The Exceptional Sales Leader Podcast

What is the key to success? Many people ask that question, and there are a multitude of different answers. From being in the right place at the right time, to having a ‘killer’ product or service, or having the financial backing of a large company. There are many perspectives on what it takes to be successful, and yet, often people look for the easy road, or the quick road. The reality is there is no such thing – becoming successful takes work, it takes persistence, a strong self belief and it takes patience. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Jason Criddle, Managing Director of SmartrHoldings, Founder of SmartrCommerce and SmartrMarketing, a father, investor, weight loss expert, international best selling author, endurance & strongman competitor. Jason has forged a successful career through preparation and progress, and he shares a number of powerful lessons for all of us to help fuel us on our own success journey. To connect with Jason, and to learn more about him, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncriddle/ Website – https://jasoncriddle.com/

I am a big fan of the Hero’s Journey, and have come to understand that every single one of us are on our own Hero’s Journey and will be at different stages. In today’s episode, I have the absolute pleasure of speaking with Akeem Shannon, the Founder & CEO of Flipstik, and a man who has been on an incredible journey. From being bullied at 15 for being different, to flunking out of college at 19, being admitted to a mental hospital at 23 and appearing on Shark Tank at 28, Akeem’s journey has been one of persistence, of confronting his challenges, and the importance of having incredible people in your corner to help & guide you along the way. This is a must listen for anyone looking to take their performance to a new level. I hope you enjoy the conversation. To connect with Akeem and to learn more about him and Flipstik, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/akeemshannon/ Website – https://www.akeemshannon.com/ Website – https://www.getflipstik.com/ Mobile – +1 314 789 9005

Confucius said “The person who chases 2 rabbits, catches neither”. This is so applicable to sales and sales leadership – are you & your team guilty of chasing too many rabbits at once? Perhaps it is pressure from senior executives to deliver the numbers in the short term that can lead to this behaviour. And we can get caught up in the busyness of chasing that we end up burning energy for not much return. Intuitively we know that focused action and attention on the right customer can deliver results, and yet, we have probably all been guilty of chasing multiple opportunities at once, hoping that we will hit the jackpot. In this episode, I unpack 10 principles to help you be more focused, and lead to better conversions.

When we look across the vast majority of organisations in the B2B space that run sales teams, they all tend to follow the same formula – attract sales people with incentives of large OTE’s, with unlimited earning potential, sales incentive trips, trinkets and awards. Full confession – I have been an integral part of this environment for many years. Whilst these organisations will verbalise their commitment and focus on customer excellence and customer success, the structure of their organisations don’t actually support that notion, leading some in the industry to believe the system to be broken. Scott Marker is one of these – I had the great pleasure of speaking with Scott in this episode as we explore why the system is broken, and what we can do to fix it. It is a fascinating conversation, and one that I hope you enjoy. To connect with Scott, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmarker1/ To grab his book “Broken – How to Fix B2B Sales Drive Profitable Growth & Win” – https://www.amazon.com.au/BROKEN-Sales-Drive-Profitable-Growth/dp/1959840738/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3T5JWCR0IQ77C&keywords=scott+marker&qid=1706850871&sprefix=scott+marker%2Caps%2C278&sr=8-1

One of my core beliefs around sales is that it is the ultimate form of service, and that if we are able to provide a valuable and tangible solution to a problem for a customer, then a sale is inevitable. Presupposing of course that the customer actually wants and needs to solve the problem. In working with sales teams over the last 9 years, I have been intrigued by the number of sales people who perhaps do not share the same belief around sales, and rely almost entirely on inbound interest to generate their sales & revenue. In great times, when there is a built up demand for their solution, this can be quite lucrative. However, at some stage the well begins to dry up and sales people need to get proactive. Unfortunately not all of them do. And they run the danger of becoming the industry’s best kept secret. We don’t want that.

