Seeing longer negotiations? Shorter renewal agreements? Focusing on a great renewal strategy can have unexpected benefits in creating more business.
Your sales team is their first point of contact with your business. The question is, is your sales team reinforcing the true company culture you have defined, or are they driving their own agenda?
Mergers, mergers, mergers. Every recession sets off a wave of them… Companies will be on the ropes and looking to sell, businesses that are in a solid position are gearing up for a buying spree. Mergers can be interesting animals. Some work well together, some sort of struggle along, and some, my friend, can wreak […]
“You can’t use that sales demo…” He said. “Why?” I asked. “Because it doesn’t work like that.” “Really?!? Why not?” “None of the products work like that on the back end. It’s all a mess.” “So you’re saying when a client does X, they don’t get the Y solution from us?” “They do, but…” “So, […]
Every executive team develops a definition of their culture, or stated culture, often found in the “About Us” page on their website. Often they are on the wall of the office you used to go to daily (remember those days?). It’s a definitive statement of what the organization stands for. It seems helpful, but does […]
What are the Cultural Impacts of a “Work from Home Sales Strategy” on Your Sales Team? Working from home to an extreme extrovert can be truly challenging. Video calls are nice, but the lack of face to face interaction can be a hard thing to give up. The struggle is real. Sales teams are full […]
Ep 37: In his podcast debut, StC President Steve Keck welcomes David James. David has been a sales operations leader for over fifteen years, specializing in building and developing operation capabilities in technology companies. David explains how he uses his “superpowers” of process and analytics approach to build successful sales operations that drive top-line productivity […]
We have enough stress these days. It doesn’t have to overwhelm us. We use this time as an opportunity for personal transformation. We can thrive while laying the groundwork for the future.
Job Transition – It’s no joke. Now, more than ever it’s important to recognize that in this world today, job transition is an inevitability. We no longer work at one place for our careers and, as the gig economy grows, many of us will be in periods of job transition sometimes more than once a year.
Who doesn’t love a good superhero? If you’re a Sales leader, chances are you want to be the kind that saves the day by swooping in to fix everyone’s deals. But the superhero model has a flaw, it’s focused on YOU and YOUR ego. Superheroes don’t share their superpowers. Why?
In an election year, the concept of a promise takes on odd meaning. What can we believe…. What can we not….. Sadly, these promises cannot be counted on, certainly not as a guarantee. Leaving us to wonder: When will the day come that we can believe a guarantee? Great news for you: That day has […]
Ep 36: Why aren’t there more Women in Sales Leadership roles? Randy continues this inquiry with Laura Blackmer, Sr Vice President, Channel Sales at Konica Minolta. Laura targets self-promotion and marketing yourself as a woman capable of sales leadership. She discusses how women focus on their performance and doing their job, however, they do not […]
Ep 35: Randy welcomes Carrie Wooten, President of Mindset Enterprise and the Dean of the National Command & Staff College, to the Uncommon Sales Success Podcast. Carrie and Randy discuss the old dynamics of women in sales leadership and how there is a significant shift happening in the space. Carrie speaks from her leadership development […]
‘Try Not. Do or Do Not. There is no Try.’ An epic quote from a 3′ tall Jedi. A highly respected Jedi. But, for Sales, he is WRONG. Simply WRONG. From a process perspective, what you DO or DO NOT is an outcome of what you TRY.
Ep 34: Randy discusses women in sales with Sydney Sloan, Chief Marketing Officer at SalesLoft. Sydney tackles the topic of fear in sales, and how women overcome the fear to lead, the fear to advance and the fear of succeeding in the industry. She highlights how vulnerability can be the catalyst instead of an obstacle […]
Ep 33: Randy re-engages Ken Lundin to wrap up Span the Chasm’s series on Recession Proofing. The series has been near and dear to Span the Chasm, and they wrap things up with their own best of topics. Ken discusses the underlying theme for the series – purposeful, intentional and not to be afraid of […]
After a while, in your mind, people ‘become’ a label. It is also the lazy leader’s way and takes no skill. Our people can feel these labels being stuck on them. It hurts their morale. It crushes their confidence. It kills their production.
Ep 32: Randy welcomes Heather Combs to the podcast to further discuss, Where are the Women in Sales Leadership? Heather Combs is Chief Revenue Officer for 3Pillar Global, a digital product development services organization. She oversees marketing, business development, and operations for the over 900-person multinational company. They discuss mindset, opportunity and how the role […]
Ep 31: Randy welcomes and bro hugs the legendary Copier Warrior himself, Dale Dupree. In this high energy podcast, Randy and Dale discuss authenticity, knowing thy self, and caring about the sale. Tune in and listen to Dale explain how to “exist in the chaos” and why “no one cares more than you do except […]
Ep 30: This week, Randy engages Digital Sales Evangelist Mario Martinez. With over twenty years of sales experience, Mario shares his wisdom on how to best reach YOUR target audience. Learn how to communicate the right way at the right time. Don’t do normal – be AWESOME and listen in to this powerful podcast.
