The Sales Evangelist: Sales Training|Speaking|Business Marketing|Donald Kelly

Selling a product to a single customer can be challenging, but what happens when they need to advocate for your product within their organization internally?Their internal selling efforts often fall short, causing deals to stall or fail. That's why I've brought in Todd Rychecky, General Manager and Head of Out-of-Band Management Solutions at Lantronix. In this episode, he'll share strategies for how sellers can empower their customers to effectively champion products to their teams, thereby keeping deals progressing through the pipeline.Meet Todd RycheckyAt Lantronix, Todd provides strategic leadership, financial management, operational oversight, cross-functional collaboration, and team development.  Before Lantronix, he was VP Sales Americas for Opengear and was responsible for developing and executing sales strategies, business development initiatives, and hiring and developing an award-winning sales team. For 13 consecutive years, Rychecky and his Opengear sales teams experienced year-

Discovery calls can be just as nerve-wracking as cold calls. What if something goes wrong and makes the deal collapse?In this episode, I’m going to tell you how to keep that from happening. Fixing this one mistake will ensure every discovery call goes smoothly.What Sales Mistake Did I Make?During one of my discovery calls, I made a simple mistake: assuming that everything would go well. I thought it was going to be so easy to close the deal that I forgot to make sure all the right people attended the meeting with me.The deal didn’t move through the pipeline, all because I assumed that the person I was meeting with had all the control over closing it.How to Fix the Sales Mistake?Here’s what I learned from this sales mistake: instead of guessing that the person I’m meeting with is going to bring the right people along, I let them know upfront.As a consultant, it’s my moral obligation in the discovery call to paint the picture of what needs to happen.Typically, I’ll let them know I need these three people on the

Ever lie awake at night wondering where your next deal is going to come from? Does the constant stream of rejection fill your future with uncertainty?Hearing constant "nos" can cause you to develop a scarcity mindset, and honestly, it's not only destroying your pipeline but also your company's potential.Authentic sales expert Scott Ramey joins us in this episode to guide you through the essential shift from scarcity vs. abundance. He's here to lead and inspire sellers, leaders, and businesses to build trust, take action, and drive results by adopting an abundance mentality.Meet Scott RameyScott Ramey, an authentic sales expert and former Fortune 500 C-Suite Executive, brings over three decades of corporate experience and more than $100 billion in successful sales. As the Founder of The Ramey Group, he is a seasoned leader, speaker, and mentor. Notably, Scott served as an EVP at Transamerica, Nationwide, and Corebridge Financial, where he raised hundreds of billions of dollars and led large teams. Hi

Tired of endless voicemails and angry prospects? Even studies show that the most troubling part of the sales process for sellers is prospecting. I have four tips in this episode to help you out. Go ahead and give it a listen, it’ll give you the strength to keep pushing through and land more deals.Stay MotivatedWhat I like to do every morning is say a little prayer. This helps me get ready for the day and work on getting more clients.Even if you’re an atheist or practice a different faith, you can still do affirmations to help send out positive vibes.Set a goal in the morning to pray or say mantras to set a positive focus on your subconscious thinking.Have a ChecklistI like to use my sales planner to create a goal to help me push through prospecting. For example, I might say I want to do 20 meaningful outreach activities and get at least five conversations with the end goal of gaining at least one appointment. This simple task keeps me focused on prospecting to reach my goal.Try reading the book Go for No

You're having wonderful discovery calls, but stakeholders are taking forever to get back to you. This tends to make deals move like molasses in winter. What if I tell you that you're going to have to get a bit creative to accelerate deals through the pipeline? Rebecca Kravitz, sales professional and co-founder of Meople, is here to share how games can grab prospects' attention and help increase deal velocity. Check it out and move deals faster with this unique method.Meet Rebecca KravitzThe concept of using board games to capture prospects' attention comes from Rebecca and her co-founder creating a game for her grandfather's 80th birthday. After seeing how amazed he was by it, they decided to build customizable gaming software for the B2B world.She believes that sales is all about active listening and understanding the challenges, needs, and persona of the buyer. Board games allow companies and sellers to listen to their customers and provide solutions to them. Bringing Gaming Into the Sales Pr

