Force Management

Enjoy this episode, which was originally aired in August 2022, with John Kaplan. Solution requirements are a critical component of every deal you sell. These are things that must be in place in order for a buyer to achieve their desired outcomes, and they exist with or without your solution. In today’s episode, John Kaplan explains the importance of recognizing your customer’s solution requirements and what to do with that knowledge. You will learn how to:Bridge the customer’s current state to their desired future state.Position your value in a way that influences the customer’s requirements.Ask great discovery questions that show your customer how your solution is needed to solve their business issues.Here are some additional resources:How to Stack Customer Requirements in Your Favorhttps://bit.ly/3AMo4z3The Missing Link Between Your Differentiation and Your Buyershttps://bit.ly/3dVvQ0HCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

In this episode, John Kaplan joins Rachel to talk about bouncing back from losses as a seller. For reps, he sheds light on the key factors to reflect upon after losing, the importance of maintaining transparency with management in order to get appropriate feedback, the decisive benefits of early qualification, and applying the lessons learned from a loss to succeed in similar accounts. John also addresses managers, highlighting the need to foster an environment that promotes continuous learning and empowers sellers to take risks.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Win/Loss Review | Ascender CourseKey Questions for Managers to Ask in Deal Reviews | Ascender ArticleAscender’s Best Content on Decision Criteria | Ascender ArticleClose the Excuse Department | Ascender VideoTake Ownership of Your Success | Ascender VideoAsking for Help | Ascender VideoPrepping for Your Deal Reviews | PodcastAttaching to the Biggest Business Problem | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely

Today, John Kaplan joins Rachel to explore the many elements involved in building a healthy pipeline, and doing so in a purposeful manner. He talks about prioritizing strategy during pipeline generation as opposed to merely chasing a number, pinpointing an Ideal Customer Profile, articulating your value by tying technical requirements to business outcomes, and the art and skill of getting the customer to stand in their moment of pain.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Ascender’s Prospecting Elite Selling™ CertificationPlan to Make Your Plan | Ascender CourseThe Franchise Mindset | Ascender ArticleFour Questions to Ask About Your Most Critical Accounts | Ascender ArticleWhen to Use Customer Case Studies in the Sales Process | Ascender ArticleOvercoming Seller Deficit Disorder | Ascender VideoBuilding Your Pipeline | Ascender VideoWhen AI Isn’t Enough: Getting an Opportunity | PodcastFive Areas Where You Need Consistency | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for s

For today’s episode, Tim Caito joins Rachel to share his insights on what reps can do to consistently elevate their sales conversations and get higher in organizations. Tim talks about recognizing the giveaways that you are too low in a company, prioritizing influence over org charts, keeping track of shifting priorities over the course of a deal, preparing in advance for successful sales calls, and gaining return access by tailoring your message to the relevant concerns of the buyer.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Selling to the C-Suite | Ascender CourseGetting to the Economic Buyer | Ascender CourseBuilding Champions for Life | Ascender CourseAligning to Win | Ascender ArticleOur Best Content on Decision Criteria | Ascender ArticlePreparing for Sales Conversations | Ascender VideoPreparing for Sales Negotiation Conversations | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfe

In this episode, Antonella O’Day joins Rachel to discuss best practices on managing the transition of prospects from initial interest to buying intent. Over the course of the conversation, Antonella touches on the need for sellers to approach early sales calls with a mindset of curiosity, shares strategies for testing a prospect’s intent in order to qualify deals early on, advises reps to make use of mutual action plans (MAPs) to build consensus and trust, and supplies questions to help reps gauge progress.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Creating a Compelling Business Case | Ascender CourseMoving Buyers to Action | Ascender ArticleHow to Convince Your Customer to Take Action in Your Sales Process | Ascender ArticleHelping Customers Persuade Themselves | Ascender VideoHow Do I Get My Customer to See the Importance of My Differentiation? | Ascender VideoHow to Uncover Buyer Needs | PodcastAligning with Corporate Initiatives | PodcastDeveloping Mutual Action Plans | PodcastVi

In this episode, John Boney and Rachel speak about the need for sales leaders to coach based on value. They explore ways in which leaders can endeavor to make every conversation with reps an opportunity to drive growth, not just hit a number. You’ll learn how to ask questions that uncover your reps’ motivations and struggles, differentiate solving and coaching, and lead in a way that builds trust and empowers your reps to take ownership of their challenges.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Coaching Model Essentials | Ascender CourseEffective Opportunity Coaching Sessions | Ascender CourseCoaching the Coaches – Front-Line Sales Managers | Ascender CourseThree Ways Managers Can Drive Value-Based Selling Practices | Ascender ArticleHow to Coach Value-Based Sales Messaging Aligned with C-Suite Priorities | Ascender ArticleRemember These Key Steps to a Value-Based Sales Conversation | Ascender ArticleKeeping the Focus on Value | PodcastHow to Uncover Buyer Needs | PodcastVisit As