Ep 29: Learn about a winner’s mindset being the tool to help you prepare and thrive through the economic changes. Ken Lundin hosts this week, asking Randy about what companies should DO and what they should NOT DO in regards to investing in their people.
Deals and opportunities don’t always work the way I wanted. But it is clear, Sherlock Holmes was a genius. And his genius teaches those of us in sales much practical wisdom that we can learn from. 3 that stand out that are actionable for you IMMEDIATELY.
Randy offers a better lens to understand your team. Imagine: Actionable Data on your entire team, by role, driving curated Information so that your decisions – personnel, strategy, culture – are fueled by knowledge.
Ep 28: This week, Randy welcomes Natalie Kruse, who is the VP of Business Development at HR Equity. Natalie joins us to give tips on the HR side of how to recession-proof our staff. She’ll give us encouragement for trimming the herd, help us be intentional for hiring, and tell us how to hyper invest […]
Ep 27: This episode of our Recession Proofing series looks at the sales team’s focus from the Investment Banker’s value standpoint. Randy’s guest is Bill Tucker, Co-Founding Partner of Tucker, Midis & Owen, LLC. Bill shares 4 things for sales leadership to focus on, honing the skills to weather the storm. Follow Bill at https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-tucker-0053163
Imagine how it will feel when your sales team is left behind by the market because you didn’t make the necessary adjustments to not just SURVIVE but THRIVE in and thru the recession. It is not gonna feel good, my friend!
What? You haven’t started thinking about Sales Kickoff 2020 yet? Randy outlines five clear steps to help you plan the ideal sales kick off in 2020.
There are many familiar phrases sales leaders say to their teams. In this blog, Randy reviews the five phrases that every sales leader MUST use.
My decision years ago to walk away from my addictions was the best decision I have made in many ways. And it drove unexpected benefits, too many to count. One of which brings tremendous leadership wisdom for sales leaders.
You ever wonder how MacGyver does it? You know, that crazy 80s TV guy who can get out of ANY situation, no matter how impossible?
In a race against time before an impending explosion and all he has is some bailing wire, duct tape, and 3 pennies. Tic, tic, tic…
Ultimate Prospecting Challenge! Building qualified pipeline is THE most important element for any sales team.
What is the best method of building pipeline? Randy and Ken put their methods to the test! Keep up with their progress here!
Who knew that Tony Horton was such a smart dude? Not me. Once I started to listen to his very basic wisdom, I discovered he’s a genius.
He warns viewers you should be in shape before you can do the exercises. Pretty crazy, right?
I was trying to throw pennies into the fish bowl near my desk. Again. For no other reason than to see if I COULD. In my defense, I WAS 10 years old. And Ms. Millie, my 4th grade teacher, didn’t scold me. She just moved me. She had already learned that I couldn’t […]
We just celebrated Mother’s day, and it turns out mom’s wise words can help strengthen your sales relationships. All based on a phrase mom often said. At least my mom said it: ‘If you mess up, you fess up and you clean up.’ We are ALL guilty of making mistakes in selling and they […]
Have you ever wondered why Yoda bothered training Jedi when he was completely kick ass on his own?
He knew a valuable principle that would benefit many sales leaders: Heroism doesn’t scale
This past winter, I was delayed 7 hours and 10 minutes for a flight. It turned out to be the best 7 hours and 10 minutes I’ve had in a LONG time.
Snow was coming down hard at LaGuardia. Flights were…
It’s one of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, according to Stephen Covey. Tony Robbins speaks on this topic frequently. To grow and refine your skills, you must sharpen the saw. We’re living in an accelerating market that’s moving toward commoditization at light speed.
I know what insecurity sounds like. It sounds like a conversation I have had with Sales leaders regarding outsourcing dozens of times. It goes like this… “Randy, I hear you. This looks like a service we could benefit from, plus you are so charming! But isn’t this MY job?” I totally get it. It’s not […]
While TRUE, it’s almost always WRONG. “It’s the sales process. Period. Follow the process and you’ll have success!” Throughout time, every sales leader has uttered these words to every sales rep. Are these sales leaders starting at the wrong end?
REPUBLISHED from November 22, 2016 As we approach the final holiday season, is anyone else sick of being told to be Thankful? Or is it just me? We are up to our ears in Turkey-day. The Christmas ads are already pouring in. I can certainly feel some ‘Bah-Humbug’ brewing deep in my soul. We all […]
“We lost the XX renewal? How the &*?# did THAT happen?!” Everyone in the office can hear your raised voice from a mile away. This was NOT supposed to happen, especially with THIS client. Sh*t happens. Daily. Especially in the world of SaaS software sales and renewals. Today you’re the darling and tomorrow […]
Your sales leader just asked you a very reasonable question. Admit it, you don’t know the answer. You’re embarrassed and your palms are sweating. “Why did you forecast opportunity X to close on Y date?” We’ve all been there at some point in our career (probably more than once). Our forecasts don’t stand up to […]
WE FRIGGIN’ CRUSHED IT!!! Selling concessions this last weekend at the regional wrestling tournament was a blast. Fabulous people, a good cause and, BONUS, a reminder of some core but crucial elements in Enterprise B2B Sales.
