In this episode Mike tackles the first of the Four R’s of Smart Sales Talent Management:  Right People in the Right Roles and he introduces the concept of zookeeper-wired sellers. So many sales leaders live in perpetual frustration that their overly relational, account management minded salespeople will not hunt for new business. These “zookeepers” are wonderful people who live to keep the peace, enhance relationships, put out customer service fires, and service existing accounts, but most absolutely hate the conflict, risk, and rejection that accompanies hunting for new business.  Prepare to be challenged as Mike asks if it is possible to coerce, coach, and compensate zookeepers to become successful hunters. He also turns conventional wisdom on its head by making the case that even the most successful “account managers” who consistently penetrate and grow revenue within existing accounts actually behave more like proactive hunters than reactive farmers/zookeepers.  ______________________________________________________________________ Join Mike on either July 19th or 21st for a special session where he will offer 4 Practical Fixes for the Biggest Challenges Facing Sales Leaders Right Now. Sign up at https://mikeweinberg.com/4practicalfixes/

In the episode Mike talks about two recent experiences with great relevance for sales leaders. First, he shares his reaction to what he is calling “business sentiment whiplash.” In just a period of a few weeks it feels like business momentum and sentiment has shifted from boom to bust. Mike expresses his bewilderment that we so quickly pivoted from go, go, go, hire, hire, hire, spend, spend, spend to a posture of pessimism as job offers are being rescinded, conferences being postponed, and companies talking about cutting back. There are enormous sales management implications as we work through this whiplash. The strong reaction to this post prompted Mike to unpack his thoughts further in this episode. Next, Mike reveals a recent painful experience with a large company’s procurement department that would be humorous if it wasn’t true. The reaction to this LinkedIn post inspired him to share more of the story in this episode.  Hear Mike’s reaction to receiving a 36-page guide to help his team navigate this company’s procurement portal. That’s right. A 36-page guide on how to get set up as a “vendor.”  If you’re familiar with Sales Truth, you can imagine that this did not end well. Quoting Chapter 13, he offers a strong reminder on why we need to own our rules of engagement, and that it’s imperative to maintain a full pipeline of opportunities so we can sell from an abundance mentality. “…we decided a few years ago that 100 percent of my effort goes into creating value for clients; I promised myself and my clients that all of our energy will be focused solely on creating and delivering the best speaking/workshop/coaching/consulting engagement possible. Due to that commitment to my clients, I refuse to put even one ounce of energy jumping through procurement hoops…” Books mentioned in Episode 33: Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play by Mahan Khalsa Baseline Selling by Dave Kurlan Finally, Mike wraps the episode with an announcement about a new offering, The Sales Leadership Coaching Cohort. You can hear the “why” and the “what” behind this coaching cohort in this short video.   Upcoming Opportunities for Sales Leaders: September 14th, London, UK  – Mike is co-hosting SALES EXECUTION SIMPLIFIED, a special one-day event for sales execs, leaders and managers. More info here:  https://event.growthmattersintl.com/ses22/   October 11th, Atlanta, GA – Supercharge Your Sales Leadership, one-day intensive at The Porsche Experience Center. Just 6 spots (of 50) are still available. More info here: https://mikeweinberg.com/atlanta2022/

This may be Mike’s all-time favorite sales management conversation as he hosts his favorite international sales management experts, Tony Cross and Alan Versteeg. If you believe in the fundamentals and appreciate the blunt truth about sales, this episode is for you!  Tony and Alan’s specialty is sales management execution, and triggered by Mike’s questions, they hold nothing back and provide more tweetable one-liners than you’ll be able to capture. Buckle up as these three make the strong case that executing the fundamentals well (particularly accountability and coaching) drives exponentially more sales results than anything else, and specifically more than simply “enabling” sellers.  Take a listen as Mike and his guests address… How it feels like the lunatics are running the asylum as sales leaders have been blinded by shiny, new, fancy toys and ignoring the fundamentals  Why sales managers were often more effective decades ago when they were “in-field” and laser-focused on coaching sellers That after all the hype and major investment in enablement, there has not been a proportional increase in sales effectiveness; in fact, the opposite has occurred The problem with “execution” often lies with senior executives who have lost sight of the sales leader’s primary job and highest-value activities Mike and his guests also preview a special one-day event they are co-hosting in London on September 14. Sales leaders in UK, be sure to check out Sales Execution Simplified. All of Mike’s previous trips to Europe have been private events hosted by his clients. This is the first time he is doing a session with public availability for sales leaders! More info here: https://event.growthmattersintl.com/ses22/

