The Exceptional Sales Leader Podcast

Sales leaders and their teams are constantly searching for strategies and tactics to get in front of their ideal customer, and remain front of mind. Whether it be marketing campaigns through Facebook, LinkedIn, industry forums, or even through specific outreach via the phone, many organisations don’t play the long game and hence miss out on the harvest. Interestingly, for many organisations, cold email outreach does not appear to be at the top of their strategy list. That is where Namit Jindal comes in. Namit is the founder of Deliverability Ninja and over the last few years, has fine tuned a cold email outreach approach that is delivering remarkable results. In fact, he guarantees to double open rates and response rates within 90 days, or his service is free. This is a phenomenal conversation where Namit unpacks the 4 pillar strategy that creates booked meetings, and ultimately, sales revenue. To connect with Namit and to learn more about Deliverability Ninja, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenamitj/ Website – https://www.deliverabilityninja.com/

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is continuing to creep into every area of society at a rapid rate, and with this growth comes opportunities as well as challenges. For sales leaders and their teams, AI can be an enabler to fast track opportunity and pipeline development, and as long as they can maintain the human connection with clients, there is the opportunity to leverage AI to create exceptional results. In this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Amarpreet Kalkat, Founder & CEO of Humantic AI, an organisation that is committed to building buyer intelligence for revenue teams. It is a fascinating conversation, especially when it comes to developing a deeper understanding of our buyers. I hope you enjoy the episode. To connect with Amarpreet and to learn more about Humantic AI and how they may be able to assist you ad your sales team, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/amarpreetkalkat/ Website – https://humantic.ai/

The great thing about being successful in sales is that there is no prerequisite in terms of qualification or background. Sales is such a level playing field that it creates the opportunity for anyone who wants to work hard, stay the course, learn and develop, to become successful. William Gilchrist is the perfect example. Growing up in Chicago and then moving to South East Asia, William has forged a very successful career, starting out in business development, working in senior roles for a number of years in Google, to now leading his own successful business, Konsyg. Throughout this conversation, William shares tonnes of value, whether you are new to sales or sales leadership, or have been in the role for a while. William’s career has followed the title of this episode, a quote that he heard from his father, “You can either be a cat in a castle, or a lion in a jungle”. It is a great conversation and one that I hope you enjoy. To connect with William and to learn more about what he does, please go to: Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamgilchristkonsyg/ Website – https://konsyg.com/

In working with Sales Leaders and their teams over many years, I am still staggered at the number of sales professionals who ‘wing it’ when it comes to engaging with their customers and prospective customers. They rely on having a ‘strong relationship’ believing that this will get them through the sales call, and close the deal. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Nathan Jamail, an author, speaker and coach, with over 30 years of sales and sales leadership experience. Nathan is a big believer in scrimmaging as a mechanism to drive exceptional sales performance and shares nuggets of gold as to why we should continue to practice our selling skills in a safe environment, and not practice live in front of a customer. It is a tremendous conversation that is well worth listening to more than once. To connect with Nathan and to learn more about him, as well as checking out his 5 best selling books, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesalesleadersplaybook/ Website – https://nathanjamail.com/

In this insightful episode of the Exceptional Sales Letter podcast, host Darren Mitchell engages in a deep and motivational conversation with Casey Stubbs, a veteran entrepreneur and investment educator with extensive experience in sales, marketing, and value creation. The podcast delves into Casey’s multifaceted career journey, starting from his initial investments in the stock market at a young age to his venture into entrepreneurship through a carpet cleaning business and his eventual pivot back to the financial industry after military service. Casey shares valuable lessons from his career, emphasising the importance of positioning oneself strategically in the market and identifying the ideal customer avatar for successful entrepreneurship. The discussion dives into the challenges and steep learning curves faced by Casey, including his transition from the carpet cleaning business to investing in stocks and running an online business in a post-recession economy. Key themes arise as Casey emphasises the significance of perseverance, mindset, and the transformative power of self-investment. The conversation is rich with actionable advice for entrepreneurs and sales professionals alike, highlighting the importance of focusing on productive activities that move the needle and building a strong team culture.

