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

Tech sales can be one of the most daunting sales industries to work in, but this doesn’t mean finding success is impossible. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist podcast, our host Donald Kelly interviews Shirelle Francis to talk about her success in tech. How Shirelle Overcame Challenges The first challenge that Shirelle faced was finding a mentor. She looked for a black female mentor who had previously found success in sales and studied AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE from this mentor. The second challenge that Shirelle faced was finding proper training. This ties into finding a mentor. As Shirelle looked for a mentor, she also sought out useful training for sales and not only mentored someone but studied the craft of sales. The third challenge Shirelle faced was getting access to capital. She overcame this by searching for a sponsor and actively seeking training and someone to teach her. You can connect with Shirelle on her LinkedIn or check out her website at www.ileapgroup.com. You can talk to Donald and drop

Being successful is EVERYONE’s goal in life. So how can sellers achieve this success? In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist podcast, our host Donald Kelly goes over how sellers can reach the success they’re aiming for. 5 Keys For Achieving Success You have to clearly define what success actually IS for you personally. You have to help people solve their problems. You have to know where you can improve. You have to continually improve yourself and work towards perfecting your craft. You have to do a self-evaluation. You can talk to Donald and drop him a message on LinkedIn, Tik Tok, and Instagram at donaldckelly. You can also join TSE’s space on Circle to talk to Donald and other sellers looking to improve their craft. This episode is brought to you in part by Scratchpad. Scratchpad is the first Revenue Team Workspace specifically designed to adapt to each salesperson’s workflow, so you don’t have to change your habits. Get Scratchpad free at Scratchpad.com. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we v

Now that 2023 is here, EVERYONE is a seller! In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly meets with Ted Blosser to talk more about selling in this upcoming year. The Importance of Momentum Momentum is KEY in business, whether you’re a seller or not. Think about it: If you’re some start up company, you have to generate momentum to build your business. If you’re a seller, you have to generate momentum for your sales. Momentum is key. This is DOUBLY true with the current economic situation. As business slows and profits wane, sellers and businesses have to be ready to REBUILD that momentum to come back even stronger as the economy recovers. Generating momentum is important, yes, but how do you actually build this momentum? Through SELLERS. Blosser gives the example of Tesla in its early years: Elon Musk made EVERYONE act as a seller when the company nearly went under. Being able to sell is critical in the generation of momentum, Three Key Points For Sellers Blosser has also identified 3

Continually generating leads and beginning the sales cycle with qualified leads is the CORE of any seller’s career or B2B business. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly meets with John Butler to discuss three principles you can adopt for a consistent pipeline. Intangible Traits Athletes and Sellers Have Both elite athletes and champion sellers are goal oriented. They have a passion for excellence. They practice their craft with intention. What Elite Sellers Are Doing They conduct DEEP account research. They follow up in unique, creative, and personalized ways. They maintain and FOLLOW strong and stringent sales processes. “Top sellers provide personalized AND relevant content to buyers - John Butler”. If you want to connect with Butler, you can check out his website at www.shiftgroup.io or connect with him on LinkedIn. You can talk to Donald and drop him a message on LinkedIn, Tik Tok, and Instagram at donaldckelly. You can also join TSE’s space on Circle to talk to Donald and

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly meets with Hendrik Isebaert to talk about ending sales activities, and how it can help you MAXIMIZE your selling potential and profit. The Issue With Numbers According to LinkedIn, during the pandemic, the percentage of emails that sellers sent out increased by 50%. Despite this rapid increase though, buyer responses went DOWN by 30%   Both the market AND buyers have changed over the past few years. As a seller, you HAVE to adapt to these changes to remain relevant and proficient.   In the modern day, whenever buyers are polled on their opinions of sellers: The MAJORITY of the time, buyers don’t think sellers give them any value. Combating These Trends There are a few different methods Isebaert suggests to stay relevant in today’s changing sales landscape.   The first method is: Having a platform that delivers buyers relevant content. By the time a seller and buyer first meet, the buyer has already done 60 PERCENT of their process thro