For Episode 31 Mike brings back sales superstar Dominic Testo for a command performance. Dominic was featured in the wildly popular Episode 3: How a Top Producer Prospects, Owns Sales Process, Beats Procurement & Drives Profit.  Much has transpired in the past 18 months and Mike wanted sales leaders and salespeople alike to hear how Dominic has not only survived, but thrived through the pandemic, massive supply chain challenges, and passing on what feels like perpetual price increases. Hear how this top-producer took advantage of challenging times to elevate his already strong sales game to become… More patient More strategic More consultative More proactive Even more successful And more valuable to his customers As Dominic told Mike during pre-show prep, “There's a tremendous amount of opportunity in hard times. The best of the best will not let it slip by.”   Two Unique 1-Day Opportunities for Execs, Sales Leaders, and Sales Managers   Just announced:  SALES EXECUTION SIMPLIFIED – London, September 14, 2022. Mike is co-hosting this full-day session in his favorite city with sales management guru friends from South Africa, Tony Cross and Alan Versteeg.  More info here: https://event.growthmattersintl.com/ses22/   SUPERCHARGE YOUR SALES LEADERSHIP – Atlanta, October 11, 2022 at Mike’s happy place - The Porsche Experience Center. Only 13 (of 50) seats remaining. More info here:  mikeweinberg.com/atlanta2022

These 12 minutes will very likely expose exactly why you (or your sales team’s) pipeline is not sufficiently full and why you (they) are not creating more new opportunities at the top of the funnel. Mike recorded this short, unscripted, unplanned episode immediately after wrapping up a 3-hour Sales Management. Simplified. workshop for a group of sales leaders who were sharing their frustration around pipeline health, and particularly about lack of new sales opportunities being created. Take a listen and use this brief episode as an ‘Opportunity Creation Checklist’ as Mike quickly unpacks four causes/reasons that the top of your pipeline (and your sales results) may not be as healthy as you’d like.

In this unique episode, leaders are confronted with the weighty reality that they take up way more emotional and mental space in their people’s minds and hearts than they often recognize or appreciate. There is nothing mutually exclusive about maintaining a results-focused, kickass sales culture and simultaneously creating a community that cares for, supports, encourages, and values salespeople. In fact, the very best sales cultures and sales leaders balance accountability and empathy exceedingly well! Buckle up as Mike rails against the devolution of sales management into a desk/CRM jockey job (and the dangers of faux leadership via email) and forcefully reminds leaders that they are managing human beings with emotions, not drones.  Prepare to be challenged about your own self-awareness regarding the head and heart space you occupy in your team members and learn four simple, practical tips to help you become better stewards of this awesome responsibility.

In episode 28 Mike hosts Anthony Iannarino, the man he often refers to as the smartest person in the sales improvement business and Mike’s #1 go-to sales guru. Anthony is on a mission to elevate the sales profession and is laser focused on helping sellers become truly consultative. His brand-new book, Elite Sales Strategies, show salespeople how to put themselves in a “One-Up” position where they approach prospects and clients from a position of authority and strength. In this powerful interview, expect to be challenged about everything from your mindset, to how you’re upgrading your (or your team’s) business acumen, to how you (or your team) prepare for and conduct sales calls. And buckle up because Anthony makes the argument that the traditional method of conducting discovery sales calls actually contributes to salespeople getting commoditized. Within the first few minutes of this conversation, you’ll understand Mike’s affection and respect for Anthony and also be hungry to elevate your sales game and become a “One-Up” Sales Pro! Links: Elite Sales Strategies on Amazon Anthony Iannarino on LinkedIn   Mike’s Episode 18: Ineffective Sales Calls, Premature Presentations/Demos, and Selling Like Everyone Else Gets You Commoditized 

Sales is simple. And so is the process of developing new business. Regardless how complex your business or marketplace, the fundamentals for executing a successful sales attack are not! With golf season around the corner, Mike, in his quest to improve his game, went old school and has been reading the classic book published in 1957, Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf. He was blown away by two realties from this priceless book. First, how absolutely clear, basic, and simple these fundamentals are. And second, the fact that the “modern” lessons from 65 years ago are still very much applicable and true today, despite the “changes” in the golf world and advances in technology! Sound familiar, sales leaders? Studying Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons inspired this episode and prompted Mike to list and briefly unpack his five fundamental focus areas that he helps sales teams master: 1.  A Strategic, Finite, Workable Target List 2. Compelling Messaging (a customer issue and outcome-focused “Sales Story”) 3. Proactive Pursuit and Prospecting (ability to secure a meeting) 4. Effective Consultative/Discovery/Early Stage Sales Calls 5. The Calendar, Personal Productivity, Pipeline Accountability   If you’re looking to up your (or your team’s) new business development sales game, this episode is for you. The five fundamental focus areas are a great checklist and the table stakes for executing a successful sales attack, creating more new opportunities, filling the pipeline, and WINNING MORE NEW SALES.   8 (of the 50) spots are left for the upcoming Supercharge Your Sales Leadership 1-Day Intensive in Atlanta on May 3rd.  Ready to radically increase sales management effectiveness, create a healthy, high-performance sales culture, and tackle today’s biggest sales leadership challenges? Join Mike and 50 hungry, driven sales leaders at The Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta! 