I firmly believe that sales is one of the greatest professions on the planet, not just because of the impact we can have on others, but also based on the rewards that are available in the profession. It is one of the most lucrative careers available which doesn’t have a definitive pre-requisite of a degree or specific background, with unlimited earning potential in many organisations. What’s interesting though is many sales people, as well as sales leaders, don’t have a clearly defined wealth management strategy to take advantage of the high income. In today’s episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Darcy O’Rourke, business owner of Barwon Wealth Management, a Financial Adviser and Mortgage Broker, who specialises in helping sales professionals build wealth. It is a fascinating conversation which I hope you enjoy. To connect with Darcy and to learn more about what he does, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/darcy-o-rourke/ Website – https://barwonfinance.com.au/

When it comes to creating success, in any endeavour, many people focus their attention on the technical aspects of the task at hand – refining their technique, improving a skill, or following an outlined process. Whilst this may create a level of competency, there is a critical ingredient that is often overlooked, or moved to the side – the power of belief. When we can tap into belief, either the belief we have in ourselves, or often the belief that someone we trust has in us, it can amplify our effort, and in many cases, deliver exceptional results. And the real power comes from the realisation that we can choose our beliefs. In today’s episode, I’m blessed to have Tiffanee Cook back on after 2 years, as we explore the power of beliefs. It is a fascinating conversation which I hope you enjoy. To connect with Tiffanee and to check out her incredible podcast “Roll With The Punches”, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffaneecook/ Website – https://www.tiffaneeandco.com.au/ Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/roll-with-the-punches/id1520188386

Major confession – I love Border Collies and I’m absolutely obsessed with mine – Millie. In observing her and other Border Collies over the last 18 months, I have realised they can teach us Sales Leaders some valuable lessons. In this episode, I discuss 10 key lessons that we, as Sales Leaders, can learn, and apply from Border Collies. Would love your thoughts.

You may have heard the term, ‘Your net worth is determined by your network’, along with ‘it is not so much what you know, as to who you know’. Both of these sayings carry weight, especially when you consider people who are successful and seemingly the beneficiary of opportunities. It can be easy to look at some people and simply think they are lucky or they know the right people, but in the vast majority of cases, these ‘successful’ people didn’t start out with a powerful and diverse network – they built it. And the great news is – we can build a high quality network as well. In today’s episode, I had the great privilege of speaking with Emma Maslen, the CEO and Founder of inspir’em, a sales consultancy based in the UK, about the power of building a high quality network, what Emma calls your Personal Board. It is a great conversation that has relevance for all of us. Emma is also the author of the book “The Personal Board of You Inc”. To connect with Emma, and to learn more about inspir’em, as well as grabbing a copy of her book, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmamaslen/ Website – https://www.inspirem.coach/ Emma’s Website – https://www.emmamaslen.com/

Some in the marketing game subscribe to the belief that any publicity is good publicity. In the B2B world of 2024, with expectations and competition at an all time high, I don’t think this approach is a recipe for success. Companies need to be more intentional and more strategic with the messaging they put out in the marketplace, especially if they are looking to make 2024 a year of growth and improved profitability. In this episode, I enjoy a terrific conversation with Mike Maynard, Managing Director/CEO of the Napier Group, a PR & marketing agency for B2B technology companies. We talk about the unique approach that Napier takes when working with their clients, to not only build better awareness, generate leads, but ultimately improve marketing ROI, and drive revenue. To connect with Mike and to learn more about Napier, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemaynard/ Website – https://www.napierb2b.com/

The great thing about sales is that it really doesn’t matter what your background is or what your education level is, you can be successful, as long as you follow certain guiding principles and surround yourself with quality, supportive & encouraging people. It is why I think sales is one of the greatest careers on the planet. This episode’s guest is no exception. From spending some of his formative years in Bermuda, to completing high school in Virginia, USA, then university in Queensland, Barratt Kennett is a shining example of what is possible. From working as a male stripper to then becoming an MMA Champion, Barratt now runs EFFCOMM Sales & Marketing Solutions Pty Ltd, a successful sales & marketing organisation, as well as being a well sought after speaker, mentor and best selling author. I loved this conversation and I hope you do as well. To connect with Barratt and to learn more about what he does, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrattkennett/ Website – https://www.efcomm.com.au/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/barratt__james/ Book “Leadership In Sales” – https://www.amazon.com.au/Leadership-Sales-Simple-Steps-Success/dp/0646835777/ref=sr_1_1?crid=29UE4XDLRUV5J&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kHf2oEnqLDrNuINcwOdESA.gGcGuSxiIHoaQQK7YYpQnsOS49Pnyh0pAWoOeKQP21Q&dib_tag=se&keywords=barratt+kennett&qid=1705030490&sprefix=barratt+kennet%2Caps%2C280&sr=8-1