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly meets with Tom Kulzer to talk about how you can send optimal emails that will see results. Understanding Emails Over the years, Google’s spam filter has slowly increased. Kulzer says that Google’s filter has gotten better at figuring out what people WANT and what they DON’T want. Whatever isn’t wanted will go to spam. If your emails are going to spam, then it means that Google’s determined something in your email is what people AREN’T wanting. To avoid getting sent to spam, then you have to send emails with things people will want to see, at least according to Google. Setting Expectations One tool you can use to avoid your emails being marked as spam is by setting expectations. The example that Kulzer gives is How many emails your recipient is expecting. If someone signs up for your newsletter and is expecting an email once a month, but starts receiving daily emails, they’ll likely start putting your emails down as spam. Set expectations for

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our show host Donald Kelly meets with Roger Smith to talk about why you should establish a sales belief system, as well as how to actually establish one. The Importance of a Sales Belief System When Smith first started as a sales rep for his company, whenever he was closing the deal, he would VISIBLY shake. It got to the point where he believed the buyer thought he was having some sort of seizure. He knew that if he wanted to combat this and improve as a seller, he was going to have to work hard. VERY hard. Smith learned early on that, without a belief system, sellers would start running into issues. Specifically, doubt would start to form. As doubt continued to grow in the seller's mind, the likelihood of successfully making the sale would decrease. Without a belief system in place, sellers start to doubt themselves. The Four Foundations of a Belief System Once Smith knew just how CRITICAL a belief system is, he then identified four critical things that make up

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly meets with Evan Powell to discuss how you sell products the same way your buyers are looking to buy. Who is Evan Powell? Powell originally started as a sales rep, but went on to help cofound Reprise, a software company focused on developing demos for software. The company’s website is www.reprise.com WHY sell the way your buyers are looking to buy? There’s been a shift in HOW buyers are actually buying in this new year. Powell started selling in the early 2010s, and in his experience, buyers wanted to learn what they didn’t already know. Buyers wanted their hands held, instead of doing the research on their own. In TODAY’S environment, however, things aren’t like that. Buyers are jaded and have developed a buying process that THEY want to use. Remaining relevant and actually adjusting to this shift is KEY in selling and not becoming an anachronism. Here’s a figure to keep in mind: 77% of buyers say their last B2B buy was TOO difficult. How

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly meets with Joe Khoei to talk about how YOU can maximize your chances of selling when meeting with senior executives. Why do senior executives WANT to talk to salespeople? There are two reasons why senior executives want to talk to you as a salesperson. The first reason is: You have something to tell the senior executive that they DON’T already know. The second reason is: You have something to tell the senior executive that their team is UNABLE to do. If you want to talk to a senior executive, you HAVE to have either or both of these traits. Giving the senior executive something valuable: One tip that Khoei suggests is using case studies. According to LinkedIn, although email outreach has gone up 50%, email replies have actually gone down a WHOPPING 30%. You HAVE to make yourself stand out. How can you do this? Utilize a case study, then apply it to the senior executive’s business or personal life. Don’t just bombard the senior exec with gene

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly meets with Ashley Winston to discuss how you as a seller can MAXIMIZE your earnings this year. The problem with untapped potential: Most of us have absolutely INSANE potential that’s just begging to be tapped into. The issue is, we simply never fully tap into it. In the sales world, this means sales and earnings left on the table. Fear is perhaps the BIGGEST hurdle to fully realizing your potential. Most sellers, and people in general, prefer to stay in their comfort zones. Why go out and face danger, when you could simply remain safe? The problem is, you’ll only grow when exposed to danger. Without stress, there is no adaptation. Another hurdle people face is their atmosphere. If you’re wanting to become a better seller, you have to SURROUND yourself with an environment conclusive to that. Surround yourself with great sellers, go to areas where you can learn about the process. Create an environment or find one that relates to your goals. How

