Accelerate! With Andy Paul

In this episode, Shane Gibson, author of Sociable and Guerrilla Social Media Marketing, and host of The Social Sales Podcast, shares best practices for using social selling to build the relationships and stimulate sales conversations with decision makers. Among the many topics we discuss in this episode are: The two primary goals of social selling The 3 key disciplines of using social media to develop a personal brand The 9 Cs (or absolutely key elements) of social selling success If you’re a sales leader, sales manager, or sales rep, this episode is definitely worth the investment of your time to listen.

In this episode, David Brock, founder and CEO of Partners in Excellence, discusses how modern sales reps have to transform from being reactive, tactical sellers into proactive, strategic experts that inspire customers to make a change. Among the many topics we discuss in this information-packed episode are: Why selling to “pain points” is the wrong approach How to avoid selling too high in the funnel How to help buyers understand the consequences of not making a change How to avoid polluting your pipeline with poor quality prospects And much more. Want to create a successful sales team that can sell big deals? Don’t miss this episode!

In this episode, Marc Miller, founder and CEO of SpearFysh, shares how the SpearFysh commercial conversation management platform can transform the ability of sales reps to communicate with prospects and customers. Among the many topics we discuss are: How the feedback provided by a sales call management platform can transform the performance of individual reps Why customers approve of the idea of having sales calls recorded How SpearFysh radicallys improves the quality of coaching that sales managers provide Debriefings based on actual call recordings improve collaboration and consistent messaging across sales teams If you’re in sales or sales management, then you definitely need to listen to this episode.

My regular guest on Front Line Friday is Bridget Gleason, VP of Corporate Sales for SumoLogic. In this episode, Bridget and I have a conversation about the evolving role of account management in supporting customers and growing account-based revenue. Included among the questions we discuss are: What are the primary responsibilities of account managers? Which department should account management be a part of? Sales or Customer Success? When should accounts be transitioned from account execs to account managers? Should account managers carry a quota? How to align the interests of sales and customer success If you’re a sales leader or sales manager, then be sure to join us for this episode!

In this episode, Kelly McCormick, founder of Outsell Yourself, Inc., the author of Outsell Yourself: Go From Hello To Sold With Ethical Business and Sales Techniques, and a Top 10 Small Business Influencer (as recognized by Small Business Trends.) In this episode, Kelly and I discuss the specific challenges small companies face in growing their business. Listen in as we talk about: The biggest obstacles entrepreneurs and CEOs face in growing their businesses The Aunt Sally Test and why business owners and entrepreneurs need to regularly apply it to their business plans Why it’s essential to continually clarify and refine your goals as your business grows The key to clarifying your messaging in order to break through the noise get noticed by your ideal customer The two triggers to help you decide how balance your investment in sales versus marketing. This episode is a must listen for any CEO, entrepreneur and sales leader.

In this episode, John Golden, Chief Strategy Officer at Pipeliner CRM, discusses how next gen CRM systems are evolving away from management platforms into tools that help sales reps close business. Among the many topics we discuss in this episode are: Why every sales organization needs a CRM system How the increased velocity of business in general demands more process and structure in sales How CRM systems need to evolve from being “command and control” systems into tools that help sales reps close more deals. Are CRM systems, in the form we work with today, in danger of becoming obsolete? And what could replace them? The essential criteria business leaders should use to evaluate and purchase a CRM system If you’re a sales leader, sales manager, or sales rep, this episode is definitely worth the investment of your time to listen.  

In this episode, Colleen Stanley, CEO of Sales Leadership, Inc. and author of the best-selling Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success, discusses what it takes to manage and master your emotions to become a top performer. Among the many topics we discuss in this information-packed episode are: What emotional intelligence is and how it directly relates to sales success The Knowing and Doing Gap and how to bridge it Why poor sales performance is less about sales skills and more about managing critical emotions at critical times The #1 emotional intelligence skill all sales professionals need to develop and master Why successful sales managers focus on coaching both hard sales skills and emotional competence. Want to create a successful sales team than can cope with uncertainty and succeed in all situations? Don’t miss this episode!