Over the last 12 months in particular, the developments in artificial intelligence have been phenomenal. So much so, that many people are seriously concerned about its impact on business. One thing is for sure, AI will continue to develop, and businesses, sales leaders and sales people who can adopt it effectively and ethically, can turbo charge their speed to market, and potentially enhance their ability to drive exceptional results. In this episode, I chat with Ryan Staley, the Founder & CEO of Whale Boss, podcast host of The Scale Up Show, and a man on a mission to help sales leaders 3x their top performers with AI. It is a fascinating conversation well worth listening to as it may just help you drive exceptional performance within your sales team. To connect with Ryan, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-staley/ Website – https://ryanstaley.io/ Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-scale-up-show/id1527278610

If there is one constant in business, it is change, and with change can come various degrees of uncertainty, both for leaders and members of the team, as well as customers. One of the key challenges, and opportunities for leaders, especially in 2024, is to look at the change that is happening, along with any associated uncertainty, and reframe it, to look more optimistically at the change, thereby providing the opportunity for the team and business to thrive. In this episode, I have the absolute privilege of speaking with Meridith Elliott Powell, business motivational speaker, business strategist, CEO of Motion First, and Chair of the National Speakers Association. Meridith is an expert in thriving in uncertainty, and covers 4 of her 9 key pillars of the THRIVE System in this epsiode. Well worth listening to more than once. To connect with Meridith, to learn more about Motion First and to listen to her podcast, Sales Logic, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/meridithelliottpowell/ Website – https://www.meridithelliottpowell.com/ Sales Logic Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sales-logic-selling-strategies-that-work/id1499355853

Words have power. Despite what we may have been told when growing up, that ‘sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me‘; the fact is, words have impact. And in sales, as in life, it is incredibly important to understand that our language will have a huge impact on our ability to solve problems, and to influence others. Our ability to leverage the power of language in an ethical way will provide the opportunity to differentiate against competitors, and ultimately, become exceptional. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Paul Ross, Speaker, Elite Sales Trainer, Master Practitioner of NLP and Author of the book “Subtle Words That Sell”. It is a fascinating conversation on how we can become exceptional through the power of language. To connect with Paul and to learn more about him, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/speakerpaulross/ Website – https://www.speakerpaulross.com/

Happy New Year. With a new year comes new hopes, new ambitions and new levels of energy. The slate is clean and we can create whatever we want. Use 2023 as a platform for exponential growth in 2024 and decide to make this year your most exceptional year yet. For that to happen, we know we must think differently, behave differently and lead differently. If we expect a different result in 2024 without making some changes from what we did in 2023, then we know the outcome – same same. The first 90 days are critical and present us with the opportunity to really shape the year. In this episode, I cover 9 areas to focus on in order to create a fast start to 2024.

It is very rare that success in sales comes by accident – there may be the very odd occasion where a sales person catches lightning in a bottle and achieves their sales target, but this tends to be a one off. People who build a long term successful sales career are intentional with their approach and they certainly understand that they cannot be successful alone. They understand the value of mentorship. In today’s episode, I enjoyed a fabulous conversation with Andy Audate, Founder of Progreda.com, a sales & marketing platform that streamlines the sales process for entrepreneurs, and CEO of AudateMedia, a global marketing agency for small-medium business. Andy talks about the power and immense value of mentorship as well as the critical importance of the use of technology in 2024 in order to elevate exceptional results. I hope you enjoy the conversation. To connect with Andy, and to learn more about Progreda.com, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyaudate/ Website – https://www.andyaudate.com/ Website – https://progreda.com/

As we approach the final days of 2023, it is the perfect time to dedicate intentional & quality time to reflection and recovery. When we study elite performers, whether they be individuals or teams, we will discover that they dedicate specific time to reflection & recovery. Analysing their performance across 2023 – looking at what they did well so they can identify positive habits & build higher levels of performance around those habits. They also identify gaps & areas that are not yet elite, but through practice and application, will give themselves an opportunity to get to the elite level. Recovery is also a critical priority – giving their body & mind time to rest, recover, recuperate & getting ready to re-load. Thank you for being part of The Exceptional Sales Leader Podcast in 2023 – Merry Christmas to you and may 2024 be your most exceptional year yet.