If you or your team are charged with initiating sales conversations, creating new sales opportunities, and bringing in new business, then this cross-continent conversation is for you. This episode is like no other! Mike was actually the guest on the Deal Podcast hosted by Jiri Siklar, a top-producing senior account executive for AWS based in Europe. Mike was so blown away with his Jiri’s sales brilliance and his philosophy on prospecting that he turned the interview around, started asking questions of Jiri, and received his permission to use excerpts of this powerful conversation in this episode.   Enjoy this power-packed dialogue as Jiri and Mike… Discuss the #SalesTruth that everyone is sick of the LinkedIn “connect and pitch” approach and the constant cold outreach and spammy messages Confront the nonsense from the #SocialSelling charlatans that everything in sales has changed, nothing that used to work is still effective, and the lie that the phone is dead or only deployed by dinosaurs  Reveal the reality that the telephone is sexier (and in many cases, more effective) than ever, and offers an amazing opportunity for sales hunters to stand out simply because so few sellers use it Make the case that the most successful  salespeople use ALL effective, ethical, and appropriate methods to prospect for new opportunities, and that newer tools and approaches are wonderful supplements to, not replacements for, traditional methods like the phone Provide practical tips for picking up the phone and using voicemail effectively   More About Mike’s new friend: Jiri Siklar was born in the Czech Republic, and currently lives near Vienna, Austria. He’s made quota 52 consecutive months and was the #1 salesperson is his region of Europe four straight years. His Deal Podcast (most episodes in German) has 10,000 listeners. Jiri will be joining Mike as a guest on The Sales Management. Simplified. Podcast in the near future. Mike referred listeners to Episode 25: A Foolproof Framework to Guarantee Consistent Deal Flow and a Full, Healthy Pipeline Dates and Details are now available for the May and October Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Events! If you’re ready to radically increase sales management effectiveness, these elite experience events are for you.

We ALL crave a full, healthy (fat), balanced, moving pipeline of sales opportunities! In this solo episode (for both sales leaders and individual contributors), Mike reviews why and how the top of the sales funnel so often gets ignored and offers his foolproof framework to ensure a healthy pipeline and consistent deal flow. Mike challenges sellers to stop defaulting to service mode and explains the dangerous consequences that result from sales hunters always working their hottest deals first. DOWNLOAD THIS HELPFUL GRAPHIC and take a listen to learn why it is absolutely critical that sellers divide their time and attention across accounts and opportunities at all phases of sales cycle.  ** UPDATE: The location and dates have been secured for the 2022 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Elite Events! If you’re ready for a 1-day intensive at a premium venue with other hungry, driven sales leaders looking to radically increase sales management effectiveness, check out the details and videos HERE.

Mike unequivocally declared that this episode (Part 2 of his interview with Nick Hejna) is The. Single. Best. conversation he’s ever had with a sales leader around sales process. Nick and Mike paint the clearest possible picture of why having, following, and owning a sales process is not only important for the seller, but is actually in THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PROSPECT/CLIENT! You’ll also be challenged to consider that the best sales leaders don’t play “hero” of their teams but focus on making heroes of their people, and that not every top producer fits the bill for a management role.  And Nick concludes this powerful conversation by sharing his love for the sales profession and the opportunity it offers top performers to achieve financial (and life) freedom. If you are enjoying and getting value from Mike’s podcast, please rate the show and leave a brief review on Apple Podcasts.   Books Mentioned in this Episode: Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play by Mahan Khalsa (the 1st Edition from 1999, beige paperback is Mike’s choice) Baseline Selling by Dave Kurlan  The Lost Art of Closing by Anthony Iannarino

You will be challenged by this fast-paced conversation between Mike and his special guest, Nick Hejna, who serves as Executive Vice President and National Sales Leader for AssuredPartners, one of the largest and fastest growing insurance brokers in the U.S. Mike has tremendous respect for Nick as someone who not only gets sales leadership at the highest level, but who also preaches and demonstrates the importance of sales process on a daily basis. In Part 1 of this interview, Nick and Mike discuss… Why focus is critical for a successful new business development focused sales attack That specialists often sell exponentially more than generalists The reality that it takes more activity to build a book of business than most new producers grasp and why managers must hold people accountable for opportunity creation and activity against target accounts How the “pushing the snowball up the hill” pays huge dividends once you reach the peak and have momentum and gravity on your side Creating hunger and reducing complacency with smart compensation plans that reward developing net new business more than babysitting and renewing existing clients Nick also shares the three non-negotiables he sees in every top-producer: They Own Their Calendar They Deploy a Compelling Sales Story They’re Laser Focused on the Pipeline (and target accounts)   Books mentioned in this episode: New Sales. Simplified.  by Mike Weinberg Inked by Jeb Blount 

