Today on the The Win Rate Podcast Andy is joined by Joanne Black, Founder of No More Cold Calling, Jody Geiger, Revenue Enablement Coach at Klue and Meyah Rose, Co-Founder of The Practice Lab. The roundtable discussion begins with the importance of incorporating effective learning strategies, and our panelists share their insights on the need for practice, application, and building confidence in order to succeed in sales. They also discuss the challenges faced by women in setting the tone in the sales environment and the significance of leaders actively engaging with their teams. Additionally, the group explores the role of competitive intelligence in sales and uncover the intangible factors that play a key role in buyers' decisions.  Find more about Jody, Meyah, and Joanne. Host Andy Paul is the expert on modern B2B selling and author of three best-selling, award-winning sales books, including his latest Sell Without Selling Out. Visit andypaul.com to subscribe to his newsletter for even more strategies and tips to accelerate your win rate!Thank you to our sponsors:AllegoClozdCognism

Joining Andy for the roundtable discussion today are Richard Harris, Founder of the Harris Consulting Group, Mark Cox, Founder of In the Funnel Sales Coaching and host of The Selling Well Podcast, and Matt Dixon, Wall Street Journal best selling co author of The Challenger Sale, The Effortless Experience, The Challenger Customer, and his new book, The Jolt Effect. They begin by discussing some of the best ways to offer value to clients, the role of technology in enhancing sales, the challenge of being constantly pitched by vendors and the lack of interest in product details, and they propose a "common sense revolution in sales," where the focus is on improving clients' businesses. They challenge both traditional sales training methods, and current compensation structures, and argue that ROI is more crucial than simply offering a cheaper price. The group turns its focus to the essential skill of asking open-ended questions, which can separate the best sellers from the rest, the significance of listening and truly understanding the client's pain points in their specific context, how to earn the right to ask questions, and being one step ahead and adaptable to shifting buyer behavior.Connect with Richard, Matt, and MarkHost Andy Paul is the expert on modern B2B selling and author of three best-selling, award-winning sales books, including his latest Sell Without Selling Out. Visit andypaul.com to subscribe to his newsletter for even more strategies and tips to accelerate your win rate!Thank you to our sponsors:AllegoClozdCognism

Welcome back to another episode of The Win Rate Podcast. Today Andy welcomes two incredible guests. Aaron Evans, Co-Founder and Head of Training and Enablement at Flow State, and Doug C. Brown, Founder of CEO Sales Strategies. They discuss the importance of salespeople becoming “mini market experts” and how their knowledge can influence buyers at the awareness phase, literally shifting buyers' thinking and process. They look at the need to move away from traditional product training and focus more on market knowledge and enablement, and give valuable advice on tactics to position oneself as a market expert in complex sales, such as the "core story" strategy and market-based education.The roundtable continues by talking about the impact of SaaS practices in the sales landscape and how the current economic downturn may result in a much-needed reset for SaaS businesses, reassessing top of funnel activity and shifting towards face-to-face interactions and building personal brands, and questioning the current buyer and SDR model of having inexperienced individuals as the first point of contact for buyers.Connect with Aaron Evans and Doug C. BrownHost Andy Paul is the expert on modern B2B selling and author of three best-selling, award-winning sales books, including his latest Sell Without Selling Out. Visit andypaul.com to subscribe to his newsletter for even more strategies and tips to accelerate your win rate!Thank you to our sponsors:AllegoClozdCognismEpisode Highlights:Desire for high conversions, lack of nurturing.Prevailing culture needs change in growth strategy.Aggressive SaaS growth harming sales effectiveness. Reset needed.Increase seller value by becoming market experts.Buyer-Seller model: Disconnect due to inexperience.Efficiency and effectiveness confused;  CFOs miss connection on profitability.Manager coaching skills lacking, lack of training. Need to think like owners. Framework enables individuals to sell uniquely well.

