen, [8:25] make a decision not to just show up, but [8:28] to show up on purpose and with [8:31] excitement because your attitude walks [8:34] into that room before you do. Make sure [8:38] it's the kind of energy that people want [8:41] to do business with. You've been [8:43] listening to the Sales Gravy podcast. [8:45] This is Jessica Stokes. Make today [8:47] awesome. [8:54] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [8:56] watched this video. Make sure that you [8:57] click like and subscribe so that you [8:59] never miss one of our amazing sales [9:01] training videos.

===FILE=== sktmNonPto0 - Emotion Drives Every Buying Decision in Sales  Jeb Blount  Money Monday.txt
https://youtu.be/sktmNonPto0
Emotion Drives Every Buying Decision in Sales ｜ Jeb Blount ｜ Money Monday

[0:05] This is Jeb Blount and it's Money Monday [0:07] on the Sales Gravy podcast. [0:09] They make money, money, make money, [0:11] money, money. Make money, money, make [0:13] money, money, money. [0:15] Money makes the world go round. I'm the [0:17] talk around town. Remy gave me the [0:19] sound. [0:22] People act on emotion and they justify [0:24] with logic. From complex to completely [0:27] transactional impulse purchases, [0:29] emotions drive buying decisions. And the [0:32] examples are legion and science is [0:34] stacking up one study after another that [0:36] demonstrate how emotion influences the [0:39] choices that we make. [0:40] Daniel Pink says that to sell is human [0:43] and likewise in my opinion to buy is [0:45] human. [0:46] As humans, we are certain that we're [0:48] making choices based on rational logic, [0:50] our best interest, or organized facts. [0:53] Science says that often we don't. [0:56] Emotion is why well-educated executives [0:58] make multi-million dollar decisions with [1:01] massive implications for their companies [1:02] because they feel that one sales team [1:05] cares about them more than another. [1:07] At a wine tasting party where [1:08] researchers placed the price of wine on [1:10] the wine bottles, [1:12] people said that the wine with the [1:13] higher price tag tasted better [1:16] even though every bottle was filled with [1:18] the same low-cost wine. [1:20] In another study, German beer hall music [1:22] lilted from liquor store speakers on [1:24] Tuesdays and French music on Wednesdays. [1:27] And correspondingly, German beer sales [1:29] went up on Tuesdays with French wine [1:31] sales increasing on Wednesdays. [1:33] On the sidewalk outside the store, [1:35] researchers peered into brown bags and [1:37] interviewed the patrons to learn why [1:39] they purchased the beer or the wine. [1:41] Most of the shoppers gave logical [1:43] reasons for the purchase. They saw it in [1:45] a magazine, it was recommended by a [1:46] friend, they were cooking steaks [1:48] tonight, or they liked the taste of [1:49] premium beer. [1:51] As humans, it's important that our [1:53] self-image correlate with our decisions. [1:55] So, we fall on logic to justify [1:58] subconscious emotional buying behavior [2:00] and thus avoid the pain of something [2:02] called cognitive dissonance, which is [2:03] painful mental stress caused when we try [2:05] to hold two values at the same time. [2:08] Despite all the tools, information, and [2:10] data at their fingertips in our [2:11] internet-connected world, buyers [2:13] continue to make irrational decisions. [2:16] Now, am I saying that product features, [2:17] quality specs, delivery options, speed, [2:20] service, technology, locations, price, [2:22] and other tangible attributes of your [2:23] offering don't matter? Of course not. [2:26] These things absolutely matter and all [2:28] are tickets to the game. [2:30] However, the sales profession, inclusive [2:32] of sales people, sales trainers, sales [2:34] leaders, and the marketing teams that [2:36] support them, are and have been under [2:38] the collective delusion that buyers make [2:40] logical decisions that are in their own [2:42] or their company's best interest, that [2:44] they weigh decisions rationally, and [2:46] choose options that make the most [2:48] logical sense. [2:50] But the thing is, evidence upon evidence [2:52] and data stacked upon data refute this [2:54] assumption. And frankly, you don't need [2:56] to look far for proof. I have no doubt [2:58] that you've been frustrated with a [2:59] prospect into which you poured heart and [3:01] soul. You built the case why they should [3:03] do business with you. You analyzed