Sales Is King

Key Points covered by Dan is this new episode:

- Potential opportunities for sales professionals in 2024

- Embracing new technologies, such as AI, in sales strategies

- Winners and losers in the AI landscape

- Selling in tough times

- Gaining and maintaining buyers' attention

- Importance of personalized content and value selling

- Power of storytelling in engaging buyers

- Starting with the "why" in content

- Speed and capturing attention quickly

- Leveraging data and AI for customer insights and tailored content

In this podcast episode, Dan Sixsmith hosts Dr. Stephen Timme, author of "Insight-Led Selling" and CEO of Finlistics. They discuss the challenges of B2B sales, including economic uncertainty, lack of understanding of buyers' businesses, and resistance to change. Dr. Timme emphasizes the importance of aligning solutions with buyers' goals, providing new information, and fostering a unified team effort. He also highlights the need for clear objectives and metrics in sales enablement programs. The conversation covers the shift from traditional selling to a more strategic approach, the value of Dr. Timme's book, and the role of his company in helping businesses navigate omnichannel solutions.

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**The state of B2B sales (00:01:20)**

Discussion on the challenges and struggles in B2B sales, including the impact of economic uncertainty and the need for sellers to better understand the goals and strategies of their customers.

**Buyers preferring a rep-free experience (00:06:09)**

Exploration of why many buyers prefer not to engage with sales reps and the importance of sellers providing new and valuable insights that buyers don't already know.

**Ingredients for successful sales initiatives (00:10:54)**

Insight into the key factors that contribute to successful sales initiatives, including executive support, defining measurable goals, and creating a collaborative team effort.

**Marketing and Sales Alignment (00:11:52)**

The importance of aligning marketing and sales in the go-to-market strategy, using marketing materials as examples.

**The Role of Research and Discovery in Sales (00:13:37)**

The significance of conducting research and validation before engaging with prospects, to establish credibility and provide strategic advice.

**Moving from Vendor to Strategic Partner (00:19:44)**

The evolution of a salesperson from being a vendor to becoming a trusted advisor and strategic partner, with a seat at the table in decision-making processes.

**Falling in love with your customer (00:22:36)**

Understanding the importance of building strong relationships with customers and aligning solutions with their needs.

**Selling to the c-suite (00:25:24)**

Discussing strategies for engaging senior executives and understanding their goals and strategies.

**Creating urgency in the sales process (00:30:26)**

Exploring the importance of tying benefits and solutions to challenges and driving urgency to move deals forward.

**The Omnichannel Solution (00:33:22)**

The speaker discusses how they came up with a solution for omnichannel and the need to communicate with various departments like store ops and marketing.

**Financial Benefits and Confidence (00:34:11)**

The speaker talks about the importance of showing potential financial benefits early on and the need for confidence when talking to executives.

**Insight-Led Selling Platform (00:35:11)**

The speaker introduces the platform, which provides insights into finance performance and helps with account planning and QBRs.

Career expert Sonja Price joins Dan for a conversation on the state of the job market in a crazy economy. Is it a Buyer's or Seller's market, are we all going back to the office, how can you exponentially increase your income are just a few of the questions we ask. You'll love this interview.

The job market today (00:01:26) Discussion on the current state of the job market, whether it's a buyer's or seller's market, and the impact of the pandemic on hiring.

Remote work and its impact on the job market (00:04:26) Exploration of how remote work has affected the job market, including companies transitioning back to the office and the preferences of employees.

Hot positions and the importance of AI skills (00:07:57) Focus on the demand for developer positions and the increasing importance of AI skills in various functional roles.

Job Hopping and Career Advancement (00:11:09) Sonja discusses the importance of switching jobs every few years for career growth and market rate pay.

Explaining Employment Gaps (00:14:08) Sonja advises job seekers to address gaps in their work history on their resume and provide explanations for gaps longer than one year.

Optimizing Resumes and LinkedIn Profiles (00:16:24) Sonja provides tips on formatting resumes and LinkedIn profiles to make them easily readable for both ATS systems and human readers. She emphasizes the importance of tailoring messaging to specific job roles.