Today Andy welcomes another stellar roundtable with guests Nabeil Alazzam, founder and CEO at Forma.ai, Frank Cespedes, author and Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School, and Drew Neisser, Founder of CMO Huddles, and was Founder and CEO of Renegade Marketing.They start out today discussing the fact that many companies are neglecting simple yet crucial steps to foster success among their new hires. and give examples of strategies that companies can implement to ensure their new sales representatives are set up for success.They get into various topics including accurate quota setting, the role of incentives in driving desired behaviors, the need for clear process guidelines, and the evolving role of the account executive. They also shed light on the cultural challenges surrounding sales effectiveness and the critical importance of having confidence in winning sales opportunities.They continue talking about how data and technology are shaping the sales landscape and discuss the disconnect between the speed at which businesses are evolving and the slow adaptation of incentives. They emphasize the need for collecting and analyzing data to inform compensation structures, particularly in onboarding new sales reps.Additionally, the group tackles the role of marketing in the buyer journey and the potential impact on sales processes. They question the separation of demand generation from demand capture, highlight the pitfalls of focusing solely on filling the sales funnel.Connect with Nabeil, Frank, and Drew on LinkedInHost Andy Paul is the expert on modern B2B selling and author of three best-selling, award-winning sales books, including his latest Sell Without Selling Out. Visit andypaul.com to subscribe to his newsletter for even more strategies and tips to accelerate your win rate!Thank you to our sponsors:AllegoClozdCognismEpisode highlights:Incentives prioritize customer journey and sales process.Incentive adjustments lagging behind business changes. Managing change in sales during a pandemic.Quota: justification, motivation, human psychology, unforeseen effects.Separating demand generation from demand capture.Marketing myths: buyers need guidance, not pitches.Overqualifying opportunities may lead to loss. Specialization in go-to-market functions. Quarterback role in sales process. Possible evolution in qualification processes.

Today Andy has gathered another stellar roundtable - Jim Dickie, Keynote speaker and Co-Founder of Sales Mastery, Barry Trailer, a sales coaching leader, Partner in Best Practices for B2B and Co-Founder of Sales Mastery, and Eric Stine, three-time CFO working with mid and large cap software companies.They discuss how quotas are a lagging indicator instead of a leading one, the importance of tracking growth on a year over year basis, assessing average contract lengths and forward bookings, and how with the right tools we can look beyond quotas and see the type and quality of activity that led to winning or losing a deal.They go on to speak about the role that sales managers play, and due to lack of investment and training, how they’re often managing sales but not salespeople, and the requirement of understanding the needs and priorities of different stakeholders. They also look at the productivity-based approach for organizations and give examples of how this has been successfully implemented to set expectations and identify areas for improvement. Connect with Jim, Barry, and Eric on LinkedInHost Andy Paul is the expert on modern B2B selling and author of three best-selling, award-winning sales books, including his latest Sell Without Selling Out. Visit andypaul.com to subscribe to his newsletter for even more strategies and tips to accelerate your win rate!Thank you to our sponsors:AllegoClozdCognismEpisode Highlights:Quota limits potential, overlooks individual potential.Quotas effective, but not for everyone.Important metrics: logo count, NRR, forward bookings, contract length.Measure activity, quality, engagement, and sales process.Productivity based on time and output.Sales reps need to understand their role. Sales managers lack training and measurement.Salespeople's engagement with buyers is decreasing. Buyers involve salespeople earlier if they provide education, mitigate personal or organizational risk, or help with complex situations. Understanding customer value is crucial.

Welcome back to the Win Rate Podcast. Today Andy welcomes two amazing guests, Matt Benelli, sales coach and Co-Founder of CoachEm, and Lori Richardson, Sales Advisor, Founder and President of Women Sales Pros and author of She Sells. The roundtable starts today by discussing how pushing larger investments to frontline managers would create a wave of positive change across sales organizations. They give some personal stories of starting out as young salespeople and finding their footing with clients. They explain why their genuine curiosity gave them an advantage and how SDR’s can learn from their approach.The group also talks through the short-comings of companies win rate tracking, how some CRM results need a more objective eye and context, why companies focus on scaling but end up not knowing how to sell their product, why upper management pressure can bring a breakdown of good sales practices, and how progressing successfully in your sales career means being conscious of the experience buyers are having with you. Connect with Lori and Matt on LinkedInHighlights[00:07:49] Inexperienced frontline managers struggle with their roles.[00:11:04] Importance of tracking critical metrics.[00:16:24] B2B industry experiences low win rates; [00:25:00] Improving win rates and aligning incentives for sales.[00:27:54] Choose carefully who you sell to.[00:36:37] Balancing revenue and understanding buyer decisions.[00:42:31] Youthful appearance helped build meaningful relationships.[00:47:16] System design influences win rates; strategic focus needed.[00:51:16] "Intentional actions shape your career and success."[00:57:37] First impressions matter when connecting with buyers in sales.