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly meets with Mohannad Ghannoum to discuss the importance of changing your perspective, to become an even more effective seller. Mohannad’s Observations: Mohannad enjoys philosophy. He once listened to a philosopher discussing passion and purpose, and how to find it. According to this philosopher, there can be two reasons you’re not passionate about what you do: A.) You already have it or B.) You don’t know yourself well enough. Prior to this, Mohannad had worked for three years in sales but never found much success. He decided to dedicate himself FULLY to sales to determine whether or not it was something he was TRULY passionate about. What did Mohannad do? To discover his passion, Mohannad began to OBSESSIVELY study and take in every single thing he could about his career. He would read books, listen to podcasts, talk to seasoned sellers, etc., anything he could do to learn more. The idea behind this is simple: Mohannad was trying to get RESU

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly meets with Chris Beall to talk about the MOST important objection you’ll face as a seller and why sellers often can’t overcome it. Who is Chris Beall? Chris is the CEO of the software company ConnectAndSell and offers one INSANELY valuable tool to sellers: The ability to talk to as MANY people as you want at the push of a button. Throughout his career, however, he’s encountered one trend. The Number One Objection Sellers Face: In the COUNTLESS sales reps that Chris has worked with, the most common objection they face, and the hardest to overcome, is a simple phrase. That phrase is “I’m all set.”. What triggers this objection? Most people think that cold calls are mostly marketing. Marketing gets TOO involved within the process of the cold call, and going into a cold call with a marketing mindset is deadly. One of the most FREQUENTLY used tactics in marketing is establishing a niche. Define your niche or area of expertise and then do somethin

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly meets with Trent Anderson to discuss a unique strategy you, as a sales leader, could start utilizing to help your sales team. So what exactly is the first, last, best, worst strategy? Trent comes from a storytelling and sales background, and he noticed a theme with storytelling that he used to develop the first, last, best, worst strategy. The premise is simple: Make a chart with four columns. The first column will be labeled first, the second last, the third best, and the fourth worst.  In the rows, meanwhile, put in some of the activities you, as a seller, have to do. Trent uses the examples of cold calls, cold emails, sales won, and sales lost. After you have your chart made, you begin to fill it in. In the example Trent gives, you start out by listing what the first cold call you EVER made was and filling it in. Then the last cold call and email you made, and so on. The MAIN focus of this strategy, however, is the best and worst columns. H

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly goes over some lessons he’s learned about planning throughout 2022, and how YOU can use those lessons to build a pipeline and convert sales to boost your profits. Sellers losing focus and not planning: Too often, sellers get lost in the MYRIAD of different tools, techniques, strategies, and ideas they utilize. All of these are important, yes, but they’re only tools. They shouldn’t be a seller’s main focus. The first lesson: Utilize a focus word. With 2023 coming up, look back on your strengths and weaknesses throughout 2022. What single word can sum up all of your shortcomings? Throughout the year, focus on that word and act on it. This maintains focus AND helps you better yourself as a seller. The second lesson: Take feedback into consideration. When you’re prospecting and looking for new clients or building relationships, FOCUS on the ones that are producing results. If a buyer pays well, focus on that buyer! Keep those consistent earnin

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our host Donald Kelly goes into three changes he’ll make going into 2023. These three changes will help YOU to make more sales and perfect your craft as a seller. The first major change of 2023: The first upcoming change is a slight shift in branding. The podcast’s name, logo, and design will ALL remain the same. However, there will be a slight shift in branding as well as the podcast’s cover. The second major change of 2023: The second major change coming up will be the podcast emphasizing the PIPELINE, both building your pipeline and converting sales from your pipeline. The third, and final, change of 2023: The final change you can expect to see is the shift in the community. In the past, we’ve promoted our Facebook and LinkedIn communities, but those platforms will be taking a backseat. Instead, TSE is going to promote its community on a new platform called Circle.so. How do these changes help you as a seller? Learning to build a pipeline and close a pipel