When it comes to success, especially in sales, many coaches and trainers will point to technique or methodology as the elixir to create the ultimate outcome. Whilst methodology and technique are definitely key to exceptional performance, it is the habits of highly successful people that is often the missing link that separates the good performers from exceptional. And these habits are often unconscious, which is one of the key reasons why simply following a methodology will not guarantee the same result. In today’s episode, I have the absolute privilege of speaking with Dr. Noah St.John, Executive Coach, Speaker, Father of Afformations, The Mental Health Coach to the Stars, and 24 times #1 best selling author. It is a fascinating conversation on power habits which is worth listening to over and over again. To learn more about Dr.Noah, and to grab a copy of a couple of his books we refer to in the episode, go to: Website – https://breakthroughwithnoah.com/more-revenue-now-secure Book – ‘Power Habits’ – https://powerhabitsbook.com/special-offer-secure Book – “Head Trash” – https://sendmeabooknoah.com/step-117675909

If you have been in sales for a while, you know and understand that buyers today, more than ever, are significantly more educated and in many cases, more demanding. No longer can a sales person or sales leader ask questions such as ‘tell me about your business?’ or ‘what keeps you up at night?’, unless of course they would like to be booted out of the meeting and black-banned. If we are to be successful in sales in the modern world, we must adopt a buyers perspective, and work to get inside the mind of the buyer, and not lead with products and services. In this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Graham Hawkins, the CEO & Founder of SalesTribe, and an exceptional sales leader. This is an episode you will want to listen to over and over again, as well as sharing it with your team. It is filled with nuggets of gold to be exceptional in sales & sales leadership in 2024 and beyond. To connect with Graham, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/futureofsales/ Website – https://salestribe.com/

Sales as a career is not easy, and not for the faint hearted – it is however a very rewarding and fulfilling career for those who dedicate themselves to constant improvement, and constant growth, despite the challenges that will be presented. In this episode, I enjoyed a terrific conversation with Scott Smith, Owner at You 1st Realty Infinity, about overcoming challenges, learning key lessons, and staying the course to deliver exceptional results. To connect with Scott and to learn more about what he does, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-smith-9b01a333/ Phone – +1 720 252 7037 Website – https://you1stinfinitycareers.com/

For years, I have believed that not only is sales the ultimate form of service, it is also, at its core, strategic problem solving. And as a sales person and sales leader, if we can identify and then articulate a clear problem for a potential customer, then they will unconsciously and many times, consciously, attribute us as having a solution to the problem. When done well, the outcome should then be a business transaction and hopefully, the start of many. If only the vast majority of sales leaders and teams would look at sales the same way, rather than simply seeking to retrofit their product or service into a perceived need. In today’s episode, I enjoyed a terrific conversation with Chet Lovegren, The Sales Doctor, around taking a prescriptive approach to diagnosing & solving problems. If we can get better at diagnosing problems instead of trying to ‘sell’, then our sales numbers will go through the roof. To connect with Chet and to learn more about The Sales Doctor, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/chetlovegren/ Website – https://www.thesalesdocrx.com/

We know that sales is the lifeblood of any business – without sales, the business will become extinct very very quickly. Many businesses though flounder when it comes to generating sales on a consistent basis, many of them chasing the next ‘shiny’ customer attraction strategy, hoping that the strategy will give them a jump on their competition. When this doesn’t work, they look to the next strategy, and so the cycle continues. Sustainably successful businesses have a robust and high quality lead generation strategy, that is targeted, ethical and effective. In today’s episode, I welcome back Jackson Earngey, CEO of Earng Media, and we discuss high quality lead generation and why it is so important as a core pillar to a successful business. To connect with Jackson and to learn more about Earng Media and how they may be able to assist your business, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksonearngey/ Website – https://earngmedia.com/

With under 2 weeks left until Christmas, the pressure cooker will be ramping up left, right and centre to get as many deals closed off as possible. Senior executives conducting daily cadence reviews to lock in committed forecasts. Sales Executive’s doing whatever they can to bring forward deals into this quarter. To say this time of year can be a stressful time would be an understatement. For many sales leaders, this pressure can only lengthen the items on the ‘to do list’, as they scramble to fit more items & activities into an already packed agenda. The danger though is that mistakes can be made through trying to take on too much, and these mistakes can create a precedence for the new quarter. This may sound counter intuitive, however the key to ending the year well is to actually slow down, and become more targeted with your attention and more intentional with your actions. In today’s episode, I share some thoughts on creating a To Be List, rather than simply a To Do List.