their [3:05] current situation and you showed them [3:07] how you can save them money, time, [3:09] stress, and offer better service. [3:12] The case you made, the proof, it was [3:14] irrefutable. And your references were [3:16] impeccable. And there was even a [3:17] compelling trigger event to drive their [3:19] urgency. [3:21] Yet instead of signing your agreement, [3:22] they gave your competitor, who'd taken [3:24] them for granted, provided shotty [3:26] service, pissed them off, and [3:28] over-billed them for the headache a [3:29] second chance. [3:30] I know it because I've been there and [3:32] it's maddening. [3:34] Now, if we were to ask your buyer why he [3:36] chose to remain with a vendor that was [3:37] not working in his best interest, he [3:39] would lead off with a number of what he [3:41] thought were logical, rational reasons. [3:44] But refuting and arguing the facts would [3:46] get you nowhere. The buyer would just [3:48] dig in and become unmovable. [3:51] What he would be unable to explain or [3:53] unwilling to admit is his fear of making [3:55] mistake or that there was just something [3:58] about you that at the subconscious level [4:00] he didn't trust or that because he [4:02] avoids conflict firing his current [4:04] vendor would put him in an uncomfortable [4:06] position. [4:07] Layers of emotions both conscious and [4:10] subconscious driving his irrational [4:12] choice. And yet he explains his decision [4:15] in completely rational terms. [4:18] As a sales professional understanding [4:20] how emotions dominate and drive buying [4:22] decisions is critical to supercharging [4:24] your income and advancing your career. [4:26] With all things being equal and in [4:28] today's marketplace there are rarely [4:30] huge gaps or differences between [4:32] competitors at least from the prospect's [4:34] viewpoint, your ability to both [4:36] influence the emotions of your prospects [4:37] while regulating your own disruptive [4:39] emotions as you move deals through the [4:41] sales pipe gives you a distinct [4:43] competitive advantage. [4:45] Now emotions are difficult to wrap our [4:46] arms around and sometimes hard to face. [4:49] It's so much easier to pitch the [4:50] features of a widget than to turn on [4:52] empathy and tune into the emotions of [4:55] your prospect. [4:56] But the brutal inconvenient truth is [4:59] that you can pitch, challenge, teach, [5:01] and offer insight until your heart's [5:03] content, but it will not matter because [5:05] people buy for their reasons not yours. [5:08] You see sales and buying are woven into [5:11] the imperfect fabric of human emotions. [5:13] No matter what you sell, your sales [5:15] process or the complexity of the sales [5:17] and buying process, emotions play a [5:19] crucial role in the outcomes of your [5:21] sales conversations, your interactions [5:22] with prospects, and your deals. [5:25] You see the problem is that most sales [5:26] people begin the sales process from a [5:28] position of logic and over the course of [5:30] the sales process shift towards emotion. [5:32] On the other hand, buyers tend to begin [5:34] the buying process at the emotional [5:36] level and over time shift towards logic. [5:39] At the beginning of the sales process [5:40] the buyer is asking a basic question of [5:42] the salesperson, do I like you? [5:45] And in the same moment the seller is [5:47] delivering a pitch on product features [5:49] that they believe will generate interest [5:51] from the buyer. [5:52] But few things make a seller more [5:55] unlikable to a buyer than pitching. [5:58] And at the end of the sales process, [6:00] when the buyer is asking rational [6:02] questions, putting objections on the [6:04] table, and negotiating, [6:06] the seller is reacting emotionally to [6:08] perceived rejection and desperate not to [6:11] lose the deal. [6:12] At the emotional level, the parties, the [6:14] buyer and the seller, are perpetually [6:16] out of sync. [6:17] I've already shared with you one of the [6:19] most cogent truths in sales. [6:21] People buy for their reasons, not yours. [6:24] Therefore, it follows that to be an [6:26] effective sales professional, you must [6:28] approach people the way they buy rather [6:31] than the way you sell. [6:37] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [6:39] watched this video. Make sure that you [6:41] click like and subscribe so that you [6:43] never miss one of our amazing sales [6:45] training videos.