Today Andy brings another amazing round-table discussion with Brandon Fluharty, enterprise sales professional, and Founder of Be Focused, Live Great. Kyle Williams, enterprise seller and sales leader for companies such as Google, and the founder and CEO of Brickstack. And Meghann Misiak, sales enablement professional, sales coach, and Founder of The Path To Presidents Club.The group shares their expertise and insights on how to redefine success in sales by focusing on performance and the human-centered buyer-first approach.They explore the importance of psychological safety, ownership, and agency in sales, and why sales effectiveness should go beyond just achieving results. They ask the big question - why do people stay in sales? They discuss how winning the customer's business, at its core, is knowing that you helped them assess their options and form a deeper understanding of their needs. And dig down a few layers into assessing win rate data and knowing that when you play, you win.Connect with Brandon, Kyle, and Meghann on LinkedInHost Andy Paul is the expert on modern B2B selling and author of three best-selling, award-winning sales books, including his latest Sell Without Selling Out. Visit andypaul.com to subscribe to his newsletter for even more strategies and tips to accelerate your win rate!Thank you to our sponsors:AllegoClozdCognism

Welcome back to The Win Rate Podcast! Today Andy welcomes two incredible guests, Mark Hunter, (the Sales Hunter), renowned sales speaker, consultant, and author. And Jeff Bajorek, Chief Revenue Officer at Orases. sales trainer, and advisor for B2B sales leaders.The group kicks off the conversation talking about the importance of realizing that every customer feels that they and their company are unique, and discuss the best way to exhibit both your depth of experience and your ability to connect personally to close deals. They talk about the inherent tension in sales conversations and how casting a wide net can dilute the context and effectiveness of each prospect. They explore the fear that salespeople may have in creating the appropriate tension and the misconceptions that often surround the sales process.Mark and Jeff share their insights on the importance of qualifying leads and creating relationships with customers that build trust, remove risk, and make clients feel safe with you. Andy agrees and remarks that while AI will be able to emulate many things, there are these human elements that are irreplaceable. They challenge the notion that every lead should be moved to close and they all agree that an overcrowded pipeline is a leading cause of low win rates (Even though there is often pressure to keep filling your pipeline).Mark, Jeff, and Andy all bring insightful personal experiences from their deep sales experience to this episode. Most of it boils down to some simple things. Be patient enough to educate and often re-educate your customer, be open, be human, be curious, and be likable. Connect with Jeff and Mark on LInkedInHost Andy Paul is the expert on modern B2B selling and author of three best-selling, award-winning sales books, including his latest Sell Without Selling Out. Visit andypaul.com to subscribe to his newsletter for even more strategies and tips to accelerate your win rate!Thank you to our sponsors - AllegoClozdCognism

Welcome back to The Win Rate podcast! Today Andy is joined by sales experts Jen Allen-Knuth, Head of Community Growth at Lavender, Bridget Gleason, a multi-time successful CRO and Head of Sales and is currently CRO at Util, and David J. P. Fisher. aka D-Fish, sales author, sales advisor, and Global Social Selling Lead-Sr. Sales Enablement Program Manager at SAS. The group begins by discussing the challenges of onboarding new salespeople effectively and proposes looking to sports management techniques for some guidance. They question whether enough time is spent coaching salespeople on building relationships virtually and adapting to the changing communication preferences of younger generations.Stressing the importance of the relationship sale and building trust with buyers. They criticize weak leadership that prioritizes metrics over meeting the needs of buyers and highlight the shifting preferences of buyers and  the need for organizations to adapt to these changes.They continue giving invaluable insights on managing high-volume leads, lead qualification, and the pitfalls of holding onto outdated sales tactics. They shed light on the misalignment of incentives between marketers and salespeople and the lack of customer-centric approaches in many organizations. The discussion then turns to the advantages of working with startups, personalized training, and the importance of identifying pain points before discussing technical solutions. Connect with the roundtable on LinkedIn here:JenBridgetDavidHost Andy Paul is the expert on modern B2B selling and author of three best-selling, award-winning sales books, including his latest Sell Without Selling Out. Visit andypaul.com to subscribe to his newsletter for even more strategies and tips to accelerate your win rate!Thank you to our sponsors:AllegoClozdCognism