The problem-solving approach (00:21:13) Sonja explains the importance of understanding the problems the employer is trying to solve and showcasing oneself as a problem solver during an interview.

Asking clarifying questions (00:22:20) Sonja advises asking clarifying questions throughout the interview process, similar to how a consultant would, to understand the job requirements and customize responses accordingly.

Customizing language and showcasing results (00:23:18) Sonja discusses the importance of customizing language and highlighting past work success stories that align with the employer's problem, connecting the dots for them and demonstrating how one can be a top candidate.

The timestamp's title (00:30:40) Career advancement services offered by Dynamo Careers. Sonja explains how she helps professionals gain clarity on their career goals and offers services like resume building, job search assistance, networking, and salary negotiation.

The timestamp's title (00:31:48) Duration and outcomes of working with Dynamo Careers. Sonja discusses the typical engagement length, which can vary but is usually six months or less. She also mentions success stories of clients finding jobs within one month or achieving significant income increases.

The timestamp's title (00:35:01) How to connect with Sonja and Dynamo Careers. Sonja provides information on how to reach out to her through her website, where she offers a free career assessment. She also mentions her LinkedIn profile as another way to connect and mentions the availability of testimonials from satisfied clients.

Dan was recently interviewed on the Value Coffee Talk Podcast. Here are some of the highlight:

The importance of automating value in B2B organizations (00:00:11) Discussion on the significance of automating value in B2B organizations and the need for value automation platforms.

Challenges of implementing value programs and best practices for value automation platforms (00:02:37) Exploration of the challenges faced in implementing value programs and the best practices for designing and rolling out value automation platforms.

Key factors for successful value automation platform implementation (00:08:10) Discussion on the key factors that contribute to the success of value automation platform implementation, including simplicity, senior management buy-in, integration with existing workflows, user experience, full cycle value, and buyer enablement training.

The impact of value automation platforms (00:13:28) Discusses the dramatic results seen when companies use value automation platforms and the ability to measure average selling price and cycle time.

The evolution of value programs (00:14:38) Highlights the significant impacts of value automation platforms, such as win rates, deal acceleration, and growing deal size, as well as the shift from a program created by a team to a movement.

Different approaches to post-sale value (00:16:06) Explores the different messaging and methodologies used by organizations to tackle post-sale value, including measuring success through KPIs or comparing the value delivered to the original business case

In this podcast episode, Dan Sixsmith introduces Season 2 of his podcast, Sales King. He discusses the focus of this season on topics relevant to sellers, leaders, and entrepreneurs. Dan emphasizes the importance of staying updated on current events in sales and understanding buyer needs. He also mentions the inclusion of B2C topics and interviews with industry leaders. Dan encourages listeners to share the podcast and leave reviews. The main topic of the episode is the impact of generative AI on sales. Dan explains the different stages of AI integration and highlights its benefits in automating tasks, assisting decision-making, and crafting personalized value messaging. He also discusses the concept of "mentalism" and how AI can enhance salespeople's understanding of buyer behavior. Lastly, Dan discusses the challenges faced by sales professionals and how AI can help address them. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of maintaining momentum and confidence in sales.

Timestamps:

[00:03:28]*Topic: Introduction to Season 2 and the importance of keeping up with current events in sales.

[00:04:49]*Topic: The impact of AI in sales and how it can be leveraged to improve sales performance.

[00:09:32]*Topic: The different stages of AI integration in sales, from simple automation to autonomous selling.

[00:15:12]*Topic: AI in Sales Discusses the use of AI in sales, including data scraping, solution design, and deal closing.

[00:16:49]*Topic: Mentalism in Sales Explains the concept of mentalism in sales, which involves inferring unspoken beliefs and intentions to predict and influence buyer behavior.

[00:18:16]* Topic: Leveraging AI in Sales Highlights the benefits of leveraging AI in sales, such as active listening, perspective taking, empathizing, and cognitive decoding.