Sales and marketing teams? Sometimes, they clash like siblings, which tends to hold companies back from hitting their goals. Getting every single seller in the company to have that CEO-level drive? That's a whole other challenge.Is there a way to tackle both of these sales challenges with one simple move? My guest, Garrett Mehrguth, sales and marketing expert and founder of Directive, says yes. He's here to break down how getting sales and marketing on the same page can actually empower individual sellers to think and act like the CEO. Tune in to hear how this alignment can make some serious magic happen.Meet Garrett MehrguthGarrett Mehrguth founded Directive in 2013, which is the largest independent B2B performance marketing agency in the world. Today, Directive boasts a diverse team of more than 130 professionals, located around the world, including the USA, LATAM, Canada, and London, servicing brands like Dropbox, Wiz, AWS, and Gong.He believes true company growth only happens through sales and m

The first ten seconds of a cold call will have your heart racing faster than a cheetah on a hunt.What do you say to keep the prospect from hanging up? How about trying a cold call opener?You might have tried them, but they didn’t work out. You probably weren’t using permission-based openers, and I’m going to tell you how to do them the right way in this episode.Cold Call Openers Give Prospects a Way OutCold call openers do work, and I recently tried them out. Actually, I tried them out a few times, and they usually work out well.What I do differently is give the prospect an option to end the call. It helps them feel they have a way out when they decide to leave.Think of it as you’re at the movies and know the emergency exit is right beside you. Knowing this gives you comfort in case you have to hurry up and leave.Permission-Based Openers WorkIf you don’t believe me on permission-based cold calls, then believe the stats: It lowers resistance:Permission-based openers, such as “Did I catch you at a bad time

It's frustrating when you're trying to reach a key decision-maker, only to be stopped by their administrative assistant. It can feel like gatekeepers intentionally block your path to closing a deal. But what if their resistance isn't just about blocking, but about recognizing when your approach simply isn't up to par? In this episode, I speak with Natasha Bowles, a seasoned gatekeeper with over 25 years of experience, to uncover what truly gets her to engage with sellers. Tune in to get the inside scoop and learn how to improve your tactics to close more deals.Meet the Gatekeeper: Natasha BowlesNatasha Bowles is the Founder of Natasha Bowles Professional Services, a staffing agency specializing in virtual and in-house administrative support.  As an executive-level administrator for over 25 years, Ms. Bowles has been a gatekeeper for high-profile individuals like medical professionals, property managers, venture capitalists, and notable public figures.She's not offended by the term "gatekee

Salesforce recently surveyed 7,000 B2B professionals, and the results are clear: buyers prioritize value. A significant 76% aim to maximize the return on every purchase, and 78% are being more careful with spending than before.In this environment, how can sellers stand out and win deals? One powerful way is by becoming a better storyteller. This episode dives into why storytelling is so important in today's sales landscape and offers practical advice on how to use it to close your next deal.The Power of Storytelling in SalesWhen you hear "storytelling," you might picture something from a book. But in sales, it's about crafting a narrative that draws buyers in.  Think of it this way:The Buyer as the Hero: They're on a journey to achieve their goals.The Problem as the Villain: Something is blocking their path – maybe it's a lack of time, confusing regulations, or overwhelming complexity.You as the Guide:As a sales professional, you're there to help them conquer that villain with your solution.Effective sal

In the last episode, I shared some hidden gems on what prospects really want when they go on LinkedIn. I also provided some examples of how to engage with customers on the platform. But what I didn’t show you was how to turn these prospects into appointments. You’re going to find out in this part two series of my little LinkedIn rant.Connect, Share, and Engage to Generate Leads on LinkedInIf you remember from the last episode, I discussed how connecting and engaging with a prospect is better than the generic connecting and pitching method. Connect with a prospect on LinkedIn, share relevant content there, and engage with those who engage with your content. Even if no one is commenting on your posts, still keep sharing. Another idea is for you to comment on other content in the groups your ICP is in. Remember the data I shared on why people are on LinkedIn?When you’re engaging and sharing content that your prospects are interested in, it helps you pop up in their news feeds more and become seen as an