Going into 2023, with a changing business landscape, buyers are looking for something DIFFERENT. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald Kelly goes into what buyers are now looking for, and how you can meet their needs. What are buyers looking for in the upcoming year? According to the State of Sales, from Salesforce, 57% of buyers prefer engaging with companies and sellers through digital means. Along with preferring digital communication, buyers have also said that they prefer YOU to go where THEY are. You have to appear wherever your buyers are, whether that’s on social media or platforms like YouTube. How to take advantage of this knowledge and meet buyers’ wants: Since buyers are actively WANTING to talk to your company through digital means, provide SOME WAY for them to actually talk to you digitally. Platforms like LinkedIn are perfect for this. But beyond LinkedIn, you can also use social media platforms to communicate and market to buyers. UTILIZE A DSR. A DSR, or digital salesroom, is

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald Kelly discusses why 2023 will be a difficult year for sellers. He also discusses how, despite the upcoming challenge, how you as a seller can continue to succeed in your field. What exactly is going to be different about 2023? Ever since the pandemic, inflation rates and the general cost of living have STEADILY increased. This makes people far, FAR more hesitant to actually spend money. Why should someone buy your product or service when money is already tight? Alongside higher inflation rates, the feds have also hiked up interest rates to curb inflation. Since there are higher interest rates, people are less likely actually to borrow money. This means that businesses will be slower to grow. Here are some quick facts, from Donald’s personal experience and the State of Sales report: 69% of sellers are saying that selling is actually becoming HARDER for them. 92% of sellers claimed that they’ve had to start using a NEW method of selling their product or serv

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald Kelly meets with Paul Owen, the owner of Sales Talent, to discuss the importance of planning when it comes to sales, and why all salespeople should have some sort of a plan to maximize their performance. The importance of planning in the world of sales: Many salespeople will go into a deal without a plan in mind. Instead, they simply rely on their past experiences and instincts. This CAN work in some instances, but having a plan is always better. When you approach each sale with a structure in mind, you can replicate success more reliably. Instead of winging it and simply having one-off successes, a plan gives you the framework and tools you need to consistently make a profit. Why don’t salespeople utilize planning more? A lot of salespeople believe that going off of a plan is too RESTRICTIVE. One big misconception sellers have is that sales are too dynamic and unique to utilize one sales plan. Sales are unique, yes, but they still have some commonalities.

In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald talks to the owner of 1 Call Closers, Richard Mugica, about the top three issues sellers face when finalizing a sale, and how you can overcome them to help increase your sales to potential buyers. The top three challenges sellers face when finalizing a sale: The first challenge that sellers face is focusing on the SCIENCE of closing, instead of the ART of closing. The second biggest challenge that sellers face is being too nervous.  The third challenge that plagues sellers is focusing too much on handling objections and not enough on rapport building, or the discovery phase. What these three challenges actually mean, and how you can overcome them: The science of closing is the script you read, the words you use to help finalize a sale and close the deal. The ART of closing, however, is the WAY you say those words. The art of closing lets you connect with your client and build trust in your product or service. Mastering the art of sales is critical for beco

Video can be a crucial part of the sales process. People love stories. Video is a great way to share your service or products story. Chad Laken joins Donald today on how to utilize videos throughout the whole sales process. Video is powerful Video can be daunting and somewhat intimidating. Using video in emailing a prospect adds a deeper touch. It takes 8-12 touchpoints. Video expands your ability to build trust. Individualize your video for a stronger impact. Your video is a great way to introduce you and your company to all decision makers. Personalization at the top of the sales funnel. Create helpful content for your prospects Developing the business relationship with video will launch you further than the funnel. Rinse and repeat your bank of video content. Make a video answering commonly asked questions from your prospects. 95% of retention is increased when you use a video. Top use cases to utilize video Put context to your video to make a lastly impression Send a video when you are being ghosted