In Part 1 of this podcast episode, Dan Sixsmith discusses a new research study by Mediafly that explores the key drivers of success for high-performing revenue teams. The study reveals that most organizations invest heavily in their sales tech stack and plan to reinvest headcount savings into innovative sales technology. It highlights the importance of data, engaging content, and personalized buyer experiences for success. Sixsmith also discusses the emergence of digital sales rooms in B2B marketing, which allow for collaborative value creation and efficient content performance tracking. He emphasizes the need for data congruence, pipeline management, and the use of conversational intelligence tools for sales rep training

U2 Rocked The Sphere in Vegas last night with an unbelievable concert experience. What can we learn from this as B2B Sellers:

✔️The Experience Economy is in full swing

✔️Customer Centricity Rules

✔️Embrace and Early Adopt Latest Technology

✔️Storytelling Works

✔️Foster Emotional Connections(Be Unforgettable)

✔️Think Beyond The Deal

✔️Immersion Is King

Dan Sixsmith outlines 13 steps to closing more deals and winning over senior executives. With senior executives participating in the buying process twice as much than before the pandemic, sellers need a C-Suite playbook to be able to impress and convince these executives that their solution is the best choice.

Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast for more valuable insights and expert interviews. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with your colleagues in the B2B sales world. Until next time, happy selling!

Dan Sixsmith discusses the importance of understanding what CEOs care about in order to effectively engage with them. He emphasizes the need to focus on driving top-line growth, technology-related issues, the workforce, corporate financial products and services, customer satisfaction, environmental stability, cost, and sales. Dan highlights that environmental concerns, the workforce, and customer satisfaction are particularly significant to CEOs. He also emphasizes the importance of providing value to CEOs rather than simply delivering a sales pitch. In upcoming episodes, Dan promises insightful interviews with authors on value selling and financial selling. Understanding what CEOs care about and providing valuable insights and solutions is key to successful engagement.

We are back 🎧 and coming at you hard with what you need to do on your first call with a prospect to set yourself up for the WIN. It's Discovery Reimagined for the Zoom Economy. Listen up. Listen NOW!

If you thought 2021 was a challenge, grab your seatbelt and crash helmet for the #B2B Selling in 2022. The Zoom Economy has hit the accelerator on the pace of change and buyer requirements. In this last episode of 2021, Dan outlines the key components for success in the coming year. Sneak preview: #Adaptability, #ValueSelling, #HybridMeetings #Differentiation, #Content, #PersonalBrand. Finish out strong in 2021 and propel yourself into a fast start in the new year with Sales Is King! 

Buyers are buying into Stories, Momentum and People more than anything else.

In this episode, we analyze what these 3 ingredients of sales success can mean for you in a rapidly evolving and shifting business landscape. 

Also, the power of "compound interest" and consistency in sales. Be there or Be Square. 

It is a Buyer's market in the B2B Selling world. The expectations of Buyers continue to evolve and place demands on Sellers today. A recent study details what Buyers are looking for coming out of the pandemic and at the top of the list is "Sales Experience". But what does that mean exactly and how do we in Sales leverage this to our advantage. Tune in to Win!

The growing level of competition out on the 'field' of Sales today requires making sure every box is checked and then some. Intangibles are those categories that can put one company over the top and send another one to a crushing defeat. Reps today need to win the intangibles game to succeed. One such intangible is Credibility. On this new episode, you will learn all of the components of credibility as it relates to your sales game and how to leverage these elements to win more business; build a stellar reputation and a growing list of connections that you have helped. These connections can be leveraged in the future as you create a 'book of business' throughout your career.

Elite Sellers do many things correctly to keep ringing the cash register. But it may boil down to the basics. Do they just want it more than the mediocre reps? How about you? Do you want success more than your competition? Do you want it more than the rest of the reps in your company, on your team? Fortune favors the BOLD. Are you bold? Do you ask for the order? Or are you worried about offending the buyer, your new friend? Hogwash! C'mon! Listen in for a bucket of cold water to wake you up to new methods of success!