In this Year-End/New Year’s episode Mike… …reflects back on his highlights and challenges of 2021,  …reveals the “deflating” effect that Covid and current events have had on him personally, …shares what he’s working on and his own commitment to become more productive, and …challenges sales leaders with several questions to help get their minds and hearts in the right place heading into 2022. How will you take back control of your calendar, maximize time spent on the precious few high-payoff sales leadership activities, and accomplish more sales management and drive more results in less time? In spite of whatever circumstances you find yourself in, what must you do to protect your mindset and motivation to remain positive and proactive as you lead your team? How effectively is your sales team executing on the big fundamentals? Have you gotten caught up in trendy sales fads, or does your FOMO have you searching for new tools, toys and quick fixes instead of focusing your people on the basics that always drive results… Strategic Target Lists (of growable existing customers and ideal profile prospects) A Sharp Sales Story (that leads with the issues your solution addresses and the outcomes you create for customers) Proactive Pursuit and Prospecting (to CREATE new opportunities at the top of the funnel) Effective Consultative Discovery Sales Calls Calendar and Pipeline Management and Accountability  Thank you for listening and the incredible reaction to this podcast in 2021! If you are receiving value, sign up here to receive email notification of new episodes or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. And please take a minute to post a review for this show on Apple Podcasts. Resources mentioned in this episode: Michael Hyatt books and courses referenced by Mike:  Free to Focus book, online course, Win at Work & Succeed at Life book Mike’s Your Sales Story online course Fly. The. Airplane. article 

If we are being honest, most of us like it when things are easy…when the wind is at our back, when we’re on a hot streak, and being carried along by momentum. But unfortunately, that’s not reality – at least for the long-term. We all hit rough patches and end up having to sell or lead a team through tough times. Occasionally, these hard times are predictable, and we can see them coming over the horizon. And at other times, we are totally blindsided by a competitor, a disruptive change in the marketplace, a personal or family hardship, or even a pandemic. Whatever the cause and whatever the case, the harsh reality is, as this episode’s special guest reminds us, tough times are inevitable. The more important questions are: How do you prepare for tough times? How will you respond when they arrive? How will maximize your success in spite of them? Paul Reilly, like Mike, is a sales pro through and through. He’s also speaker, sales trainer, and author who literally wrote the book on “Selling Through Tough Times.”  In this powerful episode Paul and Mike discuss… Why tough times are good and often catalyze necessary, positive change The importance of our immediate, initial response to adversity and how resilience drives success Why tough times (counterintuitively) are often the opportune time to prospect for new business The powerful effect a manager’s expectations have on the team’s performance – particularly during hard times Links: 30-Day #ToughTimer Challenge:  https://www.toughtimer.com/tough-timer-challenge/ Selling Through Time Times: Buy on Amazon  More on the book and free chapters to download: https://www.toughtimer.com/book/

Mike pulls no punches wrapping up this mini-series covering the Ugly 8 Common Reasons Sellers Get Relegated to Vendor Status and Commoditized. Buckle up as Mike takes on salespeople who are either insecure about price or too quick to make it about price (Reason #7).  The blunt #SalesTruth is that THE JOB of a professional salesperson is to justify the difference between our premium pricing and the lower price of a competitor. That. Is. Our. Job.  Mike confronts sellers who whine that if their price was lower they would sell more with the reality that if they had the best price then we probably wouldn’t need them! Companies who are the low-price leader don’t deploy highly compensated salespeople, do they? Mike also reminds sellers that the SALES STORY is your most critical weapon and when your story (messaging) is boring, confusing, or self/company/product-focused (Reason #8) and doesn’t articulate the issues you/your solution address and the outcomes you achieve for customers, it is almost impossible to be perceived as a value-creator, advisor, or consultant. But when your sales story is great, everything changes and everything about sales becomes easier.  Due to the overwhelming response to this series, Mike is hosting a free Q&A session to take your toughest questions around these common Ugly 8 Reasons sellers get downgraded in the customer’s eyes and treated like just a vendor or commodity seller. Register for that Q&A session at mikeweinberg.com/QandA This episode was brought to you by the New Sales. Simplified. Video Coaching Series. If you’re looking to achieve breakout success in 2022 and create more opportunities and close more sales than ever before, check out the year-end special on Mike’s best work to help salespeople Win More New Sales.

