Make It Happen Mondays - B2b Sales Talk With John Barrows

From working his way up the ladder at Oracle to becoming a top executive at customer experience management platform Sprinklr, Mark Siciliano has invested in people. He reveals what he’s learned in the last quarter-century about sales, sales enablement, and what it takes to make an impact on people’s lives — both customers and colleagues. Treating others as they want to be treated “seems old school,” Mark says, “but technology has shot so quickly ahead of us that we forget that those core things still count.” Hear John and Mark riff on a musical analogy about the future of sales, when everyone will know how to play more than one instrument. Connect with Mark on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksiciliano1/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksiciliano1/) Mentioned in this episode: Ultimate Cold Calling Masterclass __________________________ Register for the Ultimate Cold Calling Masterclass here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-ultimate-cold-prospecting-masterclass-tickets-444050255267?aff=johnbarrows

The booming psychedelic industry offers hope to those with psychological challenges as well as opportunities for workers and investors, according to two pioneers in the business. Jay Godfrey and Richard Meloff left investment banking to create Nushama, a network of psychedelic wellness centers. Jay says his first experience with supervised use of psychedelics “uncovered things that I couldn't uncover in three years of therapy.” Seeing people living in fear during the pandemic inspired creation of the company, which is part of a fast-growing segment of healthcare that treats PTSD, addiction, and mood disorders. … John encourages people suffering to consider psychedelics and offers a reminder to those facing stress in sales: "You're never as good as your best deal; you're never as worse as your worst deal." Connect with Jay on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-godfrey-090b602/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-godfrey-090b602/) And with Richard here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmeloff/ (https://www

Sales, social media marketing, and entrepreneurship coach Stacey Hall says many of us are in need of an alignment. Her new book “Selling from Your Comfort Zone: The Power of Alignment Marketing” argues that knowing yourself is essential for success in business. “You get into alignment with yourself, you get into alignment with the company that is selling something you can get behind,” she tells John, “and you get into alignment with the audience. Because if you can get behind that product, so can your audience. If it's a match for their needs, they'll get behind it.” … Hear John and Stacey discuss how understanding your core values can lead to success at work and in life. Learn more about Stacey at her website: https://www.staceyannhall.com/home/ (https://www.staceyannhall.com/home/) And connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceyhall1/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceyhall1/)

Sales is one of the only professions in the world where we’re expected to take a training or read a book and immediately apply what we learned to a real-world scenario without much practice. Most athletes spend over 80% of their time practicing and less than 20% of the time playing the game. Jonathan Mahan and Jordana Zeldin of The Practice Lab discuss with John the difference between practice, role play and memorization and how to structure practice so it makes a real impact on sales rep’s development and results. They also dive into the mentality you need to have for practice to be meaningful and how to teach genuine curiosity which is the super power of great sales reps. an online sales training platform. Jordana says that instead of rote playing and itches, sales professionals should provide "impactful questioning" of prospects, demonstrating "they're authentically curious in the context of a real conversation." Or as Jonathan puts it: “You can't truly sell in an enlightened, effective, top-of-the-li

Salespeople are free to be “who we can be,” says Nikki Ivey, who used a career in sales to leave life in the housing projects far behind. From first working at a used car lot in Hinesville, GA., she rose to become a newly hired key executive at John’s company, JB Sales. As a director of training she wants to lead by example, and as a Black female executive in corporate America, “it's definitely about what people coming up right now are seeing as possible through me.” … John and Nikki “go there” and discuss race and racial identity in America and the sales profession. Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-ivey/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-ivey/)

John Costigan (JC) has been in Sales and Sales training well before John Barrows (JB) got into the industry. JB has been a long time fan but the two never actually met until one day JC reached out to JB one day on LinkedIn with a message “it’s probably time we need to talk. I really admire what you’ve done to represent our space. ”During their first call it was evident they shared similar values along with a similar mentality and approach to the profession of Sales. During this episode they talk about their respective training journeys and how JC broke through the noise by doing live cold calling on stage. They talk through tactics, strategies, what’s changed and what has stayed the same throughout the years in Sales. Recently JC fought and beat throat cancer which gave him a completely new perspective on life and appreciation of time. With JB’s dad passing recently they both shared how these challenges affected them and ultimately made them stronger and more purpose driven. Connect with John Costigan on Link

The majority of salespeople aren’t aware of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and how it can help in the sales process. If you haven’t heard of this (and even if you have), you’ll want to listen in to my conversation with Valerie Fischer, co-owner of The Conversion Engine and an NLP-Certified Practitioner. I was introduced to NLP early in my sales career but didn’t really get too deep into it because I thought it could be manipulative. But Valerie feels it’s really just getting to know your client and helps them to label their thoughts and behaviors. “It’s trying to understand what your clients think-points are,” Valerie says. “What are the possibilities they see for themselves. When you ask questions like that, you’re able ot squeeze that out of them.” We also delve into identifying whether your client is a visual, auditory or a kinesthetic person and how to mirror your messaging to take full advantage of these traits. We also discuss metamodel questions that can help get to the client’s actual motivations

