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

Developing a sales pitch can be time-consuming and challenging, especially when creating an entirely new presentation or document each time. But there’s undoubtedly an easier process, right? That’s exactly what today’s guest did. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by Jason Lapp, the president and COO of Beautiful.ai, to explain how you can cut your pitch development time in half. But first, what is a pitch? Pitches can look wildly different for each person and company. Some might be an in-person meeting, some just a document, and others somewhere in between. In today’s world of remote selling, you have to be highly engaging, have great content, and be precise.   The biggest change? You can no longer expect a decision at that moment. You have to focus on the follow-up, sending the right information, in addition to the pitch itself. A big challenge with creating a deck is finding a balance between premade content and content for your specific pitch.  Branding should always be consiste

Time management is often considered one of the essential skills to master in the professional world. As one of the resources we never seem to have enough of, time certainly is a resource to use to the best of our abilities. But today’s guest, Antonio Thornton, argues that time management doesn’t exist. How does it not? Check out today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist to find out! Why does time management not exist?  How many hours in the day do you have? 24. Just like everyone else. You can’t manage time, but you can manage yourself according to time. Managing yourself within time comes down to three main criteria: monitoring, monetizing, and maximizing your time. Monitoring your time: Most people have no idea what they’re doing. Most people confuse busy with productive - they do not equate. Productive does not equate to profitable.  The productivity paradox: People tend to focus on tasks that make them feel productive, even if they aren’t profitable. Cleaning out your inbox or desk and shuffling papers m

We often overlook one area when working in sales, and it’s not prospecting, closing, or even relationship-building. It’s productivity. 79% of sales executives say improving productivity is the leading driver to reach or exceed a sales target. So, in today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald gives three reasons why salespeople have a hard time planning, and hopefully, you’ll be able to find the productivity that leads to sales success.     There’s no formal education to teach productivity for salespeople.   This is from a company standpoint. There are programs (like ours), but internally, organizations don’t spend time teaching productivity.  49% of organizations have zero or limited means of measuring productivity. Donald’s team uses an internal planner he designed to help prioritize productive and measurable tasks. Sales reps frequently believe they don’t have the time to do everything they need. But after analyzing their day or week, they always find areas where they can focus on more meaningful ac

In many organizations, to get to the decision-maker, you have to get past a gatekeeper. So how do you get to them? Getting past that gatekeeper is a common challenge among salespeople. But we wanted to change that. So we brought in EksAyn “Eks” Anderson, the man who’s got the key to the metaphorical gate. And on today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, he shares his strategies to get to your decision-makers. Eks is more than just a salesperson.  In addition to speaking, training, and coaching for different organizations, Eks is also the author of The Key to the Gate. His book is an excellent resource for anyone who encounters difficulty reaching their desired decision-maker. Why people have a hard time getting to the decision-makers: Decision-makers don’t have time to talk to every single salesperson or person who wants a meeting. They employ gatekeepers (like a secretary, receptionist, or employee) to weed out people who might be wasting their time.  Strategies to get past the gatekeeper: Know that no

Working in sales would be infinitely more manageable if you could get the gatekeeper to work for you instead of against you. But how do you start that process? In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by Taskdrive’s general manager Daniel Viduya to discuss making the gatekeeper an advocate through lead research.     Sales isn’t Lord of the Rings. While there can be a Gandalf “You shall not pass” situation when talking to a gatekeeper, there are ways to make them your advocate. Daniel’s advice: Don’t bro me until you know me; meaning you have no business talking about people in the company until you understand the company itself When convincing a gatekeeper to let you pass, personal information or questions about the decision-maker will not help you. Instead of talking about personal information, talk about the account itself and the problems they experience as a whole. See what difference you can make.   Demonstrate that you want to help and can provide solutions for that company’s speci

Scoring a meeting with the decision-maker can be challenging, but creating allies within the target company can be your strategy for making progress. Sometimes all it takes to get past the gatekeeper is to build a solid relationship with them. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, we’re going to do just that with the help of today’s guest Kevin Cummings.   Kevin has worked in many different sales spaces, from industrial to medical to tech. .Throughout all his sales interactions, Kevin feels most confident when revisiting offices.  But even if it’s the second, third, or fourth visit, he’ll sometimes end up talking to people who act like it’s his first (even if he’s spoken to them several times.) To avoid that, Kevin makes an active effort to loop those people into the conversation. Make them feel as important as possible because while they aren’t the “decision-maker,” they can make your job tremendously more difficult.   Make connections with the gatekeeper: Ask them what the best method is is to talk

For many salespeople, the journey to the decision maker is difficult enough that they don’t even know what to say once they get there! Do you have the strategy to move towards your desired outcome and close a deal? On today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by speaker, author, and coach Oscar Chavez to learn what to do once you’re over the guardwall. Why is this method important? Salespeople spend time with less influential people because they are easier to interact with, yet that salesperson ends up spinning wheels with they don’t make decisions. Another common problem: when they get to the executive, they hyper-focus on the pitch. The solution to these problems? Think over the guardwall. You spend time preparing what to say, but in actuality, you need to be in a position to listen. Listen as an executive explains their pain points, objectives, and KPIs. Once you understand those critical points, you then can go to non-decision makers and explain results that will directly benefit them a