In this episode, Rachel and John dive into a critical moment every seller faces: recognizing when it's time to pause, reassess, and reset a deal. They explore how to identify red flags, reframe conversations, and re-engage buyers without losing credibility.Visit these other episodes for more on this topic.Go High, Go Low – Adjusting Your Sales ConversationLearn how to shift your conversation up or down the org chart when your deal is stalling or misaligned.Confidence and ConvictionThis episode explores how to re-engage with confidence when you need to reset a deal.Influencing Your Customers’ Solution RequirementsA key skill when backing up a deal—this episode dives into how to shape decision criteria around your differentiation.Competing Initiatives: Moving Your Deal ForwardWhen your deal is stuck behind other priorities, this episode helps you reassess and reposition.The Outcome ConversationFocuses on aligning with buyer outcomes—critical when reframing a stalled opportunity.

In today’s special episode for those selling to government agencies, John Boney joins Rachel to discuss how to respond and adapt to changing federal priorities in the current landscape. He explores the concept of “value drivers” and explains how reps can uncover them with effective, mission-oriented questions. John also talks about the need to align with the client’s procurement process, focus on ROI for the agency in question, build a stakeholder map that allows you to adapt your narrative for the value lens of every stakeholder, and manage the often-overlooked post-award delivery phase.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Deepen Your Discovery | Ascender CourseChanging Your Approach with Procurement | Ascender CourseRemember These Key Steps to a Value-Based Sales Conversation | Ascender ArticleFour Questions to Ask About Your Most Critical Accounts | Ascender ArticleKeeping the Focus on Value | PodcastHow to Uncover Buyer Needs | PodcastAligning Sales Strategies with DOGE Pri

Today, Brian Walsh joins Rachel to talk about the mindset sellers need to have when their company launches a new product. He walks through key considerations for reps to weigh during the enablement process, such as figuring out what problems the product solves and the outcomes it can drive, determining your ideal customer profile, staying honest to avoid overpromising, and discussing technical features while maintaining value-based discipline.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!5 Attributes of Effective Presentations | Ascender CourseOpening Statements | Ascender CourseStorytelling in the Sales Process | Ascender CourseUnlocking Prospect Insights with AI Prompts | Ascender ArticleThe Single Selling Motion | PodcastBeing an Effective Sales Coach | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every day with insights to help you level up in your sale

In today’s episode, John Kaplan joins Rachel to talk about the steps necessary to be an elite seller. He goes through and explains the habits and behaviors consistently exhibited by the most elite reps, including disciplined and intentional execution, preparing insightful questions to aid discovery, shifting the conversation from their own solution to the customer’s business pain, and influencing the Decision Criteria with differentiation backed up by value.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Aligning Sales Planning and Execution Disciplines | Ascender CourseObjection Handling | Ascender CourseAttaching to the Biggest Business Problem | Ascender CourseSelling to the C-Suite | Ascender CourseHow to Ask Questions that Highlight Your Solution’s Differentiation | Ascender ArticleCreating Urgency with Your Customer | Ascender VideoAligning with Corporate Initiatives | PodcastPreparing for Sales Conversations | PodcastThree Tactics for Handling Objections | PodcastVisit Ascender, a

Today, Force Management facilitator Jim “Pouli” Pouliopoulos joins Rachel to talk about finding the right mindset as a new sales rep. He advises prioritizing process over outcome when starting out, maintaining a growth mindset, and staying focused on trying to help prospects personally and professionally. Pouli also shares tips on overcoming common struggles faced by new sellers, such as a lack of clarity and fear of rejection.Check out Pouli’s book, How to Be a Well Being, and connect with him on LinkedIn.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Active Listening | Ascender CourseObjection Handling | Ascender CourseDeepen Your Discovery | Ascender CourseTraining the Seller’s Brain for Positivity | Ascender ArticleAsking for Help | Ascender VideoDealing with Rejection in Sales | PodcastCarefrontation | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every

Enjoy this replay of a great episode with John Kaplan. Sellers often hear from prospective customers that they have too much going on and thereby cannot take on a solution. When you’ve got numbers to hit, how do you get a prospect to prioritize your solution over the other initiatives they are considering? John Kaplan joins us to share how best to align your solution with the business issues that matter most to a customer.Here are some additional resources:https://www.forcemanagement.com/seller-blog/what-to-do-when-youre-competing-against-do-it-internallyCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Today, Antonella O’Day joins Rachel to discuss questions that reps can ask themselves to maximize their ability to qualify deals. These questions, among other benefits, will provide reps with clarity on whether you understand the customer’s business problem, whether the customer understands your solution’s differentiation, and how best to make use of your Champion in the qualification process.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Lead Qualification | Ascender CourseAchieving a Collective Yes | Ascender CourseHow to Ask Questions that Highlight Your Solution’s Differentiation | Ascender ArticleHow to Convince Your Customer to Take Action in Your Sales Process | Ascender ArticleHow to Compete Against “Do It Internally” in the Sales Process | Ascender ArticleHow Do I Get My Customer to See the Importance of My Differentiation? | Ascender VideoWhen Customers Want to Do It Themselves | Podcast• Competing Against Other Priorities | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for