‘When you walk, you don’t feel the ground. You feel your foot.’ A bit of wisdom transcends the ordinary day-to-day from Thich Nhat Hanh (TNH), the aging Buddhist monk. Before you think this is a ‘spiritual’ blog, be reassured that my reflections on the readings of TNH are in the realm of improving sales. There’s […]
‘When in doubt, throw it out.’ That’s been my closet cleaning mantra for 20+ years. A few well-tested guidelines: If I haven’t worn it in a year, off to Goodwill. If I ‘might fit in it again someday’, off to Goodwill. If it reminds me of Miami Vice, off to Goodwill. If I think my […]
Save your tears for Sunday night and the Hallmark Channel. They’re no good here. I killed your deal. Deal with it. It’s true. Simple truth. And you never saw it coming. Who am I? I don’t show up on an organizational chart. I never hit payroll. I rarely pay attention to corporate dress codes. […]
Remember playing the game of ‘20 questions’ when you were a kid? Very frustrating and fatiguing. Felt like torture. ‘Just tell me what the D*$& thing is!!!!’, You’d scream in frustration.
‘How many times did you try it?’ I asked. ‘Three’ was the answer. ‘But it didn’t work well, so I stopped trying.’
‘Profound knowledge being shared in a very simple and engaging way.” (Part 1 of a 7 part series on our inSPPECt methodology)
I was leading a prospecting workshop, when I was hit with one of those “Silver Bullet” questions. A student asked, “Randy, net it out for me.. what do we REALLY need to be successful in sales?”
Meatloaf was close when he sang: “Two out of Three Ain’t Bad”, but Aristotle knew better.
I recently had severe, random, undiagnosed vertigo. Not fun at all. But guess what? It actually helped me do a better job as a sales development leader.
I didn’t see it coming. Not from a mile away… Even with 30 years of professional selling and coaching experience, I still get surprised! Most recently about “social” media and LinkedIn.
Are you ready to prioritize your selling resources? Why? Because they’re scarce and you need to use them wisely.
It was one of those moments of clarity. A profound ‘Ah-hah’ that smacks me on the head.
It’s a question that I get asked frequently: Why are you such a maniac at work ? What drives you?
It’s true. I’m an idiot…. For those of you who know me, that wasn’t a surprising statement. But, apparently……
WE FRIGGIN’ CRUSHED IT!!! Selling concessions this last weekend at the regional wrestling tournament was a blast. Fabulous people, a good cause and, BONUS, a reminder of some core but crucial elements in Enterprise B2B Sales.
1 on 1 coaching is the most powerful sales rep development process available to sales leaders. Period.
I could feel his embarrassment as he sat down for our first coaching session. He knew the first question I was going to ask, as word had gotten around: How many calls so far and how many meetings set? 132 calls. 1 meeting.
Your product, solution or service was great. Revolutionary even. Your positioning has been solid. Your prospect would be crazy not to invest. Yet, you lost the deal.
Sometimes at an industry conference, you hear a lot of BS. Complete and utter BS.
Selling isn’t supposed to be this hard. Driving sustainable sales growth should be easier. You have a great product. Marketing and Product are supportive. Yet the results are sporadic, often more random than predictable.
It’s a foundational sales truth: You simply cannot win in today’s competitive world without them. You know what they are… Sales Campaigns.
Hugh Glass, the fur trader made famous in The Revenant, was NEVER comfortable. Ever. Mauled by a Grizzly bear. Fighting off infection and gangrene in open wounds. Floating down an icy river. Sleeping in a horse carcass.
I love Uber and use it all of the time. My driver this morning, Anwar, showed up in a beautiful, big, black Suburban that was immaculately maintained. I also love talking to people as I find everyone fascinating. We started talking about Uber, does it work for him, life in the US for 4.5 years […]
As sales leaders, we have all been there, agonizing over the question: What metrics do I need to have to ensure success? 0 metrics and let them ‘practice their art’ or 12 metrics and control everything that they do?
A victorious warrior wins first. How? By studying his opponent. By preparing his skills. By improving his weaponry. By hardening his body. They have a victory plan prior to engaging the enemy. The question I have for you today is: What is your victory plan?
I spent last week Venture Atlanta where Lori was the closing Keynote speaker.
Forgive me if I ‘wax eloquent’ but it IS a season of reflection.
Yep. He charged me $2.00 for Anchovies on my Caesar salad. Where I come from, Anchovies are part of the Caesar salad.
I just got a note in the mail from Gary, the store manager of Butler Tire. Yep, the guy who sells me tires for my car. I have been buying tires from him for years. The note came less than a week after I bought my last set.