It was the movie, Terminator, that brought the concept of artificial intelligence (ai) to people’s awareness, albeit in quite a scary way. The reality is that artificial intelligence in some form has been with us for over 30 years, and is only now starting to exponentially accelerate in relation to the value it can add to businesses and organisations. The organisations that are able to leverage it effectively are the ones which will enjoy incredible success over the next few years. Whilst there may be some roles replaced with ai, the vast majority of roles, especially in sales, can be complemented by the use of ai. In this episode, I enjoyed a tremendous conversation with Nick Caruso, the Co-Founder & CRO of KnowledgeNet.ai, an organisation that has created a streamlined ai engine that reveals valuable relationship insights & provides actionable intelligence. In fact, Nick’s approach is that true ai is ‘Augmented Intelligence’, which can enhance our ability to be truly effective and drive exceptional results. The organisations that capture this concept are the ones who will differentiate themselves from their competition. To connect with Nick and to learn more about KnowledgeNet.ai, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ncaruso/ Website – https://knowledgenet.ai/

In many business organisations, there is almost an unwritten ‘ground rule’ that sales & marketing are internal competitors of each other. When sales are not converting prospects into customers, it is often marketing’s fault, and when marketing provide what they consider to be great leads to sales that do not get converted, it is sales’ fault. To be sustainably successful, organisations need to take a more strategically aligned approach and that is where Sam Shaper comes in. Sam is a Fractional RevOps specialist, and helps support businesses through creating and implementing peak performance systems to improve revenue efficiency, enable businesses to keep more profit in their pockets, as well as help create exceptional buying experiences. It is a fantastic conversation filled with value.

A key element of being in business is to grow, be profitable, and to add significant value to the marketplace. This is a key focus of almost every business on the planet. The fact that not every business achieves this is very often down to the leaders running the business as well as their ability to create and maintain a high performing environment. Too many CEO’s and leaders unfortunately are the reason why their business is not growing at the rate they expected and not achieving the outcomes they expected. This is where Mandi Ellefson comes in. Mandi is The Hands-Off CEO and specialises in helping businesses scale without the heavy dependency on the CEO. We enjoyed a fantastic conversation where Mandi shares nuggets of gold for any CEO, Senior Leader and Sales Leader grappling with the challenge of scaling and growing a profitable business. This is an episode worth listening to more than once. To connect with Mandi, as well as to grab a copy of her book “The Hands-Off CEO”, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandiellefson/ Website – https://handsoffceo.com/ Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/hands-off-ceo/id1432688023

Even though sales is one of, if not, the oldest professions on the planet, it continues to evolve. Customers today are more savvy and educated than ever before, which means organisations and sales people need to evolve and adapt as well. Research suggests that 53% of organisations have made a buying decision before they even decide to engage with a service provider. This means that as sales people we can no longer lead with our product or our service, as sales is being redefined. In today’s episode, I enjoyed a terrific conversation with Abbie White, Founder & CEO of Sales Redefined, and a person with a very successful sales and sales leadership background. In this episode, Abbie shares powerful ideas on how we can redefine our approach to sales, be more relevant to our marketplace, and ultimately drive exceptional results. To connect with Abbie and to learn more about Sales Redefined, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbiecwhite/ Website – https://salesredefined.com.au/

For many sales leaders, the path to the position of leadership often comes through being an exceptional sales individual contributor. This is almost the first pre-requisite. Some then consciously choose to take on a leadership role, yet for many, it is a responsibility that is bestowed upon them, or dare I say, forced upon them, based on their levels of performance. For many, it is an opportunity that is very difficult to say no to. Unfortunately not many people are then provided with the blueprint or playbook to make the transition to leadership a successful one, and often, leaders flounder. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Anna Glynn, Sales Leadership Specialist, Speaker, Coach & Author of the new book “Strong – How The Best Sales Leaders Engage, Achieve & Thrive”. Based on research, experience and positive psychology, Anna has put together the blueprint that many sales leaders can utilise to drive outstanding success. It is a conversation well worth listening to more than once. To connect with Anna and to grab a copy of her book, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-glynn-mapp-0797b639/ Website – https://annaglynn.com.au/