For many sales leaders, sales is purely a numbers game, and they continue to strongly encourage their sales team to make more calls, book more demos, attend more meetings, in the hope that the numbers will eventually start rolling in. Whilst this can generate some level of result, it is only once the sales leader and the sales team become better educated on sales, will the numbers begin to ramp up. Sales is the ultimate form of service, and in this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Joe Ingram, CEO of Ingram Interactive, a 30 year sales innovator with over $1.7billion in sales. We talk about how to turn average sales people into unrivalled and through the process, unleash the sales genius. It is a fascinating conversation and well worth listening to more than once! To connect with Joe and to learn more about Ingram Interactive, including some secret training, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeingram/ Website – https://ingraminteractive.com/secret Podcast – https://open.spotify.com/show/0hCjm5QATQ0l5FKOk0iPTL

How do you feel when you read the title of this post? Is there a level of anxiety which bubbles to the surface, or does this create some excitement? It is fascinating the varied responses I get from leaders when I ask them what they consider to be the ultimate objective of an exceptional sales leader. Very few actually respond with ‘to become redundant’ and yet that is exactly what exceptional sales leaders’ ultimate objective is. This is the topic of today’s episode.

Although sales is the oldest profession on the planet, it continues to evolve and develop. Organisations are constantly looking for more innovative ways to interact & engage with their customers, to deliver more tangible value and build trusting, long term business relationships. In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with David Kreiger, the Founder & President of SalesRoads, a sales outsourcing and appointment setting firm which has been delivering significant sales value to the marketplace for over 16 years. It is a fascinating conversation, and one which also includes some key sales predictions for 2024. Enjoy the conversation. To connect with David and to learn more about SalesRoads, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ Website – https://salesroads.com/

In exceptional, high performing teams, culture is everything, and every person within the team plays a role in upholding the culture through exceptional standards of excellence. The leader of exceptional teams make it a priority to establish a bedrock of trust, and will do everything within their power to ensure that the team is functional, engaged and empowered. This is the topic of today’s episode.

A couple of weeks ago I was running a group coaching session for a group of talented emerging leaders. Each of them had been handpicked to be part of the program based on their track record of exceptional performance as well as their desire to move into a leadership role.  It was a fascinating session. They had a high desire to learn and develop their leadership capabilities but what became evident throughout the session was a reluctance to make decisions. In fact, some of them shared that there was an ‘implied pressure’ from senior managers to make the ‘right decisions’. Hence the hesitation. What followed was an enlightening conversation. The key question I posed to the team was ‘What is the very worst that could happen?’ This is the question that I explore in today’s episode.

I love the LinkedIn platform as it provides access to such a wonderful range of people to build connections with, as well as being an incredible source of information and inspiration. It also provides the perfect metaphor for sales and sales leadership, both in what to do, and especially in what not to do. If you have been on the LinkedIn platform for a while, you would have received the general connection request, and based on you accepting it, the follow up message which was highly likely to include a pitch for a product or a service. I get stacks of these every day, and it is fascinating at how many of the messages focus on trying to ‘convince’ me to jump on a call, or to download a resource. Almost never does the person seek to build a connection or ask anything about me or my business. This is what I discuss in this episode.

