• In this episode of Sales Tales, Josh and David discuss the importance of effective communication in sales meetings.
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• They share personal anecdotes about disastrous meetings and emphasize the need for clear expectations, purpose, and outcomes.
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• The conversation highlights the significance of face-to-face interactions in sales, the necessity of establishing mutual agreements, and the strategies to navigate the complexities of buyer-seller dynamics.
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• The episode concludes with actionable takeaways for conducting better sales meetings.
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In this conversation, Josh and Dave discuss the critical elements of a successful sales process, emphasizing the importance of a structured selling system and effective communication.

Donald Kelly, founder of the Sales Evangelist, highlights the challenges faced by modern sales teams, particularly in prospecting and engagement strategies.

The discussion also delves into the necessity of consistency in sales behaviors and the value of learning from real-world sales experiences and provides valuable takeaways for sales professionals looking to enhance their approach and achieve better results.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How skipping steps in the sales process can lead to significant issues.
• To use effective communication after a sale which is crucial for long-term success.
• How modern sales teams face challenges in prospecting and engagement.
• Ways to differentiate outreach strategies to stand out.

Here is a link to Josh's episode on Donald Kelly's show:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/josh-shirley-the-rule-of-seven-for-linkedin-sales-navigator/id788738885?i=1000669216714

Donald Kelly's book is available everywhere (try Amazon link) - Sell is like a Mango

https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Like-Mango-Sellers-Closing/dp/1640953906

The Adam Grant book referenced in the episode is called "Hidden Potential"

This episode is for you if you want to make your first meeting with a prospect more meaningful.

When you get in front of a prospect, are you trying to build a relationship or are you trying to bond and build rapport?

Heather Snyder, co-founder of ProMode.ai, career salesperson, and mentor to female sellers, teaches us that those are two different things. She also knows that this key step presents different types of challenges if you're a woman.

In this episode, learn:

• Tactics for building trust.
• A framework for a new conversation.
• How to challenge yourself to be "bold" if you are a female seller.

Have you ever felt that your sales pipeline will buckle under the weight of a couple of questions?

Many reps and managers are scared their pipeline isn't "real."

Dave shares his four pipeline questions with us that will help us keep our pipeline fresh, and keep our conversations brief and honest.

Learn:

• How to accelerate dialog when discussing your pipeline.
• How to hold yourself accountable to more substantial "gates" when selling.
• How to use the questions to improve the next conversation with your prospect.

In this episode of Sales Tales, Dave and Josh examine the function of business development within the wider sales org.

You could say BD is the hardest role in sales.

At the same time, many organizations struggle with culture and keeping their roles stocked with talented people who can execute consistently.

Why is that?

In this episode, learn:

• Why the BD role is so important.
• Why we don't treat BD like it's important.
• Ways to rethink your approach to the culture of business development.

Do you do email prospecting? Are you doing things that are preventing prospects from ever seeing them? EMAIL FAILS: Jay Schwedelson tells us the MULTITUDE of things we are doing wrong. You'll be surprised how many of them are easy fixes. Jay, Dave, and I focus on:

• Subject line cheat codes that increase your open rate
• Email copy DON'Ts that will help you warm up leads
• Calls to actions that focus on the customer and compel interaction
• Email sequencing tips
• Jay's biggest "Boat Anchors" of email (no more webinars, please)
• Email tales of greatness!
• And more!

Have you ever heard a pricing objection? Have you ever been told your product or service is too expensive?

Many times, when it comes to dealing with the investment in your stuff, you are getting in your own way. In this episode, we talk about:

1. Handling budget in the right order

2. Talking to prospects who are willing and able

3. What we're often doing wrong

Salespeople get in their own way all the time.

Markku Kauppinen, CEO of FinxS Assessments, says that it's because we put too much pressure on our buyer to adapt to our preferred communication style.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to quickly assess your buyer's preferred communication style and channel
• What signs to look for to better interpret how they will respond
• What things are most likely to stop us from adapting our style