When working with sales leaders and their teams, I often share with them the important message around creating and maintaining a terrific reputation, both from a company perspective, and especially from a personal perspective. People want to do business with people who they know, they like and they trust, and as sales people, as business people, we cannot ever take that for granted. Reputation is everything. In this episode, I had a tremendous conversation with Luis Garotti, the Founder of 292 Creative, and a man who has built a solid and successful business on the back of a great reputation. As you’ll hear, a huge percentage of Luis’ business is referral based, and this does not happen unless you have a terrific reputation. I trust you enjoy the episode. To connect with Luis and to learn more about 292 Creative, please go to : LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisgarotti/ Website – https://292creative.com.au/ Socials – Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/292creative/, https://www.facebook.com/292creative

Business owners, organisations, sales leaders, and sales people all share one common challenge – finding effective ways to gain access to their ideal future customer and then determining how to provide tangible value, so that the customer raises their hand and a business relationship can be formed. Many organisations adopt the hope and pray strategy, where they use multiple marketing channels to spread the word, hoping that some of the ‘mud’ sticks. One of the most effective channels to leverage is LinkedIn, but, unfortunately, many do not use it to its fullest potential. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Amy Smith, Founder of Aligned Tribe. Amy has been able to leverage the power of LinkedIn over both a corporate career, and now as a business owner and entrepreneur, and in this episode, she unpacks a number of key insights that can help sales leaders and their teams take full advantage of LinkedIn to drive exceptional sales performance. To connect with Amy, and to learn more about what she does, including grabbing a copy of her LinkedIn Blueprint, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/amylsmithcoach/ Website – https://amylsmith.com/blueprint/

In B2B sales, many sales people love to be part of the big complex deals, the ones that often have a great deal of prestige and status attached to them, because, more often than not, they include iconic brands or industry leaders. The challenge though is that many sales teams and organisations are not set up well enough in order to build a compelling proposition to attract the big sale. They lack planning, they lack strategy, and they lack effective execution. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Barbara Weaver Smith, Founder and CEO of The Whale Hunters, an organisation that specialises in helping companies build a winning strategy for big complex deals, to maximise their opportunity to land the ‘big whale’. If you are focused on landing deals with the big end of town, then this episode is an absolute must. To connect with Barbara and to learn more about The Whale Hunters, including The Whale Hunters Institute, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaraweaversmith/ Website – https://thewhalehunters.com/ Email – [email protected]

I firmly believe that sales is one of the most fulfilling and satisfying careers available, and yet, when speaking with sales people, I often hear them describe their role as Customer Success Manager, Account Director, Customer Experience Manager, amongst other ‘titles’. Why don’t people simply say “I’m in Sales”? Whether we like it or not, sales is central to every business and every organisation, and whether you carry a sales target or not, everyone is in sales. In today’s episode, I enjoy a terrific conversation with Richard Harris, Founder of the Harris Consulting Group, and an exceptional sales leader. We talk about the seller’s journey, why the ‘buyer’s journey’ is a fallacy, how to maintain your value despite customers asking for discounts, as well as other sales gold. I hope you get as much out of listening to this episode as I did having the conversation. To connect with Richard, as well as grabbing a copy of his book “The Sellers Journey”, which by the way Richard offers a money back guarantee on, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/ Website – https://www.thesellersjourney.co/the-sellers-journey https://www.surfandsales.com/ Richard’s mobile number – +1 415 596 9149

When it comes to marketing, many organisations adopt the ‘hope and pray’ strategy, where they throw a heap of information into the marketplace hoping some of it will stick. And when the sales team is unable to convert the leads that come from this strategy, often they blame marketing for providing poor leads, and marketing blame sales for their inability to convert. Organisations that are able to build a more tangible and intentional marketing strategy, and ensure that both sales and marketing are aligned in that strategy, achieve much better results. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Chris Peer, the Founder & CEO of G8P & SyncShow, and Chris takes me through the Great 8 Pillars of marketing, that when followed, can significantly improve the results of any organisation. It is a fascinating conversation and one that I trust you enjoy. To connect with Chris and to learn more about G8P & SyncShow, including grabbing a copy of his book “The Great 8 Pillars”, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispeer/ Websites – https://chrispeer.com/ , https://g8p.co/ , https://www.syncshow.com/