In Episode 19, we move into the second half of this mini-series tackling the very common (and ugly) reasons that salespeople and sales teams are not as effective as they could be – and, specifically, why they are not viewed like the pros, advisors, experts, consultants, and value-creators they so badly want to be. Buckle up for straight talk and blunt truth as Mike unpacks reasons 5 and 6 of the Ugly 8 reasons… WHY SELLERS GET VIEWED AS AMATEURS, RELEGATED TO VENDOR STATUS & COMMODITIZED: Reason #5 is as counterintuitive as it gets. We don’t own our sales process and end up getting viewed as nothing more than order-takers and yes-men/women because we want to be liked. We want to be seen as responsive and easy to work with. We want to demonstrate that we listen well, can follow direction, and that we respect the customer.  That is all wonderful except for one big problem: in many cases defaulting to the customer’s requested (or dictated) process does not turn out so well for us…doesn’t increase our win-rates, doesn’t help set us apart from competition, and honestly, doesn’t even ensure we will get the customer what they really need. Sales Friends, if you’ve come to realize that scoring “obedience” points is not helping you win deals and bring in new business, this episode is for you. Listen as Mike shares his two driving missions as a professional salesperson and encourages you to adopt them as your own. Learn how to own your process and push back when the prospect or their procurement people suggest/dictate a process that neither allows you to bring them the best solution (most value) nor gives you the best chance of winning their business. Reason #6 we get viewed as vendors and commoditized is because we aim too low in the customer organization. As crazy as it sounds, we end up getting commoditized because we sellers become comfortable dealing with lower-level people who treat us as nothing more than a vendor/supplier. Mike shares the dirty little secret of sellers who regularly call on senior management: You know what/who you normally find in the executive suite? Nicer people. Smarter people. People who are looking for value and help solving big business issues! It’s often the complete opposite of dealing with lower-level folks who are more concerned with politics, protecting their jobs and existing supplier relationships, negotiating to save a nickel, or trying to avoid more work being put on their desk. You can download the PDF guide that accompanies this series at https://mikeweinberg.com/ugly8 If you are getting value from these episodes, please leave a rating and review. Mike mentioned a special on the New Sales. Simplified. Video Coaching Series to help you have breakthrough success in 2022. Check it out here: https://mikeweinberg.com/morenewsales/

In this installment of the Ugly 8 Reasons WHY SELLERS GET RELEGATED TO “VENDOR” STATUS & COMMODITIZED series, Mike challenges you to… Take a hard look at how you are executing what might be the most critical aspect of selling – The Sales Call and whether you are Presenting or Demo-ing PREMATURELY Evaluate the potential damage caused by conducting ineffective sales calls and committing sales malpractice by presenting before doing proper discovery work Consider that maybe the reason you don’t stand out from your competition and get lumped in with everyone else and commoditized is because you look, dress, sound, and act like every other salesperson  We in sales often confuse presenting with selling. “Presenting” is not a synonym for selling. Most of us typically present too much and too soon – often way too soon. Just because a prospect asks us for a demo or to come in and present a capabilities overview, that doesn’t mean it's the right time to do it or even the right thing to do.  “Spray and pray” is not an effective sales methodology and when we present or demo prematurely, it’s almost impossible to be seen as a trusted advisor or respected consultant. After breaking down the common causes of ineffective sales calls, Mike offers his favorite, simple, powerful way to verbally set up the meeting, share your agenda, get the customer’s input and buy-in that not only puts you firmly in control but also removes the awkward adversarial dynamic where it feels like we are pitching and the prospect is resisting. The episode concludes with an entertaining and memorable sales lesson from Jerry, the kooky kitchen remodel contractor who won Mike’s business by standing out from the competition. Instead of playing with graph paper and thumbing through cabinet brochures, listen to how Jerry differentiated his approach and deployed excellent discovery work (including cutting a hole in the drywall without permission) to win over Mike and his wife. Sales Friends, the bottom line on Episode 18 is this: LAME + SAME = VENDOR/COMMODITY SELLER Take a listen for practical tips on how to be bold, break the mold, and come across like professional problem-solvers, consultants and value-creators! Be sure to download the free guide that accompanies  this series from mikeweinberg.com/ugly8 Mike mentioned a special on the New Sales. Simplified. Video Coaching Series.  to help you have breakthrough success in 2022.  Check it out here:  https://mikeweinberg.com/morenewsales/

This series will help you identify which of the common Ugly 8 Sales Sins might be derailing your/your sales team’s sales effort and preventing potential clients from viewing you/your team members as the consultant, value creator, trusted advisor you so badly want to be. Be sure to download the free guide that accompanies this series from mikeweinberg.com/ugly8 In this hard-hitting episode, Mike holds up a mirror for you and explores the first two UGLY 8 Reasons WHY SELLERS GET RELEGATED TO “VENDOR” STATUS & COMMODITIZED. 1. They Arrive Late to the Party (last to a sales opportunity) Discover the perils from living in reactive mode that often result in sellers being late to the sales party/last to an opportunity where it becomes infinitely harder to to bring value or be perceived as a consultant. It’s no fun “chasing” the opportunity when your prospect has already formed their buying criteria – or worse, they’re following the lead of your more proactive competitor who wasn’t stuck in reactive mode, but instead was proactively working the prospect finding ways to create an opportunity. Being forced to play the already in-progress game is not only not fun, it often dooms you to vendor status while your competitor’s salesperson smugly sits in the consultant/advisor chair. When you’re last to the opportunity it’s very hard to stand out and get attention unless your price is much lower. LATE often = COMMODITIZED.  2.  They Lead with Product (or their service/solution) So many salespeople lead with their offering and put and their solution front and center – making it the focus of the sales conversation. While this practice is common it’s often deadly. Leading with our product/service/offering/solution instead of the customer’s issues and desired outcomes makes a loud, clear statement to customers that we care more about what we sell than addressing their issues/needs/desires. It is a surefire way to get commoditized because it’s almost as if we are telling the prospect that neither our company nor the salesperson brings any value to the equation and they should simply take our features and pricing and put them on a spreadsheet to compare to everyone else’s. Sales Friends, in this series Mike is requesting that you open your ears, eyes, and mind, and put your ego aside. Take a listen, download the Ugly 8 Guide, and determine which of these sales sins is potentially hurting your effectiveness, margins, win-rates, and results. 