===FILE=== tqeezOIbYAg - Overcoming the Im Too Busy Objection  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/tqeezOIbYAg
Overcoming the “I’m Too Busy” Objection ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:00] Hey, next up on the show is uh Paul Wise [0:02] from Normandy, France, but through New [0:04] Jersey, I think as I understand it. [0:06] That's correct. What's happening in your [0:08] world in France? I work at Us Data. [0:11] Okay. Love my love my job. I I've been [0:14] there about eight months. Um doing very [0:17] well. Don't struggle to hit [0:19] quota. Always want to improve though. [0:22] Most of the time I when I call I do a [0:24] lot. I'm a very heavy cold caller. I am [0:26] not a strong believer in the AI emails [0:29] and all that. Um, old school. I'm 54 [0:31] years old, so I did a lot of [0:33] telemarketing in college and blah blah [0:35] blah. But to get to the point, when I [0:37] call, nine times out of 10, decision [0:40] maker is in the meeting. Okay. So, I [0:42] don't always know how to approach that. [0:44] Let me ask you a question. Is the [0:45] decision maker answering the phone and [0:47] telling you they're in the meeting or is [0:48] there a gatekeeper telling you that [0:49] they're in the meeting? Well, Zoom Info [0:52] does a good job of providing mobile [0:53] numbers. So they answer the phone and I [0:56] can hear background noise. I can tell [0:57] they're in a meeting or just from the [0:59] way they answer that they're busy or [1:01] they tell me. So it runs the gamut. It [1:04] really does. Tell me what Used Data does [1:06] real quickly. Well, we are an iPass [1:08] solution provider. Use data helps [1:10] companies connect their critical data [1:13] sources to improve performance [1:14] management. So it's about building out [1:16] the ecosystem. What's the typical role [1:19] of the person that you're calling? [1:21] product managers or software companies. [1:24] Okay, couple of things. There's one [1:26] school of thought that says pitch fast. [1:28] I got them on the phone, they answer the [1:29] phone, pitch them as fast as I can. It [1:31] sometimes works like you you pitch them, [1:33] you send them over a meeting invite and [1:35] you said a certain number of them show [1:36] up. Yeah. What's your show rate? The [1:38] show rate's always lower obviously when [1:40] I don't really have solid conversation [1:42] with the person and can validate what [1:45] they've told me and do all these things. [1:48] I think one school of thought would be, [1:50] hey, they answer the phone, you got [1:51] them, so go for it. Okay. Yeah. There's [1:55] another school of thought that would say [1:57] rather than pitch them in the moment, [1:59] just acknowledge the fact they're busy [2:00] and then go for the jugular and set the [2:02] appointment. For example, if I called [2:04] you and you said, "Hey Jeff, look, I'm [2:05] in a meeting right now. I can't talk." I [2:07] would say, "Look, I totally expected you [2:09] to be in a meeting and not be able to [2:11] talk and that's why I called because I [2:12] want to find a time that's more [2:13] convenient for you. Why don't I send you [2:15] a meeting invite for Thursday at 2:00 [2:17] and then we can get together when you do [2:19] have time to talk. Yeah. Like with with [2:21] no pitch, right, at all. I'm just all [2:22] I'm doing is acknowledging. I mean, they [2:24] answered the freaking phone. Okay. So, [2:26] if they were that busy, like you're in a [2:28] meeting, right? Your phone rings and you [2:30] don't know who it is and you answer it. [2:31] I'm not sure you're that busy. rather [2:33] than try to talk fast, right, which can [2:36] work and not work. And you're like you [2:38] got that energy level, Paul, that and I [2:40] like I've known you for a long time from [2:41] social media because you you follow me [2:43] around and you comment on things. So you [2:45] have the ability to do that where a lot [2:46] of people wouldn't have the ability to [2:47] do that. You can just acknowledge it. I [2:49] just say, "Look, that's exactly what I [2:50] call cuz I knew you were going to be in [2:51] a meeting and you wouldn't have time to [2:52] talk. So all I want is a time that's [2:54] more convenient for you. How about [2:55] Thursday at 2?" I'll send over a meeting [2:56] invite. And most of them will go, [2:59] "Yeah." Or they'll go like, "Who are you [3:02] again?" And as soon as they say that, [3:04] like they're telling you I got time. And [3:06] that's like when people people go, I'm [3:07] in my car, I can't talk right now. I'm [3:09] like, if you were in your car and you [3:11] couldn't talk, why'd you answer the [3:12] phone? So, I just keep moving. Like, I [3:14] just I just barrel forward. Okay, that [3:15] would be another way of looking at it, [3:18] right? You So, you can say, I'm going to [3:19] go ahead and pitch them on why they [3:22] should talk to me, send over a meeting [3:23] invite, and then work it as hard as I [3:25] can to get them to show up. I can take [3:27] that as an objection and rather than [3:29] pitching, just use an objection [3:31] turnaround by acknowledging the [3:33] situation. Totally get it. I figured [3:35] you'd be in a meeting right now. I mean, [3:37] why wouldn't you be? And that's why I [3:38] called. So, I wanted to find a time [3:40] that's more convenient for you. Let's [3:41] pick another time. And then they're [3:43] either going to say yes, and then you're [3:44] going to run your play anyway, like [3:46] you're going to send them a video, send [3:47] them a meeting invite, stalk them on [3:49] LinkedIn, you know, surround them [3:50] completely, or they're going to go, [3:52] "Wait a minute. I I don't have time on [3:54] Thursday." And then at that point [3:55] they're talking and if they start [3:57] talking you can go well if you don't [3:58] have time let me ask you a couple of [3:59] questions. Okay go ahead at that point I [4:01] got you. And that leads me to the third [4:03] thing you can do. Right? So if they [4:05] answer the phone right it they sound [4:07] busy to you right? So it's their tone of [4:09] voice that starts impacting you. [4:11] Emotions are contagious. So what they're [4:13] doing right they're hitting you. So you [4:15] just slow it down. They go I'm really [4:18] busy right now. I can't talk. And you go [4:20] totally get that. I figured you would be [4:22] busy. Look, I only have two questions [4:24] and you just be quiet. I only have two [4:26] questions. Quiet. At that point, I'm [4:28] just qualifying. Right. If they don't [4:29] have time, they're going to hang up on [4:30] you. Probably happens to you every once [4:32] in a while. Like they just go click, [4:33] right? Yeah. They don't if they truly [4:35] don't have time, they're going to hang [4:36] up. This is called a non-complimentary [4:37] behavior. They're they're like, "I don't [4:39] really have any time right now." And the [4:41] only reason they're saying that is they [4:42] realize the mistake they made is that [4:43] they picked up the phone and you're on [4:44] the other end of the line. So, in that [4:46] case, you go, "I knew you were going to [4:48] be busy in a meeting. I only have two [4:50] questions. You're relaxed. They're [4:52] moving fast. Don't say another word. Let [4:54] them fill in the gap. If they go, "Okay, [4:57] but go fast." Now, you need to ask the [5:00] question that's going to get them to [5:01] engage. Like, now you need to ask the [5:03] question that's going to get them to say [5:04] blah. So, your question might be a [5:06] qualifying question. Then it might be, I [5:09] just want to know how many I'm making [5:12] this up. Okay. Yeah. How many data [5:14] points you're connected [5:17] to in your current configuration? I'm [5:20] just making that up. Okay. Right. Right. [5:21] Right. Yeah. Right. But it's a question [5:22] that they should know the answer to, but [5:24] would tell you that if there's more than [5:26] 10 of those, I need to be talking to [5:27] this person. It's like a setup question, [5:29] but it's a question that they'll want to [5:30] answer. And then whatever they say, you [5:32] go, that's exactly why we need to get [5:34] together. Let me send you a meeting [5:36] invite. I've got an opening at Thursday [5:38] at 2 so I can ask you a few more [5:40] questions because we can help you with [5:42] that problem. You see, you see how we're [5:44] doing that? I absolutely do. I I've [5:46] picked I've taken notes of some great [5:48] tidbits, sir. Thank you. I would look at [5:51] one of those like one of those three [5:52] things. So what you're what you're doing [5:53] now sounds like it's working okay like I [5:56] mean you're pitching and you're getting [5:57] meetings like if you were getting no [5:58] meetings at all I would say okay we need [6:00] to quit doing that but it is working and [6:02] then you've got a way of managing to get [6:04] more people to show up. We've got the [6:06] we'll treat it as an objection and just [6:08] do a quick turnaround and we're going to [6:09] go bam ask for the meeting without any [6:11] pitching at all. or we look at as an [6:13] opportunity to test whether or not [6:15] they're really busy by using [6:17] non-complimentary behavior to slow the [6:19] process down and then throw into their [6:22] lap, hey, I just got two