Every salesperson is familiar with the frustration that comes with being blocked by a gatekeeper, which could be a physical person or even just a system or automation that prevents you from interacting with the decision-maker of your target organization. Imagine if you had five strategies (and maybe even a bonus strategy) to get past those gatekeepers and land sales. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is going to do just that.  Connect on LinkedIn  LinkedIn gives you a direct line to a purchaser and an opportunity to build a relationship with that person before you ever meet them face-to-face.  Don’t just spam someone with offers and messages and instead build a relationship. Congratulate the prospect on a promotion, a recent accolade, or whatever has recently happened.  Bring Intelligence Let’s say two people reach out to a prospect. One person gives a standard auto-message that could be sent to anyone, and the other person comes prepared with critical data relevant to the industry or orga

The tactics, strategies, and practices of sales are constantly changing, and understanding how and where to adopt those changes into your sales strategy is critical to see success. So, on today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by LinkedIn Senior Content Manager Sean Callahan to go over the seven sales trends identified in the 2021 LinkedIn Sales Report. Trend One: Virtual Selling is good for sellers and even better for buyers Buyers find it easier to buy remotely because they don’t have to worry about finding meeting times or organizing physical logistics; it can all happen from the comfort of home. Trend Two: Remote Working is now a part of everyday life. While some companies are going back to the physical office, sales organizations and managers must adjust to remote working - it is now a fact of life. Trend Three: Sales organizations prevent sellers from putting buyers first. While 65% of sellers say they put their buyers first, only 23% of buyers say sellers put them first. There a

At the end of the day, sales leaders should be able to do what they have their team to do. Because sometimes you’re telling them to do one thing when you do something entirely different. Today on The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by Ruben Alvarez to discuss why team leaders should lead by example, not just through talking. Ruben learned to lead by example while leading a team. If you want somebody to do what you want them to, you're going to see resistance unless they see you do it as well.  Sales leaders might be setting unrealistic expectations for their team and not know it because they’re no longer selling. Some people have been selling for 30 years, but with only one year of experience. Because they’re drawing their management from only one year of actual selling, they might not be leading as effectively as they could be if they were up-to-date on the best sales practices. If you’re not willing to get on the phone with your team and teach them how to close, you’ll never see sales come in. The proce

Can sales make the world a better place? The principles we learn in sales can be used almost anywhere. And yes, that includes making the world around us a better place. Today’s guest, Scott Roy, joins us in the studio to share how he uses his sales skills to do good and help those around him. Scott has worked in the sales industry for over twenty years. He and his business partner Roy Whitten created Whitten and Roy Partnership, a sales consultancy called when teams aren’t reaching their sales goals. Their main selling point (pun intended)? The DQ selling methodology. With the DQ methodology, Roy and Whitten can sell life-changing and life-saving goods and services to developing countries.  How do they apply selling principles to do good? About 20 years ago, there was a sudden interest in applying business principles to address areas that typically used aid and philanthropy. When done well and ethically, the sales conversation convinces people unfamiliar with concepts to buy into these materials and suppli

Salespeople have heard the mantra thousands of times: talk less, listen more. But why? And more importantly, how? In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by leadership advisor Victoria Song to learn how salespeople (and anyone else) can balance listening and talking. Why do people talk so much? While there are many reasons, Victoria suggests that people who felt unheard as a child might overshare in an attempt to bridge understanding. In general, when we want things to go our way, we think that if we can get the other person to see it our way, they’ll agree. That leads to talking too much. In actuality, people mirror one another. So, listening rather than talking will lead someone to reciprocate and hear you. Victoria’s top components for a golden ratio: The talking-to-listening ratio is not a one-size-fits-all. But in general, a 50/50 split is a great place to start. However, the more escalated a conversation is, the more Victoria recommends you back off and give the other person more

Sales is all about solving problems. But are you going about solving problems the right way? In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by guest Bryan Kelly to discuss how we can ask more beautiful questions, using the book A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger as a framework.   Phase One: Why? When we ask ‘why,’ it requires you to adjust the way you look at the world. There are three different ways to get into this mentality. First, step back and disengage. Taking a break will break up your routine and help inspiration strike. Next, challenge your assumptions. Whether they’re your assumptions or the assumptions of others, asking questions about your current process will help you find new avenues to explore. Finally, question the questions. Reframe a question to challenge the expected answer.  Remember the five why’s. (Literally ask the question “why” five times in a row to get to the root understanding of the situation.)   Phase Two: Wondering “What If?” Get everybody (including yo