Enjoy this replay of a great episode with John Kaplan. There’s not a salesperson out there who doesn’t want more wins and bigger deals. The most elite salespeople are strategic about how they align their solution’s differentiation to their buyer’s needs and as a result, they’re able to win more, high-value accounts. John Kaplan shares, where most reps are challenged when it comes to differentiating their solutions and the skills these reps can focus on to significantly improve their bottom line. Here are some additional resources:Stacking Customer Requirements in Your FavorHelping Buyers Reach Their Own ConclusionsThe Missing Link Between Your Differentiation and Your BuyersCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Today, Tim Caito joins Rachel to discuss how to communicate the needs of the customer internally, centering the conversation around three high-level concepts: the external sale, the internal sale, and achieving an ideal outcome using two-way guidance. In the course of the episode, he shares best practices on gathering necessary customer and internal requirements, finding the right balance between the customer’s view of a great outcome and that of your company, aligning with the customer’s Decision Criteria, and overcoming common internal bottlenecks.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Aligning Sales Planning and Execution Disciplines | Ascender CourseCreating a Political Advantage | Ascender CourseExecuting Your Discovery Strategy | Ascender CourseNegotiation Foundation & Mindset | Ascender CourseKey Ways to Prepare for Customer Anchors in Sales Negotiations | Ascender ArticleAligning to Win | Ascender ArticleHesitant Buyers? Aligning Your Solution to Corporate Initiatives

When it comes to rejuvenating stalled deals, urgency is the factor that moves the needle. Today, John Kaplan joins Rachel to talk about driving urgency in deals, discussing the use of discovery to uncover and attach to the customer’s biggest business issues, getting them emotionally connected to solving those issues, and subsequently articulating your value and comparative differentiation.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Executing Your Discovery Strategy | Ascender CourseEssential Questions to Help You Become a Better Salesperson | Ascender ArticleCreating Urgency with Your Customer | Ascender VideoRise Above the Noise | Ascender VideoThe Coat of Pain | Ascender VideoFind a Balance in Your Sales Discovery | Ascender VideoControlling the Deal | PodcastDiscovery Questions You Don’t Want to Forget | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content eve

In today’s episode, Brian Walsh joins Rachel to discuss building rapport with prospective customers. Brian covers the true meaning of rapport and how it applies to client conversations, as well as the right mindset for sellers to take into their early conversations with prospects, the importance of active listening as a way to gain trust, and determining the right time to deploy tactics such as storytelling and sharing case studies.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Building Rapport Through Virtual Channels | Ascender CourseActive Listening | Ascender CourseKey Tips to Help You Have Better Sales Conversations | Ascender ArticleKey Things to Practice Before Your Next Sales Conversation | Ascender ArticleThree Ways to Make Sure You’re Focused on Business Conversations | Ascender ArticleFinish Strong in Your Sales Conversations | Ascender VideoVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is per

Enjoy this replay of a great episode with John Kaplan. When selling a solution, you want to align with wide-ranging corporate initiatives and not just departmental one-offs. Many reps struggle to not only identify, but also align with company-wide initiatives that buyers are navigating with inside of their organization. John Kaplan explains how to recognize a corporate buyer and align your business outcomes with their pain points and other business issues.Here are some additional resources:Three Common Sales Challenges and What to Do About Them How to Get Higher in Your Prospect's OrganizationCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

A robust pipeline is key to maintaining a steady flow of prospects and keeping track of the progress of each toward closing. With the current proliferation of AI tools on the market, sellers are better equipped than ever to tailor their prospecting approach to the unique concerns of each individual lead. Still, regardless of the technology, the fundamentals remain unchanged. Today, John Kaplan joins Rachel to discuss the need for reps to grasp the foundational steps of pipeline generation first and foremost. He then describes how sellers can use AI as a means to refine and strengthen their approach.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Ascender’s Prospecting Elite Selling™ CertificationWhen to Use Customer Case Studies in the Sales Process | Ascender ArticleFrom Features to Value: Shifting Your Sales Approach to Close Larger Deals | Ascender ArticleKey Tips to Help You Have Better Sales Conversations | Ascender ArticleAmplify Value Negotiation with AI | Ascender VideoBuilding Yo

Enjoy this replay of a great episode with John Kaplan. Preparing for your deal is critical. Preparing others for your sales call has equal impacts on your success. If you want someone to join you on a call (product engineer, manager, etc.), you have to be able to provide them with fluency about the deal and clarity on their role in the conversation. John Kaplan covers what information you need to share and how help ensure those joining you are best prepared.Here are some additional resourcesHow to Ask for Help on Your Deals5 Things to Do Before Your Next Sales Conversationhttps://apple.co/3Fkf18LKey Things to Do After Every Sales Callhttps://apple.co/3DtcnvuCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.