questions. And [6:24] you shut up. After that, you're going to [6:25] know. They're either going to go, I [6:27] don't have time to talk right now. In [6:28] that case, you go, hey, I figured you [6:30] wouldn't. Let's go ahead and set a call [6:31] on Thursday at 2. Send them a meeting [6:32] invite. Or they hang up the phone on [6:34] you. They say, screw you and hang the [6:36] phone up. I guess in Jersey, they would [6:38] say screw you and the horse you rode in [6:39] on click. or they go, "Okay, I got two [6:42] seconds. I mean, just shoot them to me [6:43] fast." And you throw the question out [6:45] there. And what I'm always listening to [6:46] when I throw the question out there is, [6:47] "How long does it take them to answer [6:48] the first question?" If they start [6:50] slowing down and giving me information, [6:52] I'll pay attention and go, "Can I push [6:54] it for a couple more questions?" And [6:56] then if I can get them talking, I'm [6:57] going to be in. If I don't feel like I [6:59] can push it a couple more questions, I [7:00] just say, "That's exactly why we should [7:02] get together." But people don't know [7:03] about you is that I think you've got a a [7:05] place in Paris and a place on the coast. [7:08] So yeah, this is like this is what sales [7:10] does, right? We have the most lucrative [7:13] careers in business, period. Right? I [7:16] love I love what I do. I love sales. I [7:19] love I pitch myself I get to do this. [7:20] The outbound conference will be up [7:23] again. Uh we're going to which runs [7:24] every other year. So you can go to [7:27] outboundconference.com right now, [7:28] outboundference.com, and click the [7:30] button and you can put your name on the [7:31] waiting list. Yes, sir. And we're gonna [7:33] send the people on that waiting list the [7:35] first dibs because we always come out [7:36] with early bird tickets that are [7:38] significantly discounted. So like the [7:39] first 50 people or so. So anybody who's [7:42] listening, if you want to get on the the [7:44] mailing list, we haven't announced the [7:45] date or the location yet, but our team [7:48] is hard at work finding the location and [7:50] the location is going to kind of dictate [7:52] the date to us because we got to work [7:53] with their schedules. But once we have [7:54] that up, we're going to send we'll send [7:56] out early bird tickets. So go to [7:57] outboundconference.com, put your name on [7:59] the waiting list, and should be about 60 [8:01] days and we'll be ready to roll. Well, [8:04] congratulations for all that that you've [8:06] achieved and keep achieving. Thanks, [8:08] Paul. Have a nice one.

===FILE=== xeuQO_CgZCo - Sales Rejection The Neurophysiology of Fear  Ask Jeb Blount.txt
https://youtu.be/xeuQO_CgZCo
Sales Rejection： The Neurophysiology of Fear ｜ Ask Jeb Blount

[0:03] [music] [0:07] All right, y'all. Welcome back to a [0:10] special episode of the Ask Jeb podcast [0:14] segment on Sales Gravy. I've got uh [0:16] Wendy Sophia Ramirez Campos on with me. [0:21] She is a renowned and leading Mexican [0:24] sales trainer. Uh she's an author. She's [0:27] a mindset coach. And I'm not going to [0:29] say the name of your book in espanol, [0:31] the English translation for Wendy's [0:33] book, What No One Talks About in Sales, [0:35] Strategies to Avoid Being a Flash in the [0:38] Pan, which I think is a really good [0:39] [laughter] name for a book. [0:41] So, we're going to do something here [0:43] today that we haven't done before. And [0:45] let's just be clear, I am not a Spanish [0:47] speaker, but we are going to um do an [0:51] ask Jeb. You're going to ask me a [0:52] question. And um we're going to record [0:54] this in in both espanol and in uh [0:58] English. And then we're going to do two [1:01] versions of this. And in one version I [1:04] will be speaking Spanish through the uh [1:06] the helpful technology of AI. And in the [1:09] other one we'll be both be speaking [1:10] English. And so we'll we'll be able to [1:11] create two versions of this which I [1:13] think is fun. And Tim um our head of our [1:16] studios here at salesgrave he's just [1:17] geeking out over there because he gets [1:18] to do this. So, however you're listening [1:20] to this, you may be listening to this in [1:22] English. You may be listening this into [1:24] espanol. Disclaimer is that I am not a [1:26] native Spanish speaker. So, Wendy, a [1:29] little bit more about you before your [1:31] questions for me. You're training people [1:33] to sell in Mexico. So for our audience [1:37] in America, can you maybe tell us maybe [1:41] the difference between the the Mexican [1:44] and the Latan market and then uh in