This brief series kickoff episode is classic Weinberg with simple, blunt observations about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to developing new business.   In introducing this series, Mike comes out swinging to set the stage for tackling one of the biggest challenges facing salespeople and sales teams today - getting downgraded in the customer’s eyes and perceived as just a “vendor” instead of the value-creator, consultant, professional problem-solver, and trusted advisor we so badly want them to be.   Mike was inspired to do this short series based on the feedback and reaction from sales leaders who wrestled with this topic at recent Supercharge Your Sales Leadership events where he shared these…   8 Common Reasons that Salespeople Get Viewed as Just “Vendors” and Commodity Sellers:   1. They Arrive Late to the Party (last a sales opportunity) 2. They Lead with Product (or their service/solution) 3. They Conduct Lame Sales Calls and Premature Presentations 4. They Look, Sound & Smell Like Every Other Salesperson (same, same, same) 5. They Play Order-Taker, Do Whatever Customers Request, and Don’t Own Their Process 6. They Aim Too Low in the Customer Organization 7. They’re Insecure About Price or Too Quick to Make It About Price 8. They Can’t Tell the Story (ineffective, self/product/company-focused messaging)   We are creating a free, downloadable handout and slides to use with your sales team that will be available with subsequent episodes in this series. Mike’s hope is that you can use these episodes and the accompanying material as “mirror” to help your team members identify which of these common issue may be damaging their own sales efforts and how customers perceive them.    Enjoy this kickoff episode and encourage your sellers who would benefit from a wake-up call on this topic to listen as well.   Here’s to great sales leadership and helping our salespeople upgrade from “vendor/supplier/commodity seller” status to value creator!

Mike has tremendous admiration and respect for this episode’s guest and is convinced that Kurt Cushing loves his job more than any other big company sales leader he knows! Enjoy this energizing conversation and Mike’s excitement hosting this sales director extraordinaire as they tackle a range of sales leadership topics including: How creating and maintaining a healthy sales culture starts with recruiting and selection Why we should never settle when hiring for a sales role The massive pivot from being selfish as an individual sales contributor to becoming selfless as the sales team leader How ego can be our enemy as managers The value and impact of skip-level conversations and field work, and the importance of the sales leaders getting direct exposure to sellers on the front lines Why it is imperative that sales management “point” the team and speak into target account selection How to stay fresh and enhance your quality of life by turning off email after business hours At the conclusion of interview, Mike offers listeners his takeaways and asks leaders to reflect on these challenge questions: How proactively are you recruiting and how effectively are you interviewing/screening candidates? What are you proactively doing to prioritize fieldwork and planning your calendar to work with your people? How involved are you with helping your team target growable accounts or ideal profile prospects? What are you doing to keep yourself in balance and emotionally healthy? More on Mike’s guest: Kurt Cushing is a transformational leader who prides himself as a “people first” coach. He has a proven track record of driving results while demonstrating the ability to recruit, train, and develop top sales reps, and managers. Learn more about Kurt on LinkedIn here:  Please leave a rating or review for the Sales Management. Simplified. Podcast. and if you’d like to be notified via email when new episodes are released, sign up at mikeweinberg.com/podcast. And be sure to grab Mike’s powerful new free resource: “The Fastest Way to Increase Accountability, Reduce Complacency, and Create a High-Performance Sales Culture” right from his new homepage at mikeweinberg.com

“Sales Enablement” has become one of most popular (overused and misunderstood) terms in the sales world today. Mike jokes in Chapter 2 of Sales Truth that as trendy as it is to wax eloquently about enabling sales teams, it is hard to find three people who can agree exactly what that even means.  In this revealing episode Mike hosts Mike Kunkle, a respected sales transformation architect and an internationally-recognized expert on sales training, sales effectiveness, and sales enablement, and author of the helpful new book, The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement. Mike and Mike tackle topics ranging from the sales leader’s critical responsibilities of “pointing” and “arming” the team to the reality that all sales training and development efforts fall flat when frontline sales managers are not an integral part of the process. Take a listen and be encouraged that despite all the noise and nonsense you read online about sales tools, tech stacks, and toys, the most effective sales effectiveness initiatives are built on the solid foundation of “old school” timeless principles. Links Mike Kunkle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikekunkle Mike Kunkle’s new book, The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement: https://amzn.to/3kKUX74 ATD Sell Conference: https://sell.td.org/  Your Sales Story Online Course: https://mikeweinberg.com/your-sales-story/ Sales Management Simplified: https://mikeweinberg.com/sales-management-simplified-book/