In life, in business, and especially in sales, success leaves clues, and as leaders, it is critical that we understand what behaviours and thinking patterns we utilise that will lead to the results we are seeking. We can never rest on our laurels, because mediocrity also leaves clues! Even though we may not start the day with the intention of being mediocre, often our thinking patterns and behaviours can result in sub optimum performance, and hence results. Which is why, as exceptional sales leaders, we must be constantly vigilant on our thinking and actions. In today’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tom Reber, Performance Coach, Founder of The Contractor Fight, and Podcaster with well over 800 episodes in the can. The conversation is phenomenal, especially when it comes to standards of excellence and destroying mediocrity. I trust you enjoy the conversation. To connect with Tom, and to learn more about The Contractor Fight, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomreber/ Website – https://thecontractorfight.com/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/realtomreber/ Podcast – https://thecontractorfight.com/podcast/

A couple of weeks ago I was facilitating a leadership program for Leaders of an iconic Australian brand. It was an incredible 2 days where we went deep into leadership and what it means to be a leader in 2023 and beyond. Leadership today, more than ever, is not for the faint hearted. It was thrilling though to witness first hand the commitment of these leaders to their craft, and more specifically, to their team. Halfway through day 1 we were exploring our leadership legacy and discussing key leadership principles when this came to the surface – leaders today need to be ruthlessly uncompromising. It was a response to a question I had from one of the leaders, and this principle resonated so strongly it ended up being a key theme for the next day and a half. It may sound harsh on the surface, however the more we explored it, the more this principle resonated with the leaders as a key pillar to underpin their leadership legacy.

When it comes to communicating a message, especially a message that will resonate and be embedded into the audience’s psyche, there is nothing more powerful than storytelling. Blockbuster movies have at their core, powerful stories with impactful messages, as do books, and the same can be said for leaders and salespeople seeking to increase their influence and impact. Why is it then that storytelling is not as widely used in corporate, especially in sales? Telling powerful stories as part of a sales campaign just could be the difference that makes all the difference. In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Mark Carpenter, Owner of Mindset Strategic Leadership and Co-Author of the book, Master Storytelling. Mark is on a mission to bring more humanity into leadership and sales and a key pillar to that mission is storytelling. It is a fascinating conversation and one that I hope you enjoy. To connect with Mark, and to grab a copy of his book, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-carpenter-0b55221/ Website – https://master-storytelling.com/ Book – Go to Amazon.com

Whether you are a business owner or a leader within a business, a key objective for you is to create an environment that enables the business to grow. This is especially true of sales leaders, where we are expected to underpin this growth through continuing to deliver the numbers, and often we are heavily reliant on the leads that are generated. In this episode, I enjoyed a great conversation with Jarod Spiewak, Founder and Lead Strategist at Comet Fuel, a successful lead generation agency, around intentionally scaling your business, to deliver sustainable and replicable results. To connect with Jarod and to learn more about Comet Fuel, go to: Website – https://cometfuel.com/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@JarodSpiewak LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarodspiewak/

When thinking about sales, many people think of the hard sell, where the salesperson is focused on selling a product or service at all costs, in many cases retrofitting that product into a perceived or created need. It doesn’t work – in today’s episode, I enjoyed a fabulous conversation with Joel Stevenson, who also happens to run a podcast titled ‘The Hard Sell’ – however, it is the complete opposite to what we think. It is a great conversation, and one that I hope you enjoy listening to. To connect with Joel and to listen to his podcast, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelstevensongm/ Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-hard-sell/id1619135788

Having been in sales for over 20 years, I believe it to be one of the greatest professions on the planet, where not only can we create significant value in the market place, we can also build an exceptional reputation. Many though do not share the same philosophy, and see sales instead as being pushy, sleazy and unethical. One of the reasons I continue to do what I do is to help change that narrative, and I love speaking with people who are on a similar journey. In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Jackson Earngey, Founder and CEO of Earng Media, a Lead Generation agency, who is creating significant value in the market. We discuss the importance of ethical selling and why ethics is paramount to creating sustainable business. I hope you enjoy the episode. To connect with Jackson and to learn more about Earng Media, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksonearngey/ Website – https://earngmedia.com/#f-2

Today, more than ever, we are juggling multiple expectations, multiple tasks, and the sheer volume of information being thrown in our direction never seems to abate. There are so many distractions in front of us, with people and organisations vying for our attention, it is easy to get overwhelmed, lose focus, and in many cases, burnout. This is especially true for sales leaders, where we can fall into a false sense of urgency, especially from other people’s agendas. In today’s episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Eric Recker, Dentist, Coach, Speaker, Author and recovering Triathelete. Eric is also the founder and CEO of #WINtheNOW and is on a mission to help 10million win the now. It is a fabulous conversation with loads of ideas and perspectives to help us be ever more present in the moment. To connect with Eric, to learn more about #WINtheNOW, including grabbing a copy of his book, and to take the 5 Days of Knock Back Burnout Challenge, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-recker-583849278/ Website – https://ericrecker.com/ 5 Day Challenge – https://ericrecker.com/knock-back-burnout/