Alabama football Coach Nick Saban doesn’t set lofty goals, but his teams win national championships. Guest John Talty, who covers the Crimson Tide as sports editor at Alabama Media Group, says Saban is “much more focused on what we need to do on a daily basis to put ourselves in a position to have success.” Creating a system where players and coaches share understanding of their roles and how they fit in with the team allows Saban to succeed year after year, Talty writes in his new book, “The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban.” … Coach Saban’s philosophy prompts John Barrows to challenge sales team leaders by asking, “When was the last time you actually really genuinely painted a vision for them about where you're taking this, and how they fit into that vision?” Connect with John Talty on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-talty-586642b/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-talty-586642b/) Get a copy of his book: https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Secrets-Nick-Saban-Alabamas/dp/1637740832/ref=mp_s_a_1

As founder of The Sales Evangelist, consultant Donald C. Kelly “sells sales to salespeople.” When he sat down with John they declared the conversation “just two sales guys talking.” But it was more a crash course in selling with observations like: Showing genuine curiosity engages clients; get “yesses” along the way; an empowered consumer “will buy all day;” avoid “fake personalization” in outreach, people know; work hard to land government contracts “because government people don't like to switch.” … John agrees strongly with Donald’s advice to educate prospects instead of dazzling them, advising him to use analogies and “help it make sense to them in their world.”   Connect with Donald on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldckelly/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldckelly/)

If you’re a sales professional whose job revolves around procurement, you’ll want to listen to my discussion with Mark Raffan, CEO of Negotiation Ninja. Mark provides a master class in negotiations because he knows all the tricks in this field as he used to work on the procurement side. “I come from the dark side, the other side of the procurement world,” he said. “I started in sales and moved into procurement.”One of the biggest fallacies in the world of negotiations is the “win-win” scenario. Renowned negotiator Chris Voss says “fair is like a four-letter word in negotiations,” and Raffan mostly agrees with this philosophy. “The whole idea of fair is really, really scary,” Raffan says. “But it’s also the foundation for win-win. I used to put stuff in my (starting) negotiations just to give them up just to make you feel good.”One aspect in negotiations we discuss is when you have to concede in pricing, make sure to get some sort of reciprocity, such as payment up-front or a larger order than originally inten

After battling a brain tumor as a teenager and depression as a young entrepreneur, wellness advocate Chris Mirabile “grew to appreciate that I was here, living still.” Today the founder and CEO of longevity company Novos Labs says he has slowed his aging process by 31% through a holistic approach to mental and physical health that includes meditation, aerobic and strength training, and a good diet. ”All of these different things, they all interact with each other, and they impact your physical health, your biological health, your emotional well being, and so on,” he says of what he calls his “longevity lifestyle.” … Hear John and Chris discuss how ego and entrepreneurship can pose unique challenges to mental and physical health.Connect with Chris on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismirabile/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismirabile/) Follow his health journey here: https://slowmyage.com/ (https://slowmyage.com/)

Lisa Catto caught John’s attention with her self proclaimed title on Linkedin as the Queen of Automation. John has been saying for years that automation is turning sales reps into robots so he had to have her on to discuss where automation can help and hurt throughout the sales process. Lisa says digital selling tools can be effective as long as they are “being valuable, not being creepy.” From finding leads to engaging prospects, online outreach can save time and resources and pave the way for more meaningful personal connections. “We have lost the art of building rapport and conversation,” she says, and automating mundane tasks like scheduling and exchanging basic information allows for better person-to-person communication. The London-based consultant and business coach warns, though, that abusing automation tools on LinkedIn and Facebook can lead to being banned on the platforms. … John challenges Lisa about the “fake personalization” sometimes found in digital outreach campaigns; she responds that good s

Shelton Banks is someone who embodies the “Make it Happen” mentality. He was a high school dropout who lived in a tough neighborhood growing up but didn’t want that to define him. He found a job on Craigslist that didn’t need a high school diploma and worked her way up to then get himself into finance and now runs two non-profit organizations focused on improving diversity in the workforce and “empowering untapped talent.” In this episode we talk about his journey and what he learned along the way. We also talked about the work he is doing now with organizations and why diversity isn’t just a good thing to do from a social standpoint, it actually helps companies become more successful and profitable! Connect with Shelton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheltonbanks/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheltonbanks/) Find out more about Re:Work Training: https://reworktraining.org/home (https://reworktraining.org/home)