This episode unpacks four very specific, intentional things Mike’s world-class golf coach did WITH him (and for him) that anyone in a leadership role, particularly in sales management, should be doing with their people: Prepare Model Coach Debrief and Envision The on-course session/lesson and powerful post-round debrief and dinner conversation radically increased Mike’s confidence, approach, and ability to execute. The initial blog post and email where Mike shared this experience generated so many requests for more details that he was inspired to share the full story in this episode. This coaching experience transformed Mike’s golf game. Sales leaders, the example set by Mike’s coach translates perfectly to sales and sales management. Imagine the increase in sales effectiveness (and results) if sales managers would do for their salespeople what Mike’s coach did for him. Never underestimate the impact of working WITH your people! _________________________________________________________ Upcoming free online group teaching and Q&A sessions for sales leaders who subscribe for email notifications of new episodes. The first session, only for Sales Management. Simplified. Podcast email subscribers, is August 13th at 1:00pm Eastern, Noon Central US Time.  Sign up here: mikeweinberg.com/podcast-signup

This episode will help sales leaders radically increase effectiveness when interviewing potential sales hires and offers powerful perspective to help candidates prepare for a proper interview.   Mike was inspired to tackle this topic because in several recent Sales Management. Simplified. workshops sales leaders expressed frustration about ineffective interviews and being duped by candidates who interviewed well but did not deliver once hired.    Hear about... Common interview mistakes many sales managers make The importance of viewing the interview like an actual sales call Examples of recent awesome and awful interviews How to get past surface answers and window-dressing to expose the true experience and skills of the candidate Mike's current seven favorite interview questions How to observe the candidate’s real-life sales ability as the interview nears conclusion   Whether you’re the interviewer or interviewee, take a listen to take your interviewing game to an entirely new level!   * Managers and sales execs: come spend a full-day with Mike to Supercharge Your Sales Leadership and maximize results for the second-half of 2021! Three options. Major cities. Premium venues. Packed agenda. Powerful interaction. Proven content. Group packages available.  mikeweinberg.com/events  

In the episode Mike confronts sales leaders with this very straightforward question: Are you the hero of your sales team or are you the hero-maker? While the question is simple, its answer has enormous implications. This topic is one of the most prevalent sales leadership issues today – one that not only damages culture, diminishes results, and derails careers, but it’s also a reason so many sales leaders are maxed out and exhausted. Prepare to be challenged as Mike doesn’t pull punches walking listeners through this four-part outline: WHY:  the common reasons sales leaders tend to play the hero HOW/WHERE/WHEN hero-mode manifests itself WHAT:   the awful consequences that result when leaders default to playing hero instead of making heroes HELP:   simple fixes to help us refocus on leading and coaching instead of “doing” During the episode Mike offers listeners this short, free Sales Leader: Hero or Hero-Maker? Self-Assessment.  Get your copy here. 

In Episode 10 Mike hosts a super successful sales leader and executive, his friend Joe Tarulli. Be encouraged and challenged as Joe shares the keys to his success along with the key inflection points in his career as he progressed from individual contributor to sales manager to sales development leader to senior executive. Learn about the power of… Taking an annual sabbatical from social media  Sales managers understanding that they win “through” their people Focusing on making heroes of members of your sales team, not playing sales team hero Sales managers driving amazing results from focusing on the highest-payoff sales management activities A sales leader’s simple and highly effective approach to quickly turning around a struggling business unit  Details have been finalized for all 3 venues for upcoming Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Events in the following cities: Dallas Chicago Atlanta Except for that awful last sentence “check out all the venues“ everything is awesome. For more info on these powerful events at premium venues, visit https://mikeweinberg.com/events

In the episode Mike shares his foolproof framework for conducting high-impact 1:1 sales manager – salesperson accountability meetings. This one best practice, when mastered, will transform sales culture and results. And the best part? Sales leaders reduce complacency and radically increase accountability without being a jerk, demotivating, or micromanaging their teams! Listen as Mike unpacks what he calls “The Sales Management Accountability Progression” - Results then Pipeline then Activity – and models the transformative approach he learned from his sales management mentor. While it is certainly more trendy today to talk about sales coaching and sales enablement, Mike makes the strong case that this 10 to 15-minute per month 1:1 manager-salesperson accountability meeting is the single highest-payoff sales management activity. Accountability is not a dirty word and there is nothing wrong, inappropriate, or politically incorrect with holding salespeople accountable for results, pipeline health, opportunity creation and advancement, and when necessary, activity. In fact, when this 1:1 meeting is conducted properly, (good) salespeople love it, and instead of dreading accountability conversations, you will actually look forward to them! Exciting News: Mike unveils the dates and locations for Supercharge Your Sales Leadership events coming in the second-half of 2021: mikeweinberg.com/events