New research from Challenger shows the reps took a step back last year in meeting the needs of Buyers and their process. Dan covers the key areas in which we slipped, the potential reasons why this occurred and what needs to be done to rectify this and improve as 2021 take shape.

The 5 key areas:

1) Sellers Ability To Demonstrate Unique Insights (-53%)

2) Seller Helps Me Come To A Decision (-34%)

3) Sellers understands and addresses the diverse needs of stakeholders(-41%)

4) Sellers help champion build support across the organization(-49%)

5) Seller is easy to do business with(-30%)

With so many professionals on the hunt for new positions as a result of the pandemic, it's time to dissect the Job Interview and how to ace it. After working so hard to get on your target companies' radar, it's game time! Time to shine. But many struggle to connect. They play defense instead of taking charge of the meeting. The reality is that a job interview is nothing more than a Sales Call. In this episode, Dan walks through the critical steps required to ace the job interview by leveraging the skills of modern selling covered on the Sales Is King Podcast.

The cost of prospects delaying their purchases is taking a toll on B2B sellers. Getting buyers to make a commitment now versus later is one of the top challenges sellers face in 2021.  According to a recent Objective Management Group study, only 12% of sellers are proficient at making the case for urgency. Why is that? Because it is not easy and requires an expertise to make this happen consistently. It requires navigation techniques, a closing mindset and organization skills that we will cover in this episode, the first of 2021! 

On the 2020 Sales Is King Finale, Dan dives deep into the playbook for improving your CLOSE RATE in 2021. The mental aspects of closing are critical, but so are the tactical steps required for success. Lastly, Dan covers the Top reasons why sellers don't close deals and what you do about it. 

To Your Success!

With 2020 ticking down, it is time to look forward to 2021 and year most people have been wishing for since March. Well, with that said, our sales game needs to shift into high gear to make 2021 your best ever.

Dan covers 5 areas of focus:

1) Pre Call Research - we often talk about the power of doing the homework prior to a call. But are we doing the right research and enough of it? What major initiative is the company undertaking? Cloud? Digital Transformation? AI? How are they going to grow next year? What has COVID done to their business and what do they need to do to succeed in 2021? Has their customer base changed? Should it? How do their customers make money and how have they been impacted? What new methods of distribution can be leveraged? In short, the research needs to be conducted with these types of questions in mind. The financial reports, the recent interviews with the company CEO, the industry publications are all key.

2) Having a Point Of View- while we are all on new ground in the Zoom Economy, we need to formulate a POV on the state of affairs in our industry. What do you see happening in the short and long term? What are the trends and how are successful companies tackling these key issues? What do you recommend based on what you have seen? There has never been a better time to bring ideas and insights to the table. The status quo is weaker than it has been in a long time. And while your prospects like to hold onto comfort, they know now that change is the key to not only success but basic survival.

3) Selling Change - By posing the questions around the prospect's current state and leading them to discuss the consequences are staying the course, we open the door to change. We need to be able to then connect our offering to that large initiative(but only 33% of reps can effectively make this leap according to Objective Management Group). How does what we bring to the table help our prospect lead that paradigm shift? Not just how it works, but what it will do for the company strategically. The impact it will have long term. Why vs How.

4) Selling Urgency- There is no time to waste in the Zoom economy. Not only do we need to sell change, but we need to sell urgency, action, execution. The reps that can demonstrate conviction, and highlight the cost of standing still and the benefits of swift action are succeeding, but according to OMG, only 12% can do this effectively. Thinking Big means turning on these skills.

5)Finding the Money -How do you tap into the largest buckets of dollars that your prospect has set aside for immediate action vs. the nice to have, "we'll come back to you" solutions? There are only a handful of these initiatives at your prospect's organization. Tap into them, discuss your ideas to help. What initiatives are being funded aggressively and how does your solution fit? Companies are spending billions on change, on reinvention, on new business models, on paradigm shifts. Be there.

There is a thin line between the top reps and the average reps. But why do the Elite reps outshine everyone else? And where in the sales process does this occur? Dan hits you between the eyes as he reveals the inflection point where the Elite rise and the average reps fumble it away. Don't miss this one!