Welcome back to The Win Rate podcast. Today Andy welcomes Tim Hughes, CEO of DLA ignite and author of Social Selling, and Eric Stine who is just coming off his roles of CRO and Chief Commercial Officer at Skillsoft. Eric, Tim, and Andy explore the importance of evaluating performance at different levels within organizations and the impact it has on overall success, how misclassifying leads affects sales pipelines, and the common practice of capturing leads early on without properly assessing their potential. They explore the repercussions of this, including the pressure to maintain an artificially high pipeline multiple and the struggle to differentiate between top performers and those who struggle to say no to low-quality leads.They also share valuable insights on the role played by first line managers, the challenges they face, and innovative ways to improve effectiveness. And within all the data, they reflect on why human connection is essential for closing deals and how it can still be easy to build a relationship in a short span of time even when face to face interaction isn’t as common as it once was.Find Tim and Eric on LinkedInHost Andy Paul is the expert on modern B2B selling and author of three best-selling, award-winning sales books, including his latest Sell Without Selling Out. Visit andypaul.com to subscribe to his newsletter for even more strategies and tips to accelerate your win rate!Thank you to our sponsors:AllegoClozdCognismKey Quotes"If you have fairly good sales reps and they're well enabled, then they are performing that early stage discovery almost unconsciously."— Eric 00:21:410 0:21:52Pipeline Management: "I have plenty of sales reps that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world that have win rates of 35, 45%. But they have one bad behavior, which is they can't say no to a lead."— Eric 00:23:32 00:23:43Improving First Line Management: "And for me, the critical inflection point and where I spend a lot of time as a leader is on first line management, because I think a lot of success or failure happens based on what your first line managers do..."— Eric 00:25:240 0:25:35I was fortunate to work for people that I remember asked a boss once what's our pipeline or multiple should I have? And he says, whatever you need to hit your number. Okay, that's good advice. And for me that was yeah, I generally ran 1.5 throughout my career and I was selling big stuff, but that's what worked for me. And somebody else may need three, somebody else may need four. — Andy 00:28:320 0:29:27 "I think there has to be we still need to train sales leaders because we still have the situation where we take the best salespeople and make them leaders. And quite often they're not leaders and they have to learn how to deal with people."— Tim 00:30:530 0:31:07“We should have known earlier we didn't talk to the right person that we should have talked to, that would have just devastated us. It was a great lesson, right?"— Andy 00:36:060 0:36:13"Got one thing out of that meeting. I got money for manager enablement. Because manager enablement is like a hurricane or a wildfire. Nobody wants to pay for prevention, but once the storm hits, they'll pay for the cleanup."— Eric 00:41:330 0:41:45

Today Andy is joined by Vince Beese, Founder and CEO of Sales@Scale, Anthony Iannorino, Keynote speaker, bestselling author and renowned sales leader, and Mike Bosworth, bestselling author, speaker, and sales philosopher as they discuss the importance of sales leaders thinking critically about how to make their teams more effective. They begin with the headshaking statistic of a 17% win rate and agree that any action is better than leaving your team in such a horrible situation.They emphasize the significance of considering all stakeholders involved in the sales process, including the reps, their families, the clients, and the company itself. They urge leaders to assess whether they are truly helping these individuals and if not, to act before the situation gets worse.The group discusses the effectiveness of different types of sales leads and dig into the data about self-sourced vs. generating inbound leads with lower win rates, and how each of those play out over time.They share stories about the importance of sales effectiveness and learning early on, the need for a solid strategy and theory to guide sales efforts so you don’t waste time and resources. They also discuss the value of recognizing changes in buyer behavior, why certain approaches are more effective than others, and that transparency and truthfulness are vital. Not just to clients, but most importantly to ourselves, as they note that salespeople often credit their wins to superior salesmanship and attribute losses to external factors.They also reflect on the common mistakes of rushing deals for quick wins, but losing out on larger long-term gains.Follow Anthony, Vince, and Mike on LinkedInHost Andy Paul is the expert on modern B2B selling and author of three best-selling, award-winning sales books, including his latest Sell Without Selling Out. Visit andypaul.com to subscribe to his newsletter for even more strategies and tips to accelerate your win rate!Thank you to our sponsors:AllegoClozdCognism