No sales leader has pushed and challenged Mike as hard his guest for this powerful episode. Take a listen as Mike leans in with Dennis Sorenson – one of the strongest and most strategic senior executives with whom he’s worked. You’ll be stretched as Dennis and Mike tackle… The true role of a sales leader The importance of dreaming big and asking, “what’s possible?” Why sales leaders should invest more time with their best people How deep preparation is key for critical customer meetings and penetrating key accounts How sales process and sales culture intersect Sweating the details, leaning in, and getting your hands dirty Strong advice for newly promoted sales leaders Salespeople needing to focus on their primary job - selling Why too many senior leaders and executives are distant and clueless  Mike also shares his excitement about resuming in-person Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Elite Events in the second half of 2021. Sign-up for more info at mikeweinberg.com/events.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Mike and international sales management expert Tony Cross discuss… Their amusement that the sales leadership challenges around the globe are not just similar, they’re identical The importance of sales managers “managing up” in order to protect their time The single most impactful way sales managers must spend their time The sales manager’s mission What the very best managers did not change during the pandemic The proper temperature of beer and Tony’s favorite places to visit around the world Tony Cross is the CEO of Growth Matters International, a firm focused on sales and sales management excellence that has worked with sales leaders in 35 countries. He is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. During the episode, Mike had Tony unpack this powerful statement from his LinkedIn profile image: “No training, or consulting, or technology will make a sustainable impact on sales unless you embed sales execution disciplines into the fabric of your business – through your sales managers.”

Would you (or your sales team) like to secure more meetings with prospective customers? Realizing that many newer alternatives to traditional prospecting are not delivering the promised results? Confused by supposed sales experts preaching that prospecting is dead and the telephone is no longer an effective sales tool? Ready to start creating more sales opportunities than ever? In this episode, Mike Weinberg makes a strong case that the old-fashioned phone is still one of the most effective sales tools to deliver your message and secure a meeting or conversation with a strategically selected target account. Listen as he unpacks…  Six Proven, Practical Tips to Power-Up Your Prospecting: Proper Attitude & Mindset Pinpoint Focus Precise Objective Powerful Messaging Pushing Past Resistance Persistence & Perseverance   Mike tackles everything from getting your mind and motivation right before picking up the phone to providing his very best tips on how to respond when your prospect says “no” to your request for a meeting. He also shares why your prospecting messaging should be like an appetizer at a fine restaurant and offers this help if you’re looking to sharpen YOUR SALES STORY: https://mikeweinberg.com/yss-special-offer/

Mike hosts Jeb Blount on Episode 5 of the Sales Management. Simplified. Podcast to discuss the positives and the perils of leading a sales team through the first pandemic of our lifetime. Jeb is known as “the hardest working man in sales.” He’s a world-renowned speaker, CEO of Sales Gravy, a founder of the OutBound Sales Conference, and the prolific sales author of nine powerful books including the long-time bestseller, Fanatical Prospecting, and his latest blockbuster, Virtual Selling. Jeb shares why the “State of the Sales Profession” is strong and that there is tremendous long-term benefit for sellers and sales leaders who’ve gone through the crucible of selling and managing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mike and Jeb also discuss what the very best salespeople are doing today and the emotional toll that being locked down has had on many (particularly younger) salespeople.

Recently I was so inspired and encouraged by a current event that I had to share my take with listeners knowing that you’ll be inspired, too!  Sales Leaders: We’ve made it this far and we are going to make it to the “other side” of Covid-19! While the over-politicization of everything and the media’s obsession with negative news casts what feels like a dark, depressing, deenergizing shadow, we can finally see light at the end of this bizarre tunnel (pandemic season).  Let me repeat. YOU and your team have made it this far and there are better and certainly easier days ahead! 2020 was long, hard, and challenging, and I know many of you and your sales teams are exhausted. But, NOW is not the time to take your foot off the gas, abandon ship, or abdicate your leadership role. Quite to the contrary, it’s time for us to Lead and Sell with Purpose, Passion, and Pride. This episode will get sales leaders’ minds and hearts right to kick off the new year and offers you powerful tips to help your team do the same.

If you’ve ever wanted to hear what a perennial top-producing, true-blue, legit A-Player salesperson sounds like, this is your chance! Dominic Testo joins me for Episode 3, and after listening to us talk sales, you are going to ask me to bring Dominic and other A-Players back for more. In this gripping conversation where we cover topics ranging from positivity to prospecting to sales process to procurement to profitability, Dominic shares how a top-producing sales hunter sees himself, his role, his customers, and his duty to make his company successful. If you love sales, this episode is guaranteed to make you smile and nod, and many will likely shout, “Amen!” as Dominic preaches the gospel on how to masterfully and consistently develop new business. Some sales leaders will use this episode as a blueprint when looking to hire their next sales hunter, and many others will have their current sales teams to listen to it in the hopes that Dominic’s mentality, approach, and confidence will rub off on them.