Jerry Acuff is one of the Top 3 Sales Trainers in the world and he returns for a second visit to Sales Is King. We discuss a wide range of subjects including how to effectively advance a sale, selling through adversity, and how to build relationships in the Zoom Economy. Jerry pulls no punches and gives us the straight scoop on how to improve your sales game!

Dan returns to the studio with a blueprint for becoming an elite seller in the new "Zoom Economy'

Listen in for what is now a requirement for finishing out the year strongly and blasting in 2021 with a vengeance.

It is by far the most effective method of prospecting, yet leveraged less in the sales process than any other channel. James Muir returns to Sales Is King with a new book and incredible advice for sellers looking to make Referrals a key part of their success.

Sales Leader, Michael Macchiarelli joins the podcast to discuss how Equinox has pivoted to maintain it's superior service to its customers in a challenging environment. We also discuss how selling needs to shift in the COVID economy and some of the keys to Michael's sales success which has resulted in rapid promotions during his seven-year tenure at Equinox. With over 27,000 followers on Linkedin, Michael gives us the G2 on building audience on social and leveraging it to build credibility and revenue. Don't miss this interview!

In my recent Linkedin Poll, the #1 challenge Sales Reps face today is Prospects Going Dark and the research backs this up as according to Forrester only 17% of reps are invited back to a second meeting. These initial meetings are disasters for a large chunk of sellers. Why? Today we review the Top 7 Reasons Why Prospects Go Dark, according to USC Business School.

Are you making the moves now that will contribute to your success in the future? How far in advance are you playing? With a crisis in our laps right now, shouldn't we be 100% focused on the here and now? Not so fast. Your long game, your long term plan, connecting with those key contacts that can be helpful to you and get you to your longer term goals is key. Staying 2 or 3 moves ahead of your competition, ahead of the market is going to be a key barometer of how well you are going to fare in the future. This pandemic is driving some executives farther away from their goals, while motivating others to double down, work harder, get more specific on their objectives and improve all aspects of their sales and business game. Which one are you?

Here is that great Alex Rodriguez(ARod) interview:https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dansixsmith_how-to-turn-rejection-into-a-home-run-motivation-activity-6657988379289899008-Cxhb

Now more than ever, we need to engage Buyers with value, with a buying experience and process that shows them WHY NOW, why you are a MUST HAVE as opposed to a 'nice to have.' According to Objective Management Group, only 33% of reps can connect the benefits of their solution to the prospects stated challenges and priorities. What? And more troubling is that 12%, that's right 12% are skilled in convincing the Buyer to take action NOW. With budgets on lockdown, and projects being trimmed and cut, you need to approach selling completely differently if you want to have a shot. Tune in for the Sales Is King Playbook for Success. Tough times call for another gear and a smarter way. Peace!

Sales Reps know how to face hardship. They know how to challenge people's thinking. They know how to overcome obstacles. They know what it takes to succeed at all costs and against all odds. They are built for battle. They know what it is like to be down to their last out. They know that you do not win every deal. They know that you have to find a way to the goal line. They know what its like to take one on the chin; to get off the canvas and continue to fight. They know that a bad day can be followed by an amazing day. Most importantly, they know that their success is in their own hands. They know that you have to take the wheel and steer in life. They know action is critical. That is why, we , in sales, will step forward to keep our companies alive, to keep the money coming in. To your success. It is hopefully almost over.

Book we discussed: Brendon Burchard: High Performance Habits

Podcast we to which we referred: 

What Are You Doing About Job Security? 

https://anchor.fm/dan-sixsmith/episodes/Episode-50-What-Are-You-Doing-About-JOB-SECURITY-e1i6i0

Things are getting tougher for us.  Times of immense challenge bring out the best in the winners and worst in most of the others. If you lost your sales job, listen to this show. Dan discusses the campaign you need to launch, the fight you need to wage to get back in the game and fast. If you are still on the playing field, there are actions you need to take to insure you don't miss a step in your quest for success. 