the [1:47] US market the way that we know sells [1:49] here? [1:50] Well, it's different. The people is [1:52] different. The sometimes in Latin [1:54] America people decides but they take [1:57] more time to make a decision. Maybe [1:59] people is fear, maybe they have not all [2:02] the information uh difference in [2:04] different cultures and they're going to [2:06] say h let me check this as an objection. [2:10] Yeah. [2:10] And for example, we use more WhatsApp, [2:13] we use more social media than the than [2:15] the states and it's more follow up. It's [2:18] more to call people and to continue with [2:20] the people in in sales and more to get a [2:24] a relationship before to make a sale. [2:26] Yeah, I think the WhatsApp part is one [2:29] one that I struggle with here in the US [2:30] because when I'm overseas and when I'm [2:33] um in Latin America or in Europe or in [2:35] Asia, everybody uses WhatsApp and I use [2:39] it constantly there. It's like fluid. [2:41] So, I'm and I think it's the Swiss Army [2:43] knife for sales professionals because [2:46] you can text, you can like write a long [2:48] letter, you can send a video, you can [2:50] send an audio, you can call people, you [2:53] can have a video conversation, like [2:54] everything you want to do on WhatsApp. [2:56] And we're so text messaging centric here [2:58] that we don't really think the way [3:00] WhatsApp is used. So, when I get back [3:02] here, all of my friends overseas are [3:04] using WhatsApp. And it doesn't like it's [3:06] not part of my normal workflow. That's a [3:09] big difference in how people [3:10] communicate. But it sounds to me like [3:13] what you're saying is that people [3:15] make slower decisions there than they do [3:18] here. [3:19] Yes. Because too many people here and [3:22] I'm talking about salespersons instead [3:24] of make a phone call to call someone to [3:27] follow up they prefer to send a message [3:30] because it's easier to deal rejection. [3:34] They saw the message, they didn't answer [3:37] more than the people hang up the the [3:38] phone call. [3:39] Tell me how you got into sales training [3:41] like how did you start this career? [3:43] Well, I was 21. It was 20 22 years ago. [3:47] My god. And I started I started [3:49] marketing and when I finished the [3:51] career, I started working with a with a [3:54] guy who I really admire him. I saw him [3:56] and he was like a Mexican Tony Robbins [3:59] [laughter] [4:00] and he he told me that if I wanted to [4:02] work with him and I start saying yes. I [4:05] started sales. I was calling people [4:08] and going to appointments and after a [4:12] few years I said I want to work with [4:14] with him. I want to be a trainer, a [4:18] sales trainer and then he start training [4:20] me and after that 2010 he died in a [4:24] heart attack. Oh, [4:26] he was 38. [4:28] Wow. [4:29] And I lost my job. I lost my boss. I [4:32] lost my friend. And I said, I'm going to [4:35] continue with the with the legacy. And [4:38] then that's when I opened my own [4:39] company. That's how I started. [4:41] Wow. [4:42] Then I studied NLP. I California [4:45] Institute. I studied neuros sales. Now [4:49] I'm studying the master degree about [4:52] persuation. And that's what I do. I've [4:54] been studying since I was a girl, so I I [4:57] can't stop studying. I'm a a book eater. [5:00] I love that. [laughter] [5:02] So, what inspired you to write a book? [5:06] Shame. [5:08] What? [laughter] [5:11] It was a Imagine I was 20 years doing uh [5:15] the workshops and at the end people came [5:18] to me and they said, "Hey, do you have a [5:19] book?" And I was like, "Oh, I'm writing [5:21] it." I had just one page and then I had [5:25] the time and I said it's time to start [5:27] to writing a book. I want to leave a [5:29] legacy. Well, I'm not like you that you [5:32] have a a lot of books. It's complicated [5:34] to get your book here in my city. It [5:36] took months to come here. I said I want [5:39] to let something written. I wrote the [5:41] book in three months. It's just a short [5:43] book. I'm going to send you a copy, but [5:46] it's more about mindset and also sales. [5:48] But I thought that the first thing is [5:50] that sales is more psychological things [5:52] but it's not about the psychological [5:55] things about how to sell if not the [5:58] things that you have in your mind [6:00] because people has a lot of issues. They [6:02] have a lot of fears. They have a lot of [6:05] of lack of information that they need to [6:07] move so they can go forward. Instead [6:10] they they hold themsel back and they [6:13] don't call they don't work. They don't [6:16] sell. I love that you