In this episode, Fred Diamond, founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Excellence in Sales, shares his opinions about the evolution of the sales profession. Among the many topics we discuss in this interesting conversation are: The three primary challenges facing sales professionals today Why it’s actually becoming easier to get in touch with decision makers The growing academic support for sales and what this means for new people entering the profession How millennials are changing how sales training should be structured and conducted A radical proposal for how companies should foster and support a commitment to continuous learning in their sales teams. If you’re in sales or sales management, then you definitely need to listen to this episode.

My regular guest on Front Line Friday is Bridget Gleason, VP of Corporate Sales for SumoLogic. In this episode, Bridget and I have a conversation about sales productivity and whether traditional sales management practices are unintentionally limiting the potential productivity of their sales reps. Included among the topics we discuss are: Should you have a standard sales process that all reps must follow? Is it desirable? Or necessary? Why sales reps need a script. And how they can avoid becoming over-scripted. Why the second question you ask the prospect is more important than your first question. (And the guaranteed best second question that you can ask!) Why you need to stop being over-protective and let your sales reps fail. And much, much more! If you’re a sales leader or sales manager, then be sure to join us for this episode!

In this episode, Kurt Shaver, founder of The Sales Foundry, and a leading social selling expert, shares his secrets for building a successful social selling program at your company. Listen in as we talk about: Why using social media is not the same as social selling. How to successfully integrate social selling into your existing sales process How to establish realistic goals, and metrics, for your social selling The 4 key elements that must be a part of any social selling training How to successfully get your sales reps to integrate social selling into their daily sales routine How sales managers should manage the social sales efforts of their teams Looking for additional tools to help you build your pipeline? Then this episode is a must listen for any CEO, sales leader or sales rep.

In this episode, Nancy Bleeke, President of Sales Pro Insider, and author of Conversations That Sell, discusses why it’s essential for sales reps to embrace a collaborative approach to selling. In this episode we discuss how to make that happen and other topics including: Why all sales calls are not conversations; but should be. How collaborative selling is different from, and more effective than, consultative selling The expertise you require to become a collaborative seller How to use collaboration to create proposals that win How to use sales conversations to uncover the true buying motivations that influence your customer’s decisions. If you’re a sales leader, sales manager, or sales rep, this episode is definitely worth the investment of your time to listen.

In this episode, Max Altschuler, founder and CEO of Sales Hacker, Inc., and the author of Hacking Sales: The Playbook for Building A High Velocity Sales Machine discusses what it takes to build your own high velocity sales machine. Among the many topics we discuss in this information-packed episode are: What high velocity means in selling. The steps you need to take to focus on generating more revenue with fewer resources How to quickly build a pipeline that is fat with qualified prospects Why you need to specialize sales roles and verticalize your sales focus Why mature sales teams need to act like start-up sales teams and embrace the sales hacker practices Why hacking sales works in complex sales as well as transactional sales. Want to create a high velocity sales machine for your company? Don’t miss out on this episode!

In this episode, Conor Lee, founder and CEO of HipLead, talks about the emerging Outbound Sales As A Service (OBSaaS) model for prospecting and generating leads. Combining expertise in big data and targeted email marketing, enterprises of all sizes are using Outbound Sales As A Service to scale their sales by taking over the top of the sales funnel. Among the many topics we discuss are: How OBSaaS is different than outsourced lead generation The situations where it makes sense to use Outbound Sales As A Service The sales processes you need in place to leverage the prospects generated by an OBSaas company like HipLead What HipLead can do that your SDRs can’t. How OBSaaS supports the specialization of SDRs and (delays their early burnout) If you’re in sales or sales management, then you definitely need to listen to this episode.

My regular guest on Front Line Friday is Bridget Gleason, VP of Corporate Sales for SumoLogic. In this episode, Bridget discusses how companies are managing the evolving role of Account Execs in the overall sales process. Included among the topics we discuss in this conversation are: How to align the roles of the AE and the SDR The situations where further specialization of AE responsibilities makes sense Who should handle follow-up to inbound leads: SDRs or AEs? The most effective way to quickly take leads off the market Why “Maybe” is the worst result for an AE and steps you can take to avoid it. If you’re a sales leader or sales manager, then be sure to join us for this episode!

