Force Management

NOTE: This episode was recorded prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic. John’s advice is still applicable, but please understand we didn’t have the current context when recording.  In this podcast, John Kaplan talks through key areas to assess in your own organization after a less-than-stellar quarter, including:  How to make sure you have the right people to achieve your yearly goals How to build more accountability into the planning process as you move forward in the year The cadence with which you use to manage your teams   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Additional Resources  Skill/Will Model

Elite leaders make the choice to work at their craft.  In this episode, John Kaplan shares a few lessons he’s learned as a sales leader, the mantra he follows and the one new hire that became an example of what not to do as a sales leader.  Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Our own John Kaplan tells his own story of a time when he had to decide what it meant to be uncommon. It’s the story that brought the often-heard phrase, “Who’s doing this?!” that many of you have heard in our Command of the Message® training. This episode is meant to bring you some motivation and inspiration as you focus on this month, this quarter and this year. Feel free to share with your teams and colleagues. Check out The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Every company needs to have alignment around the answers to the Essential Questions: What problems do you solve? How do you solve those problems? How do you solve them differently and/or better than the competition? And, where have you done it before?  In this episode, John Kaplan talks through how you can use our concept of the Essential Questions to align with your buyer and address your customer’s evolving challenges. He’ll cover how your organization can provide the most value for customers by: Reframing the essential questions based on today’s environment Achieving internal and external alignment around the key problems your offerings solve for your buyer's shifting challenges Preparing sellers with these answers and ways to be purposeful in their delivery Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website. Here are some additional resources on the essential questions:  Maintain Sales Productivity: Five Ways Your Company Can Focus Your Reps on S

Deals are won or lost in discovery. A key part to successful discovery is the salesperson’s ability to articulate what they learned in discovery back to the customer. We call it playing back “What We Heard”. In this podcast, John Kaplan runs through best practices for using this information to your advantage, including: How it helps you overcome seller deficit disorder How to deal with sounding too repetitive How to use your customer to help you play back negative information Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Additional Resources:  A Buyer’s Perspective on Seller Deficit Disorder

We took a break from our typical podcast topics and talked about how salespeople and sales leaders can best use this time, even in the face of unprecedented circumstances.  Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

NOTE: This episode was recorded last month, prior to the Coronavirus shut down. Although the episode provides some good tips that apply to the situation many of us find ourselves in now, please listen with the understanding that Brian's comments were recorded without the current context. There’s not a sales leader out there that doesn’t want to make an immediate impact when they take on a new role.   However, the best sales leaders are also thinking about what they can do to create ongoing and sustainable success. It’s a two-pronged approach.  In this episode, Senior Director Brian Walsh runs through how to play the long game in sales leadership or even in your selling role.   He covers key things you should be thinking through as you map out your own plan for success as well as how to know if you’re in the right company for “the long game.”   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Even the most veteran sales reps can fall victim to lazy sales practices when they’re selling to someone they know. We think we can skip steps or cut corners in our sales process. These opportunities can fool us into thinking they’re a sure thing. In this episode, John Kaplan breaks down key triggers to watch out for and ways to hold yourself accountable.  We cover: Key steps to take when a former buyer is in a new company and wants to purchase again Red flags to watch out for when you have a “friendly” buyer The situation we find ourselves in frequently when we are selling to Force Management customers.  Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

We’ve all been frustrated by a pipeline full of slow-moving deals. The cause typically goes back to a few key areas where we as salespeople or sales coaches lacked focus. It goes back to basic sales fundamentals, but they’re things even veteran salespeople need to remember.  In this podcast, John Kaplan breaks down three key areas to assess if you have a pipeline full of deals that just won’t close. You’ll learn:  The three reasons your deals are taking too long to close An easy way to execute discovery to ensure you’re going up and down in an organization.  Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Additional Resources:  Why you’re struggling with metrics in your sales conversation: https://www.forcemanagement.com/seller-blog/why-youre-struggling-with-metrics-in-the-sales-conversation Asking Bold Discovery Questions: https://www.forcemanagement.com/seller-blog/asking-bold-discovery-questions Webinar: Predicting No Decisions: How to Win

Force Management continues to be a leader in building company alignment and equipping sales teams as we bring listeners an all-new weekly podcast series.  The Audible-Ready Podcast will feature B2B sales leaders and revenue-driving executives, who share their best insights on how a focus on sales effectiveness can help companies increase revenue, improve sales margins and gain market share. We’ll cover topics like: Sales Leadership, Sales Transformation, Sales Initiative Results, Sales performance, Adoption and Reinforcement, making quota, high-tech sales, enterprise sales, and so much more.

John Kaplan talks through best practices for preparing to sell the platform solution to your buyer, getting beyond just selling the smaller point solution.

You may know what makes your solution different than others in the market, but aligning that differentiation to the customers is how elite salespeople move the needle. In this podcast, John Kaplan runs through best practices for aligning differentiation to a customer's decision criteria. Learn more about Project Welcome Home Troops here: http://www.projectwelcomehometroops.org/Read why John is so passionate about this organization here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/special-mission-helping-veterans-joh

For many of you, the 4th quarter is well underway. Now is the time to assess where you're at and decide what changes you want to make for next year. In this episode, John Kaplan shares some motivation he learned from his college days! Fours up! Don't forget to follow Force - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/102429/admin/Twitter: https://twitter.com/forcemgmtIG: https://www.instagram.com/forcemgmt/

Why do reps struggle with metrics? It's likely because they're using them in the wrong way during the sales process. John Kaplan breaks down some tips in this short conversation. You can check out the blog referenced in the podcast here: https://www.forcemanagement.com/seller-blog/why-youre-struggling-with-metrics-in-the-sales-conversation

The people that hire you are not looking for okay, average or even good. They are looking for awesome, exceptional and elite. When salespeople take on a new career opportunity, they have made a conscious decision to pursue a career which is measured daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually on performance. Knowing expectations are high, how do we overcome the hurdles of average and operate at an elite level? Ray de Avila breaks down what it takes to be elite in this podcast.

Sign up for our webinar on selling and negotiating on value with Tim Caito and Joe Marcin here: https://forc.mx/2D9CqvkRead our Q&A series with John McMahon on your next sales career opportunity here: https://forc.mx/2ZdhEEn

What do you do if you are in the middle of your sales process and you realize you aren't attached to the right business issue? John Kaplan talks through best practices for backing up the sales process.

If reps are overwhelmed at combining sales messaging methodologies with qualification and negotiation processes, John Kaplan breaks down a way to simplify it all into one single selling motion.

Uncovering business problems provides you, as a salesperson, the ability to effectively map your solutions to the customer's required capabilities. Senior Partner Paul DeMore shares his best practices for aligning to the buyer in your discovery questions.

John Kaplan covers the mindset you need to have for effective sales planning.