LinkedIn is a goldmine for opportunities, but the challenge many sales reps are finding is that no one is responding to their messages after connecting. In this episode and the next one coming up, I’m sharing LinkedIn tips that provide the right touch to get prospects to start engaging with you. My research will help you network better and close deals, without resorting to those silly automated messages.Why Sending Pitch Messages Is A Mistake?Recently I did a LinkedIn poll that said, “When you accept a connection request, what percentage of them turn into pitches right after?” Out of the 316 people who responded to the survey, 60% of them received pitches in the next line of communication and did not like it.My poll result shows that prospects really hate those automated LinkedIn messages, especially right after you just connected with them. Just because they match your ICP, doesn’t mean it gives you the authority to pitch your services. Your prospects aren’t machines who are just going to do business with yo

There’s no way around it; you’re going to hear "no" repeatedly in this industry. However, how you handle those "no's" is what turns you into a better seller. My guest, Jacob Hicks, is going to show you how he turned 70% of his "no's" into future "yes's."Meet Jacob HicksHe is a successful sales coach passionate about empowering leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs to achieve clarity and fulfillment in both their business and personal lives.  Since 2014, he has been a sales leader who has exceeded goals, set records, and effectively led teams across diverse industries.  When he isn’t working, he is dedicated to continuous growth through reading, music, investing, and mission work.What to Do When You Get RejectedJacob believes that all success stems from prospects telling you "no." You learn significantly more from setbacks.This is where you can reflect on what went wrong and how you can improve your deal-closing process.He also believes that without a strong follow-up system, you will not be able

A big problem a lot of sellers have is they don't know who their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is. But, with the right framework, you'll be able to go after the right buyers every time. My guest, Ronnell Richards, founder of Sayless Academy, will share how to find your ICP and how to reach them the right way.Meet Ronnell RichardsRonnell Richards is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and sales consultant with over 20 years of experience. He's put his sales and marketing expertise into comprehensive LinkedIn Learning courses and his book, "Shut The Hell Up and Sell." On top of his professional work, he mentors entrepreneurs and supports community initiatives, helping businesses succeed and creating social impact.Why You Got to Know Your ICPRonnell says a lot of tech companies don't actually have an ICP and just sell to anyone who comes along. But, in today's tough market, knowing your ICP stops you from getting pulled every which way and missing out on big wins. The more specific you are wi

Everywhere you turn, there’s a new AI tool being developed, and you may be hesitant to try them out. AI technology is here to advance how we do things, especially within the sales industry. However, people tend to use them the wrong way. Luckily, my guest, Stan Robinson, is here to share three AI techniques you can integrate into your workflow.Meet Stan RobinsonStan is the CEO of Social Sales Link, which teaches revenue-driven professionals to create more trust-based sales conversations using LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, and AI.Having coached over 1,000 business development professionals on social selling, Stan, who studied Psychology at Harvard and international affairs at Princeton, continues to expand his expertise through ongoing courses on sales, leadership, and AI.AI for Sales Reps: How to Work SmarterAI tools shouldn’t replace your work ethic; instead, you should be using them to enhance your sales skills. Stan shares how sales reps should be using AI:Messaging that connects: Don’t use AI tools to create

You've heard me talk about multithreading over and over again. Today, I’m sharing more insight with a personal experience of mine and how I worked with multiple people in an organization to close a deal. Don’t forget to connect with me on LinkedIn and send a message with the title: "multithreading" and tell me what you liked about this episode.Sales Challenge with MultithreadingMultithreading is where you take two or more different paths to connect with individuals in an organization. The challenge I find that most sales reps have with doing this is whether someone will get mad at them for doing it. I even had this problem when first starting out.Will they think of you as a playa? Maybe if you’re doing it with a small company, but with a bigger one, it’s actually a good idea to multithread.The thing is, you can’t be giving the same value proposition.If you’re saying the same thing over and over again, you’re going to lose.The CEO and marketing director have two different problems and responsibilities, so you’