On today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by founder and CEO of Whale Boss, Ryan Staley. As a sales consultant who helps sales executives double their income, he’s learned from and watched many different organizations, thus knowing how you can hire top sellers with little experience at your company.  Why did Ryan start a consultancy firm? Ryan noticed there are many things he took for granted working for a large organization that small business owners, startups, and SaaS companies weren’t doing. That was part of the reason he founded his consultancy firm, because he wanted to coach CEOs on those things. Small businesses, startups, and SaaS companies do an amazing job building products or services, but they don’t talk to thier customers after they sell them the deal. Maintaining a structured value process will exponentially increase referrals and revenue. Ryan’s corporate job showed him the power of a good team: Working over sixty hours a week got Ryan to a point where all his relationshi

The life of a sales manager is tough, and juggling your own obligations often means you don’t have time to coach your team as often as you’d like. Microcoaching might just be the solution for you. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by President and CEO of Salesfuel C. Lee Smith to explain his process and platform for microcoaching to improve his salespeople. Three problems with coaching today:  Coaches aren’t being held accountable. Sales managers get busy meeting a short-term quota and don’t have time for long-term staff development. Some sales managers are uncomfortable coaching. They think they don’t know how to do it or get pushback from team members. Finally, there are managers who want to put time into coaching, but there are only so many hours in the day and find it challenging to maintain momentum. Microcoaching is the solution. Short, frequent bursts of 2-6 minute coaching give sales managers the flexibility to maintain coaching momentum between one-on-one meetings throug

Donald is remote on today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, as he’s speaking at the sales conference Outbound. Be on the lookout for next year’s conference! Today’s episode of TSE is simple: we’re going retro. A brief TSE history. Donald quit his job in July of 2015, and The Sales Evangelist became his full-time gig. Originally the show was only two episodes per week, but it soon expanded to three per week. (because we just love delivering sales content to all of our amazing listeners.) After participating in Podcast Movement for a couple of years, TSE started to create episodes five days a week. But we realized our listeners are busy, and five episodes a week might be too much content, so we doubled back to three episodes per week. TSE is going retro. Donald thought our downloads would go down when the episode frequency dropped. But surprisingly, it didn’t. In fact, it did better in some instances.  We want to deliver better content. More research. More awesome guests. And that takes time. To create the

It doesn’t matter if you’re leading a team of one or one hundred, becoming a better sales leader can always lead to positive change within your organization. And on today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by Tim Kintz to discuss four areas to promote strengths and identify weaknesses as a sales leader: lead, manage, train, and coach. Lead Managers are often the least trained employees. And especially for those internally promoted, they might not know how to navigate that change with respect to their fellow employees. As a sales leader, you need to help your employees develop long-term goals. Once those goals are in place, you can work together to set specific and actionable milestones to reach them. Manage You lead people; you manage things. Are you organized as a sales leader? Do you schedule out your day to accomplish what you need? Not only do you need to manage your time and activities, but you need to manage the statistics and tendencies of your people. Consider managing the detail-f

Just like for many other industries, hiring sales positions has inherited problems because of the pandemic. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by Brian Trautschold, COO and co-founder of sales management platform Ambition, to discuss three things companies can do to navigate a hybrid sales workforce. Whether you’re a huge company or just a dozen people, COVID is evening the hiring playing field, and integrating these three components can help you acquire the kind of employees you want. Build a company culture, whether it be virtual or in-person. Some company cultures are just fake - think Michael Scott trying to build a culture at Dunder Mifflin. When creating your own company culture, the key is to be authentic. Recognize people as they reach their milestones, and show genuine care for your employees and their aspirations. Especially when employees don’t have the support of an in-person team, it’s easy to lose motivation without recognition. Engage your workforce to overcome distr

The digital shift of the workplace has manifested the need for digital company culture. Digital culture is necessary to improve internal relationships at your company, but it’s integral in expanding your social reach as a company and developing a following that gives you business. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, we’re joined by Tacie Avedikian, VP of Digital Development at Little Bird Marketing, to learn how companies can embrace digital culture to develop a social influence. But first, what does Tacie mean by social influence? The original meaning has shifted a bit in terms of how people use social media.  Leveraging influencers from B2C platforms like Instagram or Facebook and transferring those things into more B2B platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter is critical.  The challenges of hiring new team members:  In the current age, being seen online is critical in bringing in suitable candidates. Because of this digital world, company-wide social influence is vital to attract candidates and client

Many tech companies view the idea of SDRs as advantageous because they deal with the tough or mundane elements of the sales process like cold calling, making lists, and following up with inbound leads. But SDRs, with the proper training and support, can be much more. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, we’re joined by David Dulany, founder and CEO of the research and advisory firm Tenbound, to learn how you can develop your sales bench. The elements of a good sales bench: Your SDR team is a group of people who, when needed, have learned the skills necessary to jump into a full sales position when one becomes available.  To understand which skills are most valuable, analyze your recruitment process and list out traits that make someone successful at your company. Are they tenacious, proactive, or require specific technical skills? Create a plan to incorporate training elements for each of those skills for your SDR team and develop ways for new hires to understand what they need to be successful right