In this episode, Bubba Page, founder and CEO of QuotaDeck, shares how he plans to make the traditional cold call obsolete by crowd-sourcing warm introductions for sales reps to prospects that fit their ideal customer profile. Some providers may talk about crowd-sourcing leads but QuotaDeck is aiming higher by providing warm introductions to decision makers that want to hear about your product or service. Listen in as we talk about: How to use social-based selling to overcome the fixed resource constraints of traditional cold calling The value of an introduction to double opted-in leads (meaning people that want to talk with you.) How warm introductions lead to great quantities of more effective sales conversations How to build social capital in your network with value-based introductions that ultimately lead to more sales (for you!) Looking for a fresh perspective on building your pipeline? Then this episode is a must listen for any CEO, sales leader or sales rep.

In this episode, Ben Sardella, co-founder of Datanyze, discusses how outbound sales teams need better data to inspire more and better sales conversations with new prospects. He shares how a new generation of sales tools, like Datanyze, are helping sellers to fill the top of the funnel with the right prospects at the right time. Included among the subjects we discuss in this conversation are: The hidden triggers that alert sales reps to specific prospect interest that they can’t find on their own. How your sales team could be transformed if it were able to learn that a potential prospect had stopped using a competitor’s product How to use firmographic data to provide greater insights into potential buying behaviors. How to leverage data about past deals, both won and lost, with your sales engagement platform to drive better sales conversations and increased conversions. If you’re a sales leader, sales manager, or sales rep, this episode is definitely worth the investment of your time to listen.

In this episode, Aaron Ross, discusses the lessons that sales leaders have learned about building a predictable revenue machine since the publication of his best-selling book, Predictable Revenue. He has captured many these lessons in case studies contained in his new book (written with co-author Jason Lemkin), From Impossible to Inevitable: How Hyper-Growth Companies Create Predictable Revenue. In this information-packed episode we discuss his new book and other topics including: The steps required to plan for sales success. How to increase you chances for success by Nailing a Niche Why you can’t prove your sales model by selling to friends of friends. How to avoid being trapped in the Trust Gap The vital role that Customer Success plays in driving revenue growth And much, much more! Want to learn how to accelerate predictable revenue growth for your company? Don’t miss out on this episode!

In this episode, lan Brodie, author of the best-selling Email Persuasion: Captivate and Engage Your Audience, Build Authority and Generate More Sales With Email Marketing shares his secrets for how to use email to generate a pipeline of warm leads and accelerate your sales productivity. Building on his own beginnings as an introverted sales rep with call reluctance, Ian describes how he, and his clients, have built successful profitable businesses using the techniques in his book. Among the topics we discuss are: How to make every buyer interested in meeting with you How to absolutely add value to every interaction with a prospect Why sales reps needlessly worry too much about technique How to build a nurture campaign that delivers relevant value to the buyer How to win sales fast with a simple 21-word email. If you’re in sales or sales management, then you definitely need to listen to this episode.

My regular guest on Front Line Friday is Bridget Gleason, VP of Corporate Sales for SumoLogic. In this episode, Bridget discusses how she, as a sales leader at a high growth tech company, views the importance of the SDR role and how it will continue to evolve over the coming year. Included among the topics we discuss in this conversation are: How SDR roles will change over the next year. The situations where further specialization of SDRs responsibilities makes sense What you need to do if your AEs are doing too much prospecting How to fill the gap between the leads marketing provides and what sales needs. Why the data in your dashboard is probably inaccurate. And how to fix it, now. If you’re a sales leader or sales manager, then be sure to join us for this episode!

In this episode, Butch Bellah, sales trainer, speaker and author of “Sales Management for Dummies,” talked about the unusual career path he followed from being a stand-up comedian to becoming a top sales expert and author. Along the way he learned some unique and insightful lessons about people that he teaches sales reps and sales managers across the country. Listen in as we talk about: What being a stand-up comic taught Butch about selling How to be rehearsed, but not scripted, for more effective sales conversations Why your voice, and how you use it, is your strongest sales tool Why it’s your fault if the prospect gives you their time, and you don’t win their order. And what you can do to eliminate your excuses! The most important lesson you need to learn to become a great sales manager. Looking for a fresh perspective on sales? Then this episode is a must listen for any CEO, sales leader or sales rep.