said that because [6:17] we we start thinking about sales. Sales [6:19] is a skill position. Like there are [6:22] particular skills and techniques and [6:24] tools that we need to deploy in order to [6:28] be good at the craft. But the thing that [6:30] makes all the difference is what's in [6:32] here. And by the way, that's no [6:34] different than athletics. If you if you [6:37] talk to to elite athletes, elite [6:39] athletes are all operating at at similar [6:42] skill levels and talent levels. They'll [6:44] tell you that winning or losing happens [6:45] between the years. Uh I'm a big golfer. [6:49] And the the big, you know, difference [6:52] between me having a really good game of [6:54] golf or a really bad game of golf is [6:56] 100% what's in my head. My body knows [6:58] what to do. I know how to swing the [7:00] club. You focusing on mindset and [7:03] helping people solve that problem. [7:06] That's probably number one for most [7:08] salespeople is fix the mindset and a lot [7:11] of other things follow behind that. Of [7:13] course. Yeah. If you don't fix your [7:15] mindset, you're not going to get the [7:18] results that you're expecting. And [7:19] people thinks that they stop and they [7:21] can go forward. And it's just to move [7:24] your mindset, you get more information. [7:27] That's why I love the trainings. That's [7:28] why I love the workshops. That's why I [7:31] love to read because when when you have [7:33] a training, when you learn something [7:35] new, you apply them and you increase [7:38] your mindset and you get better results. [7:42] It sounds like you're just absolutely [7:44] passionate about what you do. [7:46] Yes. I mean my eeky guy like the [7:48] Japanese say [7:49] I love it. Very good. So let's let's [7:52] take the questions. [7:53] Today's topic is something that we all [7:55] face rejection. Sure this conversation [7:58] will change the way we see it. Jeb [8:00] you've inspired millions of sales people [8:03] worldwide but tell us what does [8:06] rejection [8:07] mean to you personally? So when we think [8:11] about rejection, first of all, what I [8:12] want to do is make sure that we're not [8:13] glorifying rejection. Nobody wants to be [8:15] rejected. And rejection, unless you're a [8:19] pure sociopath where you feel nothing, [8:21] it doesn't make a difference who you [8:22] are, rejection is still going to hurt [8:25] you. And it'll hurt you in different [8:26] degrees. So I'm a highly outcome driven [8:29] person. So I'm able to deal with [8:31] rejection at a level that some people [8:33] who may be highly empathetic would have [8:36] a hard time with. But for most people [8:39] who are normal human beings, no matter [8:41] where you fit, it's going to hurt. And [8:44] so when you start thinking about it that [8:45] way, rejection is the natural human [8:50] response to being pushed out of a group [8:53] of people. And and what happens inside [8:57] of you is totally neurophysical. So when [8:59] you get rejected, your body actually [9:01] treats it like a threat. So fight [9:04] orflight kicks in, which is a [9:06] neurohysical response to being rejected. [9:08] It's a chemical reaction inside your [9:10] brain that pushes adrenaline out into [9:13] your bloodstream, makes your heart beat [9:15] really fast, makes you either want to [9:16] run away or fight, and it just creates a [9:20] really uncomfortable feeling on the [9:22] inside. That's what rejection is. Just [9:24] it's just science. What does it mean? [9:27] Well, in sales, the problem for [9:30] rejection is that it hurts. It's [9:33] painful. Nobody wants to feel it. But if [9:37] you don't face rejection in sales, [9:39] you're going to fail because sales is a [9:41] rejection dense profession. Which simply [9:44] means that when in sales you hit [9:48] rejection, you don't have the option of [9:50] going backwards. You can either go over [9:53] it, you can go through it, you can go [9:55] around it, you can dig under it, but [9:57] your job is to go out and find rejection [9:59] in the world and bring it home. That's [10:01] the job. So what rejection means to me [10:05] personally is it's painful. Nobody likes [10:07] it, but we have to do it anyway if we [10:09] want to be in sales. Sales is that [10:11] that's the profession. That's why we [10:12] have this mindset issue that you were [10:14] talking about earlier. So if we if we [10:18] understand those two things, then it [10:20] means that we have to develop these [10:22] mechanisms inside of ourselves to deal [10:25] with something that is just part of the [10:27] the job. And in the book that you are [10:30] holding the the what you held up earlier [10:32] objections