Just about every sales person on the planet is looking for a way to differentiate themselves from their competition, and for the most part, they look for product or service differentiation. Not nearly enough salespeople look inwardly and consider what it is about themselves that can become the catalyst for differentiation and hence miss out on the opportunity to become exceptional. Gail Kasper is on a mission to change that and in today’s episode, Gail shares what it means to sell like a cockatoo, to be able to differentiate against the competition and to be able to amplify a sales process to drive exceptional results. To connect with Gail, and to grab a copy of her upcoming book “Sell Like a Cockatoo – How to Master The New Way of Selling in a Rapidly Changing World”, go to: Website – https://gailkasper.com/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/gailkasper/

When it comes to selling in the B2B marketplace, not only can selling become quite complex, it also requires involvement and buy-in from multiple stakeholders in the selling organisation. Whilst the sales team may take the lead on strategy development and sales execution, there is a role to play for multiple people within the organisation, so that the organisation can create a profitable revenue engine, that is also sustainable. In today’s episode, I enjoyed a terrific conversation with Tom Kaiser, President at SeaVista Management LLC and Co-Author of the book “The Great Wheel of Sales Success”. Tom covers the 12 key catalytic conversations that sales organisations must have in order to create a profitable revenue engine. To connect with Tom and to learn more about the revenue engine, please go to https://www.masterfulcoaching.com/

I love asking teams, especially sales teams about their perceptions of sales. Many of them, especially those not directly involved in a sales role, often have less than savoury things to say about sales – perceptions such as pushy, sleazy, untrustworthy, inauthentic.  Very rarely do I hear positive perceptions, which is disappointing. I often share with teams that I truly believe that sales is the ultimate form of service, and can be not only very lucrative, it can also be a profession of high integrity, authenticity and trust. And one of the key pillars around this is understanding that the sale actually doesn’t start until after the sale is made. This is what I explore in today’s episode.

It’s amazing when talking with sales people, the number who share with me that they are so conditioned by their Sales Manager &/or business to not make mistakes, they rarely take a chance. Often the feedback when they get something wrong is so negative and discriminatory, it discourages them from even trying. Not a great environment to operate in, wouldn’t you agree? And unfortunately a byproduct of this environment is lack of progress, and lack of results. Which in many people’s eyes is ‘failure’. In this episode, I share why mistakes should be encouraged. In fact, mistakes are a key part of becoming successful.

If you have been in sales for any length of time, you would appreciate that whilst it can be a very fulfilling and lucrative career, it is not easy, and it can present numerous challenges. It is therefore so critical to have a great Sales Manager or mentor in your corner to help guide you, assist you and also challenge you, as well as developing competency and confidence in a number of key areas. In this episode, I have a fascinating conversation with Jon Alwinson, Senior Regional Sales Manager at Boston Scientific, and author of the recently released book “Relentless Sales – the Skills, Mentality & Faith Needed To Be Great in Sales”. We talk about a number of the key principles in the book, and how mastering these can keep us on the path towards becoming exceptional. To connect with Jon and to learn more about him, including grabbing a copy of his book, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-alwinson-4599ab46/ Website – https://jonalwinson.com/

Every organisation relies on sales for its success, however, many organisations utilise the ‘hope & pray’ strategy, where they implement a marketing or sales campaign, throw as much ‘mud at the wall’ as possible, and hope that some of it will stick. And many organisations have no clear mechanism from which to measure the effectiveness of their strategies, hence they keep throwing mud. Whilst sales can be a game of numbers, there is a better way – a way to target the ideal future customer and to capture demand in the environment where that customer hangs out. In today’s episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Solomon Thimothy, the Co-Founder & CEO of IMS & Clickx, a leading inbound marketing and sales agency, which helps businesses increase their revenue utilising the 10X Framework. It is a fascinating conversation, which I hope you enjoy. To connect with Solomon and to learn more about what he does please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/solomonthimothy/ Website – https://www.thimothy.com/

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.