Books Dan refers to:

Never Eat Alone- Keith Ferrazzi

Friend of a Friend- David Birkus

Build Your Network Podcast- Travis Chappel.

Dan's Linkedin article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fall-american-textile-industry-bitter-fight-survival-dan-sixsmith/

Dan's website: http://salesisking.net

In seemingly a matter of weeks, the world economy has been thrust into chaos. Times have suddenly gotten way tougher. But no one is going to tell you that you have quota relief or that you don't have to sell as much. Dan shares some tips to not only weather but thrive in a crisis environment. Do not miss this episode.

It comes with the job. And it is always staring you in the face. 

Dan discusses the every day pressures of being in sales and in business and how to turn that pressure into fuel for success! ⛽️

Take a ride with Dan on a 20 minute riff on what it takes to completely transform your sales game. From the heart and unscripted as always, Dan walks you through the key ingredients of a successful sales rep transformation program. Learn what the Elite Sellers are doing to keep the checks cashing. Hear the latest research on buyer preferences and the steps you need to take to stand out from the crowd of uneducated and unsophisticated sales reps. 

Dan discusses his thoughts on the unspeakable and tragic death of Kobe Bryant.

Research shows that more intense and shorter bursts of physical activity are more powerful than the long arduous workouts and similarly in Sales today, are you able to benefit more from fast targeted bursts of super- engaged activity? Dan returns to the studio to discuss the benefits of "Sprint Selling", capitalizing on peak segments of the day to register more efficient activity and driving your sales up!

In addition, Dan discusses the most overlooked method of adding to your numbers. You'll be surprised! 

Tune in for a quick hitting episode. 

There are 5 Actions you MUST take to WIN in 2020. Dan is back from the road to tell you what's in store for SALES in 2020.

Sheevaun Thatcher returns to the podcast for another engaging interview! We discuss the foundational elements of RingCentral's(one of the hottest tech companies and leader in the Unified Communication space) success as an organization, specifically around enabling sellers to maximize their effectiveness. In addition, Sheevaun gives us a preview as to what the future may hold for selling success moving into 2020 and beyond. Don't miss this one!

How do you find great Sales Talent? In this episode, we talk about why it is so difficult to find and hire elite sellers and what the successful companies are doing to identify and predict the future success of potential new hires. For more compelling stats and information, see the following White Paper:

https://info.objectivemanagement.com/page/Whitepaper-Salesperson-Selection.aspx?DistNum=494

Buyer confidence is cited as the #1 issue facing sales reps in B2B deals(new Gartner report) But it is not what you think. It is not the Buyer's confidence in the sales rep, but it is the buyer's confidence in themselves! Confidence to make the right decision. Buyer enablement and the sales rep's ability to help the Buyer navigate through the massive amounts of information that they are wrestling with is paramount to sales success. Dan details 5 steps to successfully engage with Buyers and show them the most prudent way to tackle the decision making process.

Garter article: http://ow.ly/vFbj101NWfn

Growth Guru, Data Monetization Expert, Serial Entrepreneur, and now Investment Banker, Kristin Luck returns to the Sales Is King Spotlight to discuss the NEW RULES FOR SUCCESS in business today. Do not miss this conversation!

Relationships used to be all you needed in Sales. Today, with dramatically reduced attention spans, complicated buying decisions, executives doing more selling and buying, and buyers placing a diminished value on Sales Reps- the dynamics of relationships are changing. Dan explores this and discusses what you need to succeed in this increasingly transactional digital economy.

Do you feel guilty taking vacation from your job? Is the Hustle mentality detrimental to your health and wellness? Does it have a negative impact on your personal and family life? Does your company really care about your 'work-life' balance? If these questions interest you, tune into our interview with Carlos Hidalgo, who personally has felt the sting of the Hustle Culture. He almost lost his family in the process of 'hustling'  at all costs. His new book, The UnAmerican Dream, describes the rollercoaster ride that Carlos experienced and the story of how we jammed on the brakes and changed his life. It also provides a blueprint for putting some sanity back in your life!