People looking for answers need to ask questions first, advises consultant and writer Christie Hunter Arscott, author of the upcoming “Begin Boldly.” You see children “asking so many questions about the world,” she says, adding that we should encourage curiosity and “teach people to approach life with a spirit of inquiry.” She says that trait is part of being successful, describing the high achievers she deals with in her coaching business as “the craziest curious people I've ever met.”Christie has been called “one of our generation’s foremost thinkers” on women and the workplace. Hear her help John better understand how his daughter looks at the world, where fear of failure can weigh more heavily on women than men. Her advice: Share stories about women who overcome adversity on their paths to success. Connect with Christie on https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiehunterarscott/ (LinkedIn) Order her book https://www.amazon.com/Christie-Hunter-Arscott/e/B09DZ1Z38B/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1 (“Begin Boldly: H

Sales trainer, and self proclaimed “King of Sales,” Jeffrey Gitomer has been in the sales game longer than most and he has the stats and social following to prove it. With over 15 books, many of them on the NYT Best Seller list, 70k followers on LinkedIn and thousands of followers on other social channels he has influenced millions of sales professionals throughout his career. In this episode John and Jeff talk about the power of personal brand, how the phone (cold calling) isn’t exactly a great way to sell but it is a great place to learn, characteristics of the best sales professionals and much more. John and Jeff also spar over the value of having front line sales professionals trying to catch the eye of prospective client’s CEO.   Connect with Jeffrey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreygitomer/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreygitomer/)

Brandon Bornancin, CEO and founder of http://seamless.ai/ (Seamless.ai), has known John for more than a decade, back to when they started their respective companies. In that time Seamless, which helps clients broaden and deepen their business connections, has become one of the country’s fastest growing tech companies. On the podcast they discuss how passion can sometimes put people off, the difference between ego and confidence, why sales sometimes gets a bad rap, the state of entrepreneurship, dealing with toxic people, and what leadership means today.Hear how abiding by one of John’s guidelines to success — that you can learn something from anybody in any situation — helped Brandon connect with a Hollywood dealmaker.  Connect with Brandon on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbornancin/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbornancin/)  

After landing his dream job, Sean Castrina was set. Then new management spoke the dreaded words that the company was “going in a different direction.” His response: “I'm never ever going to depend on anybody again,” and an entrepreneur was born. He has since launched 15 companies, coached other business owners, and started a podcast. Among the traits of a successful entrepreneur, Sean says, “Number one is you see problems, and you naturally want to solve them.” He cautions that leaving work early is a thing of the past for entrepreneurs, but relying on yourself brings peace of mind.Hear John and Sean discuss how to navigate the “Bermuda Triangle” of startups, where companies can disappear because of lazy management. Interested in connecting with Sean? https://www.linkedin.com/in/seancastrina/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/seancastrina/) When you’re done listening to “Make it Happen Monday,” check out Sean’s podcast, “The 10-minute Entrepreneur.” https://seancastrina.com/podcasts/10-minute-entrepreneur/ (https:

When Chris Schembra visited Italy and feasted on its food and love of life he realized he “was lonely, unfulfilled, … (and) overwhelmed.” After despair led him to self-harm, he discovered that embracing gratitude in the face of adversity is good for the soul and the bottom line. Today he is a successful consultant and author, having just released “Gratitude Through Hard Times,” a follow-up to 2020’s “Gratitude and Pasta.” He says too many of us suffer from “the plague of the ungrateful man, when you think that you've done everything yourself.” His remedy: Appreciate the contributions of others.   Hear Chris open John’s mind about how his recently deceased father helped — and continues to help — shape him as a parent, husband, and person. Want to get in touch with Chris? https://www.linkedin.com/in/schembra/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/schembra/) http://www.747club.org/ (www.747club.org) 

Successful selling requires being able to “push past the concept of just the transactional mindset of sales,” says Dale Dupree, founder of the Sales Rebellion sales training company. He gained that perspective during his time selling copiers, which went from expensive tools to commodities. Rather than trying to win “a race to the bottom” on pricing, Dale says successful salespeople earn business by helping companies be more efficient and profitable. He also credits introspection and finding “something much deeper” for his recovery from depression and a suicide attempt — and he uses those skills today to better engage clients.Hear Dale and John discuss their shared histories in copier sales and how that shapes their approach to selling today. Interested in connecting with Dale? https://www.linkedin.com/in/copierwarrior/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/copierwarrior/)

In building his sales career, Jamie Shanks found he could make more genuine connections on LinkedIn than trying to “shake hands and kiss babies” at in-person networking events. Eventually, people were more impressed by his “social selling” skills than his products, and a career in training was born. The CEO of Pipeline Signals sales intelligence company shares how savvy account executives can “reverse engineer somebody's LinkedIn social network to look for referrals.” He adds that LinkedIn can provide a trove of data as well as connections to its 60 million active U.S. users. Hear Jamie tell John that because they forged an “authentic relationship” as competitors more than a decade ago, “good things will come out of each of our lives and businesses because of that.” Interested in learning more about Jamie and Pipeline Signals? http://www.pipelinesignals.com/ (www.pipelinesignals.com)