uh in that particular book we [10:35] talk about obstacle immunity. In other [10:37] words obstacle immunity is the process [10:39] that human beings go through of facing [10:41] something that's an obstacle that feels [10:43] really big but doing it enough times so [10:46] that we lower the size of that obstacle. [10:48] So the fear of being rejected or the [10:50] uncomfortable feeling we feel with [10:52] objections we lower that uh that fear. [10:55] And to give you a best example of this, [10:57] um, a few years back, for the people who [11:00] are are familiar with this group, [11:02] there's a group in the US Army called [11:03] the Golden Knights. They are a famous [11:05] parachute team, uh, in the in the US [11:08] Army, probably the the best, uh, [11:10] parachute team worldwide. I got invited [11:13] to jump out of a plane with them over [11:14] Fort Knox, and it was amazing. Like, [11:18] what a great honor to be able to jump [11:19] out of an airplane with the Golden [11:21] Knights. Now, I'm not a skydiver, just [11:23] like I'm not a Spanish speaker. So, I go [11:27] to Fort Knox. I meet with this team and [11:30] I'm scared. I've never jumped out of an [11:32] airplane before. I'm tandem jumping with [11:34] one of the Golden Knights. So, I know [11:36] I've got an expert. And we get on the [11:38] airplane and I asked the guy that I was [11:40] jumping with like, "How many times have [11:41] you jumped out of an airplane?" And he [11:43] goes, "10,000 times, something like [11:45] that." I went, "So, do you ever get [11:48] afraid at all?" And he goes, "Of course [11:50] I get afraid. I'm jumping out of an [11:51] airplane. When I'm You jump out of an [11:53] airplane, your body's going to get [11:55] afraid. It He just He says, "I've just [11:57] done it so many times that I know [11:59] exactly what the process is so that I'm [12:02] able to get myself to jump out of an [12:04] airplane even though my brain says this [12:06] is the wrong thing to do." And that's [12:09] exactly what you have to do in sales. So [12:11] there are techniques in the book [12:13] objections like the ledge technique that [12:15] allows you to interrupt or break the [12:18] pattern that you feel in fight or flight [12:20] when you get rejected so that you can [12:22] regain your poise, your confidence and [12:24] you'll know what to say. This again we [12:26] go it's going back to what's between the [12:28] ears and there is the process of [12:30] understanding like how to take control [12:33] of the conversation when someone gives [12:35] you an objection and then it's [12:37] understanding that a objection isn't the [12:40] same as a rejection even though the way [12:43] that you feel when someone objects or [12:45] rejects is essentially the same. So if [12:48] you think about it that way, if you just [12:50] break this down, Wendy, we've got [12:52] rejection. Nobody likes it except for [12:54] sociopaths who don't care, but there's [12:56] not very many sociopaths in sales. So we [12:58] have rejection that that feels painful. [13:01] And then we have the fact that in sales, [13:04] if you don't get rejected, you're going [13:05] to be broke. So you got to go you got to [13:07] go face rejection. And those two things, [13:10] the in order to handle them or square [13:14] that, you've got to focus on developing [13:17] the techniques and mechanisms that allow [13:20] yourself in those emotionally tense [13:22] situations to be emotionally [13:26] disciplined, [13:28] gain control, gain poise, and handle [13:30] those objections, those that rejection [13:32] in a way that allows you to achieve your [13:35] desired outcome. [13:38] True. Thank you. I always say in my [13:41] trainings that would you let me to get [13:43] your wallet, get all your cards, all [13:45] your money and not letting you money for [13:48] your family. [13:49] No, I wouldn't let you take my money. [13:51] No way. [13:51] Yeah. [13:51] No way. Jose like Mexicans say. [13:53] Yeah. [13:54] But people when when you give to the [13:56] others, when you give to the clients, [13:57] when when you give to the people that [14:00] rejected you [14:03] the power [14:05] to [clears throat] stop you. That's what [14:07] exactly you do. [14:08] Yes. That's that's a I love the way you [14:10] said that. That's beautiful. I love [14:13] that. [14:14] Jeff, thank you so much. [14:16] I feel like a groupy. [laughter] [14:19] Well, I'm now your groupy. So, thank you [14:21] so much. [14:25] Hey, I'm doing a happy dance because you [14:27] watched this video. Make sure that you [14:29] click like and subscribe so that you [14:31] never miss one of our amazing sales [14:33] training