One of the biggest mistakes new salespeople make is winging it, even after receiving training. This is going to have you leaving lots of money on the table, and the only way to turn this around is by developing a framework that actually works.My guest, Luke Lunkenheimer, is going to share the 3 C’s Selling framework that’ll change your mindset to improve your sales game. Give it a listen; it may even help you in other areas of your life!Meet Luke LunkenheimerLuke grew up as a regular guy from a small town and started out in the industry as a car salesman. For years, he did not live up to his full potential in the sales industry, losing unnecessary money. He finally figured out what he was doing wrong.After developing his new sales approach, he realized that you need a certain mindset and values in order to make it in this industry, which he is going to share with you in this episode.Now, Luke is a successful entrepreneur, owning the Paid 2 Persuade sales training platform that is transforming and empowering s

I had to do it again and bring back Marcus Sheridan for another episode. Today, we’re going over details of his new book, “Endless Customer,” and he's going to share four ways to make your brand the most trusted in the industry. Background on The Newest Book After the rise of AI tools, Marcus noticed a major change in the sales industry. It’s getting harder and harder to produce content that will generate leads. Also, those who are not using AI technology in some form within their work are struggling the most now. On top of this, companies are having a harder time gaining consumer trust, all thanks to the advancement of AI. This is why Marcus wrote the "Endless Customer" book! To generate leads and to shine through AI, you’re going to have to become a well-known and trusted brand, which you can do with the help of his guidance. How Can You Make Yourself Stand Out If you’ve noticed, not too many people are using Google nowadays. Also, when you search on Google, a lot of AI answers or Reddit posts

I’m giving you another rerun again. Yes, I know, but you’re going to love this episode with my guest Bob Burg, who is an expert sales leader and author with a real go-giver attitude. Listen to this live episode to get the right mindset to help you get prospects. Meet Bob Burg Bob Burg is a salesman who has written a series of books about The Go-Giver, a parable about the principles behind the kind of success most sellers are hoping to achieve. After spending some time in the sales industry, he realized that he wasn’t living up to his potential. Until one day he had a conversation with another salesman and recalling how his parents worked to make other’s lives better, it hit him.   Instead of trying to meet quota, Bob shifts his focus on how he can serve others, and his reward happens to be more money coming into his pockets. Great salesmanship is about the other person and how they’ll benefit from your product or service. Focus on Value People aren't going to buy from you because you need to mee

You started working at a new company, and on the outside everything seems great. But when it comes time to find leads, everyone completely ghosts you. Even the management-level employees are nowhere to be found. It kind of makes you feel like everyone hates you. I have experienced the same situation, and I’m here to share some tips to help you out when you start a new sales position and it seems like no one can help you get started. Find People Close to Your Proximity If you’re struggling with finding leads, consider getting on LinkedIn and network with your connections who are close to your ICP. I share a strategy that I teach in my LinkedIn prospecting course. It’s a neat sales trick that works every single time, only when they know you already! You can also ask your proximity connections how they can give you insights on getting leads if my first strategy doesn’t work for you. Target Accounts When you have an understanding of those who can potentially buy from you, you can focus on your ICP

Sometimes it's better to break the script and listen to what your client is saying when trying to close a deal. In today’s episode, I chatted with Christian Jack, founder of the Sales Dojo and a master of influence, about why it’s important for sellers to understand the psychology of persuasion. He breaks down how the human mind works when sellers become too pushy and how agents can overcome this challenge. Meet Christian Jack Christian Jack is a highly respected sales coach and growth consultant with a proven ability to scale businesses to multiple eight figures. He provides fractional CRO services, one-on-one coaching, and tailored sales training that empower professionals and entrepreneurs to achieve sustainable growth. His practical, personalized approach enables clients to maximize their influence, boost performance, and achieve long-term Sales Is All About Connecting The Dots You want to be a top-performing agent, but to get there, you need to understand that it’s not about meeting goals o