If you have been in sales for any length of time, you would have experienced negotiations. For many sales people, negotiations are a very fruitful and positive experience, and yet for others, it can be demanding, very difficult and also stressful. It doesn’t have to be. As sales leaders and sales people, we can develop our negotiations muscle to where we are able to deliver tangible and valuable outcomes, both for our organisation as well as the customer. In today’s episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Mark Raffan, Head of Training at Negotiations Ninja, and the best selling author of the recently released book, “9 Secrets to Win Deals & Influence Stakeholders”. It is another phenomenal conversation where Mark shares nuggets of gold on how to become a more effective negotiator – I trust you enjoy the conversation. To connect with Mark and to learn more about Negotiations Ninja, please go to https://www.linkedin.com/in/markraffan/ And to order a copy of Mark’s book, please go to Amazon at https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CGM8W5LS/ref=cbw_us_au_dp_ags?smid=A4XRJ8S0WXSO0

As a sales leader, how predictable are the sales opportunities flowing through your team? Are they highly qualified? Are you laser focused on specific customers and specific opportunities, or throwing mud against the wall hoping it sticks? Are you converting a high percentage of the opportunities? Are the closed opportunities highly profitable? In working with sales leaders, what I find fascinating is how unplanned and unprepared the vast majority are when it comes to sales opportunities. This approach leads to unpredictability in sales – there is a better way.

In the sales game, the vast majority measure success by the numbers. Either you hit the sales target or you don’t and sales leaders can be very laser focused on the scoreboard and lead according to what the numbers are saying. But this does not always tell the full story. It has often been said that sales is a numbers game and interestingly, sales leaders who focus entirely on the numbers tend to lead teams which achieve outcomes within plus or minus 10% of the sales target. Each conversation and each review is based on the year to date or month to date position against the target. Exceptional Sales Leaders approach things differently, which is the topic of today’s conversation.

Sales is the lifeblood of any business, but it is fascinating to see the number of organisations that focus so much of their attention on their own products and services without learning the structural fundamentals as to what problem those products and services solve in the marketplace. The end result? Low conversion rates, and ultimately unrealised sales & revenue potential. In today’s episode, I speak with Gabe Lullo, the CEO of Alleyoop, a sales development as a service business which offers organisations the ultimate sales assist. Gabe has hired, trained and managed over 8,000 Sales Development Reps for companies such as Zoominfo, AWS and Adobe, to name a few, and offers incredible value in this conversation around sales development and improving conversion rates. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. To connect with Gabe and to learn more about Alleyoop, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lullo/ Website – https://alleyoop.io/

You may be thinking what a weird title for a podcast? 🙃 And you may be correct, however, in sales, so many sales leaders and their teams are trying their very hardest to boil the ocean. Putting pressure on themselves to land the big strategic deal. The iconic new logo. The multi million deal. The deal that will change the entire trajectory of their business. And often, salespeople look for opportunities to be involved in these big deals, to be part of the team that wins that major new logo. All the while, there are opportunities left right and centre that are not only going unnoticed, they are not being converted. Why? Because too many are trying to boil the ocean. Big deals will always be there, and whilst they are exciting to be part of, sometimes we need to focus on boiling the kettle first.

We have all heard the term, ‘Variety is the spice of life’, and yet in sales, so many companies and sales leaders stick to a very boring formula of sameness, looking to acquire talent from the same talent pool, with the same key criteria such as track record, tenure at an organisation, specific product, service or industry experience. Often though this can lead to sales leaders building one dimensional teams, resulting in these teams not fulfilling their maximum potential. Exceptional sales leaders focus on building multi dimensional teams, and therefore look differently at how to acquire talent. That is what I discuss on today’s episode.

As a leader, it is vital that we are aware that our every move is being watched like a hawk. Our team expects us to set the example. To ‘Be’ the Model of Excellence that will lead to exceptional and sustainable results. And it starts with the small things, which may seem incidental in and of themselves, however, over time, can compound and have a dramatic impact. This is what I discuss on today’s episode.

In the ultra competitive business world of 2023, it is important that organisations get specific on the characteristics and attributes they are looking for in sales talent. No longer can we go by gut feel or simply a strong track record of performance when it comes to hiring sales people, because this can be quite costly if we get it wrong. In today’s episode, I speak with Jakub Hon, the CEO & Co-Founder of SALESDOCk, a B2B Sales Agency based in the Netherlands. It is a great conversation covering a number of topics, including how to avoid 5-figure hiring mistakes. To connect with Jakub and to learn more about SALESDOCk, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubhon/ Website – https://www.salesdock.com/

As leaders, there is one specific skill that can help unlock the true potential of our team and that is coaching. Unfortunately many leaders do not receive the coaching and mentoring in order to build their coaching muscle, and hence focus their attention on what I call surface level elements, being behaviours and actions, rather than the deep rooted thinking patterns that lead to behaviours. In today’s episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Kim Ades, the Founder of Frame of Mind Coaching™, and Co-Founder of The Journal That Talks Back, and Journal Engine. Kim is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, coach and mum of 5, who has a unique approach to coaching – an approach that is delivering remarkable results. Kim shares gold nugget after gold nugget in this episode, so if you are a leader who is dedicated to unleashing the potential of your team, it is well worth listening to this episode more than once. To connect with Kim, and to learn more about Frame of Mind Coaching™ please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimades/ Website – https://www.frameofmindcoaching.com/

Earlier this year I had the privilege of speaking with L’areal Lipkins, CEO & Founder of Lipkins Consulting Group, as we discussed all things sales and sales leadership. It was a fabulous conversation where L’areal shared loads of valuable insights for sales leaders and their teams to drive exceptional results. In today’s episode we continue that conversation, specifically discussing some key elements from L’areal’s recently released book “What Top Performing Sales People Do Different”. It is a very insightful conversation with loads of value for sales people and sales leaders alike. I trust you enjoy listening to the conversation as much as I enjoyed having it. To connect with L’areal and to grab a copy of her new book, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lareallipkins/ Website – https://lareallipkins.com/book

In the busyness of sales, it is easy to get caught up in the moment, and react to the situation we find ourselves and our team in. How often though do we, as sales leaders, take a step back and ask ourselves ‘Am I helping or am I hindering?’ If you are like me when I was leading sales teams, the answer is not very often. Over the years, the more I have worked with sales leaders and their teams, the more I have realised that we must be 100% conscious of each moment, and must build better awareness around what we are projecting. that is the topic of today’s conversation.

Another fabulous conversation today with Dr.Philip Squire, the CEO and Co-Founder of Consalia, a UK & Singapore based specialist sales business school. In our last episode, Philip described the key positive sales mindsets and values that sales teams must embrace in order to be effective in selling customised solutions to their customers. In today’s episode, we go deeper, exploring these from a Sales Leader’s perspective, specifically focusing on how to coach these mindsets and values, so as to develop more customer value, and ultimately, to deliver exceptional results. To connect with Philip and to learn more about Consalia, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipsquire/ Website – https://www.consalia.com/ To discover your sales mindset, go to – https://www.consalia.com/mindset-survey/

In sales, we are almost indoctrinated into keeping our focus on the target, the big goal, the prize, and as a result, literally every meeting, every conversation is centred around that prize. This, for many, can be stifling, not to mention, counter productive, especially when obstacles and challenges are presented. When we fall behind the number, it is all hands to the pump to get us back on track, burning up energy, and in many cases, creating disharmony. And often, the end result is we do not achieve the number. There is a different way and that is to take your eyes off the prize, which I delve into in today’s episode.

When it comes to leading teams, many leaders believe that in order to be fair, they need to lead everyone in the same way, which is great in theory, but not as great in practice. Leaders must have a clear set of leadership values and principles to operate from, but great leaders also understand that they need to adjust the way they lead team members, based on the team members commitment and competency. The leader needs to become a chameleon and lead based on the situation – this is the topic of today’s conversation.